I'm still figuring it out and expect to be figuring it out for the foreseeable future. It's challenging to get TrailForks to talk to Garmin or vice averse. I spend more time trying to get the right screen to appear than actually using it for navigation.
I have been using Garmin GPS computers for a long time. I started with a Garmin Edge 305. I then got an Edge 800 and 810. Although there were a few design flaws in the models, after fixing it permanently or temporarily, I was happy using them. So far I haven't read about nor discovered any flaws with the 830.
After setting up, the screen data looks similar to the 800 and 810. The unit comes with the map of the country which is a big savings, although I still use the Open Street Map. Setting it up is a little more complicated but not too hard. You'll need to put Garmin Connect on you smart phone to quicken setting up the computer.
I have a Stages Power meter and it's completely compatible, as well as the Garmin heart rate monitor. The touch screen works very well, even with an anti glare sticker on it. So far the battery life seems very good.
So while the computer is equal and better than the 800 and 810 there is one big change. The lap and time buttons are on the front edge of the computer instead of the top. I like to hit the lap button at the bottom and top of climbs. After many years of hitting the button on the top of the computer I must think and remind myself to put a fingertip between the handlebar and the edge of my computer (computer sits on a k edge computer mount). This isn't a design flaw just a change to what I'm used to. I bet with time I should get used to it.
This is a good computer. I think it's the right size, not as large as the other models. I'm sure you'll like it if you buy it.
I bought the 830 when the Garmin sale was happening a while back. I had never owned one of these navigation computers before. I only had a simple CatEye. I decided to take the plunge into these modern times so that I could actually download and follow routes for our bike club rides instead of using a cue sheet. Boy, am I glad I did. Things are so much easier when you just have to follow the screen. The 830 has definitely impressed me so far. The navigation has always been accurate and has never led me astray. I use the 830 pretty much as a bike computer with navigation and it has performed admirably. With the speed sensor, it has been perfectly accurate for my speed and distance since I manually set it up with the actual tire circumference. It definitely has functions that I don't use: Strava, heartrate monitor, power meter, etc. but that's okay. That fact that all of those extras are built in for the folks that use them makes it a great bang for the buck.
The are a couple of things that I dislike. The first is the fact that the Garmin website manual isn't always clear on how to do things. I found several helpful hints by doing internet and forum searches and just figured some things out on my own. The second is the seemingly universal cry that the notification sounds on the 830 are virtually impossible to hear. I have hearing loss and use hearing aids but I still can't hear the sounds when riding. To make matters worse, I also bought the Varia radar unit and I couldn't hear the notifications for that either, meaning I had to look down all the time which defeats the purpose. The fix for that was that my hearing aids are paired with my phone so I downloaded the Varia app and I run that on my phone while I ride. This allows me to receive the radar notifications through my hearing aids which is what I need the most. Garmin would do well to at least add a good volume control on the unit. An even better option would be to allow the unit to pair with the hearing aids so that the phone would be unnecessary.
Aside from those two things, the unit has been a great upgrade to my riding and I don't know why I held back for so long.
The Garmin 830 was a last minute purchase before a gravel race which required on board navigation. I am not a techie. But the 830 set up and mounted easily, was very easy to interface with my computer to download the course map, and performed flawlessly the day of the race. Conditions were snowy and right at freazing which caused no issues at all. Glad I bought the 830 and looking forward to using it next spring.
First of all I'm a tough rater. I don't give five stars unless something is nearly perfect, so don't take 4 stars as a bad sign. This is a great computer overall.
First, some positives. This computer does everything I could ask for. Strava live segments work well, though sometimes segment starts appear when I'm just passing on an adjacent road or trail. Pairing power meters and other devices is seamless. and the data quality is very good. I have the system set to upload rides automatically when I hit the stop button, and they uploads are done faster than my garage door can open. The screen may not be like a top-of-the line phone, but it's a huge upgrade from any bike computer I have had before. The customizable data screens are old news, but really useful, and easy to configure once you get through the first time.
On the negative side, Garmin's software has a few weak spots. At first the computer battery totally drained several times. This wasn't exactly a battery life problem. The computer was getting into a state where it looked off but was actually using full power. Getting the beta firmware solved this. Oddly, the improved firmware hasn't been rolled out to production, though months have passed.
Another one-time problem was updates to the GPS software. It auto-updated during a ride, causing about half of the ride to lose data. Not the end of the world, but it was disconcerting since it was only my 2nd ride or so.
Smaller issues crash detection is a nice idea, but I have triggered it falsely a couple of times, once while simply accelerating from a stop light. I'm not THAT fast. Sorry, everyone, I'm not going to crash myself intentionally to see if it works in that case. The sharp turn warnings have never been useful. The tone either comes after you have already passed the apex, or just before when it would be unsafe to look down to read the message.
This is not really a pro or con, but just be aware that some functions are several levels deep in the menu system. The touch feature is generally very good, but some things may be nearly impossible when flying down a rough road or trail.
I had an 820 and really liked it. It was 8 years old when the battery died. One of the electronics specialists at work replaced the battery for me, but he broke a connection and the top third of the touch screen no longer worked. I wish that Garmin would repair devices, it worked fine until the battery needed replacement
This is a quality product specific to bicycling. Garmin makes some of the best aviation navigation avionics in the industry and we're talking precision instrument landing guidance that leaves nothing for error. You can see this expertise bleeding over to their line of biking GPS'. The 830 is a compact touchpad biking tool for guidance and training. It's hard to imagine they left any features out. If you want a bigger screen for guidance that will be more like your smart phone, then step up to the 1030. But, it appears the 830 does all that the 1030 but in a smaller package. Expect a learning curve.
I've owned many Garmin devices over the years and navigating the functions / settings hierarchy with buttons mostly intuitive. The touchscreen feature on the 830 makes it that much easier. I read a lot of articles debating the incremental value of that feature since it has a higher price point. Certainly an end user decision / preference. Pairs easily with Powertap, SRAM, and Assioma Favero power meters, plus iPhone and Garmin heart rate straps. I find the safety features and training analytics useful.
Been running 520 for 5 years and thought everything newer was more than I needed. Within 5 rides I knew how much more tech was at my hands. Month in my maxVO2 is climbing along with healthy feel. Looking for technical help for your fitness, look no further.
I purchased my latest Garmin to replace the Garmin 1000 I have had for a number of years. I purchased the updated smaller unit because of the daily battery life as advertised. So far it performs as expected and is reasonable in price. I have not had a long enough ride to tell about expected battery but it works well with my Varia add on component as expected.
I replaced a 5 year old Wahoo Elemnt with the 830. It works very well and has many more features. I don't use all the training tools but the navigation tools work very well. I like the ability to "pin" routes in RWGPS and move them to the Garmin by syncing without a USB cable connection. The climb pro feature is nice in the mountains. The touch screen is great, much better than pushing buttons.
I do wish the start/stop button was on the top instead of the back. That can be a clearance issue. Also the screen can be hard to read with certain glare situations. The old Wahoo was better in this regard. Steve
I was skeptical about moving to a Garmin from my existing GPS since all of my other cycling friends are not using Garmin. After making the leap to Garmin I am very satisfied with the touch screen, the interface with Garmin Connect, reminders for hydrating, weather forecast, and ease of linking routes from other apps. At first it took some time getting used to the interface and setting it up, which would be expected for going to a new product. I do love the bluetooth interface with my Shimano di2 where I can use my shifter buttons to navigate between the different screens. So far I've ridden about 1000 miles with the unit and it has saved me with its re-routing feature whenever I get lost on a solo ride. Definitely a life saver.
I replaced my Garmin Edge 820 with the 830. The 830 is quite an improvement over the 820. It finds sensors much, much quicker. Satellite acquisition is a whole lot better. Screen is bigger. There's just too many improvements to mention them all. The only thing I wished Garmin would do for all the Edge models is to be able to "program" the Edged pages, configurations and options from a web page which then could be uploaded directly to the Edge. This would be much simpler for the end user and an obvious feature to employ. Bur that doesn't take away from the Edge 830. The Edge 830 is a nice product.
Have used a Garmin 500 for years and wanted to have turn by turn directions as I look at finishing my bike ride across the USA. Has all the features I can ask for love the fact that it autoloads the finished ride to Garming & Strava so easily.. Took a while to get text and phone notifications but support site had the answer!
May update this after I speed many weeks on the road with it but my test rides have proven that the battery will last on all day rides and I can turn off things easy enough to conserve battery.
Don't find this device below retail very often but was able to buy on Bike tires direct and saved $80 !!
I was an avid phone user for my cycling "computer" until a friend talked me into the 830. At purchase it was a cool toy that enable Ant+ pairing with my various sensors so things connected very easily and quickly. I have been very impressed by the cycling dynamics feature (power meter pedal integration), map rerouting, favorite Strava routes (you can star someone else's route on Strava and download that route to the 830 for mapping), and the Strava segments. Really like the real time segment popup that shows how you are doing against the KOM and/or your PR. Battery seems to last a really long time too. Highly recommended.
Garmin 500 to Garmin 830 is Super Sweet.
Color Touch Screen
Wifi post ride auto upload
Route Sharing between units
Upcoming Climb Details
What would you not like about this unit!
My decision to buy this one was the touch screen while the 530 used the buttons to go between screens.
BTW: Bike Tires Direct has awesome customer service and communication continues to be top notch.
Believe it or not, I had still been using my trusty old 500 because I so disliked the 820. It was difficult to read in bright sunlight and it constantly changed pages and settings when I dripped sweat on it no matter how I tried to tweak the settings! A friend implored me to get a new 830, assuring me that it was vastly improved over the old 820. I took his advice and must admit that he was right. Not only is the screen noticeably larger, it is also easier to read in bright sunlight. The touchscreen is way more usable and it boots up three times faster. The sweat-dripping thing is still a problem, however. I'm either going to have to quit working so hard, or reposition the unit so it is more out of the way.
I have used a Garmin 820 for years and the 830 is a huge upgrade. The screen is much more responsive, the battery life is so much better and the screen is sharper. If you like the 820 you will love the 830.
