Garmin Edge 520 Review
If you have been enjoying the features and abundance of information offered by the Garmin Edge 510, 810, or even the venerable Edge 500, you will be happy to know that Garmin has not rested on its laurels. Garmin has broken new ground with the Edge 520 by packing a lot of new features and upgrading existing ones in the Edge 520 at a price that represents a great value compared to the cost of leading edge cycling computers of just a few years ago.
Some of the features of the new Garmin 520 have been borrowed from the ground breaking Garmin Edge 1000, introduced last year. Among them, some of the most notable include the ability to pair the 520 with your smart phone and receive incoming test and call notification, integrated live tracking via phone, and improved mapping functions.
For Strava users, the Garmin Edge 520 offers Strava segment integration. What that means is that you can now be notified when you are approaching a Strava segment of your choosing and, once you are on that segment, your Garmin Edge 520 will tell you, in real time, how you’re doing compared to either your PR or the existing K.O.M. Pretty cool information to have on the road…
Another great feature of the Garmin Edge 520 is the compatibility with the Garmin Varia rear radar tail light (pictured right). We did a brief review, Garmin Varia Cycling Radar Short Review, earlier this fall, but in short, the Garmin Varia rear light system detects vehicles that are approaching from behind and displays the information on a compatible Garmin device attached to your handlebars and adjusts the intensity and duration of the flashing red light. Currently, the compatible devices with the Garmin Varia are the Edge 1000, Edge 520, and Edge 25, as well as the dedicated Garmin Varia display unit.
In conclusion, the new Edge 520 packs a ton of features into a compact easy to use unit. If you have enjoyed the size and utility of the Edge 510 or Edge 510 you will love the Garmin Edge 520 as it takes everything that was great about the Edge 510 and adds useful connectivity and features.
The Garmin Edge 520 is available bundled with a premium heart rate strap and speed/cadence sensors for $400, or as a head unit only for $300. Contact us with questions and we’re happy to sell and help set-up a new Garmin Edge 520 for you.
