best head set for a Power meter
just wanted to get the teams input on a head set to read my new power meter from Quarg ala courtesy of coach rich
i have a 910xt which i love but just want a product i can keep with the bike on those long boring rides without lifting my head or twisting my wrist to keep on track.. any input / suggestions or preference would be greatly appreciated
thanks
James
0
Comments
+ whatever on the 500. I've had mine since I broke my Joule at IMWI'11. It just works.
Yes on the hardwire to the computer to download, but I'm generally about 5yrs behind on technology anyway
. I dismount, press stop, come inside, toss my kit in the wash, shower, get a something to eat, plug it in, upload to Strava et al, done.
Like many items, the "upgrade" with GPS seems to have lost some features.
Al,
The 500 does display NP. It does lap NP but not lap IF...which kinda sucks, I know. Pretty sure it doesn't do lap TSS. I likes my Strava segments too much to give up the GPS features.
1) The 510 seamlessly talks with my phone. So the second I end a workout it automatically uploads to Garmin connect, which then automatically pushes to Strava and Trainingpeaks. I already get up at 4:45am to squeeze in my main sets before leaving for work around 6AM. I cut my T2 so short that it would be nearly impossible for me to spend the extra 1 minute to connect my 500 to a computer and wait for Garmin to upload the file. Also, if I ride away from home which I do many weekends, I need instant gratification of seeing my Strava file and with no computer at our trailer (can't upload the 500 with an iPad). It drove me crazy to wait until Sunday nights to upload my Sat and Sun rides. This is the SOLE reason my "ADD brain" must have the 510 over the 500.
1a). Because it connects with my phone so well, I use the real-time tracking service now for every outdoor ride. This REALLY gives my wife peace of mind to be able to track me and know where I am when I'm gone for 5-6 hours. Her and the kids actually check in on my progress throughout my rides which they think is really cool (note, I bought a tiny extended battery for my phone on Amazon for less than $20 to do this because otherwise my phone battery was only good for ~3 hrs using this feature. Now it would work for 10+ hrs).
2) it gives you 2 extra cells on the screen. Might sound trivial, but it's fun for me to have "Total ft of ascent" and "average speed" visible on my main screen (in addition to the real cells) while I'm training. Those 2 cells allow me to play games and create challenges for myself while I'm out there on my lonely 5-6hr rides.
3) it seems as though it picks up the satellites slightly quicker than the 500 (which itself is pretty quick). It's just 4 yrs newer technology.
4) one negative is that it is slightly bigger than the 510, but not so much that it really matters.
I've not had any issues with my 510, but did have a couple of times when my old 500 would freeze up on my. Maybe it was just coincidence, but I found the 500 to be more reliable when I regularly cleared the history by deleting all of the old files. FWIW, I also do this on my Garmin watches.
x2 on the quick release for the 910. I race with a 910 for the run. I have it snapped onto the quick release on my aerobar (because I don't like to swim with it) as a "backup" to my 510, just in case there is a problem. Then a few miles before the bike is over, I turn on my 910 and snap it onto my wrist so it's ready for when I start the run.
If $$$ is your sole motivator, get the 500, it really does work great. If you are less $$$ sensitive and want to have the same bulletproof functionality AND the modern conveniences of Bluetooth then get the 510.
As for the quick release, i have heard and read stories of people losing their 910XT on the swim because it was not "firmly clipped" in or just came loose. Not 100% sure how it works, this is what i heard and read from folks. So it would scare the crap out of me to lose my $400 computer in the swim before i ever stepped foot on the bike.
My recent conversion to the Garmin 500 only took some getting used to (no Lap IF) but now I find it much simpler. I've come to love being minimalist with realtime data. I want a small box (3 mi @ 9-10 min), nutrition reminder (15 min), current power and lap NP, period. Knowing the grade, temp, cadence HR etc may be nice but RPE tells me those things too. I don't have to try and read tiny numbers without glasses to let me know I am working hard going up a hill and mashing my gears.
I only have 2 screens setup on the Garmin and rarely look at the second. Set to Auto lap @ 3 miles; Alert @ 15 for nutrition
Main screen : Pwr 3s, Lap NP;
Second screen: Ride time; Ride IF; Ride Miles
Less is more.
Specs look good and initial reviews are positive but haven't seen in person. They have all the same data capabilities as the 500/510 but with some nice navigation features and DI2 integration.
http://www.magellangps.com/Store/Cyclo-Series
That said, get the 510. You will pay a bit more for it than the 500, but in the long run Garmin will support it better.
Question: can you have your Pm send data to a 910 and a 500 at the same time?
I want to use the 500 on the bike for the display but download my data from the 910. can you do that?