Although I’ve been immersed in Garmin’s ecosystem through my Fenix 6X watch, I had never owned a dedicated bike computer before—especially not one like the Garmin Edge® 1050 GPS bike computer. Honestly, I had never felt the need for navigation assistance while cycling. In the past, I used my watch occasionally for hiking, as long as I could find my girlfriend’s Strava route in the Garmin app. Otherwise, my Fenix has served me well with arguably the best battery life on the market and all the perks of a modern smartwatch.
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From Skeptic to Fan: My First Impressions and Experiences
However, with the Garmin Edge® 1050 GPS bike computer, I’ve literally experienced quite a bit over the past few weeks—so let’s go through it step by step. Even though I’m fairly tech-savvy, I don’t exactly jump for joy when a new device finds its way into my household. That said, I wanted to set up the Edge® 1050 as quickly as possible. When I turned the device on and hoped that Face ID would remember some of my passwords, the computer was fully set up in just 10 seconds. Absolute Apple-level simplicity. Really cool.
I could claim that I purposely didn’t watch any how-to videos or read the manual, but that would simply be a lie. I never do. Trial and error has always worked for me so far. I assumed the operation would be similar to my watch, but it wasn’t. Nevertheless, you quickly grasp the logic behind the individual applications on the device. The arrangement is straightforward and can be accessed by simply swiping up or down. This design means the menu structure isn’t deep, and you find your way around very quickly.
In terms of physical buttons, there are only the ON/OFF, back, and start/stop buttons. Simple and effective. The overall feel of the device, as is typical for Garmin, is premium, despite being quite lightweight.
First Rides: Integration and Performance
My first rides with the Garmin Edge® 1050 were on my MTB, and luckily, I still had the appropriate Garmin mount in my garage. As a SRAM AXS user and fan, I was really impressed with how well the sensors, including my power meter and derailleur, integrated with the Edge® 1050. Both values are displayed clearly, along with other metrics and graphics. Although my Fenix could also do this, the small display on the watch made it impractical to use during rides. The difference in having all this data visible while riding, from cadence to power output to upcoming gear changes, was huge.
Additionally, I used my Fenix to transmit heart rate data, which was also displayed on the Edge® 1050. Observing all of this live data while riding is honestly pretty amazing. Thanks to the incredibly bright display, it’s also easy to read—especially compared to the 1040 model my riding buddy had with him. The difference is truly remarkable. Even the display on my 6X now feels dim by comparison. You can really see that Garmin has put a lot of thought into developing new devices. The Edge® 1050 seems to be well-equipped in terms of hardware. Everything runs quickly and reliably. I managed six rides on a single battery charge, and the advertised 20 hours of battery life in GPS mode should hold up.
Special Features and Final Thoughts
I also liked the graphical representation of climbs and the warnings of hazardous areas. The Edge® 1050 can also do several things that I personally don’t use, such as Garmin Pay. For road cycling, I could definitely see myself using a Garmin Varia. In general, Garmin’s compatibility and connectivity are top-notch. I expected the setup of the sensors to be much more complicated, but it turned out to be really simple.
Although, as I mentioned at the beginning, I wasn’t initially a user of bike computers or navigation devices, I’ve now become so accustomed to using the Edge® 1050 that I can’t imagine going for a ride without it. I’m convinced that no combination of a smartphone and mount could offer me the same value.
Conclusion
The Garmin Edge® 1050 GPS bike computer is exactly what you’d expect from a modern bike computer. The graphical interface is excellent, the display is incredibly bright, and with the smooth touchscreen and impressive battery life, the entire operation is on par with a smartphone. Like the hardware, the compatibility and connectivity are likely more than most people need, but in today’s world of technological development, this forward-thinking approach is essential. Beyond the integration with AXS and DI2, we’ll undoubtedly see even more possibilities in the future. Initially, the price didn’t shock me, but after using it, I can confidently say that the value for money is absolutely fair.
