Garmin - Edge 540 Solar 2.6" GPS Bike Computer - Black

After losing my Garmin Edge 530 in a MTB "incident" I purchased the 540 and I absolutely love it. The fact that it pairs automatically with my Garmin Varia as soon as I turn it on is time saving and reassuring. The camera starts running automatically. I also love that the default setting on the device scrolls though various screens when I'm riding. The battery life is something I'm not sure about yet. It does not seem to me that the solar aspect is making that much of a difference - but I'm still getting used to it. So it's NEW in that regard.

I purchased this item a couple of weeks ago due to the fact my Garmin 130 locked up in a loop (ride in progress, and will not back out), now, with the 540, very nice features....but...I have problems connecting with my Garmin power meter peddles, it wants to use the Trek Domane+ internal power meter, so again, I have to manually make sure before a ride it connects to peddles (the 130 did not do this), now also, it does NOT pick up or connect to the Garmin Vira tail light radar (again, it did with the 130)....I have spent hours trying to connect with no success, but still trying.

I decided to purchase the Edge 540 because the battery in my older Edge 520 was starting to lose its charge. I also thought the 540 would operate in a similar way to my 520 to ease the learning curve. I've used the 540 for about a month now and am pleased with how it's been working. Yes, the control buttons operate in a similar fashion to the 520 although I discovered the menu layouts are different and it did take some getting used to them. But in the end being familiar with the 520 features did make the learning curve on the 540 much easier. The battery also holds its charge much better. I was amazed at some of the upgrades such as the alerts that pop up warning of trail hazards or sharp turns. So, up to this point I'm very satisfied with the Edge 540.

While I am still figuring out how to use all of the features, it was quick to setup and start using. The battery life is very good. I was able to customize the display to give me the information I need/want in the way I want to see it. I highly recommend getting the speed and cadence sensors along with a HRM to compliment the unit.

I had no time to figure out my Edge 540 until the trip. With relative ease I figured out how to load gpx files. Just the right amount of information on the map and no need to have my phone out, draining its battery. The feature to have text notifications was very useful. Without any study, I pretty quickly figured out the buttons. Battery life was very good, at least 2-3 days of navigation without a charge. Very happy because I was considering a charging hub but don't really need that with my Edge 540. Easy to remove and install.