Garmin Edge 500 Question

Andyb10
Andyb10 Posts: 126
edited March 2011 in Road buying advice
I know a lot of you out there have one of the above so can anyone tell me if the the 500 has max speed as one of its features as I read somewhere that this is one function it is missing against the 305.

It would be nice to know if there are any other function differences as well.

Btw I am not intereste din being able to download routes and so

Thanks

Comments

  • guity
    guity Posts: 113
    It does have max speed. you just have to chose it in settings. I had the 305 before the 500 and I they seem almost identical in function. Downloading and following routes is identical to the 305 too. Obviously doesn't have an actual map to follow but you have a black line on screen to follow. I have done rides of over 100 miles using this feature and didnt have any problems with it.
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  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    you obviously get it when you upload the data but I'd also like to know if you can get it on the unit, as you ride. I looked a while back but didn't find it.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • guity
    guity Posts: 113
    yes, its there in settings...
    www.tomwardmtb.co.uk
  • Andyb10
    Andyb10 Posts: 126
    Thanks all - I feel a purchase coming on!
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    buy one. They are ace.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    maddog 2 wrote:
    buy one. They are ace.

    Where's the cheapest place to get one from? With heart rate strap and cadence sensor obviously :wink:
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Handtec are doing 500+HRM+CAD for £174. They are usually the cheapest to look at. Wiggle & CRC are trying to extort another £50 for the same.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    redvee wrote:
    Handtec are doing 500+HRM+CAD for £174. They are usually the cheapest to look at. Wiggle & CRC are trying to extort another £50 for the same.

    Muchos Gracias :wink:

    Is that with the soft strap or hard strap BTW?
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    I got mine from handtec too.

    The printed settings say there are four speed settings, the fourth of which is 'speed -max' - see page 40 of this:

    http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/Edge500_OwnersManual.pdf

    ... but I've got my 500 in front of me and I've scrolled through all of them and I've only got three speed options (speed, speed average, and speed lap)

    Any ideas?

    Is this a firmware issue?
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • SDK2007
    SDK2007 Posts: 782
    Yup - The max speed setting was added in one of the early firmware updates.
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  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    just updated the firmware to the latest one (2.6 I think) using the Garmin webupdater and the max speed is now there 8)
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • SamuelRemings
    SamuelRemings Posts: 76
    This may sound like a gormless question but does this GPS unit need a magnet on the wheel? If I opted to not have the cadence and HR strap would I need to fit anything else to the bike?

    Only really want GPS, max speed, av. speed, distance etc

    ?
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    no magnet

    everything runs off GPS, so very handy to swap between bikes.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • Wheelspinner
    Wheelspinner Posts: 6,670
    maddog 2 wrote:
    no magnet

    everything runs off GPS, so very handy to swap between bikes.

    True. But if you use the cadence sensor, you can also put a magnet on your back wheel and get a secondary speedo. That's useful on a trainer, still gives you speed and distance while going nowhere. The head unit also uses that as a backup if the GPS loses signal.
    Open One+ BMC TE29 Seven 622SL On One Scandal Cervelo RS
  • DubaiNeil
    DubaiNeil Posts: 246
    Wheelspinner wrote:
    maddog 2 wrote:
    The head unit also uses that as a backup if the GPS loses signal.

    Not trying to be controversial or antagonistic - but was there any confirmation of this?

    There are two possible approaches, and Garmin do seem to switch at will (certainly between models & maybe even between firmware releases)

    Approach 1: GPS is used by default and speed sensor used if available and if GPS loses signal - or GPS is disabled in the menu (i.e. indoor training)

    Approach 2: Speed sensor (if fitted) is used by default, and GPS used if sensor is not fitted or if signal is lost (?)

    I have had issues where the speed/cadence sensor has shifted slightly, and I lose all speed recording - but keep cadence. If GPS was used by default, then this would not occur (IMO)

    Which would indicate (to me) that Approach 2 is closest, but the 500 does not revert to GPS if it "knows" that a GSC10 is fitted...

    Not a train smash I know, the product is fantastic, and much improved (for me) over the Forerunner 305 I used before.

    Neil
  • Wheelspinner
    Wheelspinner Posts: 6,670
    "DubaiNeil wrote:
    I have had issues where the speed/cadence sensor has shifted slightly, and I lose all speed recording - but keep cadence. If GPS was used by default, then this would not occur (IMO)

    Neil

    I don't actually know the answer to this in practice, just what I read in the blurb. I've never had a problem with mine - if the GPS wasn't working, you'd get no track of the ride when you download it, and I've not had that problem in several thousand km using it. Whether the speed is coming from the GPS or the back wheel, I don't know for sure... but I've not had any problems where the GPS works and there's no speed log either.

    The ONLY gripe I have with the unit is that Garmin issued a software update for the Training Centre (on Mac OS platform) which despite being "installed" still insists every time I load it to prompt me to update... Grrrrr!!!
    Open One+ BMC TE29 Seven 622SL On One Scandal Cervelo RS
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    It's a great piece of kit.

    The only problem I've had is when using the route "mapping". It's crashed the unit a couple of times, loosing me data for the few miles between it just pausing and me noticing in order to do a reset. I've tried a fix sent to me by garmin, but I've only had a need to use the mapping once since and it worked ok then - fingers crossed.

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