Garmin Edge 705

linsen

Can you tell me about these?

Do you have one?

Strengths / weaknesses...

If it's any good then it will solve all of Mr and Mrs linsen's Christmas present ideas

Mr L wants all the data collection elements. All I want it for is to get me home when I go out for a ride (not that I have a typically girlie sense of direction or anything).

Coriander

linsen wrote:

Can you tell me about these?

Do you have one?

Strengths / weaknesses...

If it's any good then it will solve all of Mr and Mrs linsen's Christmas present ideas

Mr L wants all the data collection elements. All I want it for is to get me home when I go out for a ride (not that I have a typically girlie sense of direction or anything).

Hmm, me neither. I want one too, for exactly the same reason. My map reading abilities and sense of direction are so poor I never dare do new routes on my own. :oops:

prj45

I've got one.

Generally incredibly happy with it. The HRM doesn't work for me though but I've not bothered to get it swapped out.

The map situation is dire though, with the unit costing so much it's really bad you just get what is a pointless base map with just a couple of major roads on it, in the wrong place, so make sure you check out some combined deals (especially if they feature the TOPO maps.

I've registed with the Open Street Map project so I've got very nice maps on it, but they're not routable.

You can put tracks into though and follow them which is great.

A browse round here should help:

http://forums.motionbased.com/smf/index.php?board=86.0

Have to say my biggest use for it is tracking WHERE I've been, not where I want to go.

linsen

Thanks for that - I'm hoping to use it to take off somewhere and then find out afterwards too! I gathered they will need better maps so we are looking at a combined package.

PRJ45 what's the problem with the HRM? I don't need one as I have a polar f11 already but Mr L was hoping to use it

jonginge

I've got the 705 with the road performance pack
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Garmi ... 360035897/

I hummed and hawed for a while before buying coz of the price but it has been fantastic. The above pack comes with a better set of maps on an SD card. Worked pretty well when I needed point to point directions to a friend's house deep in the surrey hills that I'd only gone to by train/lift before. Also worked pretty well when I was in the alps in september

The HRM has always worked fine for me*.

Edit: Another thing for me was the Ant+Sport compatibility. When the 2009 PowerTap models become available they will be able to talk directly to the 705. Very tempted...


* The first thing I did was go to the Garmin website to make sure I had the latest firmware updates (early 705s had a few software issues)

redvee

The real reason you want it to find the biscuit factory How's the cold turkey going?

linsen

not too bad thanks - I have managed to give up my little visits to the choc bisc corner in the staffroom......
And I've cycled to work once a week, planning on 2 - 3 times this week

prj45

linsen wrote:

PRJ45 what's the problem with the HRM? I don't need one as I have a polar f11 already but Mr L was hoping to use it

My HRM?

It connects to the Edge OK (via wireless), but often doesn't read my heart rate. It does if I push my thumbs onto the sensors, but not reliably if I strap it to my chest. Still, doesn't sound like it's a common problem.

I've got a very large ribcage so I imagine it just has problems picking up my electrical signals. I've tried KY Jelly and had some limited success, must find some proper electrostatic gel next.

linsen wrote:

Thanks for that - I'm hoping to use it to take off somewhere and then find out afterwards too!

Yeah, I'd say I use it so I CAN get lost, with the confidence that I can find my way back out if I really need to. It enables exploration.

Frankly I don't think anybody will ever produced a map with all possible cycle routes on it anyway, apart from the 1:1 one that's on the ground.

always_tyred

Coriander wrote:

My map reading abilities and sense of direction are so poor I never dare do new routes on my own. :oops:

I think that you may be the first female in recorded history to actually admit to this.

linsen

Always Tyred wrote:

Coriander wrote:

My map reading abilities and sense of direction are so poor I never dare do new routes on my own. :oops:

I think that you may be the first female in recorded history to actually admit to this.

Yes - men admit to it all the time don't they, AT?

spasypaddy

i have one, and i have all the maps i could ever need (i acquired them from somewhere... touches nose knowingly).

