Best bike computers: Log your rides and monitor your training

The best bike computers are the subject of continual updates and now provide exceptional functionality that's also user-friendly. They have the internal memory to store all your ride data, plus maps for navigation, and many now use multi-band GNSS satellite navigation for an ever-more accurate fix on your position.

You're also provided with data and analysis to support your training and they will transfer your data seamlessly to Strava and other cycling apps. Even the best budget cycling computers already offer a lot of useful ride metrics and training features, but our comparison of cheap vs expensive bike computers will help you understand what you get for spending more. 

The best bike computers will pair with the best smart trainers, radars, and even some bike lights, as well as a smartphone for notifications of incoming calls and texts and to alert your contacts to where you are and if you have an accident.

Here at Cyclingnews, we've used a wide range of cycling computers, so we can give you unbiased advice on which are best. Read on for our picks, or head further down the page for our buyer's guide to how to choose the best bike computer for your own needs.

Best bike computers available today

Quick list: Our top picks

Best bike computers: The full list

There have been a few big launches and upgrades to cycling computers in the last couple of years, but as at April 2024, when we last reviewed this guide, all the computers below were still current. 

Lower down, you'll find our selection of the best of the rest. Although some of these cycling computers, such as the Edge 1030 Plus, have been superseded by newer models, they're still available to buy, often at a discount, in April 2024.

The best bike computer overall

The Garmin Edge 1040 Solar's key feature is its solar power boost from its 3.5 inch colour touchscreen - the same size as the non-solar screen in the Edge 1030 Plus. 

That gives it a battery life of up to 45 hours between charges, so it's a great tool if you regularly ride long distances without the opportunity to recharge. You can boost that to 180 hours with full power saving and you can use the Garmin Charge external battery to extend that even further.

The 1040 Solar (and the non-solar 1040) can do everything that Garmin's lower-spec computers (Edge 1030 Plus and Edge 830) can, and more. Including GPS tracking, turn-by-turn navigation and rerouting, automatic Strava uploads, connection to the Garmin Connect IQ app store, and much more. 

Among its upgrades from those computers is multi-band GPS, which ups the Edge 1040's tracking stability and accuracy. You can set up ride profiles and change the data displayed via your smartphone too, rather than having to use the device's screen and there's better post-ride data visualisation. 

Garmin has also enhanced the training features, letting you drill down into your data and performance metrics, including an assessment of your training status and your cycling strengths. You also get a real-time assessment of your stamina as you ride and can get a power output guide to help you pace your efforts.

There's a non-solar option too with 35 hours of run time if you don't expect to need the extended battery life that the solar charging offers, or can't face the price.

Read our review of the Garmin Edge 1040 Solar if you fancy heading out into the wilderness for a long time.

The easiest bike computer to live with

Version Two of the Elemnt Roam has the same shape and size as its predecessor, but upgrades to USB-C charging and a crisper, more colour-rish screen. It also has a dual-band GPS chip (only the Garmin Edge x40 models also have this at the time of writing). 

Our review of the new Elemnt Roam confirmed what we already knew; that it is the easiest bike computer to live with. Initial setup is all performed via a smartphone app, and it's really straightforward and quick. Once set up, rides will automatically upload to Strava and others, and routes or workouts will also sync immediately from most of the common route-building websites. 

That setup is the same as the Elemnt Bolt, but the larger screen, larger memory, more screen colours and bigger battery life mean the Roam is just that little bit more user-friendly day-to-day. 

Regarding the battery, Wahoo claims it lasts 17 hours, and our testing suggests this is correct. That isn't as long as some of the more expensive Garmin devices, but it's still among the best on the market, almost doubling the Hammerhead Karoo's performance.

The Wahoo Elemnt Roam v2 launched in September 2022. Wahoo isn't technically calling it 'v2', and given many retailers still have stock of the older 'v1', there may be some confusion as to which you're looking at when buying. If you're unsure, check for mentions of 'dual-band GPS' or '64-colour display' in the product description. Also look for convex buttons, rather than the V1's recessed ones. If they're there, you're looking at v2. 

Read our review of the Elemnt Roam v2 for more details.

Best budget cycling computer

In our experience, Bryton bike computers come with a bit of a learning curve and aren’t the most user-friendly units on the market, but once you're used to their quirks, they offer serious bang for your buck.

With a companion app, you can create a route and sync it to your unit for breadcrumb-style routing. There's support for ANT+ and Bluetooth sensors, 77 functions and 35 hours of battery life (claimed, but achieved in our testing).

The Rider 420 also allows for workouts to be exported from TrainingPeaks directly through the device, auto-sync to third-party training software, and allows for the screens and data fields to be set up through the companion smartphone app.

If you follow routes often, the Rider 420 might not be the best for you, but if you're after lots of functions at a small price, look no further. 

Read more in our full review of the Bryton Rider 420.

Huge feature list at a great price

The latest Garmin Edge 540 and 840 computers get trickle-down of Garmin's latest tech from the range-topping Edge 1040. Their format is much more compact though, and while the Edge 840 gets a touchscreen, the 540 is button-only. Both the Edge 540 and 840 have the option to spec solar charging to increase battery life.

