10 best bicycle GPS in 2021
By now using a GPS for bicycle, outdoor activities or trekking has become very important, let me say essential. We have been using it for 15 years now. We started with a non-cartographic GPS together with paper maps, in order to track our routes, to then switch to a cartographic GPS more similar to a cyclo-computer. Now we are using a more generic one, more outdoor-oriented than bicycle oriented. Enough talking: let's see which are the best bicycle GPS in 2021 in my personal opinion and online research.
In this article
Why using a bicycle GPS?
I'm not going to use this article to explain how to choose an outdoor bicycle GPS, because the reasons could be different and too many, and they deserve a dedicated article (which I promise I'm going to write as soon as I can). But at least let me say why we use a GPS in our MTB excursions and bicycle journeys.
In the beginning, we were skeptical because, mostly in our journeys, having a GPS device means having more weight to carry and another device to recharge. But then the desire to discover new roads and find, in every part of the world, some routes outside of the mainstream and known roads has prevailed. Let's quote the MTB routes as well, where trails and tracks are difficult to find and follow. Having a paper map gives a more complete vision, and when we manage to, we bring one along. But then, having a zoomable map on site, detailed and small, gives us the possibility to find the alternative roads and understand the type of terrain. There are a lot of reasons why we have chosen a GPS device for MTB and bicycle touring, but these are the main ones and I won't be too long.
The alternative which I am not suggesting for long day trips or longer journeys is using a smartphone with an outdoor App. We use this option with pleasure, but only in case of malfunctioning of our GPS device, or for short rides on the road or walks. These dedicated devices are realized for outdoor activities and so waterproof, log duration batteries, a strong GPS signal and superior to the phones. There are many more reasons why we use a dedicated GPS device for our outdoor activities. For now, let's focus on the best 10 bicycle GPS devices in 2021 in my opinion.
GPS Device
Screen size
Weight
Autonomy
Price
Garmin Edge Explore
If you say outdoor GPS device, you say Garmin! Let's be crystal clear: this is the main company for outdoor navigation systems in Italy and in many others countries in the world.
Solid, trustworthy, durable GPS devices. Garmin has become a leader company in producing outdoor GPS devices thanks to its high-quality products in constant innovation. In its vast product range, you can find trekking, bicycle, running, fitness outdoor GPS. Moreover, a very professional and great community of Garmin GPS owners can suggest you and guide through the choice and use of your first Garmin product... just search online.
For bicycle lovers, the Edge series is the main one, even if I personally find these more similar to a cyclo-computer, so dedicated to professionals more than a bicycle tourist or outdoor lover biker. Recently, however, Garmin has launched Edge Explore, more suitable for bicycle tourists and bikers.
The main features are a touch 3" screen (so not so big), waterproof IPX7, the possibility to connect with security devices by Garmin and with the smartphone, a Garmin Cycle map already loaded on the device and a rechargeable ion battery with duration up to 12 hours. The price for this device is 247,60$, plus the almost compulsory purchase of its stand for the handlebar.
Garmin Montana 700
Since 2015 we are two happy owners of the best GPS by Garmin, a Garmin Montana 610: the device described in the following lines is the third or fourth evolution of our device.
The Edge series by Garmin was not for us, as stated previously, so, at the moment of the purchase, we oriented our choice elsewhere. Among the numerous series, the one that suits our needs is the model Montana, today available with numerous models - 610 and 680 were the last generation - in the next lines you'll meet the newest, Montana 700, for more demanding bikers.
There are three alternatives of this GPS of this 10 best bicycle GPS in 2021 list: Montana 700, Montana 700i and Montana 750i. The first is the basic model (well, as "basic" as 599€ can be...), with TopoActive Europe maps loaded on, but you can choose to load yours (we personally prefer OpenMTBmap and here you can read how to install them).The 5" touchscreen (the biggest now) guarantees a good vision of the map and a level of details moe than stisfying. The signal GPS and Glonass guarantees a more rapid and precise positioning, a barometric altimeter and a three axes compass will help the positioning, the battery lives up to 18 hours and can be replaced by 3 AA batteries, aspect which saved us more than once during a journey, and lastly IPX7 waterproof system.
The only negative points are its weight and bulkiness, but if you don't mind carrying 400 g more on the handlebar, it's a great choice. The price for this device is 599,99$ going up to 699,00$ for Montana 700i with InReach integrated (messaging technology and SOS 24/7 with a sat fee) and 799,99$ for Montana 750i with InReach technology and 8MP camera.
TwoNav Trail 2 Bike
Sigma Rox 12.0 Sport
This German company is a leader in producing bicycle devices and recently also bicycle GPS. The most famous and used is Sigma Rox 12.0 Sport, an avant-garde product. The display can adapt to light conditions of the environment to give you the best visibility in every condition. Moreover it can recognize the raindrops and avoid interference during the use in rainy days. The presence of 6 buttons, a touch screen and IP67 waterproof system make this product very reliable, together with its integrated WiFi system, being able to communicate with Apps like Komoot, Strava, Sigma Cloud and Dropbox. The pre-loaded maps are based on Openstreetmaps data, with the possibility to download every country automatically.
The main features of this Sigma Rox 12.0 Sport are: pretty small 3" screen (if compared to the other models), 16h autonomy battery, three axes compass and altimetric barometer, 8 GB internal sotrage. A plus is the presence of the handlebar mount, starting from 366 € (there are different models with 4GB or 8GB internal storage).
Xplova X5
Wahoo Elemnt
Mio Cyclo 605 HC
Polar M460
Lezyne Mega XL
Bryton Rider 860E
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Francesco G
ITA - Ho 33 anni e sono piemontese, anche se da qualche anno vivo e lavoro in Lombardia. Dopo un inizio da totale inesperto in questo campo, mi sono avvicinato al mondo dei cicloviaggi e della bicicletta sempre più. Oggi posso definirmi "cicloviaggiatore", e assieme all'altra mia passione - il videomaking - non mi fermerei mai! Cyclo ergo sum, pedalo quindi sono, per cercare di capire perché andare in bici sia così bello, terapeutico, ricco... E ogni volta che provo a capirlo, non ce la faccio, e sono costretto a ripartire sui pedali!
ENG - I'm from Piedmont and I'm 33 years old, I have been living and working in Lombardy for a few years. After a start without any competence in this field, I then approached the bicycle world more and more. Today I can call myself a bicycle traveller and videomaker who would never ever stop. Cyclo ergo sum, I cycle therefore I am. I ride my bike trying to understand why it is so beautiful, rich, therapeutic. And every time I try, I do not understand it. So I must leave again...
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