Garmin Edge 130 vs 520 – Comparison of 2023

If you want to make the best out of your cycling sessions outside, you’ll need accessories capable of helping you to understand your surroundings.

Bike GPS devices are great for those tasks, and one of the most popular brands responsible for creating them is Garmin.

With these accessories, you’ll be able to do two things: first, you’ll know what routes to take; secondly, you’ll most likely prevent accidents along the way.

Today, we’ll review two of Garmin’s most successful tools, the Garmin 130 vs 520. Once we know what they’re capable of doing, picking one of the two will be easier.

Let’s begin with the Edge 130, then!

Garmin Edge 130 vs 520 – Comparison 2023

Garmin Edge 130

If you were looking for an efficient device to keep track of your adventures, the Garmin Edge 130 is one of the best choices easily. Here’s what to expect from it.

Design

The Garmin Edge 130 is a compact device. It comes in black color design, offering an interface easy to use and plenty of functions.

Thanks to a simplified build, the 1.8†display allows riders to keep track of their performance constantly, receiving useful information on their status.

By weighing 33g, the device isn’t the lightest, but it also isn’t the heaviest. Carrying it around won’t be a problem, and the small measurements do make it portable for everyone’s convenience.

Battery Life

The battery life depends on who you ask. Ask the manufacturer, and Garmin will claim the running time is 15 hours. Realistically, it’s possible, but that’s not always the case.

So, what’s the real estimated running time? Under normal circumstances, and making use of many functions simultaneously, the battery life lasts for about 10 to 12 hours in total.

Of course, the running time can and will vary depending on how you use the device. As long as you have more sensors active, the battery will drain quicker. Either way, 10 to 12 hours of working time is still a lot, as it’ll cover many days.

Screen

As mentioned before, the display offered by this device measures 1.8â€. Suffice to say, even though some may dislike the size, the display does work incredibly. The information displayed is legible at all times, even if you’re out in the open with a lot of brightness over the screen.

Now that we mention brightness, you’ll be able to adjust that too easily, adapting the device to your surroundings and your sight.

Performance

Not only is the display great, but the location systems featured are also top-notch. You’ll have three of these systems available:

GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo. Additionally, the device offers an altimeter, which is convenient and helpful for a lot of reasons.

Thanks to all of these systems, riders will have information about their location, routes, and altitude when needed.

The Garmin 130 truly does a great job of keeping you updated on your current situation, which improves the riding experience as a whole.

Navigation

This device isn’t necessarily as popular as a navigation tool. There are some flaws that don’t allow it to work as such.

Most noticeably, the device lacks the base map installed, which, of course, is essential for most navigation tools, like the 800 or 1000 Series.

Not everything’s bad, though; if needed, you can download the map using the Garmin Connect app.

Settings and Compatibility

If there’s a word to describe the Garmin Edge 130, that word would be versatility. The device offers compatibility with many sensors to keep you informed of many things, such as heart rate, cadence, and more.

You can also establish a connection with other devices to show different notifications. Weather reports, for instance, will show in the Edge 130 if needed.

Additionally, Live Track is yet another useful feature of this device, as it makes it possible to share your information with other people.

Overall, the option to connect the device to Garmin Connect’s online community provides many benefits for cyclists.

Related Comparison: Garmin Edge 25 vs 130

Garmin Edge 520

While it’s true that there are many incredible GPS computers for cyclists out there, few of them are as innovative as the Garmin Edge 520.

By featuring a color screen, and offering compatibility with many sensors, this device is the one cyclists need to make the best out of their adventures.

Design

This outstanding device weighs 60g, approximately. It’s considerably heavier than other Garmin devices, but considering everything it can do, the unit remains compact and portable.

The buttons offered are seven, which you can use to control several functions.

For instance, some of the buttons included control on/off power, scroll up/down, lap, and stop/pause.

These buttons are pretty simple, requiring no effort. It won’t matter whether or not you read the instructions either, as figuring them out will take you only a few moments.

Despite its more than obvious larger size, and weight, the Garmin Edge 520 manages to be a portable and easy to use the device for all cyclists.

Battery Life

It may surprise you the fact that the estimated battery running time of this device goes past the ten hours.

More specifically, the Edge 520 runs for 15 hours in total, though it’ll depend on how much use you put it through.

Either way, it’s pretty clear that this Garmin accessory is one of the best when it comes to battery life.

Screen

The display is perhaps one of the biggest reasons why you’d want to have this device. With a screen measuring 1.4â€x1.9â€, cyclists are capable of reading the information without issues.

If you’re not a fan of black and white displays seen in previous models, the Garmin Edge 520 offers a color screen!

Thanks to the colors displayed, not only does the device look far better, but the data shown is easier to check, even when you’re in a hurry.

Performance

True to the brand’s style, the Garmin Edge 520 is perfect for finding your position quickly.

Not only that, but cyclists also get to check other helpful data such as distance traveled, altitude, and more.

Here’s when the Garmin Live Tack comes as another welcomed feature offered by this device. While out there, you’ll have the option to keep people updated on your status.

Navigation

Very much like the Garmin Edge 130, the Edge 520 doesn’t offer detailed maps or proper navigation either.

Of course, this device does have a base map included, but you better not expect much from it. With barely any details at all, figuring out the map is pretty tricky.

Fortunately, similar to the Edge 130, you can also download a route onto the device, which will display alerts for left and right turns.

Although these indications help a lot, it isn’t as effective as the navigation systems seen in other Garmin devices like the 810 models.

Settings and Compatibility

If necessary, the device pairs up with your Android or iPhone mobile. By making this connection, you can transfer detailed information of your rides for later review.

Also, this connection will keep you in touch with family and friends by showing calls and texts received.

Related Guide: Edge 520 vs Edge 820

Garmin Edge 5200 or 130 – Which Bike GPS to Pick?

After learning about what these devices can do, here’s why you’d want them.

Why Consider Buying the Garmin Edge 130?

Ideally, you’d want this device because of its compact, smaller size, and the simplicity offered. When compared to the 520 models, the Edge 130 is lighter, and the screen isn’t as large. Basic but versatile would be a good way to reference this device.

It may not be as capable as the 520, but the 130 still offers support for a large variety of sensors that may come in handy while you’re out there.

Why Consider Buying the Garmin Edge 520?

For a lot of reasons, the Garmin Edge 520 comes on top as the better pick out of the two. The features offered by this device, such as support for sensors, Android and iPhone compatibility, plenty of buttons, and the color screen, are only a few of the reasons why you’d want to own it.

While the Garmin Edge 520 may not be as compact as the 130, the efficiency of this accessory to get you through your adventures safely is outstanding.

Conclusion

As you can see, picking one device between the 130 vs 520 depends a lot on what your preferences are.

For a basic but effective performance, you may want to consider the 130. On the other hand, the 520 device is the better pick for cyclists that need that extra level of efficiency.