Garmin on October 20 launched the Edge 1060, a $799.99 bike computer with a built-in microphone and speaker that lets riders control it by voice. The company released two cheaper models the same day, the Edge Explore 3 and Edge Explore 3 Plus, with voice control on the Plus version only.

All three are available now, according to Garmin’s press releases. The Edge Explore 3 has a suggested retail price of $399.99 and the Explore 3 Plus $499.99.

Talking to the handlebars

Riders wake the Edge 1060 by saying “Okay, Garmin.” Example commands in the announcement include “Report a pothole,” “Route me to the closest coffee shop” and “What is my heart rate?” The device can respond by changing the screen, reading ride statistics aloud or suggesting a route. Garmin says voice performance may vary with riding conditions and that voice control works only in select languages, which the release does not list.

The speaker also serves as a digital bike bell, and plays voice messages sent through the Garmin Messenger app, which requires a connected smartphone. The Edge 1060 keeps physical controls too: Garmin says it has added buttons for use in bad weather or while wearing gloves, alongside the touchscreen.

Garmin rates the battery at up to 20 hours in the most demanding use and up to 60 hours in battery saver mode. With a compatible USB-C cable, the unit can charge another device, such as a Garmin Varia bike light or a phone, though the company says this is not intended for use while riding.

Routes, hazards and training

Navigation features include Route Options, which compares routes by ride time, elevation and bike type; Route Previews, which shows distance, estimated ride time, traffic and reported hazards before a ride; and Up Ahead, which lists points of interest such as coffee shops, restrooms and gas stations along the way. Free Flow Routing looks for routes with fewer stops, intersections and slowdowns.

Riders can receive alerts about road closures and hazards, including potholes, obstructions and aggressive animals, reported by other Garmin cyclists. Those alerts, along with automatic GroupRide detection, require pairing with a compatible smartphone and the Garmin Connect app. Incident detection also requires a paired phone.

On the training side, the Edge 1060 shows real-time stamina, power guidance, cycling ability and course demand figures that Garmin attributes to its Human Performance Lab. It offers free adaptive Garmin Cycling Coach plans, syncs TrainingPeaks workouts and, when paired with a compatible Garmin smartwatch or the CIRQA Smart Band, can display off-bike recovery and health data.

“Edge 1060 is designed to keep cyclists focused and in control from the first mile to the finish.” — Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing

The Explore 3 models

The Edge Explore 3 is rated at up to 16 hours in the most intense use and the Explore 3 Plus at up to 14 hours, with both reaching up to 48 hours in battery saver mode. They share much of the 1060’s navigation, including Route Options, Up Ahead, hazard alerts and Free Flow Routing, and add pin-drop navigation, which turns a location sent from Google Maps or Apple Maps on a phone into a bike route.

Both support incident detection, LiveTrack location sharing with a paired phone, weather alerts and Varia radars and lights. They can also show battery level and assist mode from Bosch smart system and SHIMANO electric bikes, and include a commuter profile that estimates the carbon impact of rides.

Garmin also announced the Tacx Nēra, a $999.99 indoor smart trainer with built-in motion pods that let the bike move forward, backward and side to side.

Why it matters

Garmin’s pitch, made in the headline of its release, is hands-free control: a rider can report a hazard, ask for a route or hear heart rate and other statistics without touching the unit. The added buttons for bad weather and gloved hands point at the same goal of reducing reliance on the touchscreen while riding.

Much of the new functionality still depends on a phone. Hazard reports, group-ride detection, incident detection and voice messaging all require a paired smartphone, so riders who leave their phone at home will get a reduced set of features.

The caveats

Battery figures are Garmin’s “up to” ratings for its own defined use cases. The releases do not give screen size, weight or storage, and the list of supported voice languages was not published.

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