Planning your Lands End to John O Groats route is only the start, keeping to the route when on your way is important. There are a number of ways to navigate the route and I chose two Garmin devices with varied success.
I uploaded the route to my Garmin account and then downloaded it to two Garmin devices. I took two sources of navigation to make sure that I had a backup if one was to fail and this proved to be the case. I wanted turn by turn navigation to make things smooth and easy while undertaking my ride. Having used Garmin products for a while and have found them faultless so I decided to take the following.
Garmin Edge Touring
Garmin Fenix 5X Plus Smartwatch
Both offer mapping and turn by turn navigation which helped me follow the pre planned route that I had uploaded to Garmin Connect. I recorded my activity for Strava on the Fenix 5 and used the Edge for the navigation.
After the first day it became clear that that this set up was not sufficient. The Garmin Edge Touring got off to a good start however it became clear that the battery life was not going to match my day long rides. After only 3 hours the battery drained and it was no use to me. This happened each day which is a huge disappointment from a product designed for cycle touring. Eventually the Edge gave up on me and no longer worked.
I have to say from my experience the Garmin Edge Touring is very poor piece of technology and cannot be relied upon for day long rides and multi day touring no matter what the name suggests. After only 3 days it got packed at the bottom of my pannier bag never to be seen again. At a cost of around £199 it is not worth it and I do not recommend this product.
I am so glad I brought along my trusty Garmin Fenix 5X Plus Smartwatch. This watch is excellent and it navigated me turn by turn from end to end without fail. Yes it offers only a small screen but the detailed maps contained on such a small device are excellent, I never missed a junction or turn. The battery life is outstanding, after a full day riding the battery level was at around 60% which is reassuring that if you are unable to charge that evening, it can be used again the next day. The added benefit of a heart rate monitor gave me extra statistics to look at at the end of the ride.
If you are looking for a cycle computer when planning riding LeJog or JogLe I thoroughly recommend a Garmin Fitness Watches. They are lightweight, the features are amazing and they free up space on your handlebars. I would have been lost without my watch.
The only issue I had with the watch which at first thought was a problem however I overcame it quickly. The watch will only pick up the route when you are close to it. I found when starting my ride in the morning at accommodation that was off the route, the watch seemed to freeze. This atr first caused me delays as I through the watch was broken however I soon realised the issue and overcame it.
What is the Best Cycle Computer to Ride Lands End to John O Groats?
In my opinion, forget the cycle computer and invest in a Garmin Fenix Sportswatch.
- Lightweight
- Turn By Turn Navigation
- Long Battery Life
- Heart Rate Monitor
- Smartphone Integration
- Reliable