Garmin Edge 200 vs Edge 500

[Highkicker79]

The Edge 200 was my first purchase for a GPS based cycle computer. It was great but the only niggle was that it did not show the current time of day on the main screen. Having done more research I realised the Edge 500 was a suitable upgrade that allowed me to customise the screen with the same information as the 200 with the addition of the current time of the day. Both units are the same physical size and shape (they use identical external casings).

However, there are some major differences to the 200 which I can't understand:
1. It takes absolutely ages to get a satellite lock. The 200 would get a satellite lock in a few 10s of seconds even indoors but the 500 is just so slow. If I did start cycling without getting a lock then the 200 would get a lock very quickly. The 500 takes several minutes and could be as much as a mile into the journey before it gets a lock.
2. The 200 remembers whether the backlight was on or off and uses that setting as soon as you turn on the device. The 500 remembers the backlight intensity but it always starts up the unit with the backlight off. This is very annoying because I prefer to have the backlight on all the time. Why can't it just remember the previously used state like the 200.
3. The 200 could be switched on by a simple click of the power button. The 500 requires the button to be held down for a second or two. Not a big issue but why the change?

I do appreciate the configurability of the 500 but the niggles above almost out weigh the benefits. Are there settings or things I've missed to correct some of the above?

What I really want is for the 200 and the 500 to get in bed and produce a Edge 350 model which takes the best of both worlds!

[TrevA]

I have a 200 and agree that it locks on to satellites much quicker than my 705. I also find it annoying that it doesn't show the time of day as a data field. My 200 powers up quickly too, even turning itself back on if I catch the button when twisting it to take it off the mount.

[Highkicker79]

How long does your Edge 500 take to get a lock on? Mine takes a couple of minutes if I'm stationary. However, takes longer if I get impatient and start my cycle journey.

[darkvalley]

Hi
To get the back light to remain on all the time, go into settings (turn it on and when it starts to locate satellite, press and hold the enter button), then system, then display. Top menu is length of time backlight remains on, this can be set to always on.
My 500 takes about 10 to 20 seconds to locate satellite, if i am wherever I last used it eg. from home. It can take longer if i am in a different place from where I last used it, but usually this would not be more than a minute and often less.
It won't lock on at all if I try it indoors.

[Highkicker79]

Hi
To get the back light to remain on all the time, go into settings (turn it on and when it starts to locate satellite, press and hold the enter button), then system, then display. Top menu is length of time backlight remains on, this can be set to always on.
My 500 takes about 10 to 20 seconds to locate satellite, if i am wherever I last used it eg. from home. It can take longer if i am in a different place from where I last used it, but usually this would not be more than a minute and often less.
It won't lock on at all if I try it indoors.

Thank but you misunderstand about the backlight. I've already set the backlight to remain "on all the time". The problem is that Edge 500 will always start up with the backlight off. I have to manually turn the backlight on but then it will always stay on. This is different to the Edge 200 as it remembers the state of the backlight when it was switched off so that it will revert back to that state when the unit is on.

I've checked the firmware version and I have v3.30 which I believe is the latest version. I was really hoping that these niggles were resolved in a more updated firmware version.

[easyroller]

The 500 is old tech now and I'm pretty sure Garmin have stopped releasing updates for it. I don't think it's much of an upgrade over the Edge 200 apart from it being ANT+ compatible. I loved my 200 but when it came time to upgrade (needed ANT+) I went for the slightly larger Edge 510 as it's newer and has much more customisation options.

[PH]

I agree the 500 takes longer than others to get a fix, a fair bit longer than my Etrex, I've just got into the habit of turning it on as I get the bike ready, I don't wait for it.
But IMO points 2 & 3 are better.
I don't want it to remember I left the backlight on, I have it set low and I might not notice in daylight, so I could be using the battery up all day after a night ride, it's a single press of a button to switch it on. Also I'd rather have a power switch that wasn't likely to be turned on or off accidentally, which is the purpose on the longer hold, again I find it simple enough.

[Highkicker79]

I agree the 500 takes longer than others to get a fix, a fair bit longer than my Etrex, I've just got into the habit of turning it on as I get the bike ready, I don't wait for it.
But IMO points 2 & 3 are better.
I don't want it to remember I left the backlight on, I have it set low and I might not notice in daylight, so I could be using the battery up all day after a night ride, it's a single press of a button to switch it on. Also I'd rather have a power switch that wasn't likely to be turned on or off accidentally, which is the purpose on the longer hold, again I find it simple enough.

Point 3 is a very minor niggle I can look past it and like you say, it's probably a good thing as it'll be harder to get an accidental turn on.

Point 2 isn't as much of a big deal as I've just realised that I can click the backlight button while it has the progress bar for finding the satellites and this will turn it on.

But point 1 is a major grip as it's often quite slow. Sometimes when I am indoors, I have left it on indoors for over a few minutes and it doesn't get a lock but I start cycling as soon as I leave the indoor area and it isn't until a mile down the road it then gets a lock. By which point I then have to mess around by clicking buttons to then start the journey. It wouldn't be as bad if there was a way for it to start the journey as soon as it obtained the satellite lock.

[Des49]

I got one of my daughters a 500 last year, was envious and then got myself one in the autumn as I was training seriously for something and found it a great tool.

But it is old tech, personally I prefer it over the updated version the 510, mainly on account of the price saving but also as I find the screen far easier to view in daylight.

It is very slow to acquire a fix, especially if you are out of your normal area. It seems quicker from home and with the elevation point set. It uses only one set of GPS satelites, I believe some newer models will use more than one network, like the GPS plus the Russian Glosnas network, resulting in faster and more reliable fixes. it is not reasonable to expect a fix to be acquired indoors as it is too easy for the signals to be blocked.

If I cycle off without it getting a proper fix it often never acquires one, it also loses the fix in small enclosed lanes.

My main gripes are:-

the Garmin software, often never works, sometimes won't upload rides that Strava will, sometimes it has just lost data inexplicably. Very annoying.

forgetting to press start when starting a ride, why not an auto start?

the Garmin heart rate monitors just don't seem reliable with me

[PH]

forgetting to press start when starting a ride, why not an auto start?

For some it's a training aid, they wouldn't want to record the warm up.