GPS for sportive use?

digitaldave

I'm thinking about buying a Garmin GPS, either the 500 or the 705, mainly for the training and logging features. However, I'm also thinking about entering some organised rides (nothing too long to start with, 50 miles max at the moment), and was thinking that since a lot of sportive organisers seem to offer files for GPS devices to follow, it would make sense to make use of these files. However, I have a couple of questions...

1) Can the Edge 500 be used with it's 'follow the bread crumbs' navigation following a course (I believe that's what it's called, not a route)?

2) If the edge 500 can be used like this, I believe I'd need to convert the GPX files commonly used in to courses using something like GPSies.com or similar. Alternatively, could I upload the GPX file to Garmin Connect, then use the 'send to device' option to convert to the appropriate Edge 500 type file?

3) Should I just get a 705 instead of the 500? I was looking mainly at the 500 as it's cheaper and smaller, but if I can't get a breadcrumb of the sportive route to follow on the 500, then I guess the 705 is the only option.

Any feedback from people that regularly use either type of Garmin for sportives would be great .

Thanks,

Dave.

geordiefella

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopi ... 6#16222566

amaferanga

One of the reasons I pay for sportives is so I don't need to navigate - they should be sign posted and marshalled.

If you have to navigate a sportive then it sounds more like an audax.

digitaldave

@geordiefella,

Thanks for the link, I'll keep an eye on the thread .

@amaferanga,

I'm new to all this, so wasn't really aware of the the difference. Thanks for clearing that up, I had been wondering what the difference was .

geordiefella

i've got a 705 on loan. its good, but fiddly while riding. regular use i think i'd prefer the 500. admiteddly, the 705 mapping turn by turn is good but not amazing. not like using a tomtom in your car. i think i'd be happy with the little route the edge 500 gives you usually. i guess if you're doing set sportive routes and new routes you make up, the 705 will handle them well. costly though. trawl you tube or borrow a mates unit if you can.

Scrumple

my 205 does everything I want.
And lots more I never use.

geordiefella

amaferanga wrote:

One of the reasons I pay for sportives is so I don't need to navigate - they should be sign posted and marshalled.

If you have to navigate a sportive then it sounds more like an audax.

True. I think an Edge 500 with a few notes on the climbs from mapmyride.com would be perfectly sufficient. then you can concentrate on riding instead of checking that the other 800 people in front of you have really gone the right way! ;-)