Garmin Edge 500 or Alternatives?

milese

Hi,

I'm after a GPS computer, and want the typical features. The 500 Edge seems to tick all the boxes, but there is a chance I might want to use it for running one day, so wanted to see if there are any alternatives that offer everything of the 500, but would also be suitable for running?

Also, is it possible to programme HR intervals into the 500? If I had a set program could I programme it in advance and it would keep me on track?

Cheapest I've found the bundle is here, for £160. Although it looks a bit foreign / generic?

Any other comments / thoughts on the 500?

amaferanga

The Forerunner 310xt does pretty much exactly what the Edge 500 does. There's a QR bike kit as well so you don't have to use the watch strap to fix it to the bike. I use mine with a power meter and so far I've had no issues at all.

Where did you find the 500 for £160? Is that with HR and speed/cadence? If you're worried about that place then I'd recommend Handtec who have the Edge 500 with HR/cadence for £182. Strangely the 310xt is quite a bot more expensive than the Edge 500l....

must-tri-harder

I've only just got my garmin edge 500 about 3 weeks ago and I'm very impressed, my first GSC10 sensor was borked out of the box but handtec have just sent a replacement through which arrived yesterday.

The edge 500 does have some 'workouts' built in, i havent tried them yet but i gather thery're based on HR zones etc, I would assume you can edit/tweak them to some extent.

I also use a Garmin FR60 with footpod (essetial) and occasionally HRM strap for running, you can also use that with the GSC10 speed/cadence sensor which i did for a while until i got the 500. I find it so indispensible to known your real time pace that I really would be lost without it, also the reassuring beep as each mile is counted by is a lovely feeling as I'm notoriously bad at spotting the mile/kilo markers that some events have.

i know that's expensive having two separate units but you're obviously keen enough to want to improve so why compromise. I cant bare the brick size of the 310xt, the FR60 looks like a normal watch, only thing it doesnt do is elevation but you can usually tell when you're running up a hill anyway.. .

this chap has a very in depth review of most things garmin:

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2009/11/garmin-edge-500-in-depth-review.html

jochta

Have you considered a mobile phone with GPS? I use a Windows Mobile with Run.GPS software to track my rides. It can be used for any other sporting activity such as running (as the software was originally desgined for). It can do HR etc. with the relevant hardware.

Disadvantages - short battery life with internal GPS. I use an external Bluetooth GPS for longer rides. I keep the mobile in my pocket so you can't see the data whilst riding.

Advantages - you might already have a mobile that can do it. You can upload the data to the Run.GPS portal to keep all of your stats.

Someone I know uses an iPhone and app for tracking his running activities and uploading them live to a web portal.

The Edge 500 looks like a useful piece of kit, just throwing this in as a possible option.

John

must-tri-harder

congratulation on having the steely determination required to tolerate a windows mobile based phone, i went through a couple of XDA's (Ignito and Orbit 2), tried a couple of the GPS apps but this was maybe 1-2 years ago and they weren't very clever at the time. i manage to zip tie the orbit 2 to the handlebars of my MTB with the in car holder thing, worked ok but using the GPS and downloading maps via 3G simultaneously is a battery killer for sure.

the technology has matured a bit so may be worth a try now though if you already have the hardware.

i refuse to discuss iPhones for risk of alerting the fanboy community for whom they can do no wrong and are the solution to every conceivable problem.

jochta

Run.GPS also works with Android phones

Not missed any ride data using my mobile/GPS combo in over two years of use. With careful battery management it's possible to do a whole day's riding.

I've been looking enviously at the Garmin 500 for a while now and that £182 price for the HR and Cadence package is very tempting...

John

twotyred

With these ANT+ enabled GPS units do you need a specific ANT+ HR sensor to capture HR data or will they pick up the signal from a normal HR sensor- say a Polar one?

milese

It was £160 from Qtec world. It seemed like some sort of shell company.

I ordered today from heartratemonitor.co.uk, for £196 delivered, £6 more expensive than from handtec, but comes with a second bike mount.

I tried to use the price match for the £160 place, and got a call from heartratemonitor saying they cant do it, that they spoke to Garmin UK and they dont recognise them as a customer and basically £160 is lots below cost price. So they gave me £5 back as goodwill, which was nice of them.

