Total Women's Cycling

Garmin has been purveying the finest Global Positioning Systems and related technologies since 1989. Set up by Gary Burrell and Min Kao, both of whom are now billionaires, the company sells its range of products worldwide from its base in Olathe, Kansas, USA. It has to be said that the vast majority of what Garmin does is of very little interest to cyclists. The two things they do make for biking though, are very interesting indeed.

The first of these products is the Garmin Edge, an all-singing all-dancing onboard computer for cyclists. It comes in a range of different models to suit different disciplines and different budgets; from the Edge 200, which comes with all the basic GPS features you’d expect, to the touch-screen, everything-resistant Edge 810 that will let you plot 200 way points, tell you if you’ve varied from your specified pace, monitor your heart rate and is fully compatible with your iOS or Android device to allow for live tracking. The other device is the Garmin Vector. There’s only one model of this pedal-based cycling power meter, but it will measure your total power, your left/right balance and cadence. It’s compatible with their Edge devices, enabling you to get a readout as you go.

In terms of professional cycling, Garmin’s major involvement is in their sponsorship of the Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda UCI Pro Team, which competes in major events such as the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia.