Best bike computers 2020: GPS computers for training, navigation and data
Here is a guide to the best cycling GPS computers on the market from £34.99
Technology is important to us cyclists and nothing is as crucial as our bike computer. It can tell us where we are when we get lost, how many watts we are struggling to put out and even when it's time to stop for a piece of cake.
Giants such as Garmin and Wahoo alongside smaller, niche brands like Hammerhead, Bryton and Stages all offer units varying in function, form and price.
The important thing is to decide why you are buying a computer in the first place.
If you want outstanding mapping that can guide you on and off-road, then you will need to look towards options that boast vast navigation capabilities. If you are a data junkie, you will need to assess the connectivity of the device.
If you are solely using the computer to upload your ride to Strava then you may want to consider the cheaper options.
Computers usually start for as little as £30 and go up to the £400 mark giving something for almost everyone.
Buyer's guide to the best bike computers
What to look for when buying a bike computer
Maps and Navigation: Most cycling computers will offer some form of on-screen mapping or, at the very least, turn-by-turn navigations. Most will also allow you to preload routes to follow and some will even allow you to renavigate on the fly
Smart notifications: Sync the computer to your mobile phone and receive notifications on the go. Most will send through message and call alerts allowing you to keep tabs on what's going on without having to reach for your back pocket
Battery life: If you plan to spend long days in the saddle exploring then you will need to look at options with healthy battery life. Most cycling computers will last up to 18 hours albeit when used conservatively
Sensor compatibility: This could be an external power meter, heart rate monitor or cadence sensor, either way, you must check the computer's ability to connect to sensors and devices. Some only allow connection to one at a time but most allow multiple connections using ANT+
Here are the eight best bike computers on the market in 2020
Best for those on a budget: Cateye Velo wireless
Price - £34.99
Buy now from Amazon for £22.90

Cateye produced its first bike computer in 1981 and is now among the biggest names in non-GPS units. This is the most basic wireless model, but offers everything you could want, with speed, time and distance metrics as well as average speed.
Straight out of the box the Velo is intuitive and effective. Within seconds the computer was ready to go, and the data generated by the unit offers everything we would consider useful.
The Cateye Velo uses a simple and slick-looking magnet that fits easily on rounded or bladed spokes, and a small radar signal pops up on screen to show when the magnet is being read by the sensor. It’s hard to find any fault at all.
Dimensions: 47mm x 32mm x 12.5mm
Battery life: Two years
Editor's verdict: It’s clear that Cateye has been making cycling computers for a long time. This is simple near-perfection
Best option under £100: Wahoo Elemnt Mini

Price - £79.99
Buy now from Amazon for £79.99
The entry-level option from Wahoo, the Elemnt Mini packs in a lot of functions despite its low price tag with one catch: for full functionality, the Elemnt Mini has to be connected to your smartphone.
If this is the case, then you will be able to record full GPS navigation history, record speed, distance and time metrics as well as live call and text notifications.
The Elemnt Mini is also fully compatible with all Wahoo products allowing you to sync it to a heart rate monitor, cadence sensor and speed sensor, with the latter being included in the purchase.
Battery life is also impressive. Thanks to using a coin cell battery, Wahoo promises a year of use until the battery will need to be changed.
Dimensions: 41mm x 58.4mm x 17mm
Battery life: 300 hours
Editor’s verdict: For under £100, the Elemnt Mini offers plenty but beware, with it having to connect to your phone, it will drain the phone's battery on longer riders
Best option for apps: Garmin Edge 530

Price - £259.99
Buy now from Wiggle for £259.99
The Garmin Edge 530 was released in spring of 2019 as a replacement to the Edge 520 and is the baby sibling of the more expensive Edge 830 that launched at the same time.
It’s been designed as a true companion to riders who train, seamlessly syncing to third-party power metres, providing biometric information into whether you are training too hard and even informing you when to eat and drink when riding.
Navigation is also good thanks to the preloaded Garmin Cycle Map that provided turn-by-turn directions and notifications as well as off-road mapping for the gravel/mtb riders out there.
Ride safety is also considered paramount with ‘Incident Detection’ that notifies pre-determined contacts of any potential incident while also acting as an alarm that notifies your smartphone if your bike is being moved if you are elsewhere.
Battery life weighs in at 20 hours, which is also impressive.
Dimensions: 50mm x 82mm x 20mm
Battery life: Up to 20 hours
Editor's verdict: A great option for those impressed by the Edge 830 but on a tighter budget
Best for those who race: Wahoo Elemnt Bolt

