Discover the comparative ranking of the best GPS bike. Which GPS bike to choose? What is the best bicycle GPS tracker? What are the alternative solutions to GPS cycling?
A GPS bike allows very precise monitoring of these outings by bike. With or without mapping, a GPS bike offers all the displays of a conventional meter (speed, distance traveled, time …). Thanks to satellite positioning, it also offers the possibility to follow an existing route or to record its own routes. The best high-end bike GPS is the Garmin Edge 1000. With its easy-to-read touch screen, this Bike GPS is the most complete and the best on the market. Because of its size, its mounting system, its autonomy, GPS functions, its performance monitoring functions, its Bluetooth connection, it is a very good product. With its map data, it is ideal for cycling on the road or mountain bike. Let’s see the best bicycle GPS tracker on the market right now.
Also, read our other guides on the best road bikes for beginners, folding bikes, stepper exercise, and the best mini exercise bikes.
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There are two types of GPS bike counter:
Cheap GPS Bike Meter
If you just want to know the distance and speed of your runs, a basic GPS meter may well be enough. It is smaller, lighter, and has more autonomy than a more expensive model. A basic entry-level GPS bike costs around $ 100 or less. The price will be a little higher by taking an optional heart rate monitor and a cadence sensor. At this price, there are GPS meters easy to use, small, and light (less than 100g). It does not display a map in color but simply the orientation of a course.
Bike GPS meter with mapping
This type of GPS has a much larger screen and costs a lot more. And if you want to get other data like heart rate or pedaling rate, it will take a sensor sold separately. The majority of bike GPS is ANT + compatible and can connect wirelessly to these sensors. The latest GPS models are also Bluetooth Smart compatible to display smartphone notifications on the GPS screen. A GPS mid-range bike costs around $ 200. At this price, GPS bike offers additional features like color mapping. Once again, the price will be a little higher by taking an optional heart rate monitor and cadence sensor. GPS high-end bike costs around 400 $. At this price, the GPS bike is the most complete but remains light with a weight of 100 and 120 g. Most come with a heart rate monitor and cadence sensor.
Best cycling GPS units on the market
There are dozens of bike GPS meter models. Choosing the right model depends on your preferences in terms of use and your budget. To help you choose, we have classified for you the best models by price range from 100 $ to 500$. Our ranking is based on dozens of hours of test results analysis on different sites and user reviews.
Polar M450: GPS tracker Bicycle with cardio
The best bike GPS meter at Polar is the Polar M450. It is a GPS bike with excellent value for money. Polar M450 offers all the necessary features for a small size. It is Bluetooth Smart and can sync to Strava to analyze its outputs. If you do not need mapping, it’s a complete and durable model.
The Polar brand is renowned for its heart rate monitors and running watches, and the M450 is no exception to this reputation. The Polar M450 is part of the new generation of meters, which no longer even needs a sensor on the bike wheel. Thanks to its GPS sensor, the speed is automatically calculated. It allows greater simplicity in the installation of this meter. It will be as easy to use on different bikes, without difficulty.
The GPS also offers, of course, the possibility to follow routes, this being favored by a fast satellite connection. A return to home function will guide the user in case he has lost his way. It also has a built-in barometer, allowing this meter to offer altimeter functions.
Moreover, the M450 will fully play its role as an intelligent heart rate monitor. This is reinforced by the Bluetooth connection, which allows the transfer of training data to a computer for analysis. We enter into professional features, which are suitable for both amateur cyclists and competitors. Finally, the Polar M450 is very aesthetic, with its large LED screen.
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Garmin Edge 520: Best Bike GPS Medium Range
The Garmin Edge 520 is a mid-range GPS bike. It is perfect for long bike rides. Also, works as a GPS in a car, but with maps adapted for cycling. It is easier to use than the Edge 1000 or 810 which are race and performance-oriented bike GPS. It is also much cheaper.
The Garmin Edge 520 has a 2.6 “color touchscreen that can be used with gloves. The user interface is easy to use and suitable for cycling. Bike mapping (road and off-road) is included with the option to add additional maps. This GPS bike allows you to calculate round-trip itineraries with 3 routes to choose from to choose the best route. Like the 810, it does not support the GLONASS either.
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Garmin Edge 1000: best high-end bike GPS
The Garmin Edge 1000 is a high-end GPS for bikes. It is a GPS Bike connected with Touch Screen. This is the model that offers the most features. It has all the features of the Edge 810 plus Bluetooth connectivity to view smartphone notifications. It is also more expensive and heavier and the battery life is only 15h.
