Best GPS 🌍 for Mountain Biking (in 2021)

For a use suitable for mountain biking, it is important to determine the basic criteria for choosing a cycling GPS.

And you can immediately say NO 🚫, car GPS, GPS road bike or smartphone are not necessarily mountain biking 😊. Here it is.

There are many criteria to consider when choosing an ATV GPS navigator, but some of them are critical for a comfortable use. We give you advice on how to make the right choice and our recommendations for current products.

Note, as mentioned above, these criteria are very different when using road and mountain bikes. Mountain biking GPS is closer to “street” or hiking GPS, which makes navigation easier than GPS designed for cycling in the minds of manufacturers (light, small, aerodynamic and very performance oriented 💪).

Important criteria for choosing a GPS ATV

1️⃣ The type of cartography that can be used in GPS and their readability: IGN topographic maps, OpenStreetMap maps, raster or vector maps, map prices, the ability to change or improve maps,

2️⃣ Autonomy: the device should work for an extended period, at least on a day trip, mostly in the case of roaming, and it should also be easy and fast to charge batteries (USB or dedicated connection) or replace the battery,

3️⃣ Durable and waterproof: a must during rainy and muddy walks,

4️⃣ Signal reception quality: your geographic location depends on it. When mountain biking it is very important to know your location quickly,

5.Size and readability of the screen in direct sunlight and dark places such as forest, its ability to automatically adjust brightness according to ambient light to optimize battery life while maintaining readability,

6️⃣ Button layout (avoid GPS with hard-to-reach buttons),

7. Ability to touch the screen, if any: it should be able to use with gloves and not be too sensitive (in case of rain!),

8️⃣ Altimeter with efficient performance to accurately determine your altitude and estimate what remains to be done to measure your efforts, barometric or based on GPS information (less accurate),

9.Connectivity to connect the bike GPS navigator to a PC or smartphone to charge and unload tracks, for example using a USB cable or better, wireless communication (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.),

1️⃣0️⃣ Compatible with standards (e.g. ANT +, Bluetooth Low Energy) for connecting heart rate sensors, speed, cadence, even power,

1️⃣1️⃣ Mountain bike handlebar or stem attachment system, which must be durable and practical,

1️⃣2️⃣ Ability to re-route in the event of a deviation from the track: this system, proposed by several manufacturers, is not yet fully adapted for mountain biking (based on map information), but may be useful for quickly returning to the starting point or rebuilding the paved road network ...

Why not use a smartphone?

You probably have a smartphone 📱 and GPS navigation phone apps are a pretty good replacement for ATV GPS. However, smartphones are much more fragile than open GPS, often more expensive, and less efficient in terms of battery life and location accuracy.

wholesale it does the jobbut if you practice regularly, you will quickly reach the limits of a smartphone that was not originally designed for use in extreme conditions, such as on the steering wheel of an ATV.

However, you can hang both the GPS and your phone on your bike rack, which is handy for calls or just beautiful photos 📸. We've also looked at the best smartphone mounts for bicycles.

Comparison of the best GPS for ATVs

In basic mode, ATV GPS works like a classic computer and allows you to record your positions, calculate statistics and restore the route at any time. This capability was made possible by satellite positioning. The device displays all information about your performances and location.

In fact, there are several location services through satellite constellations: American GPS, Russian GLONASS, European Galileo, Chinese Beidou (or Compass). The latest sensors offer to choose which constellation to use to determine the position.

American Garmin is leader Undisputed in the sports GPS market, innovation comes from the manufacturer, followed by rather aggressive rivals such as Wahoo, Hammerhead, Taiwan's Bryton or Spain's TwoNav.

The range of products and functions is wide: touch screens and recording autonomy, real-time performance and location monitoring for remote monitoring, full connectivity (WiFi, Bluetooth, BLE, ANT +, USB), provision of complete map data: vector, raster. , IGN topo and openstreetmap, automatic routing to destination (still far from suitable for mountain biking, we'll talk about that in this article).

In terms of price, a high-end GPS navigator like the Garmin Edge 1030 plus costs over € 500. On the other hand, some entry-level GPS like the Bryton Rider 15 neo are extremely simple and very affordable to buy. However, these are more counters for tracking statistics, but still based on the GPS system. This way you can read basic information about your route (distance, time, average speed, etc.). No display function... Reserved for monitoring but excluded for adventure and guided navigation. A connected watch without mapping does the same job, although its offering tends to come close to that of a classic GPS.

