Garmin 705- which option?
Rudd
Posts: 264
Getting a bit bored of carrying a map round with me on rides so am going to make the plunge for Garmin 705. I'm only going to use it for its navigation capabilities as I already have a cycle computer that does all the stats i need ie speed and cadence. Trouble is I'm a bit confused by all the options ie do I need to buy additional maps if all my riding will be on road? Just wondering if I can get away with the basic package (about 270 squids) or if I'd be wiser to spend more. Any assitance much appreciated.
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From reading other posts on the subject, the maps that come with the 705 are ok if you want to ride on main roads such as motorways and other traffic laden roads. If you want to ride on more cycle friendly streets then you'll need to pay the extra for the maps that give you the finer details. Unless of course you know where to look to get the cheaper.I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.0
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IMO the base map that comes with the 705 isn't much use at all.
If you're only using the satnav for on road trips, the city navigator maps for the UK work fine, and cost about £35 on Amazon (on an SD card - just plugs into the 705, no pc needed) - look up "Garmin City Navigator UK" - other country options exist.
If you want to use it around Europe. If you want off road / contour data you need a Mapsource TOPO map, about £112 on a DVD for a pc (which downloads the map to your Edge)
Hope this helps"The only absolute statement is that everything is relative" - anon0 -
I've just bought myself a 705 Road Pro pack. That came with thr HRM, Speed/Cadence sensor and the City Navigator Europe Maps on Micro-SD card (rrp @ £380).
If you don't need / want the Heart Rate monitor or Cadence sensor (it'll do speed/distance anyway from the GPS signal) and you have no need for its ANT+ Power meter compatibilty or the need to connect to other 705 users then you should look at the Edge 605, not the 705.
As for mapping, forget the TOPO ones, you don't need them for road cycling, it's the City Navigator Europe NT pack you'll be after. Get it on a micro-SD card and it is literally only a matter of insertign it into the 605/705. It will automaticaly use that map rather than the woefully inadequate base map. As an example, I live sort of between the M3 and the A34. LOTS of roads in between but not according to the 705 base maps which shows next to none of them. When I plug in the SD card my maps come alive with all manner of country lanes and side streets.
So, beyond a 605 and the City Nav Europe NT map on micro-SD card, the only other thing you'll need is a good site to plan routes on. I use bikeroutetoaster but others are available. Hope this helps.0 -
all very helpful, thanks0
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I'd go for the mtb version.
It comes with the topo maps on dvd which alloys you to easily plan routes ahead.As its on dvd you will always have a copy.If a memory card screws up its all lost.
I know other programs will plan routes for the 705 but most need a bit of messing to work, the topo maps work out of the box.
I've found the topo maps have excellent city coverage and good on the open roads.I used it the other week in the car and performed just the same as my tom tom but without the voices.
The speed/cadence sensor is a good upgrade but my main priority would be the maps and then buy the sensor later on.0 -
GavH, thanks for this. I too am looking for a Garmin, but don't need the HRM/Cadence as I use the Polar equipment/training website. Just need to plan new routes and a tool to put the info on. Next question, anyone know where to get a good deal on the 605 and mapping SD kit?
Ps, sorry to add this to someone else's thread!GavH wrote:If you don't need / want the Heart Rate monitor or Cadence sensor (it'll do speed/distance anyway from the GPS signal) and you have no need for its ANT+ Power meter compatibilty or the need to connect to other 705 users then you should look at the Edge 605, not the 705.
As for mapping, forget the TOPO ones, you don't need them for road cycling, it's the City Navigator Europe NT pack you'll be after. Get it on a micro-SD card and it is literally only a matter of insertign it into the 605/705. It will automaticaly use that map rather than the woefully inadequate base map. When I plug in the SD card my maps come alive with all manner of country lanes and side streets.
So, beyond a 605 and the City Nav Europe NT map on micro-SD card, the only other thing you'll need is a good site to plan routes on. I use bikeroutetoaster but others are available. Hope this helps.Jared0 -
HonestAl wrote:IMO the base map that comes with the 705 isn't much use at all.
/quote]
You're too polite ... the base map is bleedin useless for navigating. All the best routes are away from heavy traffic and to plot these you'll need a proper map.
Buy a decent map and it'll transform your 705 into the wonderful miracle of navigation that the good lord intended it to be. Worth every penny IMO.0 -
Buy a 705 with Cadence and HR, use BikerouteToaster (http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com) to plan on road rides, BikeHike (http://www.bikehike.co.uk) to plan off-road rides using OS maps, and get the Navigator Europe DVD and a blank 2Gb microSD card for road mapping.
To record rides use SportTracks (http://www.zonefivesoftware.com/SportTracks/), a fantastic free /donationware program wich has very active development, Google maps integration and direct upload from Garmin and Polar (via IR) computers. You can even, via the use of plugins, create power profiles (knowing your weight, your speed, the gradient and the weather at each point on the ride) to monitor how you're really doing - without spending the world on SRM or Powertap it's probably the next best thing to power meters.
