My Best Mountain Bike GPS (Reviews & Buying Guide)

MY BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE GPS/COMPUTERS COMPARISON:

Product:	Features:	Pros/Cons:	Price:
Best for riders looking for a stunning screen display with few mid routing features GARMIN EDGE 100	-Battery life: 15 hours -Color screen: YES -Connectivity: Wireless -Display size: 3.0 inch	Stunning display equipped with sensors built-in speakers Inexpensive lightweight	See on Amazon.com
Best for riders looking for the best battery life with great features BRYTON RIDER 310	-Battery life: 36 hours -Color screen: NO -Connectivity: Wireless -Display size: 1.8 inches	Great battery life great display incredibly lightweight not so user-friendly settings	See on Amazon.com
Best for riders who want a GPS that is compatible with their phone and also electronic shifters GARMIN EDGE 820	-Battery life: 15 Hours -Color screen:  YES -Connectivity: Wireless -Display size: 2.3-inch	great display amps are incredibly easy to read equipped with heart rate sensor Touch screen sensitivity issues takes time to load maps	See on Amazon.com
Best for riders looking for great connectivity and great features WAHOO ELEMENT	-Battery life: 16 hours -Color screen: yes or no -Connectivity: Wireless -Display size: 2.7 inches	Bluetooth and wifi connectivity big display measure heart rate it is said to unpair at times	See on Amazon.com
Best for riders looking for a stunning full-color touch screen MAGELLAN 505	-Battery life: 12 hours -Color screen: YES -Connectivity: Wireless -Display size: 3-inch	WIFI connectivity touch screen stunning display phone integration heavy battery life is a bit low	See on Amazon.com
Best for riders looking for a minimalist screen with a huge screen CATEYE STEALTH EVO PLUS	Battery life: 10 hours -Color screen: NO -Connectivity: Wireless -Display size: N/A	Incredibly lightweight affordable reliable attery is a bit disappointing	See on Amazon.com
Best option if you are looking at striking both great design and easy to GPS unit Polar v650	-Battery life: 10 hours -Color screen: YES -Connectivity: wireless -Display size: 2.8 inch	Stunning display equipped with barometric sensors and heart rate monitor below-average battery life heavy pricey	See on Amazon.com
Best budget GPS unit with a colored screen LEZYNE MICRO COLOR	-Battery life: 14 hours -Color screen: YES -Connectivity: Wireless -Display size: 1.4 inch	Incredibly lightweight affordable Mounting issues not so great screen	See on Amazon.com
Best budget unit for people who wouldn’t mind a B/W screen POLAR M450	-Battery life: 16 hours -Color screen: no -Connectivity: Wireless -Display size: 1.9 inch	Budget-friendly heart rate monitor black and white screen navigating the display is a challenge	See on Amazon.com

MY BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE GPS/COMPUTERS REVIEWS:

GARMIN EDGE 1000

• Battery life: 15 hours
• Color screen: YES
• Connectivity: Wireless
• Display size: 3.0 inch
• Pros: Stunning display, equipped with sensors, built-in speakers
• Cons: Inexpensive, lightweight

BRYTON RIDER 310

• • Battery life: 36 hours
  • Color screen: NO
  • Connectivity: Wireless
  • Display size: 1.8 inches

• Pros: Great battery life, great display, incredibly lightweight
• Cons: not so user-friendly settings

GARMIN EDGE 820

• • Battery life: 15 Hours
  • Color screen:  YES
  • Connectivity: Wireless
  • Display size: 2.3-inch

• Pros:  great display, amps are incredibly easy to read, equipped with heart rate sensor
• Cons: Touch screen sensitivity issues, takes time to load maps

WAHOO ELEMENT GPS BIKE COMPUTER

• • Battery life: 16 hours
  • Color screen: yes or no
  • Connectivity: Wireless
  • Display size: 2.7 inches

• Pros:  Bluetooth and wifi connectivity, big display, measure heart rate
• Cons: it is said to unpair at times

MAGELLAN 505

• • Battery life: 12 hours
  • Color screen: YES
  • Connectivity: Wireless
  • Display size: 3-inch

• Pros: WIFI connectivity, touch screen stunning display, phone integration
• Cons: heavy, battery life is a bit low

CATEYE STEALTH EVO PLUS

• • Battery life: 10 hours
  • Color screen: NO
  • Connectivity: Wireless
  • Display size: N/A

• Pros:  Incredibly lightweight, affordable, and reliable
• Cons: Battery is a bit disappointing

Polar v650

• • Battery life: 10 hours
  • Color screen: YES
  • Connectivity: wireless
  • Display size: 2.8 inch

• Pros: Stunning display, equipped with barometric sensors and heart rate monitor
• Cons: below-average battery life, heavy, pricey

LEZYNE MICRO COLOR

• • Battery life: 14 hours
  • Color screen: YES
  • Connectivity: Wireless
  • Display size: 1.4 inch

• Pros:  Incredibly lightweight, affordable
• Cons: Mounting issues, not so great screen

POLAR M450

• • Battery life: 16 hours
  • Color screen: no
  • Connectivity: Wireless
  • Display size: 1.9 inch

• Pros: Budget-friendly, heart rate monitor
• Cons: black and white screen, navigating the display is a challenge

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE GPS:

Chances are you now sieving through that huge collection and you just can’t tell what to go for. The same design and features they all come with have made you totally spoilt for choice. Well, if you know what you want, the whole shopping process shouldn’t give you a headache at all. Here is how to shop for the best mountain bike GPS in the market.

