Garmin Edge 500

Headhuunter
Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
edited August 2011 in Commuting chat
So the Garmin Edge 500 from Best Buy has been delivered and is just charging... Haven't tried doing anything with it yet. The instructions are very brief but I was under the impression that I had to up/download some kind of maps into it. I have read about this in the past and understand that there are map free on the net. Do I have to load maps into it and if so, where's the best place to get maps? Also, is it obvious how to load maps into it or will I need a degree in Computer Science?
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Comments

  • orbeaorca
    orbeaorca Posts: 246
    You cant load maps into a Garmin 500
    my orca
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  • Paul E
    Paul E Posts: 2,052
    I remember something being said about open street maps being available in the right format, try doing a google for garmin openstreet maps and see what pops up
  • Dalton
    Dalton Posts: 265
    orbeaorca wrote:
    You cant load maps into a Garmin 500

    +1 - there is no navigation function on the 500.

    However, when you connect to garmin site after a ride, it will give you a detailed map of the route you have travelled. As well as pretty much every bit of info you could need. Providing you have HR + Cadence attached!

    :D
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Oh bugger, so I can't load a route into it so that it will give me directions along the way? Surely you can? I know that the route is displayed in monochrome rather than the detailed colour of the 800 or 705, but what if I want to, say, plot a route from mine to Richmond Park and get it to tell me when to turn as I ride?
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  • Dalton
    Dalton Posts: 265
    Headhuunter wrote:
    Oh bugger, so I can't load a route into it so that it will give me directions along the way? Surely you can? I know that the route is displayed in monochrome rather than the detailed colour of the 800 or 705, but what if I want to, say, plot a route from mine to Richmond Park and get it to tell me when to turn as I ride?

    No, you won't be able to do this!

    It has no turn by turn functionality.

    The only thing it has is the ability to compare your progress against a previous route. So you can see if you are doing better/ worse.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Dalton wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    Oh bugger, so I can't load a route into it so that it will give me directions along the way? Surely you can? I know that the route is displayed in monochrome rather than the detailed colour of the 800 or 705, but what if I want to, say, plot a route from mine to Richmond Park and get it to tell me when to turn as I ride?

    No, you won't be able to do this!

    It has no turn by turn functionality.

    The only thing it has is the ability to compare your progress against a previous route. So you can see if you are doing better/ worse.

    Oh how crap! Wish I hadn't bothered... Anyone want a Garmin 500? I suppose I shoulda looked into it before I bought it, I thought the whole point was that it would give you directions....
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  • Dalton
    Dalton Posts: 265
    No, the Garmin 500 is bascially an advanced GPS based cycle computer.

    Coupled with the HR monitor and Cadence sensor, it is an exceptionally good piece of kit.

    I love mine!

    :D
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Dalton wrote:
    No, the Garmin 500 is bascially an advanced GPS based cycle computer.

    Coupled with the HR monitor and Cadence sensor, it is an exceptionally good piece of kit.

    I love mine!

    :D

    It probably is, I'll probably find a use for it but I really wanted something that could compensate for my lack of sense of direction and get me to places.... Time to blow some more cash on an 800 then... Only thing is if I get an 800, the 500 is basically surplus...

    Just wondering though... What is this image showing?

    https://buy.garmin.com/shop/alt-image.d ... reen5Large

    It looks like a very basic map of the road ahead
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  • Dalton
    Dalton Posts: 265
    Headhuunter wrote:
    Dalton wrote:
    No, the Garmin 500 is bascially an advanced GPS based cycle computer.

    Coupled with the HR monitor and Cadence sensor, it is an exceptionally good piece of kit.

    I love mine!

    :D

    It probably is, I'll probably find a use for it but I really wanted something that could compensate for my lack of sense of direction and get me to places.... Time to blow some more cash on an 800 then... Only thing is if I get an 800, the 500 is basically surplus...

    Just wondering though... What is this image showing?

    https://buy.garmin.com/shop/alt-image.d ... reen5Large

    It looks like a very basic map of the road ahead

    That looks to be the function I mentioned, whereby you can ride a route.

