Garmin Edge 25 Review : Tried and Tested

VERDICT

Something from my personal experience, I would really like to say - if you are like me, you just love to ride and stay on track, this model stands out with everything from size to display, battery life to all the tech junkie features. Fair enough, given with the price range, you won't get everything but for a regular riders like me, it just works fine.

Garmin is a household name, and it has provided us with quality, dependable and durable products for a long time.

The Garmin Edge 25 is one such functional product. and I am going to review this Garmin Edge 25 model because I have been testing it for a long time. & I hope you will find it valuable. Let’s start –

The new Edge 25 is Garmin’s second cheapest bike computer, sitting one rung above the Edge 20 in the range. Both models add to what has seemed to be a near-monthly cadence of new products from Garmin within the fitness realm.

This model is superior as it supports ANT+ accessories (HRM cadence) and Bluetooth smart connectivity to your phone.

The Garmin Edge 25 is a minimalist GPS unit and relatively cheap, and yet it comes with the superiority and performance of the high-end and more expensive bike computers.

Who is it For?

The Garmin Edge 25 is for everyday cyclists. It meets the needs and ticks the boxes of most average cyclists, even those in competitive cycling.

Given its rugged construction, this bike computer will stand up to bad weather while your smartphone stays safe and dry inside your pocket or pannier.

With a water rating of IPX7, you can use this little unit during rain without worrying about the state of its structural integrity.

Again, if you live in cold regions, it will keep going even after the weather drops below freezing.

Garmin Edge 25 Design

If you don't fancy touch screens, you will love the button-operated system on the Garmin Edge 25.

Unlike the previous units, which featured awkward rubber flaps to cover their charging ports, the Edge 25 comes with external contacts that mate appropriately with a proprietary USB cable.

And given that the Edge 25 has a wireless data download to the Garmin Connect app using Bluetooth Smart technology, the only time you will need to plug it into your PC's USB port is when you want to charge it.

Garmin Edge 25 Features

GPS AND GLONASS

The Garmin Edge 25 is versatile as it can get, thanks to its ability to acquire satellite signals using both GPS and GLONASS to pick up your location.

The benefit of such versatility is that this bike computer will lock in faster. Having been a user of computers with only GPS, I know how frustrating it can be due to a slow lock.

With the Edge 25, however, you will realize that it will, in most cases, find your location fast, and this means you can get on with your ride almost straight away.

ANT + and Bluetooth Connectivity

The Garmin 25 features ANT+ Connectivity, a wireless technology that will allow your gadgets to talk to each other.

ANT technology will allow you to hook up the bike computer on several sensors, including a handlebar, a cadence sensor on your wheels, and a heart rate monitor around your chest.

At the moment, the ANT technology might not seem crucial, but in case you need a cadence and speed sensor or a heart rate monitor later, you will not need to buy a new bike computer with the Edge 25.

A stumbling block to the efficacy of the ANT technology is that it only connects to two sensors. This would not be a bummer if you had a single bike and two sensors. But if you have more than two bikes, each having its sensors, it can be a huge problem.

Garmin offers sophisticated Garmin Vector 3 Power Meter Pedals that will allow you to measure the energy you put into your pedaling accurately.

Again, it’s disappointing that you cannot connect the Power Meter Pedals with Garmin Edge 25, which could pose a real challenge, especially if you want to train with power meters.

Wireless Uploads

The Garmin Connect/ Strava feature on Edge 25 lets you wirelessly transfer data.

In my honest view, or at least what I think, the wireless connection is probably one of the best upgrades we have seen with the bike computers in recent years. The wireless connection is convenient and will save you from the hassles of having to fiddle around with USB cables.

Mapping and Navigation

The Edge 25 is not primarily a navigation device as it has no maps, and it does not allow downloading of maps either.

Any help on the navigation aspect of this device is limited to basic navigation help in routes already downloaded in advance.

However, the good news is that downloading courses from Garmin Connect is straightforward. Another con is the small screen, which makes following the large arrow particularly impractical.

Check our article to learn How to pair your Garmin Forerunner watch with your android.

Ride Options

Like most cyclists, you will probably go for a Basic ride. Here, you will need to press the To Right and go ride. Otherwise, other options include:

• Follow course: Assuming you have already downloaded a previous ridden course, you can follow the same route, and the unit will give you turn-by-turn instructions.
• Time: A time option will allow you to set a target time, and while cycling, the unit will provide you with feedback to ensure you hit your objective
• Distance: Like the time ride option, the distance option will ensure you reach your distance objective.

Conclusion

The beauty of the Edge 25 lies in its simplicity. It’s an ideal unit, especially for beginners new to cycling GPS who want to track their heart rate. I also recommend you to see the Garmin Edge 520 model for a better comparison.

Though the unit has a small screen, and some users complain of having issues with the display, I did not have any problem seeing the data.

Generally, I was pretty impressed with the Garmin Edge 25, and with a few tweaks, it could get an A score.

FAQ

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