Characteristic-rich with an old-school show

After I first began biking roughly 4 years in the past (yep, one other pandemic bicycle owner), I rode with out a bike computer. I might merely monitor my rides utilizing my Garmin watch. Then, my husband purchased me the Garmin Edge 130 Plus, which made monitoring my rides simpler since I might see key stats in entrance of me as an alternative of needing to carry my wrist excellent to see my watch. Nevertheless, it had a tiny display screen and pretty restricted options, so it wasn’t a motorbike pc that bought me very excited.

Unboxing the Edge 1040 Photo voltaic, then, left my jaw on the bottom. The machine is very large, wanting extra like a small smartphone than a motorbike pc. The characteristic set is powerful, too, offering way over I even want at this cut-off date, however it means I’ve issues to develop into as I proceed down my biking highway. General, the Edge 1040 Photo voltaic is a critically spectacular machine, and I’ve totally loved my time with it.

Beneficial

Garmin Edge 1040 Photo voltaic

The Garmin Edge 1040 Photo voltaic is a sophisticated bike pc with photo voltaic charging capabilities to increase battery life. It affords a sturdy checklist of options for navigation, efficiency, and security with an enormous show that makes it simple to see data throughout your rides.

Execs

• Comes with numerous equipment
• Massive show offers loads of room for knowledge
• A lot of helpful maps and navigation instruments
• Very feature-rich
• Wonderful battery life
• Photo voltaic charging is useful for lengthy rides

Cons

• Show seems to be reasonably outdated
• Photo voltaic charging is simply helpful in particular conditions

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Worth, availability, and specs

The Garmin Edge 1040 Photo voltaic is obtainable from Garmin’s web site, Amazon, and REI for $750. It comes with a silicone case, three totally different bike mounts, a lanyard, and charging cable.

What I favored in regards to the Garmin Edge 1040 Photo voltaic

Intensive options with numerous display screen actual property

Put merely, there’s lots to love in regards to the Garmin Edge 1040 Photo voltaic. Initially is the dimensions. The three.5-inch diagonal display screen ends in a number of room on the show. All of that display screen actual property makes it extremely simple to see your data whereas using, even with only a fast look down. It is particularly helpful when wanting on the map. Plus, due to a number of knowledge screens which can be customizable, you possibly can select which data you see whereas using.

As is typical for a Garmin machine, the Edge 1040 Photo voltaic is extraordinarily feature-rich. This evaluation might get very lengthy if I touched on all of them, although, so I am going to spotlight my favorites. To start out, I very a lot recognize how simple it’s to sync routes to the Edge 1040 Photo voltaic. I largely use routes from Strava, which mechanically present up on my machine. The top unit then offers turn-by-turn instructions throughout a experience so I do not get misplaced.

The instructions popped up with loads of time forward of a flip and have been pretty fast to regulate if I bought off beam. Whether or not you’re following a route or simply monitoring a experience, you may additionally get notifications if there is a busy highway forward otherwise you’re getting near a good flip. I actually appreciated these options when using in areas I wasn’t very acquainted with. Plus, accessing the map throughout a experience is kind of good, even when I do know the place I’m.

Past navigation, the Edge 1040 Photo voltaic affords the complete suite of Garmin’s efficiency instruments, together with each day urged exercises, coaching standing, efficiency monitoring warmth and altitude acclimation, synced coaching plans, and a lot extra. These efficiency instruments are much more sturdy and helpful when you pair further sensors like a coronary heart fee monitor and energy meter. I bike for health causes, so it is helpful to have that, particularly because it all feeds again to the Garmin Join app, which additionally collects knowledge from my Garmin watch.

After all, as it is a photo voltaic charging-capable machine, I might be remiss if I did not speak about battery life and photo voltaic charging. The Edge 1040 options two photo voltaic panels above and under the show, together with Garmin’s Photo voltaic Glass show, which is an primarily clear photo voltaic panel over the show itself. Meaning the whole unit is roofed in some type of photo voltaic panel.

Garmin guarantees as much as 100 hours in battery saver mode or as much as 45 hours in demanding use instances (primarily when you’re utilizing all of the sensors with the GPS settings on the most correct). The corporate additionally says the photo voltaic panels can add as much as 42 minutes per hour in battery saver mode or as much as 20 minutes per hour in demanding use instances. The experience abstract reveals you the photo voltaic depth through the experience, together with the battery acquire you bought in consequence.

