Magellan Cyclo 105

A little while back we had Magellan’s Switch Up multi-sport GPS device on test. It was a compact and robust unit and served a number of users well, including cyclists. Made to be worn on the wrist or attached to a bike, the Switch Up was truly the jack of all trades, master of none. Versatility was what the Switch Up was all about. While it worked as cycle computer, the sacrifices that made it appeal to a multi-sport audience meant that it wouldn’t be our first choice as a dedicated cycling GPS.

The development team at Magellan clearly shared our sentiment, and not long after we returned our Switch Up, Magellan released their new ‘Cyclo’ range of cycling specific GPS enabled computers. The Cyclo uses a significantly bigger screen (it’s more than double the size!), has almost double the battery life (over 14 hours) and features easier to use buttons—it looks a lot tidier too.

Magellan offers two models in the Cyclo line up; the base level Cyclo 100 and the Cyclo 105 that we’re testing here. With the 105 you get extras such as ANT+ compatibility for linking to heart rate monitors, power meters and cadence sensors, as well as a barometric altimeter and electronic compass. The Cyclo 100 retails for a scant $129 and the Cyclo 105 is also very reasonable at $149.

The Cyclo 105 is supplied with a wall charger, USB cable and one bike mount. Zip ties are used to secure the mount and you can either fit it to the handlebar or stem. Compared to other computers that we’ve used, the head unit sits up fairly high. As a result it’s more prone to getting bumped and the extra leverage of the tall placement means that on-the-go button pressing is more likely to push it off centre.

We also found that transferring the Cyclo from one bike to another is a drag, as it requires cutting and refitting zip ties each time. Magellan sell mounts separately, so this could be avoided, but let’s just say that the included mounting hardware could be significantly refined.

Feature Packed

The Cyclo itself is quite easy to use. The buttons have a nice click and the raised centre makes them very easy locate, even with full finger gloves on—big tick for Magellan. We noted earlier that the price of the Cyclo 105 was more than fair, and this is certainly the case when you consider the extensive list of features. You can pre-set up to four scrollable screens, selecting how many data fields are displayed and each can be customised to provide the information that you desire. Choose from factors as simple as time or speed right through to percentage of heart rate, gradient and elevation gain. For an entry level GPS computer the Cyclo 105 provides an enviable suite of customisation. You can also elect to include a compass screen and breadcrumb map screen for navigational hiccups, and the Cyclo 105 can be set up in either landscape or portrait view.

The other big plus for the Cyclo 105 is its ANT+ compatibility. My ANT+ heart rate strap paired with the Cyclo 105 in a heartbeat and it also stayed connected. We found the Cyclo 105 took about the same time to find and lock onto GPS reception as our regular GPS, and the Cyclo didn’t suffer from the drop out issues we experienced with the Switch Up. Magellan also offers a ‘Cyclo 105HC’ that’s supplied with a heart rate strap and cadence sensor for $249. On the dirt we’re far more likely to want heart rate data than cadence, and the heart rate strap can be purchased on its lonesome for $60, but any ANT+ compatible strap should work so bargain hunters could do even better.

Other features of the Cyclo 105 are a backlit screen, which can be set to stay on if you wish. We found this fantastic during our pre-daylight savings rides. The contrast of the screen can also be altered to better suit your riding conditions and personal preference—again a pretty nice feature. Advanced users will find the programmable alerts desirable for their training. Alerts can be set for speed, time, distance, heart rate and heart rate zones. Setting the alerts is straightforward, but this was let down by the alerts themselves; the beep is more of a whisper and it’s easy to miss when you’re concentrating on the trail.

To review your ride afterwards you need to download the Magellan Desktop PC tool. Make sure you’ve got the Cyclo connected to the computer before downloading the tool, as the it will sync to the computer and you’ll save some hair-pulling. Once the ride is loaded it can be exported as a GPX file if you’d rather view or save it on a third party site such as Strava or Training Peaks. Note that you must use the ‘PC’ tool—the Cyclo is not Mac compatible.

Overall we found the Cyclo 105 to be a great bang-for-buck GPS. Loads of features and ANT+ compatibility put it in the company of some computers that cost two or three times as much. It’s pretty easy to use and offered reliable GPS connection in a robust package. Quirks with the mounting hardware and alerts were admittedly frustrating, but for $149 the Cyclo is a great package for PC users.

Magellan 1800 644 033 / www.magellangps.com.au