Basil’s GPS

I bought the basic Garmin cycling GPS, the Edge 200, to use on a previous cycle.  At the time I was really only interested in tracking mileage, but now I’ve begun to appreciate being able to compare and contrast other data, too, particularly elevation.

The functions are straightforward; they’re not any more complicated than this screen suggests.  The GPS records trips with no fuss; there’s a stop/resume feature that’s easy to use.  Two buttons on each side control the menus.   I can save particular routes as “courses”, if I want to, and store ride histories as I wish.   Other records include average MPH (or kmph), moving speed, elapsed time, elevation gain, calories burned, etc.  All the data can be uploaded, at no charge, to Garmin’s website, and crunched into various reports.  (You’ll also be shown a map of your route.)

The mount is sheer genius; it’s as simple as possible, and takes up minimal room on the handlebar.  The device is very secure, but easy to remove.  The mount itself doesn’t interfere with folding the Brompton; neither would the GPS, but I’m reluctant to fling it around in the same way I do Basil’s handlebar.  The 200 came with two mounts; one is still on my other bike; it’s very easy to move the GPS from one cycle to another.  Additional mounts are readily available.

It’s irrelevant to the functioning of the device, but I love the way the device feels in the hand — it’s almost like holding a favorite smooth stone.

Uploading data is easy and fast (even though I have to do it manually on my computer), and the GPS recharges efficiently through the USB port.  It’s usually charged by the time I’ve finished uploading a ride.

This turned out to be a Goldilocks GPS for me — not too much, not too little, but just right.  It’s incredibly easy to use; that matters most of all to me, since I want to be cycling, not fussing with the equipment.