As with the Edge 1040, there's multi-band GNSS for greater positional accuracy under tree cover and USB-C charging. Battery life without solar power is now a claimed 26 hours, which Garmin says is increased to 32 hours with solar. 

Other functionality inherited from the Edge 1040 includes training advice, on-the-fly climb profiles and an optional power guide for a route so you can pace your effort. With only buttons to use, it's a bit more fiddly to find features than with Garmin's touchscreen devices and the smaller screen can feel crowded though.

We still reckon that the Edge 540 is a great package that offers superb functionality at a much more reasonable price than the Edge 1040.

You can read more about our experience with Garmin's compact cycling computer in our Garmin Edge 540 review.

The best cycling computer for competitive cyclists

The Wahoo Elemnt Bolt is similar to the Roam, but with a smaller, aerodynamic body, a slightly shorter 15-hour battery and half the memory capacity at 16gb. 

Setup and most adjustments are performed via a companion app, which is a streamlined and intuitive process that means the overall ease of use is unrivalled by other brands. It works flawlessly, but it's worth noting that getting your phone out mid-ride to change data fields is laborious compared to the press-hold-change that you get with Hammerhead and Garmin. 

We found that the device's 16gb of internal memory was more than enough space for preloaded maps - this writer has the whole of the UK, Spain and Belgium currently downloaded, filling less than 10% of the available space. Using these maps, the Bolt offers real-time on-device navigation and rerouting, which prove useful in the case of a wrong turn. 

Connectivity to the Wahoo app and third-party navigation tools like Strava, Komoot and RideWithGPS is seamless, and with its 64-colour display, the Bolt's maps are clear. However, the 2.2in screen is a bit too small for me, making mapping without a preloaded route particularly difficult. 

The Elemnt Bolt features pretty much every training metric you're likely to need, including support for both ANT+ and Bluetooth, as well as WiFi. It will seamlessly sync your chosen third-party apps when it gets a WiFi signal, so downloading routes/workouts and uploading rides is automatic. 

Our review of the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt will fill you in on all the extra info you may need before committing to the system.

The best cycling computer for navigation

The Hammerhead Karoo boasts by far the best touchscreen available to cycling computers right now, making it more like a smartphone than any other device. It has a high-definition 3.2-inch scratch-resistant screen that's accurate and responsive, but the device can also be navigated entirely with buttons, which is useful in the rain. 

The display is bright, clear and easy to view, despite the device being 40% smaller than the original model. It's also 33% lighter, tipping the scales at just 125g. 

In our tests, we've managed an average of around 10 hours between charges, so battery life isn't quite as good as some of the competition, but it's still more than enough for most rides. The unit is mounted with the brand's own system: a 'linear lock' that ensures it stays planted and balanced while in use, although a Garmin quarter-turn mount adaptor is included too.

There's no companion app, but the set-up is completed via a webpage that can be accessed on mobile (I saved the webpage as a shortcut on my smartphone and it works the same). Like all of the best bike computers, the menu structure takes a while to get used to, but once you're familiar with the menu layout, it's easy and intuitive to navigate. 

Find out how the Hammerhead Karoo earned its spot on our list.

Best for beginners

For its size, the Edge 130 Plus is brimming with features. The addition of the accelerometer, ClimbPro, and structured training is a marked improvement over the original (non 'Plus') Edge 130. It has all the connectivity you’d expect from a modern cycling computer and it gets you started in the Garmin ecosystem for less money. That means Garmin Connect access and with it the training features that come included. It also means you can use it with the Garmin Varia rear light and radar system to up your safety levels.

When it comes to navigation, it does lack some features of higher-priced models. Unlike the higher spec Garmin Edge computers, the 130 Plus doesn't have a true understanding of the world around it. You can create a route, sync it to the unit and it will then help you follow them, but if you get off track or need to make a change, you'll have to figure that out on your own to get back on track.

Still, the Edge 130 Plus does offer a few unique features at this price point. Things like VO2 Max estimations, a recovery calculator, and mountain bike dynamic metrics. It is very small on your bars but does a good job with simple navigation and after-the-ride data analysis. 

Read our review of the Garmin Edge 130 Plus for more details.

Best battery life

The Mega XL launched back in 2018, but despite its age, we still haven't found a cycling computer that offers this much functionality for the money.

Using a non-touch monochrome screen, the Mega XL boasts a battery life of 48 hours, which we were able to verify in testing, only needing to charge it once in a three-month test period. It supports ANT+ sensors including power meters and can store up to 800 hours of ride data. The companion app handles the connection to apps and automatically pushes ride data to Strava, Training Peaks or Today’s Plan.

It's worth highlighting that the design and functionality are a little dated. Its screen is monochrome, for example, and the data transfer for maps and workouts can be pretty slow, but that's a small price to pay given the price difference compared to some of the competition. 

