Garmin Edge 1050 review

The new Garmin Edge 1050 can light up like a beacon and that’s only the top line of this mightily impressive bike computer.

However, costing £649.99 ($699.99), Garmin’s latest top-of-the-range model is probably the priciest on the market.

Does the Edge 1050 live up to that price tag? Thanks to a stellar screen, enhanced navigation, and the inclusion of handy features, like contactless payments, I’d say it does.

A large, bright screen

Let’s start with that illuminated experience, which stems from Garmin’s new ‘transmissive liquid crystal display’ (LCD), instead of a transflective LCD as used on previous models like the Edge 1040.

Whether it’s overcast or night time, on-the-fly visibility is immense, helped by the large screen that measures the same as its predecessor, but at a higher pixel density.

The payback is diminished battery life: 20hrs in full use compared to 35hrs with the Edge 1040. However, you can extend its life by dimming the brightness.

Simple and fast to use

So, visibility is great. As is usability.

A new, improved design is also supported by incredible responsiveness. A swift swipe of the touchscreen results in immediate action. And there are myriad new features.

Let’s start with ‘road hazard alerts’, which is akin to the driving app ‘Waze’ in that you can flag up potential obstacles for fellow cyclists.

Whether it’s a pothole or wayward animal, simply press the touchscreen and in a matter of seconds, it’ll alert other nearby Garmin users – not just Edge 1050 users – of the issue. It’s an impressive safety feature, which is heightened by the bike bell.

There’s also a new ‘Group Ride’ element that’s similar to Strava segments, where you can connect on group rides with in-ride messaging, live location and incident-detection alerts. As per Strava, challenges are complemented with awards.

Class-leading navigation

Rather neatly, and arguably with one eye on the still-growing gravel genre of cycling, the Edge 1050 detects which terrain you’re riding on, or approaching. This comes back to one of the great wins of the Edge 1050: its navigation capabilities.

Type in your destination of choice and, without having to tap into your phone, it delivers your route that you follow via a clear set of arrows. That visibility and responsiveness combines for one of the finest navigational experiences I’ve enjoyed, short of driving.

Other neat route features are the ‘on-device course creator’ and ‘trendline popularity routing’, which locates the best route from roads and trails most travelled by other Garmin users. GPS pick-up is swift and well sustained.

To hammer home the responsiveness point, Garmin’s improved the accuracy of its gradient feature, which used to be laggy.

Stacks of features (including contactless payments)

When it comes to training features, it seamlessly syncs with your power meter, heart-rate strap and whatever else you’re looking to connect to, clearly shown by the display and its many data fields. You’re also given nutrition and hydration alerts to remind you to eat and drink.

There’s a contactless pay feature for that mid-ride café cake, smart notifications and even the ability to configure select shifting systems to control the 1050, albeit I wasn’t able to test this feature.

In theory, it’s another impressive attribute to what is one of the best bike computers. Of course, all of that comes at a high price, albeit it’s only £20 more than the longer-lasting Edge 1040 Solar.

Ultimately, that debate starts with whether you’re after brightness or battery life, but you soon realise those added features elevate the Edge 1050 to next level.

If you’re searching for a device to wear for swimming and running, as well as cycling, check out our guide to the best triathlon watches.

Garmin Edge 1050 specs

Price:	£649.99 / $699.99
Weight:	161g
Display size:	88.9mm (3.5″)
Battery life:	Up to 20 hours of typical use
Display type:	Colour LCD