Stages Dash M50 Head Unit

The Stages Dash M50 Head Unit is a powerful, clear cycling computer that looks good and is easy to use on the bike, but could do with some improvements when you're off it.

• Pros: Clear display, simple to set up, easy to use on the bike
• Cons: Apps are confusing, some basic functions missing

Stages has become synonymous with pro cycling in recent years, with many teams in the pro peloton using its trademark landscape head units. This new M50 head unit is more consumer-focused, but with the pedigree of the pros feeding down into it.

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This is most evident with the amount of information you can get from the unit while you're riding, and the way this data is displayed. I found, for instance, that the way it displays power with clear rings and readings was considerably better than other computers which simply show the numbers without more context.

This is certainly helped by the quality of the screen, which rivals recent Garmins in terms of accuracy and crispness. The Stages EverBrite high resolution screen makes readings easy to see and maps easy to follow. I reviewed this unit before and after a firmware update, and one of the slight criticisms I had originally was that direction lines on maps were a little too thin and could be a little difficult to see, but after the update this has been fixed.

The screen itself is 45 x 30mm which isn't as large as others on the market, but more than good enough for everything I've used it for.

Sensors and setup

Pairing sensors is simple and quick. It found my various speed and cadence sensors within around 10 seconds, though it didn't really differentiate between them so both were listed as a 'speed and cadence sensor' despite them being one or the other. This did make the user experience seem a little dated, but was only a minor issue.

You can create new information screens quite easily, allowing you to show dozens of metrics, from power and cadence through to incline and heart rate or turn directions.

In addition to this, you can set different profiles on the computer, each with their own set of information screens. This meant I could quite easily change between my commuting setting, where time and directions were the most important elements, to my weekend rides where heart rate and cadence were my primary concerns.

On these screens you can also include personal information to help your training, with HR Zones, max power and so on, and the computer displays these in a way that helped with training rides better than almost any other computer I've used.

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It is also simple to move the unit between bikes, as each profile connects with different sensors if necessary. For example, I have a pretty standard speed and cadence sensor on my commuter bike, but I have separate sensors on my weekend bike. The only issue with this is that the unit comes with only one mount, so unless you buy another you need to move the entire thing over.

The only minor downside of the sensors on the unit is that I found they could take up to around a minute to register and begin showing on the computer; not a major issue but just a little quirk.

Mounting

Mounting the unit is simple. It has two slots on the back of the device which you fit onto the mount and click into place either portrait or landscape. It holds the unit securely and I found that throughout the review I had no issues with excess shaking or any signs that it was working loose.

The only slight issue is that the clip is initially pretty stiff and it takes a few rides before it becomes easier to put the unit in place.

Courses, rides and plans

Navigation on the bike is clear and simple. You can upload gpx, fit and tcx files through a USB, and once on the unit they're simple to follow (after the firmware update) thanks to a thick line and well-timed navigation prompts.

You can also upload courses through the online portal or phone app, though this is a little complex and not easy to understand initially, given the number of options you have on both. However, after finding out how to do it (either through the calendar or its own menu), it's a relatively simple process.

Uploading rides is really easy, either by plugging the unit into a laptop via USB or downloading the Stages app and doing it through there.

Another nice element is that it is simple to create custom training plans through the calendar function, either from scratch or by using one of the pre-programmed training schedules for a specific event. However, the app itself is a little limited and doesn't necessarily give you as much information on the fly as either the Wahoo or Garmin versions.

App

The browser app has a huge amount of information on it and means you can dive deep into your activities, data and schedules. It also allows you to connect your app to other services such as Strava or Training Peaks, which happens automatically once you sync the unit to your computer or through the app.

This leads on to the one element of the computer that could do with improvement – the UX, or user experience.

The UX of the computer on the bike is good – it has only four buttons, menus are clear, and different elements are clearly labelled.

However, off the bike I found the app a little confusing. It has a lot of different options, but the primary purpose seems to be to upload rides to the Stages site. Stages uses Mac or PC desktop software called 'Stages Sync' but the only thing it appears to do is update the settings that you've set online or upload rides to the browser app. It would save time and hassle if you could just do this all in one place.

The browser app itself is confusing and takes a lot of getting used to – as I can attest to through the time I spent trying to find how to create a course and upload it. I am sure that if I had a bit more time with the unit I would be able to understand it better, but software needs to be intuitive and it feels like this could do with more tweaks.

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Similarly, on the unit itself the majority of the time it's great, but there are some small annoyances like the fact that you can't have it automatically turn off after inactivity. On the browser app you can change hundreds of different settings, but it takes a while to find (they're hidden in a hamburger menu at the edge of the screen) and requires another sync with your laptop to get them onto the computer. These seem small issues but are just a bit annoying; twice during the review I thought I had turned the unit off only to get to it the next day and find that I hadn't and the battery was dead.

Perhaps one of the things that could solve these issues is a more detailed user manual. This is a very powerful unit that can do a huge amount, but because the manual doesn't go into step-by-step detail it's often difficult to find out how to do things.

As I said, though, when I initially received the unit there were a few bugs, but Stages released a firmware update to fix them, which suggests it's aware of the teething issues that technologies often have and is being proactive in fixing them.

Charging and battery life

Battery life is pretty good (when you don't leave it on for 14 hours by mistake!) and I found that I could stick it on my bike on a Monday and only need to charge it again before a long Sunday ride, having ridden for roughly 1.5 hours each day up to that point. This is roughly what Stages claims with 10 hours of real use. Charging is also simple: you can either plug it into the wall or a laptop with the supplied micro USB cable.

Value

Its rrp of £209 is about what I would expect – it's not cheap but not overly expensive either. The Garmin Edge 520 Plus, for example, is £259 and has broadly the same features, although with a more usable app. Spending more, for example £349 on the Sigma Rox 12.0, demonstrates the differences you'd get with a more expensive computer, with a touchscreen and Wifi uploads.

Conclusion

Overall I have mixed feelings about the M50. On the bike it is excellent, with a clear screen, simple navigation and really useful performance information. However, there are some areas that could do with improvement, most notably the user experience on the app and the ability to do basic things like turn off the beeps on the button presses or set an auto turn-off on the unit itself. Stages is clearly updating the unit as it goes, though, so these are hopefully only short-term and the user experience of the app will come to match the great unit it's created.

Verdict

A very good cycling computer on the bike, but the apps could do with some tweaks to make them easier to navigate