User submitted reviews
Review by mph66Reviewed 10/3/2022by mph66SoCo, RITrashI sold a Garmin 130 to �upgrade� to the 820. The font is light and minuscule to read in normal daylight rides. The �incident alert� goes off if you brake fast. Last spring I suffered a minor stroke and so to make my wife feel safer, I got this model. After about a half dozen false positives, this thing was so bad I sold it on eBay and �downgraded@ back to the 130.
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I sold a Garmin 130 to �upgrade� to the 820. The font is light and minuscule to read in normal daylight rides. The �incident alert� goes off if you brake fast. Last spring I suffered a minor stroke and so to make my wife feel safer, I got this model. After about a half dozen false positives, this thing was so bad I sold it on eBay and �downgraded@ back to the 130.
Review by mph66Reviewed 8/25/2022by mph66Cycling EnthusiastRhode Island1 of 2 customers found this review helpful.I Wish I'd Stuck with my Garmin 130...As the heading says, I got this to replace a Garmin 130. What a mistake. The "alert" sound on this is higher-pitched (we lose frequencies as we get older) and the heads-up display, though a wider screen, is about 1/3 of the display size for my Garmin Varia. So with the Garmin 130, there was a wider, bigger set of circles "approaching" the triangle (you) at the top of the headset. With this, it's a very thin, narrow lane, and the circle is tiny (my eyes don't really catch it) and the "alert" signal is weak. There is no way to adjust the volume. I have AirShox, and if it could pipe the alert through that, I could turn it up as loud as I'd like, but no joy. But the thing that is really disappointing is the "Incident Detection" feature, which is why I bought this unit. Last May, while out on the bike, I had a stroke (I'm ok) but it freaked me out pretty bad, and my wife was a basket case. I thought this might get us some peace of mind. Instead, this thing is on a hair-trigger, and if I stop fast, or hop the bike up a curb, or speak to the Garmin 820 in a stern manner, it goes off. I had to shut the feature off. It's absolutely terrible. You'd be better off getting one of those "medi alerts" and yelling, "Help! I've fallen, and I can't get up!"
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As the heading says, I got this to replace a Garmin 130. What a mistake. The "alert" sound on this is higher-pitched (we lose frequencies as we get older) and the heads-up display, though a wider screen, is about 1/3 of the display size for my Garmin Varia. So with the Garmin 130, there was a wider, bigger set of circles "approaching" the triangle (you) at the top of the headset. With this, it's a very thin, narrow lane, and the circle is tiny (my eyes don't really catch it) and the "alert" signal is weak. There is no way to adjust the volume. I have AirShox, and if it could pipe the alert through that, I could turn it up as loud as I'd like, but no joy. But the thing that is really disappointing is the "Incident Detection" feature, which is why I bought this unit. Last May, while out on the bike, I had a stroke (I'm ok) but it freaked me out pretty bad, and my wife was a basket case. I thought this might get us some peace of mind. Instead, this thing is on a hair-trigger, and if I stop fast, or hop the bike up a curb, or speak to the Garmin 820 in a stern manner, it goes off. I had to shut the feature off. It's absolutely terrible. You'd be better off getting one of those "medi alerts" and yelling, "Help! I've fallen, and I can't get up!"
Review by PBReviewed 7/21/2022by PBCycling EnthusiastChicago ''burbsGlad I got itI bought this because it was cheaper than good used 520s, 520+s, and 530s. Problems: the included handlebar mount isn't tight enough on my nominal 25.4 mm handlebars. I've installed it over a couple of wraps of cotton bar tape and the thick spacer, and that looks like it will last. Occasionally it just stopes recording in the middle of a ride, and I have yet to figure out a quick way to restart it. I don't think it measures gradient all that well. That may be because I live in flatland. I think it's often off in reporting wind speed, but that doesn't surprise me. BUT ...
I find the swiping to work more than decently. It's imperfect, but buttons aren't perfect either, IME. The clarity of the display is excellent (my phone has a top notch display, and the 820 is good enough.) It seems accurate. I haven't used the mapping much, but it's a giant upgrade from breadcrumb routing. Besides, it tells you you turn by street names, and if there's no street sign, I find it easy to miss turns. :-)
I hate Garmin Express. Garmin Connect is OK. I like the customized, downloadable data fields that provide more info than standard Garmin screens do, but that's available to most Garmin devices.