Do it now!!
Cheers,
Chris0 -
jaredpace wrote:GavH, thanks for this. I too am looking for a Garmin, but don't need the HRM/Cadence as I use the Polar equipment/training website. Just need to plan new routes and a tool to put the info on. Next question, anyone know where to get a good deal on the 605 and mapping SD kit?
I needed much the same but went for an eTrex (Legend HCx, since you ask, ~£140) and a bar mount. Loaded a free map from http://www.openstreetmap.org (which is pretty complete in my area). I now plan routes using bikely, bikeroutetoaster or even Google Maps with GMapToGpx, download them to the eTrex and I'm good to go...
HTH,
_0 -
hazychris wrote:Buy a 705 with Cadence and HR, use BikerouteToaster (http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com) to plan on road rides, BikeHike (http://www.bikehike.co.uk) to plan off-road rides using OS maps, and get the Navigator Europe DVD and a blank 2Gb microSD card for road mapping.
To record rides use SportTracks (http://www.zonefivesoftware.com/SportTracks/), a fantastic free /donationware
Do it now!!
Cheers,
Chris
Do you know if it is Mac compatiblehttp://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/pete469920/CIMG0147.jpg
http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/pete469920/DSC03483.jpg
http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/pete469920/DSC02736.jpg0 -
Def get the City Navigator over the Topo maps if using it on-road. I bought my 705 with Topo maps originally but for on-road the City Navigator ones are clearer (ended up buying both - on DVD).0
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I've read that if you get the City Navigator maps on an SD card then you can't pre-plan routes on your PC. Is this true? If so, then the DVD option sounds better, but it's so expensive (compared to the 705 bundled with SD maps) and so hard to find:
Europe Maps
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=6299&pvID=7880
Also, when this says "Update" does it mean you need an original set of maps to update from?
http://www.expansys.com/p.aspx?i=1783570 -
705 + HRM + speed/cadence = about £260.
Maps - City Navigator Europe NT on DVD. Best by far but plenty of free alternatives. See http://frank.kinlan.co.uk/?page_id=920 for the full lowdown.
Oh, 'Update' does mean just that - you will need the original.[/url]There's no such thing as too old.0 -
hazychris wrote:pete600 wrote:
Do you know if it is Mac compatible
SportTracks is Windows only, there are other options for Mac I believe, but not so good.
The websites are platform independent, and Garmin Training Centre is Mac compatible.
Correct. Although with (more cost unfortunately) it is quite possible to run SportTracks on the Mac if you are prepared to run Windows either dual boot (bootcamp) or using a product like VMWare Fusion - which is what I do. The closest Mac program to SportTracks is Ascent but it doesn't have all the functionality of SportTracks yet.
Personally I use the following:
Garmin 705 with City Navigator SD card
Tracklogs for mapping
SportTracks for data recording/analysis
The combination of Tracklogs and the City Navigator SD Navigator card allows me to plot routes either road or off-road (it's OS map based) and actually see a half decent map on the Garmin's screen. The latest (beta) version of Tracklogs also also exporting of maps as GPX or as Garmin Training Center (TCX) format maps directly.
It's a more expensive combination but fuss free. Just another idea for you.0 -
I am also looking at getting a Garmin for road navigation and don't need all the extra functions of the 705. The best price I can find is at www.wiggle.co.uk who are doing the Edge 605 with the City Navigator Europe mapping for £270.
Has anyone used one of these for touring Europe? and if so is it worth the money?0 -
I'm just about settled on getting the 705 with HRM/Cadence from Handtec (£257) and using free 'Open Street Map' maps. These are apparently quite good and can now handle routing etc. There's a good discussion on them here:
http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=524820 -
TrueBlueFan wrote:I am also looking at getting a Garmin for road navigation and don't need all the extra functions of the 705. The best price I can find is at www.wiggle.co.uk who are doing the Edge 605 with the City Navigator Europe mapping for £270.
Has anyone used one of these for touring Europe? and if so is it worth the money?
I have a 705 with all the gummins but have not yet used it in Europe, although looking forward to trying it in the French Alps in july. A friend has been riding in France this week and used his 605 for the first time. Worked very well apparently.0 -
Used my 705 last September in the Pyrenees-Orientales for a week. Not so much touring but planned day rides.
Found it absolutely brilliant in finding my way round unfamiliar areas. Onlt went off route once, because they removed the road, but the 705 re-routed me quickly.There's no such thing as too old.0 -
I have an edge 605 - its great for use on first routes out into new territory and reviewing your ride later. I have also taken it into Europe (France and Slovenia) - it worked like a dream in both places, using the included Europe Navigator card. I also used it in the hire car I rented - saving on the rental GPS! It works perfectly for car routing; but it helps if you have a passanger to hold it for you. If your not interested in HR/Power or already have these features, then go for the 605 and save some cash.0
