Edge 500 issues

Skerryman

Not 100% sure if this is in the right section, feel free to say so if not. Just wondering if anyone here can help me. A few weeks ago whilst flying down a hill (on my bike) I glanced down at my Garmin and it read a top speed of 74 kmph last I checked. I uploaded the ride when I got home and the GarminConnect readout gave a max speed of 174 kmph. Thought it was an isolated incident until I went down the same hill this weekend. I was half way down and the Garmin was reading a max speed of 69.9 kmph so I pushed harder to see what max I could get, and no matter how hard I pushed it would not go past 69.9. I know for a fact that I was gaining speed but it just wouldn't budge past that reading. Anyone else have this issue, or more importantly, have a solution. Really happy with my Edge so far but it pisses me off no end when I lose data like that for no reason. Tried to post on Garmin Forums but everytime I login and write a post it asks me to log in again and I'm stuck in a seemingly infinite loop of login attempts.

WisePranker

If you've got the cadence sensor fitted, is the wheel magnet adjusted properly?

Do you have the wheel size set correctly or is it set to auto?

Have you got the latest firmware on it?

Skerryman

The wheel magnet seems to be fine, its only when I go fast downhill that it plays up. Average speeds etc seems OK. I'd have imagined that if it wasn't tightened enough and came loose at high speed then it would affect the readout whether I was going fast or slow. I generally make a habit of checking its tight before I take off. Wheel size is set to auto, usually its calculated before I get to the end of my estate. Pain in the a$$ really not knowing if data is going to be recorded or not when you go to upload a ride, starting to lose confidence in it after 6 months of good service

kettrinboy

Try using it without the GCS10 sensor and magnet to see if it definitely is this which is at fault, if it is try a new battery and if that dont work as you,ve only had it 6 months you will be able to get a replacement, and i have the same problems logging in on Garmin Forums, sometimes i cant get in at all , or when i get in it wont let me post.

amaferanga

For the login problems - I've had this in the past. If you phone Garmin they'll reset your account there and then and you'll be able to login again as normal.

spokegeezer

I've given up using the wheel magnet with my 500, complete utter waste of time, causes speed spikes and actually causes more lock ups. i only use it on the turbo.
the thing works much better without the magnet you dont need it and just keep the gsc10 on for cadence.

still using 2.4 firmware as everything else is not as reliable

as for courses, forget it.

chiark

Odd. I get a more reliable speed on my 705 with the GSC10.

I realise this doesn't help, but it does probably hint that it's a firmware issue.

Skerryman

I'd have thought speed would be more reliable with the magnet. Not good enough on Garmin's part that some people have to stop using something that was specifically bought to give more accurate data just cos its acting the maggot. If it was a third party unit you might understand some issues. The whole forum thing is a joke too, spent the best part of a half hour last night trying to post and kept logging me out once the page refreshed. I emailed customer support yesterday so hoping to get a reply from them in the next couple of days. Might try to get an older firmware version, although it was before I updated it that I first noticed the issue. Not had any issues with it other than that and think its a great unit, but its a bit of a lottery these days seeing if your ride data was recorded properly and that's just not good enough Mr Garmin

WisePranker

I was having issues with my 500 giving spurious speeds of up to 116mph!
To cure the problem, I updated the firmware, set the wheel size to auto and refitted the wheel sensor and magnet so there was a small 4-5mm gap between them.

I've not had any problems since then.

Stoo48

I have an 800 with speed and cadence sensor and experienced a similar problem. After much experimentation I appear to have fixed it.

The problem occurs when freewheeling, if you pedals are horizontal with the LH pedal level or close to level with the sensor (assumining you have the cadence magnet on the LH pedal) i.e. rearmost, the sensor seems to get confused by the 2 magnets.

I have reversed my freewheel position and the problem has gone away.

Hope this helps.

Skerryman

Finally got a reply off Garmin which said "To resolve this issue I strongly recommend updating your units software." Followed by detailed instructions on how to do this (which I know already)

Three days for that. Pretty sure I'm running whatever the last firmware is as I update it whenever prompted online, gonna check when I get home. Also from what I've been reading online there's a lot of folks out there downgrading their firmware because of issues such as this arising from shoddy updates being published before their ready. Starting to get a bit irked by Garmin's half a$$ed attempts at customer service at this stage.

Stoo48

Try my suggestion, I took it as a given that you had the latest firmware and software installed, coasting left foot forward stopped all of these issues for me.

Stuart

Skerryman

Cheers Stuart, I'll give it a shot the next time I'm out. Its only ever really been an issue at high speed when I'd generally be pedaling like a lunatic though.