Recommended GPS for Mountain Bikes

Different GPS models are available depending on the brand. They are usually designed according to the functional needs of the practicing physician.

Some GPS cycling devices that may be widespread in the cycling community are not part of our recommendations: they can be very good road cycling products, but not necessarily well suited for mountain biking or, in all cases, mountain biking as we understand it on UtagawaVTT, in the mode of discovering territories, nature, and not in the mode of "performance" 🚀.

We also do not include connected clocks in our recommendations, which are not very suitable for use as a guide or navigation (due to the too small screen). On the other hand, they can be a very good addition to track recording that can be monitored in real time while collecting physiological information such as heart rate and more generally sports activity statistics.

Feel free to read our file on connected GPS mountain biking watches.

Garmin Edge Explore: A Favorite At An Affordable Price 🧸

The Garmin Edge Explore is one of our favorite recommendations 😍, even when compared to the high-end Garmin Edge 1030 and one of the most powerful premium GPS models in the Garmin cycling GPS line, but which is about 2 times more expensive.

Garmin is more suited to mountain biking than road biking, so Edge Explore focuses on connectivity over performance.

Equipped with a bright 3-inch touchscreen, it comes standard on the pre-installed Garmin Cycle Map Europe. Fun or gadget, it uses the popular route generator to show you which routes cyclists use most often, with precise navigation directions. It is compatible with Garmin bike safety accessories (such as rear radar). Autonomy according to the manufacturer's statement is 12 hours.

You can also install the Garmin France Topo IGN map, it will cost you a few hundred euros extra. You can even customize it by following this tutorial, or even install your own free maps based on OpenStreetMap.

Garmin Edge Explore stores all available data in memory and allows you to use it when there is no network coverage. You can also use step-by-step directions to make sure you get to your destination. For group runs and hiking, Garmin Connect enables cyclists to share data.

Its high connectivity (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ant + and smartphone) allows it to be ultra-communicative, it also connects to Strava, GPSies and Wikiloc track sites.

Its main flaw remains no barometric sensor which makes it get an altitude setting thanks to GPS data: an issue that is being addressed with the EDGE 530 and 830, which are even more suitable for mountain biking without reaching the Edge 1030 plus's peak performance.

Returning a field

• Perfectly sized screen: visibility, perfect sensitivity. The responsiveness of the screen is very functional even with gloves on.
• The ability to customize the screens is enough: 2 screens of information, altitude, map, compass.
• Standard maps are not ideal for mountain biking, but that's ok! See our article to get free fund cards or purchase France Topo.
• The GPS part is accurate and data collection is fast. No signal loss. The only point to track the cumulative altitude is actually, the test generates the difference between the GPS display and the reality on the ground. This is confirmed when moving to the Garmin Express, where there is a good cumulative altitude. This may be due to the fact that this model determines altitude only by GPS and does not have a barometric altimeter.
• In terms of software, this is not so much a gas unit as the Edge 8xx series and that is the purpose of this model, fewer sections, but most importantly, clearer. On the plus side for the widget screen, which is simpler, and above all, the screens are split for notifications, weather ... which makes everything more readable.
• A battery that seems to drain quickly, but without exaggeration, after 4 hours the autonomy was 77%.
• For reference, very good. Loading routes is a formality. The following in turn and readings work very well, you need to remain vigilant, it is easy to make a mistake.

To summarize:

Good moments :

• Screen
• Reactivity
• Software
• Autonomy
• Price

Negative points:

• Altitude and elevation control independent of the barometric sensor.

In short, a good product, simple, effective, and “less than Garmin” than usual. Adventurers will love it, performance fans will surely be disappointed. So if you're looking for an easy-to-use GPS without performance tracking like the Edge 830 or Edge 1030 plus, then this is a great product.

TwoNav Cross: Super Detailed Raster Maps & Screen Quality 🚀

TwoNav Cross is a hybrid evolution of the Trail and Horizon (Bike) models, featuring perfect screen size and flawless display smoothness. It is very readable, very bright even in strong sunlight.

In keeping with the brand's reputation, this is a very good GPS. The policy of the Spanish manufacturer is to produce locally, not in Asia.

It has everything you need in a durable and lightweight case with a built-in and non-removable battery.

