There are many cyclists who have been waiting all year to finally either upgrade or buy a first bike computer. These same people have read our reviews and browsed through our best bike computers buyers guide but they've held off buying until now. So here we are, the Black Friday bike deals are in full swing, our Live blog is happening and it's crunch time; it's time to decide which new bike computer is right for you.
As expected, there are deals to be had but that actually throws a wrench into your calculations. The big three names in bike computers are Garmin, Wahoo, And Hammerhead (owned by SRAM) and each of them have deals for you. With an eye on those deals, now you have to decide if your previous decision - the one you made when considering their retail prices - still makes sense. Since value and performance is always dependent on price should you make a different buying choice based on the prices as they are now? I have some insight that I hope will help.
I've been riding with bike computers since they've been a mainstream option. During that time, I've tried them all and put them to the test on short rides and long rides. As we look at the latest prices, I'm going to dive into what's the best purchase option this Black Friday season.
In brief: The best Black Friday bike computer deals
USA Quick Deals:
🚲 Garmin Edge 1040 Solar: $749.99 $699.99 at Amazon
🚲 Garmin Edge 1040: $599.99 $549.99 at Amazon
🚲 Wahoo Elemnt Roam V2: $399.99 $319.99 at Amazon
🚲 Wahoo Elemnt Bolt V2: $199.99 $229.99 at Amazon
🚲 Hammerhead Karoo 2: $399 $299 at Hammerhead
UK Quick Deals:
🚲 Garmin Edge 1040: £519.99 £419.99 at Garmin
🚲 Wahoo Elemnt Roam V2: £349.99 £299.99 at Wahoo
🚲 Wahoo Elemnt Bolt V2: £249.99 £199.99 at Wahoo
🚲 Hammerhead Karoo 2: £359 £245 at Hammerhead
Garmin Edge
This is the big name. Garmin has been around the longest, makes the most bike computers, and has the largest market share. For performance cyclists though, the general categories that matter most are the Garmin Edge 500 series, Garmin Edge 800 series, and Garmin Edge 1000 series. Within each of those categories there's a few model choices but each of them follow a similar style.
Starting with the 500 series, the latest models are the Garmin Edge 540 and the Garmin Edge 540 Solar, which both came as a replacement for the Edge 530 (and the Edge 520 Plus before that).
You can check more details in my review of the Garmin Edge 540 but a quick overview is to say this is the non-touchscreen and small-screen variant in the Garmin lineup. For an extra $100/£100 you can choose the Solar variant which gets you 32 hours of battery life vs 26 but also has a dimmer screen since the Solar panel is an overlay.
While the 540 Solar and standard 540 are fantastic options, the one challenge they have - likewise the older Edge 530 - is that there's no touch screen. This isn't inherently an issue, and some people actually prefer it that way, but Garmin's operating system isn't optimised for buttons. There are times when you'll wish you could just push the screen and save yourself the hassle of the side buttons. Those times are when the 800 series might make sense.
The Garmin Edge 800 series computers are almost exactly the same as the 500 series, but with touch screen capabilities. You still have the buttons there when you want them but now you also have the option of using the touch screen. With the latest Edge 840, you do gain more internal memory, 32GB vs 16GB, but in practical use this isn't a big deal. Mostly you pay an extra $100/£100 on top of the Edge 540 prices to get the touchscreen.
Then there's the Garmin Edge 1000 series, which is currently headlined by the 1040 and Garmin Edge 1040 Solar, but also includes the Older Edge 1030 Plus (and the Edge 1030 before it).
This is the big one with a 282 x 470 pixel screen vs 246 x 322 pixels for the smaller models. The bigger screen means more weight too so Garmin uses a metal mounting system that’s upgraded compared to the smaller models. You also gain battery life jumping a max of 32-hours for the 540 Solar and 840 Solar up to 35-hours for the non-Solar 1040 and 45-hours for the Edge 1040 Solar. If you travel regularly, the 1040 Solar does get preloaded maps but you can also add maps to other units.
Wahoo Elemnt and Bolt
Things get much less complicated for Wahoo computers. You have the option of choosing the Wahoo Roam V2 or the Wahoo Bolt V2 with the Roam being the larger of the two. Along with a bigger screen (2.7in vs 2.2in) in the Roam, you also get an extra two hours of battery life (17 vs 15 hours), more advanced GPS, more memory, and an extra row of LED lights for notifications. Which, when listed out sounds like a lot but in use, amounts to being a nearly identical experience aside from the screen size and slight battery advantage.
Neither of the Wahoo units have touchscreen capabilities. Instead, Wahoo uses a limited colour palette and high contrast display with a matte finish. Instead of setting what you want o see in a particular spot on the display, you use the app to set a hierarchy of importance. The buttons on the side of the units allow you to zoom in or out depending on how much you want to see and how large.
Hammerhead Karoo 2
If things were simple for Wahoo, they are seriously barebones when you look at the Hammerhead model lineup. Hammerhead only has one model, called the Karoo 2.
The Hammerhead Karoo 2 is all about the screen. Hammerhead uses a modified version of Android for the operating system and the screen is closer to a phone (in performance and responsiveness terms) than the others. It's big and bright and accepts multi-touch input or buttons when needed. Anyone who's ever seen the screen will remember it even if they don't remember anything else about the computer. It's also got a matte coating that helps keep it glare free but that screen does come at the cost of battery life. The Karoo 2 has the shortest battery life at only 10-12 hours in conservative use.
