The modern era is marked by technology, which has made every part of our lives better.
From mundane household tasks such as dishwashing to advanced work in the laboratories, everything has been made more convenient.
But the best part is that it is now possible to enjoy nature and the outdoors in general even more due to these technological advancements.
One such convenient outcome happens to be the GPS, in particular, for bicycles.
So, we bring to you the Garmin Edge 25 Review, for this product will surely increase your enjoyment and convenience whilst riding outdoors.
It is truly a must-have for those who are looking for a GPS that gets the job done simply yet effectively. So, without any further ado, let’s jump into it!
Last update on 2020-09-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Garmin Edge 25 Review
Garmin Limited is a company that produces GPS receivers, avionics, and wearable technology.
They were founded about 30 years ago in Kansas, the US and have been producing great products ever since.
The Garmin Edge 25 is the successor of their Garmin Edge 200, and similar to the Edge 20.
Both Edge 25 and 20 are the smallest computer devices for bicycles available.
Being small and lightweight makes the Edge 25 very easy to just put on your bicycle stem using mounts and get going.
As this unit is more of a GPS for people in general, and not data geeks, it is pretty suitable for most people.
Needless to say, this device shows the statistics of your ride pretty well. The compact size means that the screen is small, but it is quite easy to read on it.
With conveniently placed buttons on four sides of the device, it is very easy to use the Edge 25 while riding.
One of the concerns of many bikers with these GPS devices happens to be their compatibility with smartphones.
This is not an issue with the Edge 25 as it can be connected to any Android or iPhone devices via Garmin Connect.
As this unit comes at a budget-friendly price, it is a truly worthwhile purchase.
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Statistics
This unit captures the basic stats you would want from a GPS device pretty accurately. Distance, time, speed, location, total ascent, and estimated calories are all recorded and displayed.
Additionally, heart rate can also be measured if you couple it up with a heart rate strap.
The benefit of this is two-fold, as it will enable you to monitor your heart rate as well as give a better estimate of calories burned.
Other than that, it can measure cadence if a sensor is added to it.
GPS and GLONASS
The Edge 25 has been incorporated with GLONASS, which is a satellite technology used to effectively determine position and velocity. For a budget-friendly device in this category, GLONASS is a great addition.
In fact, this product, along with the Garmin Edge 20 is amongst the only ones at this price and size range that contain GLONASS.
You have the option of either using GPS or GLONASS, whichever you want. The Edge 25 can pick up GPS signals pretty quickly once you have turned it on.
This prevents the annoyance of having to wait for it, which can truly be trying when you are in a hurry.
Hence the GPS receiver and GLONASS together make for a pretty decent GPS device.
Display
As mentioned above, Edge 25 is a pretty small device, which leads to it having a small screen.
Yet the screen has such a sharp display that even if you glance briefly at it while riding, you won’t have any problem reading it.
The display features three different screens, the first and second of which are for showing data.
These can be configured to display the stats of your choice, which is pretty convenient. As for the third screen, it displays the date, time, and battery life.
If you have added any extra sensors, such as for heart rate, it will be displayed on a fourth screen.
It should be mentioned that there is no touch screen on this device, and four buttons are present for jumping between the screens and for configuration.
These buttons are white and easy to spot and are located at four corners of the device.
Ease of Use
This is a pretty simple unit to use, and usually, no manuals are required to get used to it.
The buttons are pretty straightforward and easy to press, as well as located in convenient positions.
As the device is very compact, it causes no hassles or distractions while riding.
It also takes up very little place in the bike stem and hardly adds any weight to your bike.
Something to note would be that this device also contains an indoor mode, which makes it even more convenient to use.
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Connectivity
The Edge 25 can be connected to the PC pretty easily via cable. If you upload your data to the computer, you can analyze it pretty easily, not to mention share it with others.This can be done by using Garmin’s online community.
As this device can also be connected to smartphones using an app called the Garmin Connect, you can share your info with friends.
This can be done using LiveTrack through social media and can be a fun experience if you want to ride with friends and family.
ANT+ is another feature present in this device, allowing it to pair up with the external sensors.
Courses
A great feature of Garmin Connect happens to be that it will allow you to choose the courses ridden by you or other members.
You can then download it, and follow the route pretty easily! Alternatively, you can upload your courses on Garmin Connect in order to help other riders download your courses as well.
Durability
You never know when the weather might turn against you, or when you might have to go on emergency errands on rough days!
Hence water resistance is very important for your GPS device. Luckily, the Edge 25 is water-resistant, with no issues under the rain.
This device is pretty durable as well, so you don’t have to worry about having to go buy a new one every few months.
Battery
The battery life of the Edge 25 is 8 hours without GLONASS. If you keep GLONASS turned on, then it will last about 6 hours.
A four-pin contact system is used for charging this device, as opposed to using a USB port.
This means that it does not support the use of external power banks for charging, which might be an issue for longer rides.
PROS
CONS
Frequently Asked Questions
Here we have the most commonly asked queries regarding the Garmin Edge 25:
What comes in the pack with this device?
A charger and two mounts are included in the pack.
What do the buttons do?
The button on the top left is for power and acts as a backlight as well, and the top right one is the ‘OK’ button.
On the bottom left is the ‘Back’ button, and the one on the bottom right is for scrolling.
Does it have a backlight?
Yes, it does. It is on the top left button.
Is it compatible with all Bluetooth devices?
No, it can only be used with smartphones containing Garmin connect.
Other than that, it can be paired with sensors containing ATN+.
Can the data fields display be customized?
Yes, but the number of data fields per screen cannot be changed.
The first screen can display three, and the second screen two data fields.
Final Verdict
As you can probably tell by now, this is a pretty decent bicycle GPS device!
In fact, it is suitable not only for entry-level users but for anyone who doesn’t need extra data readings.
At such a reasonable price, you should not overlook the Edge 25 at all!
So we hope this Garmin Edge 25 review has helped ease your choice of which GPS to get!
