Cycling has many benefits; it helps maintain an individual’s fitness levels, is a major sports activity, can be a fun-filled adventure sport and finally, it can also act as a great stress buster. Owing to these many benefits attached to cycling sport, more and more people are pursuing it as a serious activity. Cycling is not just for youngsters, it can be engaged in by the old as well due to the numerous health benefits attached to it. It helps in maintaining the blood pressure, lowers the sugar levels and increases the person’s overall stamina. It would be useful if an individual could keep a tab on factors such as calories burned, riding speed, etc. while cycling.
Here is where the Garmin Edge 500 Bikers GPS System comes handy. With its sleek exterior and a weight of just 60 grams, it is a lightweight companion that can be easily mounted on the bike. The device is ready to be used straight out of the box, no calibrations required. The unit brings along a bike mount that can be attached to the stem or handlebar of the bike. It keeps tracking satellites and acquires positioning information while moving via its integrated high sensitivity GPS receiver. Thus at any point of time the user is aware of the current location.
During the ride, the device can measure the rider’s speed, time taken, distance travelled, the amount of calories burned, the altitude, climb, descent etc. All this information is recorded and saved for future reference. An in-built barometric altimeter is capable of precisely pointing out the changes in elevation. The big screen and large buttons provide an easy to use interface. It is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can last for up to 18 hours on full charge. So you need not have to worry about the batteries draining out and the device powering off within a few hours into your ride. Its waterproofing characteristics enable it to be used in rainy climatic conditions.
Although it does not include any kind of basemap, the device can store a history of about 1000 laps. The device is capable of notifying the user on reaching the goal. Some versions of the Garmin Edge 500 Portable GPS System include a heart rate monitor and a speed/cadence sensor that tracks the rate of heart beats and uses this heart rate data for advanced calorie computation. The device can be programmed to improve an individual’s fitness levels by setting in a specific heart rate zone to train in. A person’s pace and heart rate can be compared with their previous performances. Garmin has incorporated a “Courses” feature in the unit that enables a user to compare successive rides over a route.
Some other versions of the Garmin Edge 500 work in tandem with third party ANT+ enables power meters that displays the power output in watts. This gadget is able to connect to the Garmin Connect, which is an online community where one can analyse, categorise and share data. One can join a worldwide network of cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts with the help of the Garmin Connect community. The unit is simple to use and operate amking it a good choice for beginners. However, its powerful features and functionalities is sure to make it a favourite amongst the serious biking professionals. Expected to hit the stores by the end of this year, this one is capable of winning the hearts of many serious bikers.
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