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TECH NEWS

Garmin announces ride-specific map improvements and faster route calculations for Edge computers

Software update is designed to improve performance of Edge 530, 830, 1030, and 1030 Plus

Garmin has announced navigational improvements to its Edge 530, Edge 830, Edge 1030, and Edge 1030 Plus GPS cycle computers through a free software update.

2021 Garmin Edge 530 GPS Computer-1

In Garmin’s own words, the update provides:

  • New clean, high contrast maps that make bike-friendly road, gravel, or mountain routes more visible in all light conditions. 
  •  A Trendline popularity heatmap based on billions of miles of uploaded ride data now layered directly onto the map and adjusts automatically based on ride type so cyclists can instantly see the most relevant places to ride.
  •  Faster route calculation speeds, allowing cyclists to start riding more quickly. Now, after a route has been calculated once, it’s cached so cyclists can get started in seconds.
2021 Garmin Edge update - 8.jpeg

> Check out 13 of the best cycling GPS units — get ride data and bike satnav from £50

You can update your Edge automatically via Wi-Fi or by using Garmin Express. Garmin also encourages you to update your maps via Garmin Express to get the latest improvements and most up-to-date popularity routing data.

www.garmin.com

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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10 comments

Avatar
check12 | 2 years ago
0 likes

Yeah if your device is working how you like it, be wary of installing updates if you don't *need* the features as it's not always a great experience! 

Avatar
matthewn5 | 2 years ago
0 likes

Oh great, so my 520 Plus bought last year is already deprecated.

Maybe that's why I can't install the maps update it says it wants to install (but always fails).

Garmin need to make these updates more backwards compatible. My 2016 iPhone is still getting updates, so it's not impossible.

Avatar
maxdabrit | 2 years ago
0 likes

It's already been rolled out Stateside and quelle surprise, it's a fairly nice update. Haven't used the popularity routing and 'adding clarity' to the maps is just the road lines are thicker🙂. The one thing that is really good is the new addition of clearer directional arrows when following a route. Gone are the old small solid chevrons and are replaced with Wahoo-esque larger outlined chevrons. 

Avatar
PRSboy | 2 years ago
0 likes

A friend has a Hammerhead Karoo, which looks most impressive.  Seems to combine the slick looks of a newer Garmin with the functionality of Wahoo.

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jaymack | 2 years ago
0 likes

To get the best out a Garmin buy Wahoo...

Avatar
MrBuli replied to jaymack | 2 years ago
2 likes

Don't think so.

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Jem PT | 2 years ago
2 likes

I do hope this is better than the usual Garmin update and is not full of glitches.

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Awavey replied to Jem PT | 2 years ago
0 likes

I wasnt planning to update mine for at least a month to let them iron out the bugs first

Avatar
MrGear replied to Jem PT | 2 years ago
0 likes
Jem PT wrote:

I do hope this is better than the usual Garmin update and is not full of glitches.

Well, I've done the update... And now I can't get any of the maps to display. ANNOYING.

They were fine before the update.

Avatar
Pilot Pete replied to MrGear | 2 years ago
0 likes

Yep, did the update, now it won't load my Garmin OS 1:50k maps on micro SD card. Very frustrating.

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