It can also help you chase Strava KOM / QOMs with Live Segments, let you know who's calling you during your ride with on-screen notifications, and offers electronic drivetrain integration through ANT+.

The Mega XL does offer turn-by-turn breadcrumb navigation and even in-activity re-routing, but it doesn't come with pre-installed base maps, so you'll need to use the Lezyne desktop app or phone to download 'offline maps'.

Read our in-depth review of the Lezyne Mega XL.

Often discounted

The 1030 Plus may have been superseded by the similar format Edge 1040, but it's still available to buy and with a substantial discount.

It's big in both size and specification. It has exterior dimensions of 4.5in tall, 2.3in wide, and 0.8in thick, and its 3.5in the display is both large and clear, making the on-device maps and data fields really easy to see. 

Features-wise, the Garmin 1030 Plus has everything you'd expect from a top-end cycling computer: navigation, training data, connectivity to external sensors and apps, access to the Connect IQ app store and much more. It can display as many metrics as you're ever likely to need. It supports both ANT+ and Bluetooth to connect to sensors, smartphones and Garmin's smartwatches, as well as WiFi for immediate uploads to third-party apps like Strava.

In our testing, we were incredibly impressed with the battery life. We actually managed to get a little more than Garmin's claimed 24 hours without resorting to switching off the screen or unpairing sensors, so while it's not quite as long-lasting as the 1040 Solar above, it's still excellent and a lot cheaper. 

We also found that the setup, connectivity and syncing with apps were flawless, which suggests that the software bugs that previously plagued Garmin devices have finally been ironed out. 

Our Garmin Edge 1030 Plus review covers things in a lot more detail if you're curious.

The Garmin Edge 830 is another member of the Garmin Edge x30 range that's been eclipsed by a newer unit - in its case the Edge 840 - but is still available to buy.

It offers touchscreen operation and the same plethora of training metrics and mapping features as the Edge 1030 Plus, but in a smaller, cheaper package that will appeal to many. 

The smaller size means a smaller 2.6-inch display, which in our experience is still enough for everyday use and a smaller battery which we found to last around 18 hours between charges. Of course, the smaller size also means a 42g reduction in weight and, perhaps the most appealing difference, a lower price.  

The Edge 830 has access to GPS, Glonass and Galileo satellite networks, as well as a massive range of inbuilt metrics, so it can track everything from your speed, time and distance to the more niche data like MTB's Flow and climbing VAM. That's before you add extra sensors like power meters, heart rate monitors and blood glucose sensors. 

Like other Garmin devices, it uses the Garmin Connect app for connection to smartphones and third-party apps. It also means there's an entire Garmin eco-system for it to slot into, so you can easily link it with your Garmin smartwatch, Varia radar, lights and more, but it also plays nicely with other brands' sensors too. 

Want to know more? Read our in-depth review of the Garmin Edge 830.

If you're sold on Garmin cycling computers but prefer the tactile feel of button pushes, the 530 is  still available to buy, although the Edge 540 is Garmin's current mid-format button-operated unit. 

At full price, it's priced similarly to the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt, which has a slightly smaller but higher resolution screen, but while the Bolt relies on the companion app for all of its adjustments and setup, almost all settings have to be accessed on the Edge 530 device itself. Like the Bolt, the lack of a touchscreen does make for labour-intensive map browsing, but a slightly larger screen does mean it's a little easier to find where you're going whilst riding. 

With both Garmin Cycle Maps and Trailforks pre-installed on the Edge 530, whether on the road or trail, it can help you find your way. The Edge 530 also gets access to the Garmin Connect IQ store, meaning you can add apps like Komoot, download data fields, and pull workouts from TrainerRoad or Training Peaks.

Read more in our in-depth review of the Garmin Edge 530.

How to choose the best bike computer for your needs

If you are considering treating yourself to a new bike computer there are two main points to consider: Firstly, how much do you want to spend and secondly, do you think you will want to use your computer to do a lot of navigating? 

Of course, your choice will be dictated by your budget. If you don't need to use many map functions on your computer, you can potentially save yourself some money and buy a unit that focuses more on delivering key data such as ride time, speed, distance, averages etc whilst also having the capability to pair to things like HR monitors and power meters. If you want to do a lot of navigating and route following on your computer you may need something with a larger memory for more maps and more inbuilt GPS and navigational aids as well as the ability to link with third-party route planning apps.

The obvious one that most of us already own is a smartphone, and with the help of a QuadLock mount, you can typically mount your phone to your handlebars safely, and a multitude of apps will track your ride. Just make sure that your phone is waterproof. Also, if you crash, it could be a costly repair as phones are typically more expensive than the best bike computers.

A smartwatch is the other solution. Most modern watches offer the ability to connect to all the same sensors as a computer, but instead of mounting it to your bars, you wear it on your wrist. This is a favoured option by triathletes, as it also tracks run and swim metrics and is one less thing to think about in transition, but could also offer a solution to cyclists who want a little more value for their investment. While a computer is put away between rides, a smartwatch can continue to be used off the bike too.