I $332, I'd probably recommend a 530, unless you can stretch to $400 for an 830. On sale, though, this 820 is a very good buy, IMO. I'm 77 and ride 1000-1500 miles/year, almost all of which is on my home turf.
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I bought this because it was cheaper than good used 520s, 520+s, and 530s. Problems: the included handlebar mount isn't tight enough on my nominal 25.4 mm handlebars. I've installed it over a couple of wraps of cotton bar tape and the thick spacer, and that looks like it will last. Occasionally it just stopes recording in the middle of a ride, and I have yet to figure out a quick way to restart it. I don't think it measures gradient all that well. That may be because I live in flatland. I think it's often off in reporting wind speed, but that doesn't surprise me. BUT ...
I find the swiping to work more than decently. It's imperfect, but buttons aren't perfect either, IME. The clarity of the display is excellent (my phone has a top notch display, and the 820 is good enough.) It seems accurate. I haven't used the mapping much, but it's a giant upgrade from breadcrumb routing. Besides, it tells you you turn by street names, and if there's no street sign, I find it easy to miss turns. :-)
I hate Garmin Express. Garmin Connect is OK. I like the customized, downloadable data fields that provide more info than standard Garmin screens do, but that's available to most Garmin devices.
I $332, I'd probably recommend a 530, unless you can stretch to $400 for an 830. On sale, though, this 820 is a very good buy, IMO. I'm 77 and ride 1000-1500 miles/year, almost all of which is on my home turf.
Review by ChuckReviewed 12/8/2021by ChuckCycling EnthusiastDenver, CO2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.I liked my old Edge 130 betterI got this unit as a re-manufactured item. It was a very good price and functioned ell, but there are some things I didn't like about this one. The unit is very slow to operate with the touch screen, and the screen itself is made so that about half of the brightness is lost when I use my polarized sunglasses. If I rotate my head 45 degrees to one side, the display goes totally dark. 45 degrees the other side shows 100 % bright.
The advanced mapping function was not as useful as I had hoped. For what it does on-the-fly, it is cumbersome and most of the things I'd want to do with it can be more easily accomplished on my iPhone map.
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I got this unit as a re-manufactured item. It was a very good price and functioned ell, but there are some things I didn't like about this one. The unit is very slow to operate with the touch screen, and the screen itself is made so that about half of the brightness is lost when I use my polarized sunglasses. If I rotate my head 45 degrees to one side, the display goes totally dark. 45 degrees the other side shows 100 % bright.
The advanced mapping function was not as useful as I had hoped. For what it does on-the-fly, it is cumbersome and most of the things I'd want to do with it can be more easily accomplished on my iPhone map.
Review by MartyReviewed 10/26/2022by MartyModestoNOH as good as new The NOH 820 was delivered on time and continues to work perfectly. My previous experience with Garmin NOH (refurbished) products has been limited to items supplied under warranty from failed new ones. All continue to operate to spec. So in a way I�ve had lower failure rate with refurbs than with new.
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The NOH 820 was delivered on time and continues to work perfectly. My previous experience with Garmin NOH (refurbished) products has been limited to items supplied under warranty from failed new ones. All continue to operate to spec. So in a way I�ve had lower failure rate with refurbs than with new.
Review by RonReviewed 6/6/2022by RonCompetitive RacerAnn ArborA replacement for a broken oneI bought this for my wife after she dropped her 820 and broke it beyond repair. It was part of a special offer including Garmin Rally power pedals so it was deeply discounted. My wife really liked her first 820 so no reason we wouldn't like this one!
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I bought this for my wife after she dropped her 820 and broke it beyond repair. It was part of a special offer including Garmin Rally power pedals so it was deeply discounted. My wife really liked her first 820 so no reason we wouldn't like this one!
Review by FFA riderReviewed 3/20/2022by FFA riderCycling EnthusiastPortland OR3 of 4 customers found this review helpful.small display screenOperating the unit is too complex with buttons and display screen touch buttons, especially when wearing full finger gloves. Too much info is cramped in the small display and the readout numbers are too small. Hard to read your speed. And yes the battery life is disappointing.
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Operating the unit is too complex with buttons and display screen touch buttons, especially when wearing full finger gloves. Too much info is cramped in the small display and the readout numbers are too small. Hard to read your speed. And yes the battery life is disappointing.
