What Garmin?

glasgowbhoy

I'd like a Garmin Edge.

I'm not sure which is the best suited and a bit put off that the HRM belt and cadence sensors are extra.

I like the compact look of the 500 but it doesn't have mapping routes. Is this just an expensive computer with GPS?

The 605/705 look good but are expensive.

I mostly ride in sportives, so, mapping might be good.

Any comments from owners? Anyone want to sell one?

Anonymous

Wait until the new one comes out and I'm sure some people will be selling their 705s...

glasgowbhoy

cheers, when is the 805 out?

kettrinboy

Within the next few weeks according to the e-mail i had from garmin a few days back, i,m definitely interested in an 800 as ive had my 305 for 4 yrs now but i might wait a bit until they have ironed out some of the software glitches that are bound to appear on early versions.

brucebanner

does anyone know who are takling preorders for the garmin 800?

markyone

i have the edge 500 and it is really nice bit of kit, not to big but does not have mapping.
but there again i dont need mapping as i know my way around most places anyway. personally i would buy 500as i think the others are way to big. try a company called web direct they sell all the garmin really quick delivery and nice people.

superkenners

Buy Edge 705 on ebay, with road maps you are looking at £250 if you're patient and online discounters also hard at work ahead of 800 coming out. Don't think the 800 is worth another £150 ihmo.

glasgowbhoy

Cheers Guys,

After a fair bit of research and thinking about my routes etc I think the 500 is probably the one i'd go for. There are bundles with cadence and HRM monitors for around £180.

How much am I looking at for a power sensor?

aberdeen_lune

I have a Powertap wheel I use with my Garmin 500 it gives you cadence as well so you wouldnt need the Garmin cadence sensor. £650 for a wheel built up with an Elite plus Powertap hub or you could go second hand.

murph100

Definitely the 500 over the 705. I have the 705 and it might have been a decent bit of kit if Garmin had actually finished developing it, instead of releasing the unreliable POS that is the 705.

As for its mapping features, its just not practical on a screen that size with such poor resolution, use an iPhone/Smart Phone or better still a map !!

DK2010

I've had a 705 for just over a month, I've done about 15 rides with it, had 3 crashes (where it just froze/powered down by itself). Recently I've had all sorts of issues, my Garmin did an auto update and now I've lost all my rides, and can't connect it to my PC. I thought it was a faulty unit until I browsed the Garmin 705 forums and see that I'm not the only one having issues https://forums.garmin.com/forumdisplay.php?f=21

Garmin make Microsoft look good, their software is more buggy than a fly trap!

Pity Garmin have a monopoly with GPS Sat Nav because when it works it works well but when you need it to work and you're on a 90 mile bike ride in the middle of nowhere and it crashes, losing all the saved data and your route you planned even a mild mannered person loses their cool, £300 should buy a decent piece of kit!

Mine will be going back to the shop!

Dodger747

Edhe 500 is the one you want... 8)

Finlab6

I was out on my 1st ride since the edge 500 arrived. It doesnt have maps BUT with help from these forums I planned a route on biketoaster loaded it up and it gave me the distances and turns to make at next 3 junctionsahead and also one of the screens it toggles through shows the road ahaed and curves/corners. Very pleased with my purchase.

inseine

Definitely the 500 over the 705. I have the 705 and it might have been a decent bit of kit if Garmin had actually finished developing it, instead of releasing the unreliable POS that is the 705.

As for its mapping features, its just not practical on a screen that size with such poor resolution, use an iPhone/Smart Phone or better still a map !!

While I agree with the above I've just come back from a 2 weeks holiday and the Garmin really came into it's own. there was no way i could have navigated such little roads on a conventional map. Each evening i just created a route of the length I wanted I bingo, great ride the next day.
It's the first time I've really used it for route following and I'd say the route creation (using biketaoster, GPSies etc) is really could but the screen is rubbish, but it gets the job done. Just don't expect it to be such a nice experience as using a car sat nav or an iphone.

mudslinger

I've got the Edge 500 & am really pleased with it. I've recently bought the cadence sensor & it gives me all the info I want.

The courses feature gives directions (obviously without a map) & it most cases that is fine. There has been the odd time when I've got lost so have had to resort to Google Maps on my phone.

Really is a great little device. There were a few s/w issues but they seem to have been ironed out in the latest version (2.40) of the firmware.

amaferanga

murph100 wrote:

Definitely the 500 over the 705. I have the 705 and it might have been a decent bit of kit if Garmin had actually finished developing it, instead of releasing the unreliable POS that is the 705.

As for its mapping features, its just not practical on a screen that size with such poor resolution, use an iPhone/Smart Phone or better still a map !!

What makes you think the 500 is any better than the 705 - its the same company after all?

And if you use the 705 mapping as it is intended (i.e. plan a route and then upload it to the device to navigate) then the screen is perfectly adequate. If you truly believe that a paper map is better than a 705 then I think you need to learn how to use the Garmin properly

Pokerface

Glasgowbhoy wrote:

Cheers Guys,

After a fair bit of research and thinking about my routes etc I think the 500 is probably the one i'd go for. There are bundles with cadence and HRM monitors for around £180.

How much am I looking at for a power sensor?

Do you mean a Powertap wheel? There is no 'power sensor' that comes with a Garmin - not like with some of the Polar computers.


YOu would need a 3rd party power measurement system (SRM, Powertap, Quarq, etc) that is Ant+ compatible - and as has been mentioned - looking at around £650 for a basic wheel.

1_reaper

Get one of these(when there released)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-Edge-Per ... 465&sr=8-1

tigerben

+1 for the 500 ... although I have only been using for a week so early days.

Initial thoughts - unit is good compact size / screen display good / mounting system is very good as enables me to swap between bikes very easily / software is good -especially with the customisable menus / course design & training partner also works very well.

Only negatives are the cadence sensor is a little chunky (although it works well) and the Garmin connect www is a bit limited - although I guess I can probably export the data into a third party site.

I opted for the 500 as I do not really need the map functions.

twotyred

For those of you with the Edge 500 have you had any trouble with it when following courses of 50 miles or longer? The Garmin forum has a number of people posting about the unit being slow to update the course screen and freezing when following longer courses.

I'm seriously thinking about getting a 500 but I use the trackback function of my current GPS a lot which is equivalent to the course function on the 500 and some folk's problems with the course feature on the 500 are puting me off.

giant_man

What's the deal with the 800 compared to the 705? How much better will it be? And why are they so damn expensive? And last question, do I need one?