The other defining characteristic of Hammerhead is actually the software. While Garmin and Wahoo issue updates from time to time, Hammerhead is incredibly frequent and sometimes the updates are big. The company constantly works to add functionality and if you haven't touched one for a year or two, it can feel like a different computer.
How do the companies differ?
This isn't a deep dive into every feature available. All three companies make bike computers that do very close to the same thing. You can connect your sensors, track your performance metrics, and navigate your rides on any of them. There are some basic conceptual differences though and that's worth understanding.
Among the three, Wahoo is the phone-first company. Years ago Wahoo had a computer that acted as a second screen for your phone while the phone did all the processing. The latest Bolt and Roam aren't like that anymore, and don't require a phone to go on a ride, but the concept is still there. When riding, your primary interaction with a Wahoo computer is to look at information. If you need more details, you might need to get your phone out.
This approach is good and bad but, mostly, a choice. It makes the computers incredibly simple to use and great for people that want things to just work. Maps and uploads are automatic and you don't have to think about things. It can be a hassle though. Mapping in particular can be a pain if you need to make a change mid-ride. It's possible to scroll on the map but not easy and there's not much info. Expect to stop and look at your phone.
Hammerhead is the opposite. For Hammerhead there's almost no phone interaction and things generally happen on the web or the unit. That means that getting maps onto the Karoo 2 is a pain point and you can't send a tracking link to someone unless you add a sim card to your unit. On the other hand, the Android in the background means you can sideload Android apps and get seriously weird with it. Spotify on a Hammerhead apparently works.
Garmin is somewhere in between the two. Phone integration is at about the place you want it most of the time but there are moments it could be better. The bigger thing to know is that there's an app/website called Garmin Connect and everything goes through Garmin Connect. It's incredibly powerful but if you only have an Edge computer it can feel unnecessarily cumbersome. It would also be great if you could more easily set the data fields via your phone like a Wahoo. Mapping for both Garmin and Hammerhead are excellent.
Overall though, Garmin is the battery life king. Hammerhead is the touchscreen queen. Wahoo makes the whole thing easy to live with.
Which one to buy based on discount?
Now that you've got an understanding of all the options, let's talk price. The most advanced computer currently on the market is the Garmin 1040 Solar. It's also the most expensive and not every actually needs 45 hours of run time. On top of that, the screen on the Solar variants is noticeably darker and there are a lot of people who don't love it when compared. If you are looking for a deal on a Garmin you can pick either of the 1040 models so you'll have to decide what makes sense to you.
What's different right now though is that Edge 1040 is the same price as the Edge 840 Solar. That means it makes little sense to get the 840 Solar unless you absolutely must have a smaller computer. The Edge 1040 has more battery life, a bigger screen and a better mount for the same price, grab it.
For those that don't need super long battery life though, the Hammerhead Karoo 2 is sitting at an excellent price point, albeit not the best it's ever been. I feel like the Karoo 2 is going to see an update in the next few months and I expect that will probably mean better battery life. For now though, it's a great computer that offers a ton of useability and battery life is the only major drawback. If you tend to ride 3-4 hours for your longest rides, you won't notice an issue and the screen is glorious.
Not only is that price good but it puts a lot of pressure on the Wahoo Roam v2. While that computer is a good solid option, the Karoo 2 is cheaper right now. You do give up battery life but the Wahoo isn't the battery life king. If you need battery life a Garmin Edge 540 isn't on sale in the USA. It is in the UK, but it's still more expensice. Only you can decide if you want to pay a little more for substantially better battery life though.
That leaves the Wahoo Bolt v2 as a credible small and budget option. The Bolt v2 is so small it feels like a toy and it really shines for racers who just need metrics while riding. The battery is good too, lasting 15 hours in economical use. You can navigate too but there are much better options if that's your main need.
Bottom line, with consideration for the sales happening right now, there are three options that make sense to me. If you need battery life and a big screen, grab the Garmin Edge 1000 series (1030 or 1040 depending on your budget). If you want the most functionality but don't need battery life then the Hammerhead Karoo 2 is a great deal, but hold on for Cyber Monday just in case that old USA price comes back. If you only need the most basic metrics and just want something that works, that's where the Wahoo Bolt v2 fits.
Other Black Friday deals
- Black Friday bike deals: Our central hub of all the cycling deals this year
- Black Friday bike helmets: Safety on a budget for road and off-road use
- Black Friday cycling clothing: Kit out your cycling wardrobe without paying a fortune
- Black Friday cycling shoes: Save on summer and winter kicks
- Black Friday electric bikes: Power your way to savings
- Black Friday gravel bikes: Gravel grinding doesn't have to cost a fortune
- Black Friday kids bikes: They grow so fast, so don't pay full price
- Black Friday turbo trainers: Everything you need to get Zwifting on a budget
- Black Friday Castelli: Save on winter kit just as winter takes hold
- Black Friday Garmin: Smartwatches, cycling computers and more
- Black Friday GoPro: Shoot for the moon with top-quality action camera deals
- Black Friday Rapha: Big deals on the British clothing brand
- Black Friday Wiggle: One of the world's biggest cycling sales
- Black Friday Wahoo: The best prices on Wahoo's range of cycling tech