What do you need the GPS unit for?

This, obviously, is the first question you need to ask yourself. So before you even start comparing a number of models in the market, you need to know exactly what you will be doing with this device.

For example, those high-end GPS units for mountain bikes are great when it comes to planning routes. They come equipped with LCD displays that offer full-color topographic maps. In short, such units will allow you to plan your route ahead of time. The best part, you can do all this from the comfort of your home.

In other cases, we have riders who are just looking for a reliable recording. They need something they can upload to an app and share everything with friends. So as you can see, what you need the mountain bike GPS for will help you determine what you are going to take home at the end of the day.

Screen size

This is pretty much simple; the bigger you go for the better experience you get. Ideally, a big screen is able to show you a lot of information all at once. It is also incredibly easy to read. However, this will come with one sacrifice. A huge screen will lead to the draining of your battery real fast, leading to a reduction in the overall battery life.

In other cases, we have seen those high-end screen displays turned to capacitive touch screens. This could also come with few issues as well. It can be a problem dealing with them, especially when the weather is bad or even when you are wearing gloves.

Still on the screen; if you can get a colored display, that would also come with great benefits. You will find it easy to read and navigate. The display must also provide a very intuitive interface. You should be able to navigate every part with ease.

Set-up

When you are out there shopping for the best mountain bike GPS, you also need to consider its overall set up. How easy is it to set up? You actually need to take time and study on how complex the whole set up is. At first, it may seem practically impossible, but with time, you will recognize the programs.

Technically, the complex nature of these devices depends largely on the number of features and functions it comes with. This basically means, the higher the number of features, the more complicated the device would be to set up.

Interfaces & Add-ons

A few years ago ANT+ Compatibility was a technology of the future, but we now have companies integrate this nice piece of technology on their units. This technology makes the unit work practically with anything ranging from head-up display to your typical heart rate monitor. So, ensure the model you choose comes with this technology

Waterproofing features

Nothing beats a water-resistant mountain bike GPS unit. So when you are out there sieving through that long list of designs, focus on how the device is able to resist water. Most high-end GPS for mountain bikes we have in the market are all water-resistant. They usually come with an international protection rating of 7 and can survive any exposure to water for some minutes. So if you know the weather might actually get wet, you need to invest in a unit that will not only resist water but also able to do its work as expected.

Battery Life

Most modern mountain bikes GPS units now come fully equipped with a built-in rechargeable battery, with a battery life of about 20 hours. The battery life is one of the biggest considerations because of a number of reasons. First, the amount of data you will be able to download will largely depend on the amount of battery you are left with. So when making a choice, take your travel time and what you will be doing with GPS into great consideration.

So you know; a unit that comes with great battery life will cost you more money though. However, that shouldn’t deter you for it is going to worth every single penny you spent on it in the long run.

Weight

Well, weight, really, is not a deal-breaker for most riders, unless you are a very serious racer. Nonetheless, it is important to keep things as low as possible and going for a light GPS unit could actually bring a bit of difference. Most of these come with weight ranging from 50g for the lightest ones and the heaviest going coming in at around 130g or even more.

As much as keeping the weight low is essential, let it not compromise on the number of features you get. Even if you settle for the heaviest unit with plenty of features in and around the market, it won’t affect everything so much. In fact, you won’t even feel the difference between those super light and heavy units.

Training Tools & Software

We have seen our smartphones take center stage when it comes to training tools. Mountain bikes GPS units have also not been left out; we have seen designers integrate those amazing learning tools and software on their models. However, most of them have not done so.

So when making a choice, ensure the model you put your money on does come with these great features. Most GPS systems can sync with most of your phone’s applications like MapMyRide and Strava. You can actually use them right from the device itself.

Nevertheless, before you make that final decision, take some time and find out if it is fully compatible with your smartphone. Not all phones are compatible with this incredible feature and you might not want to invest in a new phone.

Mounting

How you are going to mount the whole unit on your bike is essential. You must factor it in all the time. These units come with different mounting types depending on the brand. Garmin is a world leader when we talk about great mounting. Most of their devices are incredibly popular because they come with different aftermarket mounts. Ideally, when considering the type of mounting, ensure it is solid and will be able to hold the unit in place even when you hit those bumps and rocky trails.

Customization

Can the display be customized? You need to inquire about this great feature before you make a choice. Some of the things you may want to be on the lookout for include the choice of changing the font size. You need something you can read with ease, whether you are stationary or you are moving at high speed through those trails. You should also be able to read all the information in bright sunlight.

Do business with big brands

What is true in mountain bikes computers is also true here; only deal with reputable brands like Garmin. Well, their units might cost you a lot of money, but they are well built. They also come with great features. It is easy to be lured by those cheap units from little known companies, but they are going to cost you money in the long run.  They are not durable and often come with a lot of issues. In short, they won’t work as claimed by these small companies. You will need a new replacement within a very short period of time.

Final Words

Striking the best mountain bike GPS unit is never easy, especially if you have never had to make a choice before. The market is packed with tons of models and telling what works and what doesn’t is no longer a walk in the part. However, if you take the above factors into great consideration, there is no way you would go wrong with the choice you make.

Updated on January 20, 2021 by Ben