The whole thing is fantastic, i am so happy with it. HRM is fantastic, the cadence sensor perfect, and the routing is incredible.

the other day i took a wrong turn on my way to work (Just using the 705 as a computer not as a guide) and got lost, without stopping i told it to take me to work and it worked it out as i rode the correct way and started navigating me to work.

i cant recommend it highly enough if you have the money to spend on it

Petromyzon

word paddy,
you wouldn't be able to PM me about maps would you? Looking to get a 705 myself:)

lost_in_thought

See, my map-reading and sense of direction are actually very good, despite my gender!

One of these is still top of my christmas list, however.

Tiny Explosions

I use the 305, but one of my regular cycling chums has the 705... it's a great unit, but I know he has a couple of problems:

The battery life -it's always an issue with devices like this, though you do get 6-8 hours or so out of it, so if you're doing shorter spins it's good.
The maps -I don't know if he's just a genius, but he can get routes in fine, and the directions are great -turn by turn to anywhere, and it's one thing that is tempting me to upgrade in a big way
One thing I will also say is that the cadence sensor doesn't fit on my Focus Variado Expert -the clearances are just too tight on it, so that *could* be an issue for you too

Great unit though, get it!

DaSy

It is a great unit, but it does take some getting to know. Garmins instructions and information is next to useless, so expect a steep learning curve as you get to know the various funtions and how best to use it.

You will need extra maps, Topo maps are not much help unless you want to know off road routes. The cheapest option is to get a package with the Mapsource Europe Navigator maps on a micro SD card. This gives the unit inbuilt routing, but you cannot transfer the maps to your computer to use in Mapsource (there is a way to get them over, but they end up not being routable on the PC).

This is not a big problem as the best way of creating a route is to use the website bikeroutetoaster.com, this allows you to transfer your routes straight to the Garmin.

The computer functions of the 705 are excellent, and combined with the cadence sensor you get all the info you could ask for, plus you can decide what and how much info is dispalyed on the screen to suit your own requirements.

I do recommend it, but with the caveat that you will get frustrated with it at first whilst trying to work out how to use it, and reliable routing does take time to conquer but once you do it is very good.

jonginge

Agree with the above 2 posts. There is a bit of a learning curve but nothing too bad.
The 'worst' thing for me was getting used to managing battery life. I get better than the 6-8hrs mentioned above but it's a bit of a mental shift when you are used to computer batteries lasting years. I learnt my lesson the hard way: after leaving the unit on overnight in an underground lockup it conked out on a ride towards the Col de Telegraph and the Galibier. No data for either climb Now I switch it off at stops, especially in places where it can't get a GPS signal and will waste mucho battery trying to re-acquire

TiNuts

Am pretty happy with mine. I did upgrade the maps, making the unit more useful. One thing I've noticed though: if you enter an address and let the unit direct you some of the routing is just completely mad and can add miles to the journey; I treat this function with a healthy dose of scepticism. Sometimes it will give you a direct route but at other times it is anything but.

Wappygixer

I've just bought a 705 to replace my 205 and 305.
I wanted it as it can be loaded with maps and seems to work as well as a Tomtom with regards directions.
The pack I bought was the MTB pack which comes with full UK mapping and the unit for about £290, the maps are over £100 on their own.
All Garmins seem to have a steep learning curve but when you've mastered it its fantastic.
A lot of cash but well worth it

prj45

JonGinge wrote:

The 'worst' thing for me was getting used to managing battery life. I get better than the 6-8hrs mentioned above but it's a bit of a mental shift when you are used to computer batteries lasting years.

You've got to remember what it is. It's a highly accurate GPS with large colour screen and wireless features.

That the battery lasts as long as it does is astounding.

mrchrispy

awesome bit of kit, got mine for 200 quid of flebay with speed and cadence sensor.
(city navigator NT maps sourced seperatly) so total bargin in my book, shame ive had a cold for 3 weeks and havent been able to use it (its not for me commuter btw, racer and MTB only)