Garmin Edge 200 Review

The Garmin Edge 200 is a basic GPS enabled cycling computer that accurately tracks rides but does not allow for ANT+ connectivity to other sensors for additional data collection.

Performance Comparison

Ease of Use

The Garmin Edge 200 came with an empty battery, which meant putting it on the charger right out of the box. This gave us time to catch up on the manual.

Once charged, the Edge 200 went through a quick set-up with language, units, gender, height, and weight. It does not have a touch screen, but has four buttons, two on each side. The navigation through settings is quite simple, and it is easy to turn on, auto pause, and adjust the backlight to extend the battery life while riding.

The 200 took longer to acquire satellites than the three other GPS-enabled computers in our review, the 810, 500, and 510. We found that horizontal placement of the buttons interfered with each other. It helped to stabilize the computer from the opposite side when pushing a button, however this caused us to hit buttons we did not intend to, and had us pausing, setting laps, and scrolling through modes on accident. We got the hang of it after some practice.

Set-up

Set-up of the Garmin Edge 200 is similar to the other Garmin computers we tested. Attachment is easy, using the standard Garmin 1/4 turn mounts. Initial programing is quick and easy, with the computer guiding you through some basic personal data fields. Like the other Garmin computers we tested, you can import some of your personal settings from Garmin Connect, allowing you to input data such as heart rate zones using your PC.

Features

The Edge 200 tracks distance, time, elevation, and speed. Similar to the Edge 810, it will show your average, max, and current speeds, in addition to elevation ascent and elevation descent. The 200 also includes a lap feature, showing lap speed, current lap time, and lap distance.

Unlike the Edge 810, the Edge 200 is not ANT+ compatible. This means no way to track cadence, heart rate, or power. This greatly limits the functionality of the Edge 200 as a proper training tool.

The Edge 200 will upload to Garmin Connect, Garmin's equivalent to an app like STRAVA. The site will break down your details of timing, elevation, and temperature, including graphs for each. You can also see a detailed map of the ride. The Edge 200 does allow you to create Courses and upload them directly to the 200. You can create a course from a previous ride, upload a course from a friend or other Garmin Connect user, and load onto the 200. By comparison, the uploading process to STRAVA is just as easy.

The screen size is the same as the Planet Bike Protege 9.0 Wireless (1.4 x 1.1 inches), although the body is significantly bigger and bulkier.

Water Resistance

The Garmin Edge 200 has the IPX 7 water resistance rating as all of the other Garmin computers we tested. We had no issues with it's operation during inclement weather.

Versatility

The Garmin Edge 200 is versatile in the sense that you can move it from bike to bike easily. However, the lack of ANT+ sensor compatibility limits it's versatility for all but the most casual riders.

Best Applications

The Garmin Edge 200 is best for cyclists that want to see metrics while riding and want a map of the course after they finish.

Value

In our opinion, the Garmin Edge 200 does not offer enough features to make it worth the $129.99 price tag. For a bit more money you can get the Edge 500, which has much more to offer in terms of features.