Customer Reviews for Garmin - Edge 540 2.6" GPS Bike Computer - Black
Customer Rating
5
Everything you need plus some.
on August 27, 2023
Posted by: Trekfan420
My old garmin was a hand down and wouldn’t hold a charge I researched a bunch of computers and tried a few friends. This one is perfect the lack of touch screen was my biggest worry it has yet to become an issue. I absolutely love this. Battery life is amazing and usb c charges super fast.
I replaced my Garmin 1030 and haven't regretted my decision. I love the button functions better. The screen is brighter and the overall GPS is more accurate.
I've been using the Garmin Edge 540 for about a month now on several rides, and here are my early thoughts. First, the user manual/guide is digital and navigation around the document is terrible. There is no effective index so you can find topics quickly. I've ended up just punching buttons on the device until I find out how to do what I need to do, but that takes a lot of time. Second, the buttons on the device sometimes don't respond to a press. I think this is because the buttons are like rockers; they don't just press inward uniformly but move in on one side or the other of their centers; especially when I'm riding, it's very frustrating to have to press a button multiple times to get the needed response. This also takes my attention away from the road for a second or two, which can certainly be a safety problem. Third, the battery life is great. I've ridden several times for 17 to 26 miles each ride and still have not had to recharge the battery. Granted, I don't ride centuries or tours, but going weeks without having to recharge to me is great. Fourth, the included extended mount that attaches to the handle bar just to the left of the head tube has two issues. First, when you attach the Edge 540 to the mount, it's not level left to right. It's slightly downhill to the right; this is a nuisance but a distraction nonetheless. Second, the extended mount only mounts on the handlebar to the left of the head tube; to install it I had to move my front light to the right of the head tube, but there is still some interference because of the way the Edge is suspended out in front but also over the center. I could move the Edge mount further to the left, but that makes the whole installation look asymmetrical and unprofessional. I don't like the front light on the right of the head tube because it places it on the opposite side of where the open-coming road traffic will be coming from and increases the possibility that the light will be blocked from being seen by oncoming vehicles by the Edge device or the bike components during turns. Overall, I'm mostly pleased with the Garmin Edge 540, but I think it's overpriced and that for the price, Garmin should have done a better job of integrating it with various bike brands (mine is a Trek) and geometries and also with the user manual/guide.
Response from GarminBy Cecil with Garmin, Fitness, August 16, 2023
Thank you for posting a review we appreciate the feedback. We would encourage you to reach out to our team so that we can get more details from you on some of the issues that you are experiencing so that we can assist you further.
Please reach out to our team at: product.support@garmin.com
I have been using another brand unit for the last 8 years. Decided to try Garmin and have been pleasantly surprised. Most settings have to be done on the unit rather than the app. Lots of sub menus and customization available. Easy to connect sensors and setup custom profiles. Navigation is better than what I have experienced on other devices. I would definitely recommend this.
Overall an amazing product, does everything as advertised. Have a few things I need to learn, should be expecting with the amount of information that the unit gives. Had to google and you tube information. The instructions that came with the unit were not that helpful.
Super happy with this. However, the user interface sucks. This is not an iphone... It is just perhaps not logical or possibly there is too much options...
The battery life on my Edge 520 had started to degrade over the past couple of years. It's not terrible, but I have a long ride (8+ hours) coming up in July. So, I upgraded to the Edge 540. I'm pleased with the new computer. I really like some of the additional metrics that the new computer tracks, and even though the display is only slightly larger than the 520, the additional size is quite noticeable and impressive. With the ability to transfer many of my settings from the 520, the set up was quick and easy. Overall, I'm very happy with the upgrade to the new computer, and the old 520 has found a new home on my son's bike. It's truly a win, win!