Here is a side-by-side comparison of the various Garmin bike computers: 520, 820 and 1030. The 1030 is apparently 3.5 inches in display size, compared to 2.4 inches for the 820, if that helps.

Like others have noted, consider the Edge 1030 in terms of pure screen clarity and real estate. I think you'd find that even at 6 metrics, you'd see it better than 2 units each at 3-4 metircs.

Hammerhead's Karoo also is pretty big/clear, though, you won't quite get some of the metrics you noted like air pressure.

As far as riding with multiple head units...by and large it's a pain in the ass. It's rare that I get away with less than 3 head units on any ride, four is the norm, sometimes more. And it's not because I like doing it. Heck, I'd be happy to run with a single head unit...it's just that the reality of doing comparisons and file data gathering requires it. The biggest PITA is really just ensuring they're all charged, and they you've got the settings the way you want them on all units.

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My tiny little slice of the internets: dcrainmaker.com

I have old-ass eyes as well (my contact lenses make me need +2 readers at my desk), but readers don't go well with swim/bike/run activities. I narrowed it down on bike and run to just 2 metrics. Pace and Heartrate on the run, and Power and Power Zone on the bike. I have it on just one metric on the Open Water swim - distance, and one metric for pool swim - Interval distance.

The rest I just look at when I get home.

I have seen Richard Murray ride with a pioneer unit I’m assuming give him power feedback and then a separate garmin unit for gps maybe

+1

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"see the world as it is not as you want it to be"

For the longest time I ran with a SRM Power Control (First a PCV, then PC6) along with a Garmin head unit (500, then 510, now 520). Originally I didn't have much choice as my SRM was a wired unit and I wanted the Garmin for Strava. When I got a wireless SRM I stuck with two for the reasons you mention. I'm 57 and 5 is the max number of data fields that I can put on my 520 and still read it. Still though I have a screen with only 4 fields for doing intervals. Afternoon low angle sun and sunglasses make it hard to read when doing intervals.

A few years back I did the elite national road race at Lake Tahoe and took the SRM PC6 off so the kids wouldn't make fun of me. :-) I left it off and am relatively happy with it. For TT's though I still run both. I like the PC6 for being easy to read and having my current numbers. For the garmin I have a screen that gives me lap AP and splits with it set to record auto laps every mile.

A friend has the new Garmin 1030. I think that if I can figure out a way to justify it to myself, the 1030 would be the answer to my issues.

The eyes are really the only place where I feel my age. At least so far. I know that I can't produce the kind of power I did when I was 25, but it's close enough to where I notice it less than having to use reading glasses for everything.

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Kevin

http://kevinmetcalfe.dreamhosters.com
My Strava

How does one find information on how to accomplish this?

thx ray. sounds like the 1030 is my answer but... ouch.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

It is not really easily document d anywhere I have found. I have only seen it in use on a friend’s bike. And I have seen the settings on mine, but I did not actually enable it.

First, you need the EW-WU111 in-line wireless unit that connects Garmin. Then, you need the E-TUBE software to set it up. On the first screen with the button mapping’s, there is an option in the button action selection to do a Garmin thing. The options are next screen, previous screen, lap, start/stop, control lights, etc.

I use "reader" sunglasses for my old age vision problems. xx2i has polarized ones fairly cheap.
Problem solved!

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Team Zoot So Cal

I don't understand why celL phones aren't used more? Far better everything than a Garmin and these days plenty of battery.

multi focal contacts an option? changed my life a few years ago when the near vision began failing.

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Looking for a place to swim? check out http://swimradar.com
Mountain Bike and Adventure Guiding - http://fivestaradventure.com

By which the rest of us can deduce who the "douche" really is.

I have a similar problem and have solved it (for now) by using Rudy project custom sport reader glasses.

http://www.e-rudy.com/...ducts/readerslanding

"I'm going to go with battery life for $200, Alex."

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

For longer rides and when I’m not familiar with the course I will keep my head Unit on the course map and rely on my watch for power and HR.

I don’t like cycling through screens to wait to find my real time power or hr. And it really stinks to miss a turn.

I would be very happy with a small light unit that only provides course instruction. One that I could tuck in behind the main head unit. Or better yet a split screen with one or two metrics on top and a map on the bottom.

do you drive with readers?

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Happy to know I'm not the only one that wears contacts to avoid wearing glasses, but still ends up wearing glasses most of the day.




I do this with my Garmin 500 and 920. The 920 is for capturing race data with splits, to be saved and downloaded. I turn the 500 on before they kick us out of the transition area before the race (I have the auto-shutdown turned off) and use that for easy to see bike data; this file gets dumped

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Try not to drown / rock the bike / hobby-jog

I'm using a Fenix 5X on my wrist with iPhone in my back jersey pocket. The voice feature of the iPhone calls out Watts, heart rate and average speed so I never look at my watch on the bike.

Then I have my Garmin 705 mounted to the Hydration between my hands and have Speed, Cadence, Distance on that one to look at.

Three fields still has a large enough font for me.

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Dan Kennison

facebook: @triPremierBike
http://www.PremierBike.com
http://www.PositionOneSports.com

I have driven with my Tifosi readers but I don't like to.

my point is this: i have readers, and you can't drive with them. i have distance glasses, but you can't read with them. my sunglasses are progressives, that's what i drive with. this is the only prescription that would work for what i'm talking about. so, either you ride with progressive prescription lenses or you need head units you can read without glasses.

if there is some other solution i'm happy to hear it. but unless i just missed the memo there is no such thing as one lens, one prescription, that works for both reading and distance, beyond either bifocals or progressives.

which means a bigger head unit. or 2 head units. or a head unit that cycles between screens. or you just limit yourself to 2 or at the most 3 metrics.

i hear ray's complaint about keeping them charged. so, maybe 1 big head unit. but i don't know why a simple head unit that is just bigger isn't on the market. i don't want to spend $600 for a head unit. honestly, i don't care about uploading my ride to strava. which means i don't really much care if i have a GPS in it. i just want to be able to read the mofo. happy to have an old style magnet on the wheel for velocity-based metrics.

so, is there just a dumb slave LARGE head unit out there? that picks up and displays signals from my peripherals on the bike?

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

While my long vision is ok, it is not great either. So I usually where bifocals for driving and general use. I never feel I need a prescription for riding, only seeing those little numbers on that tiny screen.

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Team Zoot So Cal

OK, I understand where you are coming from with the readers issue. My far vision is fine I just can't see up close any more so the standard reader sunglasses work for me.

Without glasses - I use a garmin 810 on the bike with the top two files as big as they can go and then four smaller fields under them. The two big fields are power and ave power on the first page, power and lap ave power on the second page. Those are the 2 pages I use the most.

Since those two metrics are the most important to me while riding/racing, I can make everything else small. Would you think that the biggest fields on the Garmin 810 would be big enough for you? Do you need more metrics that are larger or maybe don't like switching pages?

Your rides are more than 12 hours? Wow impressive...