Garmin Edge MTB Review

Last year Garmin introduced the Edge MTB, a device that, nomen est omen, is specifically aimed at mountain bikers — especially enduro and downhill riders. With it, Garmin not only fills a niche between the small, minimalist Edge 130 and the considerably more comprehensive Edge 500 and 800 series, but also brings several new features that debuted exclusively on the Edge MTB, such as 5Hz recording for more precise measurement of downhill sections. All of this comes packaged in an equally downhill-capable, extra-rubberized housing with Gorilla Glass and a new mount for the top tube. In this review I offer a few basic thoughts on the device, recommendations for use, and some impressions from real-world riding.

With the Edge MTB, Garmin has developed a device that is meant to be smaller, lighter and specifically designed for off‑road use. The focus is on trail, downhill and enduro — less on classic training metrics or all‑purpose use. The Edge MTB is about 20–25% smaller than, for example, the Edge 540 and at 56 grams is also a full 30 g lighter than the 540.

At the same time, the Edge MTB lacks numerous features you’re used to from Garmin’s "big" models — for example Smart Recording, training load or Wi‑Fi. Garmin is therefore deliberately cutting functionality here to concentrate on a niche. Whether and how this becomes noticeable on the trail you’ll find out after the hard facts.

Anyone who has used a Garmin device recently will find their way around relatively quickly. The ability to easily transfer profiles (and sensors) from one device to another via Garmin Connect is now very well implemented. That already eliminates a large part of the initial setup effort. In addition, most pages, profiles and functions can now be configured on the device itself or — usually more comfortably — via the phone. So the Garmin I'm testing is fully operational within a few minutes. The new top-tube mount is a welcome alternative for MTB use, although I personally prefer the central mounting above the stem. In any case, top-tube mounting does not detract from readability.

New Garmin users or those switching over will have to dive into some of the depths of the Garmin menus sooner or later — at the latest when some alarm goes off, because there are many of them: heart rate, auto-pause, crash detection or — my favorite alarm — the hazard warning. The Americans have perhaps gone a bit overboard with my safety when it warns about a dog in the middle of the Vienna Woods...

Once you get used to the button controls, even scrolling in the map view works fine, although, of course, the larger devices with a touchscreen have a clear advantage here. Still, you find your way relatively quickly. The somewhat reduced feature set helps in this regard, as does the now much clearer menu navigation, which focuses on the essentials and shows many functions only contextually (e.g. elevation profile, map views, training details, etc.). Aside from some training pages and hardware limitations (like the lack of Wi‑Fi), the small Edge MTB also offers plenty that a biker’s heart desires: Polularity maps and route planning, Groupride, training recommendations, Climb Pro, back-to-start navigation, Varia compatibility, Bike Alarm and much, much more. From experience, everyone has different wishes and requirements for what a bike computer must be able to do. In my case a precise altimeter, good maps and Climb Pro are the killer features.

Battery life is up to 14 hours "with demanding use" and up to 26 hours in power-saving mode, which is sufficient for most use cases. If you use a power bank you can charge the device via USB-C; you just need to make sure the cable doesn’t have a connector that’s too thick, which — as in my case — presses against the housing.

Speaking of split times: I only reviewed this second MTB-specific feature in a rudimentary way, but essentially had the same experience that many users report in the Garmin forums (Source). In theory, the 5 Hz recording and the split times suggest an accuracy that is hard to use in practice. My feeling as an engineer also tells me that, despite the 5 Hz recording, the accuracy is not in the tenths—or even hundredths—of a second range it would need to be to produce valid statements. The predominant use on an MTB in the woods and the associated higher GPS signal noise certainly contribute to that. On the bike, at least in our latitudes, you rarely have a clear view of the sky or a course like in a road team time trial at the Pannoniaring.

I essentially see two target groups for whom the device could be interesting.
If you belong to both, all the better.
One group is downhill riders who are looking for automatic 5 Hz recording and automatic switching between up- and downhill modes.
This makes the subsequent analysis of the data easier and more precise.
The second target group is those who find an Edge 130 and similar monochrome devices too rudimentary, but a larger Edge 550 already sits too bulky over the handlebars or top tube.

Made for

With the Edge MTB, Garmin has built a device that at first glance looks like a stripped-down Edge 550, but under certain conditions makes quite a lot of sense for trail use. Fans of physical buttons will be pleased, and legibility and the feature set are generally top-notch. Battery life is acceptable and the feature set will be more than sufficient for many riders.

The 5 Hz sampling rate, which is mainly aimed at the split-times function for downhills, unfortunately doesn't always work as it should, and in Enduro mode you should remember to switch between ascent and descent if the 5 Hz data are important to you. In general, I see this function making the most sense in downhill use at bike parks.

In addition to the ever-improving user interfaces, what’s absolutely top-notch are the robust, small and relatively lightweight housing and the display that is easy to read in almost all lighting conditions. I think the Edge MTB will find its followers, and I'm pretty sure that one or two functions will be fine‑tuned and further improved with software updates.