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Last Tuesday I was halfway through my coffee, already planning one more Front Range ride before the snow arrives, when Garmin dropped three new cycling products at once. The headliner is the Edge 1060, the first Edge you can talk to. I grew up riding switchbacks above Innsbruck with a paper map in my jersey pocket, so a bike computer that answers "Okay, Garmin" still feels a little like science fiction to me. Let me walk you through what's new and who should care. I'll also cover the Edges we have on the shelf right now, because the newest one isn't automatically the right one.
What Garmin announced on October 20
According to Cyclingnews, the Edge 1060 costs $799.99, which is $100 more than the Edge 1050 and makes it the most expensive bike computer on the market. Its big trick is a built-in microphone and speaker. Say "Okay, Garmin," and, per BikeRadar, you can have it read out data like heart rate or average power, change screens, request a route or report a pothole. With a connected phone you can also send and play voice messages through Garmin Messenger, and the speaker doubles as a bike bell. Wind noise on a fast descent is real, so I'm curious how well it hears you at 50 km/h.
The routing got smarter too. Route Options let you compare alternative routes by ride time, elevation and bike type. Expanded Route Previews show what's coming before you commit, "Up Ahead" highlights points of interest along the way, and Free Flow routing prefers routes with fewer stops. It also adds road closure alerts. Like the 1050, it pairs a touchscreen with physical buttons, which anyone who has tried to swipe a screen in November gloves will appreciate. Battery is rated up to 20 hours in demanding use and up to 60 hours in battery saver mode, and it can even reverse-charge another device.
The same day, Garmin introduced the Edge Explore 3 ($399.99) and Explore 3 Plus ($499.99), which adds the microphone and speaker for voice control. It also announced the Tacx Nēra smart trainer ($999), which allows multidirectional movement while you ride and claims power accuracy within 1%. Velo has a good rundown of all three.
Do you need voice control?
I try to be the optimistic guy, and I do think talking to your bike computer is where things are going. But think about how you actually ride. If you do long solo rides on unfamiliar roads, or you love bikepacking where your hands are busy and your brain is tired, hands-free control and better routing could be a real upgrade. If your rides are mostly the same loops, or you train indoors half the year, you'll probably use the microphone less than you'd expect.
Also remember that a launch-week price is the full price. The Edge models already on the market are proven, well supported and, in several cases, cheaper.
The Edges I'd look at today
Here is how I'd think about what we have in stock right now:
- Garmin Edge 1040 Solar: The big-screen choice without voice. It has a 3.5-inch touchscreen plus buttons, multi-band GNSS for better accuracy under trees and between tall buildings, and a Power Glass solar charging lens. Garmin rates it for up to 45 hours in demanding use or 100 hours in battery saver mode with solar (under its stated sunlight assumptions). For long summer days in the mountains, this one makes a lot of sense.
- Garmin Edge 850: A compact 2.7-inch touchscreen with buttons too, a built-in speaker for prompts and a bike bell, and smart fueling alerts. It's rated up to 12 hours in demanding use or 36 hours in battery saver mode. For most road and gravel riders, this is the sweet spot.
- Garmin Edge 540: Buttons only, which I really love in winter gloves. It has multi-band GNSS, ClimbPro on every ride and up to 26 hours of battery in demanding use. This is the value pick if you want serious training features without the touchscreen.
- Garmin Edge MTB: For the trail people. It has Gorilla Glass, a 7-button design, preloaded Trailforks maps with Forksight mode, and timing gates for split times. It's the one I'd mount for dirt in the foothills.
My take
The Edge 1060 is an exciting step, and I'll be watching the first long-term reviews closely, especially how voice performs in wind. If hands-free control is the feature you have been waiting for, the 1060 is the one to look at. If you just want a great bike computer for next season, or a gift before the holidays, the current lineup is very strong and you don't have to pay the launch premium.
All four Edges above are linked if you want to compare them side by side. They ship from California, with next-day delivery in the continental US, so you can still squeeze in one more autumn ride before trainer season starts. Gute Fahrt, and see you on the road.
Lukas Weber is one of Frontrow's editorial voices, a character our team writes as to bring an outdoor and electronic-music perspective to the gear news we cover.