Hopefully arrive tomorrow. Thanks for all the replies.

BenWatson89

Milese hope you have fun with your Edge 500, I love mine. Good choice!!

milese

Arrived on Sat in time for the Dartmoor Classic on Sunday.

Seems good. The only thing that is bugging me so far is that you cant mix and match the display units. Eg, I want to have miles as the distance, celcius for the temperature and metres for the altitude, but it seems like its one or the other.

If anyone is interested, here's my first ride log. Comments welcome!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/38503486

[excuse] This was my first ride for 3 weeks after 16 nights on honeymoon with zero exercise and a fast food and alcohol binge, during which I put on 8lbs. I road as hard as I could and felt very sluggish! [excuse/]

hitthewall

Milese,

If you use the Garmin Connect web-based programme to upload and view data (and you should) you can set up your profile so you have "Statute UK" (click settings top right first) and send the settings to the 500 using the USB cable when connected to your computer. This setting is not available on the unit itself. This gives you mph, deg c and metres for altitude/ascent.

Just got my 500 last week and have spent a bit of time in the interweb sorting settings, courses etc because I didnt find the included pdf full manual particularly good at explaining some of the detail and there's a fair amount to set-up (or maybe it's just me).

I've used Bikehike to download a course and have followed it and that works well. Have also used a course previously recorded and paced myself against it. All seems to work well and I'm pleased with the unit. There was a thread here somewhere about using Bikehike to download courses.

hitthewall

Got mine from Handtec (with sensor and HR monitor). A good price and quick delivery. Recommended.

hitthewall

Sorry, just realised you are of course using Garmin Connect...Doh....

DubaiNeil

Back to the OP for a moment

Maybe worth having a look at the "old" Forerunner 305 which is the one I have.

Links with the GSC-10 cadence sensor for non-GPS speed (i.e. turbo/indoor) and cadence. Has bundled workouts + "advanced" where you specify all the sections of your session + intervals etc, AFAIK this is the same as the Edge 500 - which was "updated" to this capability in a recent firmware upgrade.

Bike mount available, which then means you use a "quick release" wrist strap for running, rather than the standard watch strap. Bike mount is only intended for the handlebars, but I bodged a mounting for the stem, which I prefer.

The main difference seems to be that the Forerunner 305 will not link with power meters which both the 310XT and Edge 500 (and 705) can. If you are not planning on investing in a power meter, then the FR305 probably has all of the functionality you need....

Uses the same Garmin Connect software as the newer models as well.

I've been using one for about 3 years, and not really had any issues so far. Obviously the display is smaller than the Edge 500, however I normally have 4 data fields displayed per screen, and have no issue with the legibility of these...

According to the Handtech site, the total bundle (watch, HR strap, Cadence sesnor & bike mount) would come to £172, so a saving over the Edge 500.

Neil

milese

hitthewall wrote:

Milese,

If you use the Garmin Connect web-based programme to upload and view data (and you should) you can set up your profile so you have "Statute UK" (click settings top right first) and send the settings to the 500 using the USB cable when connected to your computer. This setting is not available on the unit itself. This gives you mph, deg c and metres for altitude/ascent.

Just got my 500 last week and have spent a bit of time in the interweb sorting settings, courses etc because I didnt find the included pdf full manual particularly good at explaining some of the detail and there's a fair amount to set-up (or maybe it's just me).

I've used Bikehike to download a course and have followed it and that works well. Have also used a course previously recorded and paced myself against it. All seems to work well and I'm pleased with the unit. There was a thread here somewhere about using Bikehike to download courses.

Thanks for the reply. I have changed the setting to 'statute UK' on Garmin Connect, but how do I sent that to the 500? Under Device Settings the only option is language, for Forerunner 310 users only.

Also, oddly, Garmin Connect tells me I've not got the latest firmware, but if I go to update it says I've got the latest version, and the unit settings says its 2.3, not 2.29.

I've not had a look at the manual or any of the course stuff yet, but sounds good. I'll have to look into it further when I've got time!

milese

I've worked it out now. There is a button called 'send to device', but it only shows up when you're in the heart rate training zones.

deltaone

Been using the Nokia sports tracker on my N97, it's now been updated by the original developers and has a great deal of functionality, if I had the money though I would go for something more specific.