Review by Jpm1225Reviewed 8/9/2021by Jpm1225West Chester Pa1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.Very accurateTerrific Unit. Very accurate with really nice features. Especially like the ability to have9-10 data fields. Also works will with my Varia light
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Terrific Unit. Very accurate with really nice features. Especially like the ability to have9-10 data fields. Also works will with my Varia light
Review by AnonymousReviewed 8/9/2021by AnonymousLA1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.Like Brand NewCheapest, looks and works like brand new! I love it!
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Cheapest, looks and works like brand new! I love it!
Review by MartyReviewed 10/24/2022by MartyModestoNOH as good as new The NOH 820 was delivered on time and continues to work perfectly. My previous experience with Garmin NOH (refurbished) products has been limited to items supplied under warranty from failed new ones. All continue to operate to spec. So in a way I�ve had lower failure rate with refurbs than with new.
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The NOH 820 was delivered on time and continues to work perfectly. My previous experience with Garmin NOH (refurbished) products has been limited to items supplied under warranty from failed new ones. All continue to operate to spec. So in a way I�ve had lower failure rate with refurbs than with new.
Review by BaderReviewed 4/8/2021by BaderWILLIAMSBURG5 of 5 customers found this review helpful.I didn't see any advantage over the 520I tried it twice but I didn't like the way to change the pages. I had to do screen swipes which didn't work well specially when wearing a glove. I prefer in this regard the 520 and the 530. I didn't see that the 820 offered any advantage over the 520. About the same size. It worked well when I didn't try to flip pages or change function.
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I tried it twice but I didn't like the way to change the pages. I had to do screen swipes which didn't work well specially when wearing a glove. I prefer in this regard the 520 and the 530. I didn't see that the 820 offered any advantage over the 520. About the same size. It worked well when I didn't try to flip pages or change function.
Review by AnonymousReviewed 4/8/2021by AnonymousCycling EnthusiastCarlsbad, CA3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.Nice GPS and great priceThis is the first GPS bike computer I have owned. I always got by with a speed and cadence pickup to the display on my handlebars. This is so much nicer with so much functionality. It was a "refurbished" unit, but it looks brand new and I haven't had any problems with it. Not looking back....
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This is the first GPS bike computer I have owned. I always got by with a speed and cadence pickup to the display on my handlebars. This is so much nicer with so much functionality. It was a "refurbished" unit, but it looks brand new and I haven't had any problems with it. Not looking back....
Review by aidaae96 Reviewed 7/18/2022by aidaae96 KatyGarming refurbished Im super happy with the product great price and excelent conditions
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Im super happy with the product great price and excelent conditions
Review by AnonymousReviewed 7/4/2022by AnonymousGood price , flexible deviceThis garmin has more metrics available than I require . Altitude and percent grade are nice .
Works well and fairly easy to utilize
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This garmin has more metrics available than I require . Altitude and percent grade are nice .
Works well and fairly easy to utilize
Review by LaurenceReviewed 1/20/2022by LaurenceBiloxiAwesomeGreat computer, have used wahoo, xoss and Fitbit this is a best one I have found
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Great computer, have used wahoo, xoss and Fitbit this is a best one I have found
Review by CrossriderReviewed 10/25/2021by CrossriderCompetitive RacerLubbock, TX1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.Like everything except the screen is to small. The 810 screen was much easier to see.Small screen hard to read. Harder to setup than the 810.
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Small screen hard to read. Harder to setup than the 810.
Review by BillyOReviewed 4/1/2021by BillyOCompetitive Racerclermont, florida1 of 2 customers found this review helpful.Great GPS. Lightweight and accurate.Greatest upgrade to my bike.
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Greatest upgrade to my bike.
Review by MikeReviewed 2/18/2021by Mikeso cal 1 of 2 customers found this review helpful.820 Easy to set up if you've had a previous version.... nice up grade
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Easy to set up if you've had a previous version.... nice up grade
Review by Tim and Devon PeggReviewed 1/4/2021by Tim and Devon Peggconcord, NC3 of 4 customers found this review helpful.Quality device to track rides and see improvement Easy to use and install. The app is what makes it a solid 5/5. I like having it connect to my Strava account as well.
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Easy to use and install. The app is what makes it a solid 5/5. I like having it connect to my Strava account as well.
Review by tehouseReviewed 11/21/2020by tehouseDaily CommuterAsheville, NC5 of 6 customers found this review helpful.Compact, powerful, and usefulA very useful tool for mapping and tracking bike rides and routes.
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A very useful tool for mapping and tracking bike rides and routes.