The New Garmin Edge 1030 Now Available!

We just received our first batch of Garmin Edge 1030 cycling computers with GPS. On the surface, the 1030 does not look that different from the Edge 1000 (a little bigger, white case…). But there have been some nice evolutionary changes to the unit.

This is not intended to be a comprehensive review of the Garmin Edge 1030, so we’ll focus on the changes/additions from the Garmin Edge 1000 that we think are going to be the most meaningful to folks. In addition to great features like automatic Wi-Fi upload of ride data, smartphone connectivity, route recommendations Garmin Varia safety radar compatibility that the Garmin Edge 1000 introduced, the new Garmin Edge 1030 adds the following (and more…):

Longer Battery Life on the Garmin Edge 1030.

 

The internal battery claims 20 hours of life, which is longer than the 14-16 the Edge claimed. The big news though is that there is an optional secondary battery pack you can now attach to the bottom of the unit that is supposed to add another 24 hours of power. We suspect that most people will not get 40 plus hours of life with the number of devices and screen settings/brightness they will want to use, but you can now clearly ride a full dawn to dusk ride (even in Alaska in the summer!) without exhausting your battery.

Crash/Incident Notification.

First introduced on the Edge 820, but never an option on the Edge 1000, your Garmin Edge 1030 can be set to notify someone if you crash. Try not to test this feature out if you can help it…

Trendline Popularity Routing and Improved Garmin Cycling Map Navigation.

 

 

Trendline Popularity Routing takes advantage of the millions of other people who have posted rides to Garmin Connect and shows/maps rides in an area based upon popularity. This works for road, mountain and gravel routes. If you are travelling to a new place, Trendline Popularity Routing should prove a very nice assistant.

The general mapping and route direction functions and alerts have also been improved on the Garmin Edge 1030. Like the Edge 1000, the unit can create up to three rides for you in a given area if you let it know the distance you are seeking.

GroupTrack Strava Segments in Real-Time and Rider Messaging on the Garmin Edge 1030.

Wondering how far ahead or behind other riders you are? Like the Edge 820, the Edge 1030 will show you where other users are on a route in real-time. You can track up to 50 people.

If  you link the Edge 1030 with your phone, you will also now be able to see all available Strava segments nearby as you ride. Connecting the unit with your phone also allows you to send/receive pre-written messages to riders.

Garmin Edge 1030 Bigger Display with Improved Wet Condition Touch.

The bigger 3.5″ display is less affected by water and thus notably easier to use in the rain.

Other Items on the Garmin Edge 1030.

There are a host of training and workout tools, a new cleaner and easier start screen/dashboard, an improved workout creator, more Bluetooth Smart compatibility and a new centered handlebar mount are all other items that the Garmin Edge 1030 has either improved or added to the functionality of the Edge 1000.

Contact us to learn more about which cycling computer from brands like Garmin, Wahoo, Cateye and Bontrager make the most sense for you.