His strengths?

• Use of multiple constellations: GPS, Galileo and Glonass
• The ability to have IGN topo raster maps (no other GPS offers this) with enough internal memory to have full countries
• Continuity of use for various brand products, including the TwoNav smartphone app, excellent ground route management and mapping software.
• SeeMe real-time tracking feature offered for 3 years with GPS

Returning a field

When using GPS, it can be installed in 1 click on a hanger with a device compatible with other brand models. The Cross's case is massive and solid, and we're really impressed with the screen's legibility. The touch function on the screen is very responsive and the map moves very smoothly. The manufacturer has doubled the functionality of the touchscreen with physical buttons on the sides of the GPS, which is comfortable to use with gloves.

As with all TwoNav GPS navigators, we find a very complete menu for configurations, and since we love personalization, we obviously did it! Suddenly, we get useful information on the map page and information page (time, sunset time, elevation difference, average speed, distance traveled, distance to arrival (ETA), travel time). GPS supports most standard ANT + and BLE sensors. After a few seconds, the connection will be completed.

It is very easy to track your route on the map, you can change the color and thickness of the track to follow the map, and deviations from the route are well displayed. Relief and shading can be displayed for easier navigation (we talk about it here)

On arrival, sync with Land or GO Cloud is done automatically after GPS is connected to PC or after GPS WiFi setup. GPS points recorded along the route are very accurate even in thickets.

The companion smartphone app (TwoNav Link) makes it easier to set up GPS and expand its functionality, in particular for finding and tracking GPS tracks taken from sharing sites such as UtagawaVTT.

To summarize:

Good moments :

• The only GPS navigator for mountain biking with IGN raster background maps just like paper maps.
• Very user-friendly screen
• Land Software Suite and TwoNav Tool Ecosystem
• Parameterisation scope

Negative points:

• Menu complexity, hyper-configurability have a price ...!

Garmin Edge 830: Is Mister Perfect for Walking? 😍

The Garmin Edge 830 is a GPS that is truly made for mountain biking. Garmin, in their latest feature updates, has filled a gap in the GPS-focused Edge line of road bikes compared to road bikes.

Garmin Edge 830 GPS is equipped with a touch screen. It works very quickly and does not break in case of moisture (rain, dirt is ok). The 3-inch screen size is ideal for mountain bikers, and can be mounted on the handlebars, stem or as deported.

Like the Garmin Edge 530, the main difference from the Edge 830 is the touchscreen and the ability to perform real-time routing (useful if you get lost): you just need to select the destination and the GPS plans a route along the roads of your choice: asphalt or off-road ...

As with all Garmin devices that you can install in addition to the pre-loaded map, the IGN Garmin France Topo map, it will cost you an additional several hundred euros. And like Edge Explore, you can even customize your Garmin map, or even create and install your own maps based on OpenStreetMap.

It has a ClimbPro function that displays the elevation profile (percentage of the average slope, the difference in elevation to be overcome, the distance to the top with a color display of the slope depending on the difficulty), a route generator, a Trailforks function that displays the difficulty of the mountain. bike routes, e-bike help, weather forecast apps (Garmin IQ widgets).

The Garmin Edge 830 also features fall detection and accident assistance by calling a pre-programmed number. Most likely, it has an alarm if the bike is moved (for example, theft), and a GPS search function in case of loss after a fall.

More complete than Edge Explore, less expensive than Garmin Edge 1030 plus, more practical to use than Edge 530 (which is basically the same, but less practical because no touchscreen and no routing), this is a very good product. really perfect for a GARMIN ATV!

To summarize:

Good moments :

• Screen
• Reactivity
• Special MTB Features
• Autonomy
• Price

Negative points:

• Are looking for…

GPS ideal for mountain biking. The functionality is very complete, the autonomy is sufficient and the price depends on the quality of the product.

Bryton Rider 750: hyper-connectivity and speech recognition 💬

With years of experience in the GPS world, the Taiwanese manufacturer produces a color tactile model with very wide connectivity options (up to Garmin radars).

The GPS is based on the successful design of the 420, thanks to the successful redesign of the buttons that now sit on the sides of the screen. As always with Bryton, the connection to the smartphone and the Brtyon app is seamless, and there are all GPS options to customize the display configuration and up to 3 bike profiles.

