Garmin  Edge 540 Solar Bike Computer

Needed to replace a tired 8 year old Garmin Edge 520! Decided on 540 Solar - solid middle ground solution for my needs. Packed with features - some I hope to leverage someday! Good form factor, new optional mount charging capability compatible with my many existing mounts, USB-C port (yay!!), fast performance, reliable saving/uploading of rides, big battery capacity/life super, solar charging is awesome!!! Needed reliability of buttons vs capacitive touchscreen for wet conditions and some gloves. Treated myself to an orange silicone protector case for extra protection for bumps and drops. Nice. Overall running well, zero issues, very happy. Still learning new features!

I bought this computer because I am going on a cross-country bike tour and the battery life is a big plus when charging electronics is a challenge. And the battery life is great. But the device repeatedly crashed, getting stuck on “Acquiring Satellites.” This was with the latest software and a clear view of the sky. I had to save my ride, reboot, and start a new recording. Again and again.

I bought the Edge 540 Solar about a month ago to replace an Edge 530. Most impressive was that the 540 was able to access and duplicate the settings on the 530, saving a lot of time and hassle. There are some differences in the screens and operating system, but it was generally easy to learn. There are some improved metrics and capabilities. The solar feature is nice in that extends the ride time on a sunny day. I also like the slightly larger and more easily visible display footprint. The one thing I don't really care for is the "feel" and "touch" of the buttons. They are a bit different than the 530 and I still have too many "misses" when I try to use them.

Garmin has really put a ton of thought into the Edge 540 Solar. In addition to the solar capability, it now has a larger screen, better feed back following a ride or workout, the start screen has all of the information one could possibly need (weather, scheduled workout, training status...), control of what you are listening to is at your fingertips... My favorite feature is the two (2) personalized data points on the workout screen; it's a game changer!

I have had 3 weeks of use with the Garmin 540 Solar and it has been very helpful for my rides. Originally, I was planning to purchase a larger Garmin like the 1040 as I was concerned about the size of the map on a small screen. The 540 has turned out to be a good size as it fits neatly on the bar stem, while the clarity of the screen provides good map images. I also broadcast my heart rate to the 540 from my Garmin watch which I use as a HR sensor. It's easy to load up route files to the device. The ClimbPro has been very beneficial for taking the anxiety out of climbs when riding an unfamiliar route. The visual automatically pops on the screen so that I can adjust my effort and gearing for the upcoming grade.

Just bought this sucker. Put it on my bike and ready to roll but can’t get it to start without beeping and this arrow ?? Need to visit the website as no instruction manual came with the box.

I upgraded from the 130 plus and the 540 Solar is significantly improved. I cannot recommend it enough.

After losing my Garmin Edge 530 in a MTB "incident" I purchased the 540 and I absolutely love it. The fact that it pairs automatically with my Garmin Varia as soon as I turn it on is time saving and reassuring. The camera starts running automatically. I also love that the default setting on the device scrolls though various screens when I'm riding. The battery life is something I'm not sure about yet. It does not seem to me that the solar aspect is making that much of a difference - but I'm still getting used to it. So it's NEW in that regard.

I’ve used it on 10 rides now. Set up and menu navigation are both more difficult than my 530+ with seemingly extra steps to get anywhere. Some of the new features like climbing pro are great but…buggy. While claiming you can change two data fields on the screen, you can’t. While customer service was surprised to see that, the “solution” offered - do it on the app, didn’t work. Maybe with more tinkering, I’ll get used to it but for now it appears to be a package perhaps needing some cleanup and/or less ambitious feature set.

Bought elsewhere: Thinking that most of the bad reviews are due to familiarity with GARMIN or tech? I've been using the Edge 130+ for over two years and I'm used to the programming functions of GARMIN with their devices, Android and iOS so using the 540 Solar, NO BIG DEAL. This is a great device for my recreational use, comparatively speaking it has a bigger screen that auto dims (reduces power usage), solar charging in a state that hasn't seen even an inch of rain this year (increases usage without battery drain). USB-C charging, faster downloads and uploads, bigger screen, loader if needed, more info both stats and incoming messages or calls because it's BIGGER. Yes there's a learning curve because it's not set up exactly like the 130+ but its so simple a teenager could figure it out so this 61 year old had no problem.