Mio are better known for their car sat nav systems but have this month thrown their hat into the increasingly crowded cycling GPS ring. Competing with the all-mighty Garmin and emerging computers from the likes of Bryton, Holux and Motorola, what does this Taiwanese firm bring to the table?
The range consists of two models; the Cyclo 300 and the Cyclo 305 HC. Garmin's 200 model was a break in convention for products to become ever more complex and both Mio products tread a similar path, with ease of use key to its design.
Both models have the same dimensions - comparable in size to an iPhone 4 - with a large 3-inch anti-glare colour touch screen, with a single power/navigation button. Its unique feature is called "Surprise Me", which calculates three routes based on the time you have available or the distance you want to ride. Mio claims it continues to offer new routes, even if you always have the same starting point.
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Each comes with pre-installed maps (OpenStreetMap and TeleAtlas) along with cycling-related points of interest, such as bike shops, restaurants and emergency locations. Once you've finished your ride, you'll be able to upload your data to the Mio Share desktop application, which also allows you to download new routes and map updates. In terms of battery life, Mio's representative in the UK said it has lasted 10 hours in tests.
The 300 is an out and out GPS and doesn't include the features many cyclists look for in their bike computers, such as an ANT sensor for measuring heart rate, as well as cadence. You'll need to upgrade to the 305 HC should you want the extra features.
Ease of use is key to the design of the Mio Cyclo range
Three packages are available from UK distributor Paligap from 6 June; Mio Cyclo 300 with regional maps (£259.99), Mio Cyclo 305 HC with regional maps (£309.99) and Mio Cyclo 305 HC with Western-Europe maps (£349.99).