I’ve the Garmin HRM-Match linked to the Edge 1040 Photo voltaic, and plenty of of my rides use turn-by-turn navigation with the map on the show, which chews by way of the battery quicker than the opposite knowledge screens. Primarily based on Garmin’s Battery Life Expectations chart, I fall roughly within the ‘Mid’ use case description, which Garmin says ought to lead to 40 hours of battery with out photo voltaic charging or 50 with.

Most of my rides have been below 1.5 hours, so I did not push the unit to its restrict when it comes to battery life on particular person rides. Throughout my testing, I used to be in a position to get proper round that 40-hour mark that Garmin promised. In reality, my shorter rides used barely any battery in any respect. I solely needed to cost it just a few occasions, and a kind of was as a result of I left the brightness at 100% as an alternative of auto and forgot to show it off (a double whammy). I additionally did not make the most of the truth that the Edge 1040 Photo voltaic will get photo voltaic charging even when off (it was tucked in a darkish nook), which might have prolonged the life much more.

I did not get the photo voltaic charging numbers Garmin promised, however to get these, you may constantly want 75,000 lux situations. One experience was at roughly 10 am on a sunny day, albeit with occasional shade on the path, and the machine mentioned the photo voltaic depth was 85% with 2:13 of battery acquire. If I have been completely out within the open in the midst of the day, that quantity would doubtless be fairly a bit increased, leading to extra battery acquire.

Although much less vital than all of the above options, I used to be additionally impressed by all of the extras the Edge 1040 Photo voltaic comes with. It features a silicone case that protects the unit when you fall or when you drop it, which is a wonderful merchandise to have given the worth. You additionally get three totally different bike mount choices (​​MTB, commonplace, and out-front) and a lanyard.

Associated

Garmin’s latest bike computer is close to perfection

A contemporary show, speedy efficiency, and an countless checklist of options received over my bicycle owner coronary heart.

What I did not like in regards to the Garmin Edge 1040 Photo voltaic

Outdated display screen know-how

Whereas the show is giant, it, sadly, seems to be reasonably outdated. The touchscreen may be very responsive, however the transflective TFT show know-how, in comparison with what you are used to in your smartphone and even Garmin’s newer watches, merely seems to be a bit unhappy. The colours are boring, the distinction is pretty low, and it is not very brilliant.

The display screen remains to be simple sufficient to learn in brilliant situations, however it certain seems to be far older than the Edge 1040’s 2022 launch date. Garmin deployed the identical kind of show in all of its bike computer systems, which was a standard grievance. In reality, it was such a standard grievance that the corporate not too long ago launched the Edge 1050, which makes use of a way more fashionable, brilliant, and vibrant show. The Edge 1040 merely pales as compared.

After all, the worth is one other ache level. At $750, this is without doubt one of the most costly bike computer systems accessible. You get lots for the worth, to make certain, however that worth is greater than many will probably be keen or in a position to pay.

Do you have to purchase the Garmin Edge 1040 Photo voltaic?

The Garmin Edge 1040 is a spectacular bike pc. There’s lots to love about it. The large show makes it simpler to see your stats and skim maps whereas using, it offers all types of coaching, security, and navigation instruments, and the battery life is implausible. Those that sort out lengthy rides, need in-depth metrics, and depend on a head unit for navigation ought to completely put money into the Edge 1040 Photo voltaic.

There are additionally downsides to this unit, although. Whereas the photo voltaic charging is a plus, and it does add a pleasant increase in the correct situations, it prices $150 greater than the non-solar version. For anybody not tackling lengthy rides in demanding conditions, or when you do not stay in a sunny location, that additional price doubtless is not price it. In case you nonetheless care about lengthy battery life however do not want the increase from photo voltaic charging, you’d be higher off choosing the Edge 1040 with out photo voltaic for $600.

Lastly, when you’re choosy in regards to the show and would like one thing even simpler to learn in all situations with extra vibrant colours, then the Edge 1050 will probably be a more sensible choice.

Beneficial

Garmin Edge 1040 Photo voltaic