Bryton has released its latest GPS cycling computer, the Rider S800.
Designed to offer a larger display screen in a sleek, streamlined package, the Taiwanese brand claims the Rider S800 is “one of the thinnest devices in its class”. What this means in real terms is a 3.4in colour touchscreen display that measures 14.2mm in depth, making it, according to Bryton, up to 25% thinner and 14.5% lighter than its direct competitors.
Compared to the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus, the Rider S800 is more than 4mm thinner and 18 grams lighter although the Garmin model does offer a slightly larger screen size at 3.5in. When viewed against the Wahoo Elemnt Roam computer the Rider S800 is 13g heavier but some 3.6mm thinner with a significantly larger display than the Roam’s 2.7in screen.
The Rider S800 also boasts improved battery life of up to 36 hours, which is 12 hours more than its own Rider S500 model as well as being 16 hours more than the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus and more than double the life of the Wahoo Elemnt Roam.
(Image credit: Bryton)
Other potential highlights include a customisable Quick Status menu and a voice search function that eliminates the need for an on-screen keyboard. There are also group ride, advanced navigation and workout features, all of which are designed to get the most out of the Rider S800’s larger screen size by offering more ‘data fields’ and access to additional info without compromising map quality and readability.
But all the best cycling computers live and die by the quality of the display and its here that Bryton believes the Rider S800 excels.
Bryton says that the Rider S800 display panel is tailored for outdoor use thanks to its Memory-in-Pixel (MIP) technology, designed to offer “the best viewing experience”. MIP uses the circuit board as the reflection layer to eliminate screen shadow. Unlike traditional Thin-Film-Transistor (TFT) displays, a MIP reflective colour display uses both passive environmental light and direct sunlight as its primary source, meaning the stronger the sunlight is the clearer the computer display is.
The Rider S800 also uses an ambient light sensor, allowing it to automatically adjust the backlight should when you’re riding in low-light conditions. MIP displays also have a significantly lower power consumption than TFT equivalents, which no doubt helps to explains the Rider S800 claimed extended battery life.
As for those aforementioned features, the Rider S800 is pre-loaded with OpenStreetMaps (OSM) while also offering re-routing functions should you get lost and turn-by-turn navigation - although you’ll need to be connected to the Bryton Active app to benefit for advanced data such as street names and points of interest.
The Explore feature enables the Rider S800 to select a route for you based on your starting point. According to Bryton you just let the computer know how far you want to go and it will create up to three unique routes, designed, presumably, to let you explore new areas or help reinvigorate more familiar riding territory. For safety purposes the computer also features live tracking , allowing you to share your real-time location with family and friends.
(Image credit: Bryton)
Elsewhere the Climb Challenge feature allows you to configure a route so it switches to the ‘Climb Section' page when you’re approaching a climb, displaying its profile alongside other data. Much like a featured map in a road book for a Grand Tour, it uses coloured segments to indicate gradient as well as displaying distance, altitude and ascent remaining. When you’re creating or importing routes the Rider S800 will automatically generate the climb data, even if it's from third party routes, such as Strava or Komoot.
The Group Ride feature is designed to enable you to display data from your group rides as they happen. According to Bryton, you can track every member’s location as well as their speeds and distance travelled, all in real time. The feature also allows you to send and receive group messages via the Active app.
The Rider S800 training features include Cycling Dynamics support, power training, and power data analysis. Once paired with compatible power meter pedals, it will breakdown and display your power data, including time spent seated and standing as well as right and left leg balance.
For those who like to train indoors, the Rider S800 uses ANT+ FE-C to communicate with your smart trainer, allowing you to control resistance and power as well as simulate custom virtual workouts. For those concerned with compatibility issues, Bryton says that its new computer “will work seamlessly with most smart trainers”.
The Bryton S800 is offered in two packages, the E and the T. Both include, alongside the unit itself, a bike mount, a protective case and a screen protector. The more expensive T package adds both a cadence and speed sensor and a heart rate monitor into the mix.
The Bryton Rider S800 E is priced at £339.99/$399.95 , while the Rider S800 T costs £409.99/$479.95 .
Luke Friend has worked as a writer, editor and copywriter for twenty five years. Across books, magazines and websites, he's covered a broad range of topics for a range of clients including Major League Baseball, the National Trust and the NHS. He has an MA in Professional Writing from Falmouth University and is a qualified bicycle mechanic. He has been a cycling enthusiast from an early age, partly due to watching the Tour de France on TV. He's a keen follower of bike racing to this day as well as a regular road and gravel rider.
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