The Edge 1000 is the latest Garmin GPS bike that has the particularity of coupling with a smartphone for connected functions and having a touchscreen. An excellent GPS for tourism and adventure and for mountain biking. It features a preloaded Garmin Cycle Map with cycling routes and tracks, elevation data, points of interest, and an address search function. It allows you to define round-trip routes. This is a recommended model for confirmed athletes as it helps to make a training schedule.
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Bryton Rider 100: Best Basic Bike GPS
The Bryton brand has just released two new cheap GPS counters the Bryton Rider 100 and the Bryton Rider 310. These are simple bike GPS, easy to use but powerful enough. They do not offer to map but they offer a price that is difficult to beat. With these GPS meters, exercise session files are automatically saved in FIT format and can be uploaded to the most popular training websites such as Strava, Training Peaks, Endomondo, Map My Ride, Fit Track, and more.
The Bryton Rider 100 has a battery life of 25 hours and includes 36 functions including time, speed, distance, calories, cadence, FC, and anaerobic threshold. For less than 100 $, it is the GPS meter with the best value for money. It is compatible with ANT + and Bluetooth 4.0.
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What are the alternatives to the bike GPS meter?
As an alternative to the GPS bike, you can use a connected bike counter, a wired bike counter, a smartphone, or a GPS watch. If you practice other sports like running, a GPS bike watch is a better option. The smartphone can also be used to record courses. This is the least expensive option because you just have to buy a good bike holder for your smartphone.
The connected bike meter
The Wahoo RFLKT + is a connected bike meter. It behaves just like the remote screen of your smartphone. The RFLKT + uses a Bluetooth connection to display the data directly from your favorite cycling app. It works with Strava and the majority of cycling applications. It is ultra-light, waterproof, and shock-resistant. A connected meter keeps the charge of your smartphone during a day of hiking and keeps it safe.
The smartphone a GPS bike
One can use a smartphone like a GPS bike. It is a much cheaper solution. Just download a good GPS app for cycling like Strava for example and buy a bike holder for the smartphone. If you want to fix the smartphone on your handlebars, you have to choose quality support that really protects your smartphone. The best bike mount for your smartphone is the Quad Lock Bike Support Kit. It is a light and resistant support that exists a universal version and also in a special version for iPhone and Samsung devices.
The smartphone is a more user-friendly and cheaper solution than a GPS bike. The main disadvantages are battery life, weight, tightness, and robustness.
The GPS watch for cycling
For triathletes or for those who practice more than one sport, a GPS bike watch is a better option. A GPS watch can track his physical activity in different sports. It is often compatible with ANT + and sometimes Bluetooth. It is worn most often on the wrist but with support. Also, it is possible to hang your GPS watch on the bike. The Garmin Vivoactive is an excellent connected GPS watch. This multisport-connected watch is very thin and light (38g). It looks more like a smartwatch than a sports watch. The touchscreen is easy to navigate. It is a versatile sports-connected watch because it can be used for swimming (5ATM) but also for running, walking, cycling, and golf.
Why buy a bike GPS
A GPS for cycling is a navigation system designed for types of cycling activity, such as road biking, mountain biking or cycling. It helps cyclists and mountain bikers to calculate routes and track performance.
A GPS bike can calculate a route and direct you to the destination of your choice, whether on roads, bike paths, cross-country trails, or hiking trails.
In addition to the map features, the GPS for cycling measures speed, distance, travel time, calories burned, altitude, and cumulative altitude differences, and then saves this data for future reference. It is, therefore, a highly advanced onboard computer to have many parameters to target training.
You can also pair a bike GPS with a heart rate monitor, speed/cadence sensor, or compatible power sensor to accurately analyze training data. For this, it is necessary that the GPS is compatible with the ANT + sensors, speed, cadence, including heart rate, and compatible power.
Finally, the latest bike GPS models can connect to the smartphone. A connected GPS can receive notifications of calls, emails, and SMS, sharing on social networks, and weather alerts … The best models have touch screens in color. Older models have monochrome screens and are not tactile.
In terms of price, a GPS bike costs between 100 and 450 dollars. But you can also use smartphones as GPS bikes. It is a much cheaper solution. A simple wired or wireless bike counter also costs less. At present, a GPS bike is as essential as a cardio belt, bike lock, or LED bicycle lighting.
What is the best GPS bike?
For most cyclists, the Polar M450 is the bike GPS meter you need.