Garmin has launched the new Edge 1050 cycle computer today which the brand claims to be 'its brightest and smartest cycling computer ever'.
The Garmin Edge 1040 Solar features in our best bike computers buyers guide, and we understand it will still exist as a solar option alongside the Edge 1050, which we'll be hoping to get our hands on soon to test alongside the 1040.
The unit will carry a £649.99 / $699.99 / €699.99 SRP. This makes the Edge 1050 £200 more than the recently released third-generation Hammerhead Karoo and situates the new 1050 at the very top of the cycling computer market.
The Edge 1050 has a touchscreen display and will deliver a claimed 20 hours of battery life and 60 hours in battery saver mode. That's highly capable in terms of normal road and gravel, however, it does fall short of the latest batch of ultra-long battery life computers such as the Coros Dura, which we calculated could last up to 375 hours of riding.
The Edge 1050 appears to have received some updated design tweaks, interesting new features such as contactless payment support as well as building on Garmin's strong reputation for its computers offering strong fitness and training features and support.
Dan Bartel, Garmin's Vice President of Global Consumer Sales said;
“We are excited to introduce our most capable, high-performing bike computer yet with the Edge 1050. Delivering an exceptional in-ride experience, superior navigation and community-focused features, our latest cycling computer is made to keep cyclists motivated—whether they’re planning a group ride with friends or a long, solo adventure.”
So what's new?
The new Garmin 1050 is said to feature an updated design and the new unit now has an angled casing and tougher all-metal buttons. There is also a replaceable quarter turn mount as well as a 3.5-inch liquid crystal display.
The Edge 1050 will also support Garmin Pay Contactless payments - a technology championed in Garmin's smartwatches aiming to compete with the Apple Watch's Apple pay. That tech means owners will be able to pay at the cafe using their cycle computer, leaving the cards at home and the phone in their back pocket.
There's also a built-in speaker which Garmin says will enable riders to hear workout and navigational prompts. There's also an on-device bike bell to alert other road users to your presence.
A new on-device course creator will allow owners to create courses and routes on the device. Paved and unpaved surfaces will also be easy to see on the screen according to the brand's press release.
Wifi connectivity will allow users to use the Map Manager function to add, swap or update additional maps and ride-specific routing will cater for mountain, gravel or road rides.
The GroupRide function has also received improvements according to the brand and riders can communicate via in-ride messaging. Live location and incident detection alerts can notify and even route other riders to a cyclist in need of help. Riders will also be able to receive hazard warnings reported by fellow riders such as fallen trees or potholes. These alerts will also be available on Edge 540, Edge 840 and Edge 1040 units soon.
Training and fitness features
Garmin devices enjoy a reputation for strong fitness training features and the Edge 1050 appears to uphold this.
The unit includes free Garmin training plans and real-time stamina insights. The power guide feature will now take wind data and a rider's current stamina level into account to make real-time power target adjustments.
Training insights are provided by Firstbeat Analytics, including training status, heat and altitude acclimation and V02 Max. Trendline popularity routing will also help riders find the most used routes by other Garmin cyclists. Users will also be able to send a pin from Apple Maps and navigate to that location, a feature the Hammerhead Karoo also offers for Google Maps.
ClimbPro shows climbing metrics like time to go and gradient whilst ClimbExplore shows nearby climbs on the device or in the Garmin Connect app. MTB riding metrics are also covered with specific metrics like jump count, jump distance, grit and flow.
The Edge 1050 will also include safety features like live tracking and incident detection for chosen contacts. It will also be comparable with Varia products, Garmin's range of smart radars and lights.
