Best Garmin for Triathalon

[NuckyThompson]

I am doing Ironman Wales this year so looking for recommendations for a Garmin cycle computer.

Prefer Garmin because the watch is Garmin and all links in with the app and training plans etc .

Need to see power out put but beyond that I don't really want to spend the £600 for the top of the range model.

[Harpoon]

Preference for screen size?

I went from an Edge 800 to Edge 1040 back in 2023 and love the 1040 screen size. Much easier to read, especially without my glasses when cycling. Battery life is immense (even for the non-solar version). Available for around £320/330 right now.

[smn159]

Used Edge 530 for about £100 if all you need is power?

[NuckyThompson]

dont mind buying second hand either so that's a consideration. I say I only need power but i suppose technically I'll need cadence and HR too.

Be handy to have one that will show everything on once screen.

[fooman]

sorry I didn't read question properly

Edited by fooman on Monday 12th January 19:39

[NuckyThompson]

no I want a bike computer as i want me able to see metrics as i ride.

already have a garmin watch for the swim/run

[z4RRSchris]

wouldn't you want a watch for the whole time? log the whole thing?

you can have power on a watch and put it on a mount.

or get a edge 530,

[BunkMoreland]

For reasons that make zero sense to me

1040 Edge is currently CHEAPER than 840 Edge at most of the usual outlets. Shame it's quite large!

I know 550-850-1050 are out now. So the "40s" are old hat. But I doubt a single person will notice.

In times like this we turn to the only person who can deliver a good review

https://www.youtube.com/@Dcrainmaker


p.s Theres only 1 a in Triathlon

[z4RRSchris]

looking at it again i’d get the wahoo / garmin watch and a mount for the actual race, but given you’ll prob train a load too on the bike only you should get another wahoo bolt anyway

[NuckyThompson]

z4RRSchris said:

wouldn't you want a watch for the whole time? log the whole thing?

you can have power on a watch and put it on a mount.

or get a edge 530,

Don’t really want to faff with taking the watch off and mounting it as petty as that sounds. I can still use it for a whole course time but think I’d rather a multi display of cadence, power, speed etc. this is only my second triathlon I winged the first one 9 years ago so trying to do this one properly.so it’d probably be an added bonus if the garmin is programmable to do nutrition reminders too. Not sure that’s even a thing?

[Dracoro]

Garmin (and Wahoo) bike computers both have custom alerts. e.g. every 30m remind to drink, every 45m eat etc. however you want.

Wahoo have (if you have Wahoo watch and Wahoo computer), and Garmins have a triathlon mode as well, have switch/transition feature such that it automatically knows when you are cycling (so you get everything on bike computer) and switches to watch when running/swimming.

Not all of them have this feature, so best check specs of watches you have (or need).

[Smitters]

I have an old Garmin Edge 810, which though clunky, does HR, Power, Cadence just fine, including useful stuff like lap averages and so on. These can be had on eBay for very little (sub £50). What it won't do as well as modern units is the mapping side. I can still load routes to it wirelessly from the Connect app, and follow, including using alerts for turns, but it's hard to see without my glasses and not as intuitive as, e.g. a mobile phone map or, I presume, a modern GPS unit. It easily does a century ride on a full charge.

I'm doing IM Copenhagen, so have a similar need. I'll swim, bike and run, recording with my watch and just use the bike computer for real-time data on the bike.

[BunkMoreland]

Smitters said:

I'm doing IM Copenhagen, so have a similar need. I'll swim, bike and run, recording with my watch and just use the bike computer for real-time data on the bike.

I've had a 735XT watch for years. Its getting old now so battery life is suffering. But will replace it in due course with another Garmin multisport

You'll need a D-lock for transition I fear after last year!

https://www.slowtwitch.com/triathlon/update-on-sto...

I would genuinely not leave a GPS computer on a bike anymore in transition. Leave it in the T1 bag.

Many years ago I did Roth. There's security onsite with German Shepherds. I took no chances when I racked the day before. Saddle bag was empty. I removed the locks about half hour before I went for my final poo and put the wetsuit on!

Edited by BunkMoreland on Tuesday 13th January 21:32

[oddman]

NuckyThompson said:

Don t really want to faff with taking the watch off and mounting it as petty as that sounds. I can still use it for a whole course time but think I d rather a multi display of cadence, power, speed etc. this is only my second triathlon I winged the first one 9 years ago so trying to do this one properly.so it d probably be an added bonus if the garmin is programmable to do nutrition reminders too. Not sure that s even a thing?

Just get the cheapest garmin that will display the metrics you want. You can program them to cycle through displays so time/distance; HR/Power whatever else you want or, depending on your eyes, you could have all the metrics on a small screen.

Pay a bit of attention to where you mount it. Depending on your bar set up you might need one of those out in front thingies. Between the tri bars works for me.

I have used the 5km beeps on the bike and 1km beeps on the run for nutrition/hydration prompts. Not obsessional about it but in the heat of the moment, I'm prone to forget.

[Smitters]

BunkMoreland said:

I've had a 735XT watch for years. Its getting old now so battery life is suffering. But will replace it in due course with another Garmin multisport

You'll need a D-lock for transition I fear after last year!

https://www.slowtwitch.com/triathlon/update-on-sto...

I would genuinely not leave a GPS computer on a bike anymore in transition. Leave it in the T1 bag.

Many years ago I did Roth. There's security onsite with German Shepherds. I took no chances when I racked the day before. Saddle bag was empty. I removed the locks about half hour before I went for my final poo and put the wetsuit on!



Yeah - I saw that. I'll likely use some cafe locks, but thieves are setting themselves a low bar if they take my bike. Good tips on the bags etc. I would hope the local organiser will have really good security this year after last.

Edited by BunkMoreland on Tuesday 13th January 21:32

[NuckyThompson]

Thanks gents went for a 540 as there is a package with HR etc,