GPS Computers...

junglist_matty

I went on a ride with a friend who has a Garmin wristwatch with GPS, after the ride, he uploaded data to his PC and it showed us some really cool information such as:

- Trip distance
- Average Speed of entire ride
- Average Speed through certain sections of the ride (i.e. uphills were slower)
-- Heart rate for above sections
- Route mapping - so we saw on Google maps the route that we cycled.

The one thing I really liked was that you could have a profile for each bike so you could see how many miles you've ridden on each of your bikes etc...

I think this is really good, and I want one, I'm not too fussed about heart rate monitoring because I'm not that into the fitness side, but to have an accurate speed counter, distance counter and mapping is really cool and something that I want.

I've looked at a few, and the Garmin Edge 205 looks pretty good value for money, but I'm quite tempted by the altitude feature of the 305. Any thoughts? experience? Or related products you think I should consider? I don't know much about this so any advice is appriciated.... I don't mind if its wrist watch or stem/bar mounted. Whichever is cheapest is best.

Thanks.

Anonymous

im sure a regular, non cycling specific gps unti will do all of the above. turn it on at the start of your ride, chuck it in your day sack then down load the info when you get home.

garmin edge products are too pricey in my opinion.

ive got an edge 605 and its good, but the features i use could have ben found in a much cheaper bit of kit.

timmys

The 205 does altitude as well but it's just a bit less accurate than the barimetric altimeter in the 305. I don't think you can get the 305 without either the heart rate monitor or a cadence sensor so if you're not interested in that it's just adding to the expense.

I got my 205 from handtec.co.uk as they were the cheapest when I was buying (paid about £100), they seem to be £130 there now so perhaps you can do better elsewhere.

camerauk

I have the edge 205 got it for a bargain price of £19.97 from halfords they price matched an offer PC World had, I find it very useful and it does altitude but it is not highly accurate but unless you really need altitude get the 205 still gives a fairly good idea

damo2576

I have a Garmin Forerunner 405 with HR for running which is great. Use in conjunction with Sport Tracks for analysis. Great if you're training or racing.
I'll be using it on the bike.
Note to sheepsteeth re chucking a gps in your bag - I'm pretty sure you need line of sight to the sats - you do at least with my Garmin.

Anonymous

Note to sheepsteeth re chucking a gps in your bag - I'm pretty sure you need line of sight to the sats - you do at least with my Garmin.

hmm, id best start putting cars sat nav on the roof from now on then :roll:

damo2576

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_nav ... ite_system

You need line of sight to Satellite. In built car systems have antennae and your Tom Toms etc have to be placed in the windscreen. My garmin can lose signal in trees, dense cloud cover etc.

Chisholm

If your not too fussed about the HRM, I use my windows mobile phone with a program called GPS Cycle computer. It puts out a file at the end you can use in google earth/maps to see speed altitiudes etc and speed at different point.

I find it really good and best of all its free! It even works with my phone safely in my pocket

BlackSpur

damo2576 wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_navigation_satellite_system

You need line of sight to Satellite. In built car systems have antennae and your Tom Toms etc have to be placed in the windscreen. My garmin can lose signal in trees, dense cloud cover etc.

Surely a windscreen is going to absorb more of whatever waves the GPS uses to communicate iwh the satellite than a Camelback does?

damo2576

I'd guess the freq of the waves are similar to that of light, hence the term 'line of sight'. Can you see through a window? Can you see through your Camelback?

All I know is my Garmin loses satellites indoors, under trees, by tall buildings etc. It may extrapolate to guess where you are but signal is defo lost.

damo2576

Here you go:

Civilian GPS uses the L1 frequency of 1575.42 MHz in the UHF band. The signals travel by line of sight, meaning they will pass through clouds, glass and plastic but will not go through most solid objects such as buildings and mountains.

Source: http://www8.garmin.com/aboutGPS/

damo2576

sheepsteeth wrote:

ive got an edge 605 and its good, but the features i use could have ben found in a much cheaper bit of kit.

What cheaper kit? I'd be interested in something that can record gps co-ords and export in .gpx or something.

Mickey Eye

Not to hijack too much does anyone know of a good trail tracking GPS program for a symbian 60 phone?

Fogliettaz

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/work ... id=1351709

Try this with a GPS enabled Nokia phone

robdaykin

having bought a 305 20 months ago, and having just received my fourth unit as a replacement for the third time (each replacement is a brand new unit by the looks of it), then I cannot recommend it. Nor if you look round on the web are my experiences unique. The failures may be due to design flaws, bad QA or bad construction, and I do not know if they affect later models like the 605/705, or any of the Forerunner units. What I can say is that any attempt to talk to Garmin about issues results in them clamming up, and refusing to talk. Anyway I can't imagine the 705 is that bad, or Garmin would have to sponsor a team before any pro would use one. Oh hang on :-)

Rob

Mickey Eye

Fogliettaz wrote:

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=1351709

Try this with a GPS enabled Nokia phone

Thanks, I knew of the product vaguely. I'll give it a go.

Anonymous

all i know is that my 605 tracked me perfectly from my daysack on my last couple of rides ( i was using it to record the route not necessaily tell me anything during the ride, plus my mounts are on t'other bike and road bike)

also, the gps i use at work does the same whilst tucked away inside my kit

plus my 605 gps picks up sattelites in my house (but my work one doesnt)

damo2576

Mickey Eye wrote:

Not to hijack too much does anyone know of a good trail tracking GPS program for a symbian 60 phone?

Not sure if you can export the data from your phone but if you can check out Sport Tracks on PC or Ascent on Mac.

Fogliettaz

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/work ... id=1351709, you upload the info of your ride from the phone to your sports tracker account on the interweb

damo2576

sheepsteeth wrote:

all i know is that my 605 tracked me perfectly from my daysack on my last couple of rides ( i was using it to record the route not necessaily tell me anything during the ride, plus my mounts are on t'other bike and road bike)

also, the gps i use at work does the same whilst tucked away inside my kit

plus my 605 gps picks up sattelites in my house (but my work one doesnt)

Magic

gonga

Im interested in a gps device and liked the sound of the edge 605.
im not that bothered about it telling me stuff after the ride but want it to work like a car sat nav and direct me back to the van,home.
does the 605 work in this way?
can you put map that
are more suitable for xc and it still direct you?