Garmin Edge 840: Touchscreen and solar updates make it the perfect bike computer
There are many reasons to use a bike computer and Garmin's latest model has perfected the experience for all riders
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5/5 Medals of Yavin: Highly recommended for cyclists looking for a rock solid, full-featured bike computer
Touchscreen and seven button navigation options
Powerful Garmin ecosystem, including pairing with accessories
Colorful display, solar charging, mounting options
Fairly expensive for casual users
Back in 2019 I tested out my first bike computer in the Garmin Edge 530 and loved that it was paired with the Varia radar/light mounted on the back of my bike. I’ve enjoyed riding with the Edge 530 and found it a solid companion for my daily bike commuting and occasional exercise-focused rides.
The one aspect that has frustrated me over the past couple of years has been using all of the buttons on the unit. Since I do not use it every single day, I regularly push the wrong button for the action I intended. There are seven physical buttons on the Garmin Edge 530 and unless you use it regularly it can be frustrating.
For the past few months I have been riding my bikes with the Garmin Edge 840 Solar Edition, available now for $549.99. It has the same seven physical button design, but you can also choose to use the touchscreen display if that suits you better. In addition to the touchscreen, the Edge 840 also sports a Power Glass display that is capable of solar charging.
Rating:
As explained in my palmsolo’s Refresh Rating Scale post, I’m awarding the Garmin Edge 840 Solar Edition five (5) Medals of Yavin. I admittedly do not have experience with a wide variety of bike computers, but I could not find a single aspect lacking from the Garmin Edge 840. It’s a bit expensive, but purchasing this device ensures you can track every metric you want right from the bike computer for years to come.
The Good and the Bad
It’s pretty rare for me to not find something that can be improved with a product so here is my summary of the phone.
Pros
Touchscreen and button user interface options
Outside viewable color display
Loud audible alerts
Extremely large amount of customization and personalization
Long battery life with solar charging option
Vast Garmin ecosystem for deep dives into the data collected
Mounting solutions included in the box
Cons
Expensive
Some may find 2.6 inches too small for the display
Experiences
The display size and resolution between the two remains the same at 2.6-inches so it is clearly not a big screen bike computer, but the display is still much larger (and safer) than trying to use a watch to monitor your bike ride. I connected the 840 to the Garmin speed and cadence sensors I have mounted to my 1994 Bridgestone XO-4 so I can capture more accurate cycling data.
I also tested the Garmin Edge 840 using the lovely Velotric T1 (previously known as the Thunder 1) since that bike can be ridden with no assist enabled and serve as a very capable standard bike. The Velotric T1 does not have an integrated display, but has a center mount that turns out to be a Garmin mount so I simply positioned the Edge 840 over the center mount and twisted it securely into place.
Garmin advertised 20 hours of battery life for the Edge 530 and with solar charging, and adequate light, the Edge 840 could get you up to 32 hours of battery life. Both are plenty for a few days of riding and in my case both also allowed me to commute for the week while charging up on the weekends.
I live at the top of a hill and every time I run or ride then I traverse hills. The ClimbPro feature on the Edge 840 has been improved, primarily because it kicks in when you start going up hills without riding on a preloaded course. I have a very steep hill for the last half mile to my house and it is fun to watch the multi-color hill appear on the display and show me my progress. It is also wonderful to ride my bike around in areas with hills and be updated right on the display with estimated distances remaining and grade levels for unfamiliar hills.
Routing is well supported on the Edge 840 with cycle maps, group riding features, training ride guidance, and more. Worldwide MTB trail data from Trailforks is also available. I’m not a mountain bike rider, but the Edge 840 supports dynamics such as jump count, jump distance, and hang time. Turn-by-turn directions, back to start, hydration alerts, and more are available to optimize your training experience.
Texts and notifications from your phone can also appear on the Edge 840 with loads of custom data fields available in the Connect IQ store. There are an abundance of features available on the Garmin Edge 840 and it is a device that likely will meet the needs of a wide variety of bike riders.
The Edge 840 connects with the Varia light/radar so that I am kept updated on the vehicle traffic approaching me while motorists are made aware of my presence with the flashing light.
Specifications
Specifications alone don’t mean much, but they are useful for comparing similar devices and checking that you are getting value for your money.
Display: 2.6-inch 246x322 pixels resolution color touchscreen
Water resistance: IPX7
Map storage: 32GB for 200 waypoints, 100 courses, 200 hours of history
GNSS: GPS, Glonass, and Galileo
Battery life: 32 hours with full tracking, solar adds more battery life, up to 60 hours with battery saving
Dimensions: 85.1 x 57.8 x 19.6 mm and 88.9 grams
Bottom Line
Garmin addressed my primary concern with the Edge 530 by incorporating a touchscreen on its small bike computer. Solar charging is also a nice addition that will help extend the battery when on longer rides and riding throughout the week.
The feature set of the Garmin Edge 840 Solar Edition is almost overwhelming, but I also am the type of person who wants to get the most out of my gear. Thus, I’ve been exploring ways to use more of the features by extending the types of bikes I ride and the areas where I ride. The Edge 840 is designed to meet the needs of all bike riders.
As I continue to expand my cycling, I highly recommend you read through the extremely detailed and comprehensive review from Ray Maker that he published back in April of 2023.
I can usually think of one or two other features to add to a product after reviewing it, but I am hard pressed to think of anything missing from the Edge 840.