The arrival of the touchscreen and color is welcome, the readability is perfect. As with all touchscreens, it will be a bit bored when wearing full gloves in winter, but a well-placed button allows you to change displays. You can even add highly readable graphics to the screen, especially when tracking your heart rate, if you have the right sensor.

Brighton is gaining traction with this model, which includes OpenStreetMap-based mapping including routes. This is a good moment to get your bearings. The Taiwanese are also innovating: you can even talk to the GPS to indicate your destination, which is practical, rather than typing the address on a keyboard.

To send a GPX file to GPS, it's not trivial yet, you have to go through your smartphone and send the GPX file by email or Google Drive on Android (Dropbox is currently not working) to open it in the Bryton app. It looks like the days are gone when you could send it to a directory by plugging in a USB cable. This is probably the cost of switching to Android.

In navigation mode, you can clearly see your location on the map, this is a good helper, but as soon as you leave the road network, the directions become more random. In addition, the map is a proprietary version of Bryton, which is not the topographic map we are used to when mountain biking. Perhaps the manufacturer will provide the ability to build their own maps to navigate a more mountain biking-oriented backdrop.

For a few tens of euros cheaper, the Bryton 750 is clearly marketed as an alternative to the Garmin 830, but some early bugs need to be fixed to keep it up to date. Brighton's response to closing the gap should not be jeopardized, and we will make sure to update his cues as the changes evolve.

To summarize:

Good moments :

• Review
• Voice search
• Connectivity (VAE, sensors, bike site ecosystem)
• Price

Negative points:

• Mapping too light off-road (more MTB information required)
• Import / export of GPX files and off-road navigation

Bryton Rider 15 neo: a simple GPS computer

It is a GPS counter for recording your routes as a navigation aid, there is no mapping or navigation option.

The Bryton Rider 15 neo allows you to have GPS tracks of your route as well as all the usual computer functions (instantaneous / maximum / average speed, distance, cumulative distance, etc.). There are even training features. The screen is very readable and the GPS is super light.

It's waterproof, and with a USB connection, you can easily restore files that match your tracks. The monochrome display provides excellent battery life.

Our recommendations

As usual, it depends on your use and your budget, take the time to research product specifications in detail and read reviews from other users!

Product	Perfect for
Garmin Edge Explore 🧸 Garmin has a reputation for being a simple product very suitable for mountain biking. It does everything right without resorting to over-performing gadgets. Very good value for money On the negative side, there is no barometric altimeter.	The middle class is good for mountain biking.	View price
	TwoNav Cross 🚀 The Spanish challenger from Garmin offers a very complete, reliable product with flawless screen quality, good battery life, and access to the TwoNav ecosystem. Real benefits with SeeMe real-time monitoring (3 years free), automatic syncing and above all the ability to have true IGN basemaps (raster) which are very useful for mountain biking.	Mountain biker looking for a very complete product with raster maps, very customizable and at an attractive price.	View price
	Garmin Edge 830 😍 A very complete GPS and really designed for mountain biking. Responsiveness, readability, the power of the GARMIN ecosystem for functionality and maps. A very good choice for mountain biking!	Mountain biking in the forest, uphill, in a bike park, on the road. Very complete!	View price
	Brighton 750 💬 Highly readable color and tactile GPS with sensor connectivity. Ability to speak with GPS to indicate your destination. Negative: cartography and navigation are moderately adapted to off-road routes.	An innovative alternative at a very attractive price	View price
	Brighton rider 15 neo An extremely simple GPS counter that gives you all the information you need during your MTB session and records your tracks. Very large autonomy. And full smartphone connectivity to receive (if you like) notifications on the go. Attention : impossible guide, no maps.	Record your routes and get basic information, have phone notifications in front of you	View price

Bonus 🌟

If you have multiple instruments in the cockpit, this is sometimes complicated in terms of footprint. In addition, with the current rudders and their tendency to fluctuations in diameter, i.e. oversized at the stem level and increasingly thin towards the handles, it is not uncommon for tool maintenance to quickly turn into a breakdown.

To avoid this trouble, you can install an extension cable for attaching up to 3 tools, for example: GPS, smartphone, lamp.

This restores comfort of use and optimal ergonomics.

To choose the right one, you will need a beam of constant diameter, with fixed mountings and lightweight (carbon). We were looking for and could not find the perfect product for us, so we made it. 😎.

Credits: E. Fjandino