Price - £189.99
Buy now from Amazon for £189.99
The Elemnt Bolt is a GPS computer for those who race. Similar to the original Wahoo Elemnt, the Bolt offers turn-by-turn navigation, seamless route syncing from the companion app, on-board and on-demand navigation through its impressive mapping system.
It also gives live text and call alerts, relays Strava live and fully links to all Wahoo accessories. There is also the capability to sync the LED lights across the top of the unit to act as a visual reference for things such as speed.
The only difference to the original Elemnt is that the Bolt is smaller, more aerodynamic and comes with a fully-integrated mount. Oh, and Wahoo recently released the Bolt in blue and pink.
Dimensions: 73mm x 46mm x 22mm
Battery Life: Up to 15 hours
Editor’s verdict: A great choice for you racers out there. The Bolt has all the data you could possibly need integrating into a neat and aero unit
Best for integration: Garmin Edge 830

Price - £349.99
Buy now from Wiggle for £349.99
Despite being relatively compact at 82g and 2.6in in screen width, the Edge 830 is a unit still packed with an abundance of functions. In fact, it's just a smaller version of the Edge 1030.
It contains live segments via third-party app Stava, live tracking, on-board route planning, rerouting capabilities alongside safety features like 'Incident Detection' and even a pin-locked bike alarm.
The unit will tell you when you need to eat and drink and also sync to your Shimano Di2 groupset to let you toggle through the computer’s screen from the levers of your bike. Impressive!
Battery life floats around the 20-hour mark, too, which is as good as any competitors.
Dimensions: 50mm x 82mm x 20mm
Battery life: Up to 20 hours
Editor’s verdict: A great offering from Garmin that uses plenty of quirky functions to create a solid piece of kit
Best for those looking to explore: Wahoo Elemnt Roam

Price - £299.99
Buy now from Rutland Cycling for £299.99
The granddaddy of Wahoo’s GPS cycling computers, the Roam has been introduced as the long-term replacement to the original Elemnt.
It boasts updated navigation that includes on-board rerouting and on-demand route generation that partners with existing functions such as routing you to a pre-downloaded course.
The Roam is also the first of Wahoo’s range to introduce a colour screen, using flashes subtly in its mapping and also across its training programmes.
Lastly, the Roam also boasts an impressive battery life of 17 hours, even at full functionality.
Dimensions: 89mm x 54.4mm x 17.8mm
Battery life: Up to 18 hours
Editor’s verdict: We were very impressed by the Roam when we reviewed it. It’s definitely our pick of the bunch
Best for those using data: Stages Dash M50

Price - £209
Buy now from Stages Cycling for £209
For the data junkies, Stages has updated its Dash computers to be more than just a screen for your power data.
The Dash M50 contains preloaded OSM base maps built into its 2.25in ‘EverBrite’ screen which remains visible even in the brightest of conditions.
It's also the perfect companion to a Stages power metre, relaying all of your in-depth data straight to the unit allowing on-board analysis at your fingertips.
The M50 also has a claimed battery life of 12.5 hours, which while less than competitors, is still impressive.
Dimensions: 51mm x 78mm x 24mm
Battery life: Up to 12.5 hours
Editor’s verdict: Something a little different from Garmin and Wahoo, this may only suit those who always ride to power
Best for those without a budget: Hammerhead Karoo

Price - £388.89
Buy now from Hammerhead for £329.92
Do not be put off by the price, the Karoo from Hammerhead justifies its high price tag, just.
Sophisticated GPS navigation gives detailed mapping on-board which can design routes to take you to a designated location with options for road, gravel and singletrack all included, all guided by turn-by-turn navigation prompts.
The unit will reroute you if you stray off-course and also allow you to adjust your route onboard if you fancy heading in a different dirrection.
The Karoo also contains a sim card slot, allowing you to upload ride data and sync route information without wifi connection while also relaying real-time location data to a designated contact just incase you come unstuck in a crash or with multiple mechanicals.
Hammerhead also claims that its 640x480 pixels per inch resolution is the largest of any GPS computer which gives it a clearer screen than any, too.
Battery life is good, as well, with 10 hours for full functionality and 15 hours if limited to just screen and GPS.
Dimensions: 98mm x 72mm x 28mm
Battery life: Up to 15 hours
Editor’s verdict: If money were no object, we’d recommend giving this serious consideration