Garmin Edge Explore

This is my first cycling computer and I am positive about this device after more than 500 km of driving, but there are some things that are useful to know in advance. First the positives: with the use of a GPS cycling computer you quickly discover new cycling routes. The link with the Garmin app makes it possible to determine your own routes with the push of a button, or to use routes created by others. Garmin does of course use the Big Data data of all cyclists with this app, so in terms of privacy you know that you have to give something up for this. You can also keep track of everything; km's, speed, save and/or update and reuse your own routes, etc etc. So much for the positive side; now the big warning: my Garmin gave a map update message when connecting to the Apple Mac at home. The whole map update then went as you would expect, but after the reset of the Garmin, all cycling routes and details in Europe were gone...! After a Google search I discovered a forum with Garmin-Apple users and it was described here that the Garmin update software for Apple computers 'forgets' to install one of the map sets with an update. This bug actually kills your Garmin's map content. Only updating through a Windows computer can fix this, so if you're on an Apple Mac, be warned. Check in advance whether this bug in Garmin's Mac software has been solved in the meantime. A second update of my Garmin (via Windows) has completely updated the map set. A second point of criticism is the processor speed of the device when using its own routes. When you start a route, the Garmin will calculate the route before the GPS guidance can start properly. For longer routes, this calculation can easily take a few minutes. Take into account approximately 1 minute of calculation time per 10 km route. So if you load a route of 60 km, the calculation will easily take 6 minutes after starting the route. If you have entered many waypoints in the editor, the calculation in advance will take a little more time. I find battery use acceptable; I use the Garmin in normal mode with the screen on (no power save) and a 50km ride takes about 50% of the battery. With this position I can read the screen with (cycling) sunglasses on. Another performance thing: if you take a wrong turn during a ride, the Garmin will point you back in the direction of the route. The only drawback is that the right direction is not indicated; on a route through the forest with many loops, it can happen that you are sent back to a loop you have already been when you make a wrong turn. The direction of travel is not properly indicated and the Garmin continues to send you back in the wrong direction. With the normal route calculation I have another suggestion: the Garmin gives you three alternatives if you have a round trip calculated (for example 20 km in an easterly direction). It would be nice if you were also offered three alternatives when using the Garmin to navigate to a location or address; at the moment the Garmin only gives the most obvious route (which does not necessarily have to be the optimal or nicest cycling route). The attachment, finally, with rubber cap and rubber tension straps is very well secured on my bike; on the steering rod between headset and handlebars. Also stays in place during extreme vibration rides (forest paths, bad roads, etc). In short: be careful with the map updates; just learned to live with the somewhat slower processor, but definitely recommended that -in combination with the app on my phone- has made cycling a lot more fun for me.