New bike sat navs put to the test: Garmin Edge 540 and Edge 840

The new bike sat navs Garmin Edge 540 and 840 have an easy-to-read 2.6-inch display. The Edge 540 series is operated using buttons, while the Edge 840 series also has a touch function on the display. If 26 hours of battery life with paired sensors and smartphone as well as active navigation (42 hours in energy-saving mode) is not enough, you can opt for the Edge 540 or 840 with solar cells. The battery life of the solar versions is up to 32 hours - and even up to 60 hours in energy-saving mode. This is ensured by a Power Glass solar charging lens.

Another new feature is the ClimbPro function, which works on the devices of the two new Edge series even without loaded tracks.

Edge 540 and 840: these are the new bike computers

Here we have created an overview of the two new Garmin Edge series 540 and 840 and a comparison with the Edge 1040 (solar).

Comparison of the size and weight of the new bike computers

Size:

• Garmin Edge 540 and Edge 840: 57.8 x 85.1 x 19.6 millimetres
• Top model Garmin Edge 1040 solar: 59.3 x 117,6 x 20.0 millimetres

Weight:

• Garmin Edge 540: 80.3 grams
• Garmin Edge 540 solar: 84.9 grams
• Garmin Edge 840: 84.8 grams
• Garmin Edge 840 solar: 88.9 grams
• Top model Garmin Edge 1040 (solar): 126 (133) gram

Battery life of the Edge 540 and 840

Edge 540 and 840 battery life: 26 hours in classic mode, 42 hours in energy-saving mode

Battery life of the solar versions: Up to 32 hours; up to 60 hours in energy-saving mode.

USB connection: Charging via USB-C cable

Internal memory

• Garmin Edge 540: 16 GB
• Garmin Edge 840: 32 GB
• Top model Garmin Edge 1040 (solar): 32 (64) GB

Functions

ClimbPro:

• Even without a charged track: on Edge 540 and 840 and the respective solar versions
• Top model Garmin Edge 1040 - ClimbPro only with previously loaded route

Accident detection

• Garmin Edge 540 and 840: Accident detection on the road and off-road
• Top model Garmin Edge 1040 (solar): Accident detection only on the road

Trailforks MTB map

• Garmin Edge 540: installable
• Garmin Edge 840: pre-installed
• Top model Garmin Edge 1040: pre-installed

Prices

• Garmin Edge 540: 399.99 euros >> available here
• Garmin Edge 540 solar: 499.99 euros >> available here
• Garmin Edge 540 Bundle*: 499.99 euros >> available here
• Garmin Edge 840: 499.99 euros
• Garmin Edge 840 Bundle*: 599.99 >> available here
• Garmin Edge 840 solar: 599.99 euros
• Top model Garmin Edge 1040: 599.99 euros >> available here
• Top model Garmin Edge 1040 solar: 749.99 euros >> available here
• Top model Garmin Edge 1040 Bundle*: 699.99 euros

A bundle contains the respective Garmin Edge plus heart rate sensor, speed sensor and cadence sensor

>> Top model Garmin Edge 1040 solar tested by BIKE <<

Garmin Edge 540 and Garmin Edge 540 solar

The Garmin Edge 540 is a lightweight and compact bike sat nav with a 2.6 inch display and Key operation.

Garmin Edge 840 and Edge 840 solar

Edge 840 and 840 solar are also bike computers with a 2.6-inch display. As with the 540 series, the design is compact. The difference lies in the operation: the 840 models are operated via touchscreen and buttons.

First test of the Garmin Edge 840 bike sat nav

We opened the parcel as soon as it arrived at the BIKE editorial office. Of course, we couldn't switch it on and start riding straight away. Just switching it on did. The battery level was 72 per cent, the remaining runtime was displayed as 19 hours, significantly more in energy-saving mode. A few basic settings had to be made before the first test ride.

Similar to other Garmin devices, the menu navigation of the Edge 840 is initially confusing. Using the Garmin Connect app, you can also customise the data areas via smartphone - or on the touchscreen by pressing and holding the data area and then selecting the pull-down menu.

The new bike sat nav reacts less precisely to touch than the top-of-the-range Edge 1040 model, and the display skilfully skipped our touches or interpreted them differently, especially in wet weather and when wearing gloves. The buttons on the side and bottom of the device work reliably and can be operated even when wearing thick gloves.

Fabian Danner, Category Manager at Garmin, will tell us the following later:

The touchscreen is the same as on the Edge 1040. As the pre-tests were pre-production devices, the software was not yet finalised. In the software versions from 9.xx, which is now live with the launch, the touch software has been adapted again.

The connection with Outdooractive, on the other hand, works without any problems. Once you have created an MTB route there, you can easily send it to your own Garmin account and therefore also to the Edge sat nav via "Send to linked accounts". Of course, this only works if the Garmin Edge and the smartphone are already paired with each other. It's also fun to ride existing trails, which the Garmin displays as "routes" (see image below) or the heat map, which visualises the popularity of such routes.

Functions of the new Garmin Edge devices in detail:

• Multi-frequency: High-precision route recording thanks to multi-frequency reception of global satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO)
• ClimbPro: Information about upcoming climbs with details of the gradient, remaining distance and altitude metres of the climb - even without a previously loaded route.
• Device settings via app: Settings and data fields can be made on the Edge or in the Garmin Connect app with real-time synchronisation.
• New user interface: User interface with overviews, which can be accessed by swiping upwards (Edge 840) or by pressing a button (Edge 540), helps to maintain an overview
• Power Guide: Helps to find the optimum power input for the route and altitude profile (watt measurement required)
• Stamina Residual energy: Stamina tracks performance during cycling training and shows the energy available during physical activity. In this way, energy consumption during activity can be optimised and premature exhaustion avoided.
• Cycling ability: Experience your own strengths as a cyclist and compare them with the demands of a route. Physiological models are used to interpret combinations of heart rate and power data during your rides. This requires a power meter and a heart rate sensor.
• Bicycle navigation: Extensive navigation function on pre-installed Garmin bike map

• Trendline Popularity Map: An overlay based on Garmin Connect data to find the most popular routes for your activity. The heat map can also be displayed directly on the Edge map.
• Route planning: Route planning and synchronisation possible directly on the device; routes from third-party providers such as komoot, outdooractive and Strava can also be synchronised automatically
• Performance analysis: Training condition, training load and the load focus, altitude and heat acclimatisation as well as fluid and food intake
• Recovery time: Garmin specifies recovery times after each training session or activity.
• Training planning: Daily individual training suggestions from Garmin can be used or training plans from Garmin Connect or TrainingPeaks or TrainerRoad can be synchronised. There are also reminders to catch up on missed training sessions.
• Trailforks map: Helps to find MTB trails with the right difficulty. The map is pre-installed on the Edge 840 devices and can be installed on the Edge 540 series
• MTB-Dynamics: Analyse jumps and descents with grit, flow & jump analyses
• Varia compatibility: Compatible with radar; vehicles can be displayed from a distance of 140 metres; a bright rear light ensures better visibility
• Connected features: Smartphone music control, smart notifications, weather information, driver-to-driver messages, Live & GroupTrack, as well as customisation options via Connect IQ.
• Bike-Alarm & Find my Edge: If the bike is moved while the rider is absent, an alarm is sent. There is also an option to find the last position of your Edge if it is lost in a fall.
• inReach compatible: With the Garmin inReach, contact with friends and family is possible even without mobile phone reception. Particularly interesting for people who spend a lot of time travelling alone and away from network coverage