Garmin 705: Do I buy?
mask of sanity
Posts: 610
I just received a £750 bursary from my uni which I wasn't expecting to get and that got me thinking about whether I should get a Garmin 705... Its just it's a lot of money to spend in one go so thought I'd get a bit of input from you guys before parting with my cash.
Is it something you would recommend getting? Anybody had any issues with them? How good is the altimeter?
Sorry, lots of noob questions that have no doubt been asked and answered before...
Thanks for any help!
Is it something you would recommend getting? Anybody had any issues with them? How good is the altimeter?
Sorry, lots of noob questions that have no doubt been asked and answered before...
Thanks for any help!
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Comments
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Why not honour the bursary and buy some books. :roll:0
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That's what the university library is for :roll:dmclite wrote:Why not honour the bursary and buy some books. :roll:0 -
705s are brilliant, I'm on my second (dropped the first one into the Thames - DOH) but I reckon as when I was a student I could have used the money for stuff far more vital than what is a very cool satnav training gizmo. On the other hand if you can readily afford it, get one.
The altimiter is OK-ish. I often return home to find the house some 10 - 20 feet above of below where I left it according to the Garmin, but in terms of giving you a guide to how much you've climbed it's great. And you can get yourself in REAL trouble watching the gradient on the Garmin rather than watching the road
Don't forget you'll have to spend more money on maps (though there are freebies available) and every now and again pull out 8 quid or so when the crap bl00dy mounting bracket breaks"The only absolute statement is that everything is relative" - anon0 -
I love mine. I can bore the hell out of everyone with stats on how high, far, fast etc. On one occassion I got to tell how I nearly burst my heart out of my chest when it recorded 233bmp.
The pervious post hits the nail on the head regards the mount, it will break. Get decent maps. There are feebies available.
Use it to plan different routes with different training needs and sit back and concentrate on your effort.
Not straight forward to use it but you'll get the hang of it.0 -
They've recently modified the mounts, so they are better (I've broken about three of the old ones). However, the new Garmin 500 has a completely redesigned mount which looks a huge improvement.
I've always found the altimeter spot on. On some climbs in the pyrenees it was within 1 or 2 metres of the altitudes on the kilometre markers.
They are good, but depends on what your priorities are. Want mapping? I'd look at something else like the new gps from memory map that has ordnance survey mapping. If you want a training device, or just want a gps record of where you've been, I'd wait for the Garmin 500. The 705 is a do-it-all product, but you pay for that.0 -
Talking of mounting I came across this new product from Busch and Muller, the Universal Cockpit Adaptor. Lets you mount all sorts of bits of electronic gorgeousness on your bars:
www.starbike.com/php/product_info.php?lang=en&pid=12414
B&M's UK agent seems to be
www.amba-marketing.com0 -
I wouldn't personally put anything expensive in one of those adapters. I bought a similar thing once, realised how flimsy its grip was (and how bulky, plasticky and rattly, while I'm at it) and consigned it to my 'spares' box.0
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Cool.
I think I'd quite like a training device as well tbh. Is the 500 the same as the 705 then with regard to it's mapping capabilities?
I think I'm probably in a better position to buy one now then I ever will be tbh, what with a rather substantial student loan and now this bursary. I just wasn't sure if people thought they were worth the money and they are obviously rather pricey!0 -
If I was looking for a training device and had a spare £750 I'd get a Powertap and maybe an Edge 500 (if I could get the Powertap at a good price).
The Edge 500 doesn't have maps btw.More problems but still living....0 -
An excellent bit of kit which has totally transformed my cycling by allowing me to plan routes to areas I've not recced and thus get out more and go further than I would have done using my previous Polar CS600.
As for the comment above re: the altimeter showing someones house 10 - 20 ft higher than when he left, this will happen with almost ANY altimter, as they work on barometric pressure, which obviously fluctuates with the weaher. A change of 10 - 20 ft is nothing to concern yourslef about at all.0 -
dmclite wrote:Why not honour the bursary and buy some books. :roll:
Did you go to University? When I went books weren't worth buying as you only needed a chapter or two out of each one, and the library had the books anyway.
Bursaries tend to be more for living expenses than buying books anyway. A Garmin 705 is definitely high on the list of priorities for living, so I say get one now.
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Buy a 705? Yes. No hesitation.There's no such thing as too old.0
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ballspondroad wrote:Talking of mounting I came across this new product from Busch and Muller, the Universal Cockpit Adaptor. Lets you mount all sorts of bits of electronic gorgeousness on your bars:
www.starbike.com/php/product_info.php?lang=en&pid=12414
B&M's UK agent seems to be
www.amba-marketing.com
That is truly, truly horrible
Regarding Edge brackets, they have changed the design recently (in the last 9 months or so), but it's possible that even if you've bought yours lately, you might still have one of the old design brackets. The change is subtle, it doesn't even show up well in a photograph - but they have changed.
If you call Garmin Support they will send out new brackets gratis if you speak to them nice 0 -
x8swift9x wrote:Rich... I hope you've ordered it then
Seems like everyone thinks you should! dmclite doesn't...
I'm on the verge of definitely getting one, just want to get the bursary money in case they change their mind about giving it to me!0 -
Better hope they don't read this thread and recognise you then... 0
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Had my 705 for over a year and it's fantastic.0
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Had a Zumo 500 from Garmin. Granted, it was for motocycles and too bulky, but in any case, I didnt really get muc out of it.
Frankly, I am a big fan of just using an iphone mounted to this:
http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResults ... fault.aspx
It's solid.
That's assuming you don't want the heartrate stuff and just want mapping. One gets so much more out of an iphone. And it's only going to get better.BMC Pro Machine
Enigma Ego0 -
Brocade wrote:Had a Zumo 500 from Garmin. Granted, it was for motocycles and too bulky, but in any case, I didnt really get muc out of it.
Frankly, I am a big fan of just using an iphone mounted to this:
http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResults ... fault.aspx
It's solid.
That's assuming you don't want the heartrate stuff and just want mapping. One gets so much more out of an iphone. And it's only going to get better.
That's a valid point however I don't have an iphone and it would work out better value for money to get a garmin as I would use most of the features. Whereas I can't see myself using half of the stuff that an iphone can do.pickled wrote:Better hope they don't read this thread and recognise you then... That would be my luck! 0
