Garmin today launched the new Edge 1050 bike computer, which the brand says is “the brightest and smartest bike computer ever.”
The Garmin Edge 1040 Solar is featured in our best cycling computer buying guide and we expect it to continue to be available as a solar option alongside the Edge 1050. We hope to get our hands on it soon to test it alongside the 1040.
The recommended retail price for the device is £649.99 / $699.99 / €699.99, making the Edge 1050 £200 more expensive than the recently released third-generation Hammerhead Karoo and positioning the new 1050 at the top of the bike computer market.
The Edge 1050 has a touchscreen display and is said to offer 20 hours of battery life, or 60 hours in power save mode. That’s plenty capable for regular roads and gravel roads, but falls short of the latest ultra-long battery life computers like the Coros Dura, which we calculate will last up to 375 hours of riding.
The Edge 1050 appears to have received some updated design tweaks as well as interesting new features like contactless payment support. Additionally, it builds on Garmin’s reputation for computers that offer strong fitness and training features and support.
Dan Bartel, Vice President of Global Consumer Sales at Garmin, said:
“We’re excited to introduce the Edge 1050, our most powerful and capable bike computer yet. Delivering an exceptional riding experience, superior navigation and community-focused features, our newest bike computer is designed to motivate cyclists – whether they’re planning a group ride with friends or a long solo adventure.”
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What’s new?
The new Garmin 1050 is said to feature an updated design and the new device now has an angled body and more robust full metal buttons. There is also a replaceable quarter-turn mount as well as a 3.5-inch liquid crystal display.
The Edge 1050 also supports contactless payments with Garmin Pay – a technology used in Garmin’s smartwatches and designed to compete with the Apple Watch’s Apple Pay. Thanks to this technology, owners can pay at the cafe using their bike computer and leave the cards at home and the phone in their back pocket.
There’s also a built-in speaker that Garmin says allows riders to hear training and navigation instructions. There’s also a bike bell on the device to alert other road users of your presence.
A new course editor on the device allows owners to create courses and routes on the device. According to the brand’s press release, paved and unpaved surfaces will also be clearly visible on the screen.
Wi-Fi connectivity allows users to add, swap or update additional maps using the map manager feature, and trip-specific routing allows for mountain, gravel or road riding.
The GroupRide feature has also been improved, according to the manufacturer, and riders can communicate via messages while riding. Live location and crash detection alerts can notify other riders and even route them to a cyclist who needs help. Riders can also receive hazard alerts from other riders, such as fallen trees or potholes. These alerts will soon be available on the Edge 540, Edge 840 and Edge 1040 devices.
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Training and fitness functions
Garmin devices have a reputation for having powerful fitness training features, and the Edge 1050 seems to live up to that reputation.
The device includes free Garmin training plans and real-time endurance information. The Power Guide feature now takes into account wind data and the rider’s current endurance level to make real-time power goal adjustments.
Training insights are provided by Firstbeat Analytics, including training status, heat and altitude acclimation, and V02 Max. Trendline Popularity Routing also helps cyclists find the routes most used by other Garmin cyclists. Users can also send a pin from Apple Maps and navigate to that location, a feature Hammerhead Karoo also offers for Google Maps.
ClimbPro displays climbing metrics such as time remaining and gradient, while ClimbExplore displays nearby climbs on the device or in the Garmin Connect app. MTB riding metrics are also covered with specific metrics such as jump count, jump distance, grit and flow.
The Edge 1050 will also include safety features such as live tracking and incident detection for select contacts. It will also be comparable to Varia products, Garmin’s range of smart radars and lights.
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