    Then you can later follow the same route with the 500 and compare your progress.

    HTH.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Dalton wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    Dalton wrote:
    No, the Garmin 500 is bascially an advanced GPS based cycle computer.

    Coupled with the HR monitor and Cadence sensor, it is an exceptionally good piece of kit.

    I love mine!

    :D

    It probably is, I'll probably find a use for it but I really wanted something that could compensate for my lack of sense of direction and get me to places.... Time to blow some more cash on an 800 then... Only thing is if I get an 800, the 500 is basically surplus...

    Just wondering though... What is this image showing?

    https://buy.garmin.com/shop/alt-image.d ... reen5Large

    It looks like a very basic map of the road ahead

    That looks to be the function I mentioned, whereby you can ride a route.

    Then you can later follow the same route with the 500 and compare your progress.

    HTH.

    So....sorry if I'm being stupid here... It will show you the route ahead?
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  • Dalton
    Dalton Posts: 265
    No, it won't. It shows a simple map like you showed, showing your current postion, compared to point reached at same time on route you are comparing your ride with.

    It is like a ghost ride, if that makes sense.

    It will not give you the route of any directions etc.

    It is simply time/ distance based, to help your compare your progress (say on training rides).
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    HH - you have my sympathies - the following description of its functions isn't the clearest...

    Q

    •Smaller unit size reduces weight (it is half the weight of the Edge 705) and pares down the navigation tools to focus on GPS assisted training data
    •Ability to follow uploaded courses

    UQ
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • notsoblue
    notsoblue Posts: 5,756
    I agonised for ages about getting a Garmin 500 on this point, its impossible to tell what the device does with regards to "following uploaded courses"

    This very misleading:
    https://buy.garmin.com/shop/alt-image.d ... ge&ra=true

    Pop it on eBay and get an 800.
    FCN 4 PX SL Pro SRAM Red
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  • suzyb
    suzyb Posts: 3,449
    You can follow uploaded courses but it's just a line that shows you where / which direction you should be going. It's reminded me of some computer games tbh.

    It's basic but it works (for me anyway).
    Whippet
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    You can plan routes and upload them to the 500 as courses then you can try and follow it.
    It is just a line and it bleeps when you go off course and tends to crash.You really need an 800 and maps for nav.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    notsoblue wrote:
    I agonised for ages about getting a Garmin 500 on this point, its impossible to tell what the device does with regards to "following uploaded courses"

    This very misleading:
    https://buy.garmin.com/shop/alt-image.d ... ge&ra=true

    Pop it on eBay and get an 800.

    Did you buy an 800?
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    suzyb wrote:
    You can follow uploaded courses but it's just a line that shows you where / which direction you should be going. It's reminded me of some computer games tbh.

    It's basic but it works (for me anyway).

    Thanks all for your help on this! So you can upload courses and try to follow the basic monochrome image? I might give this a try to see how I get on and if it's impossible for me to use for navigation I'll ebay it or something.... Stupid mode on again - how do you upload courses?!
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  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    HH - can you let us know how you get on? I'm tempted to buy it as most of my training is in RP, so I don't really need a maps function.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • bobgfish
    bobgfish Posts: 545
    You can upload a course !!! Just it doesn;t have maps. If you go off course it will just tell you which direction to head to get back on course. It does give you a warning and tell you to turn left etc in 2 mins. Suggest you use http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx and try it out. It works well enough for me. The 500 doesn;t work as well off road as on for the routes.
    CyclingInTheLowMountainsOfSchweiz

    CyclingInTheFlatlands
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Bit more info on pages 13/14 of the user guide:
    http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/Edge500_OwnersManual.pdf
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    I gave up using the Edge 500 or 305 for navigation and coughed up for an 800, it's lovely to hear it bleep, look down and see exactly where you need to go on a planned route, or to put an address in and have it take you there.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • davis
    davis Posts: 2,506
    HH, I've just taken a look at the Edge 500 manual. It seems that it can follow a route, if that route is in Garmin Training Center (which I presume is .tcx) format. Bikehike can export into .tcx, and gpsbabel can convert into it too.
    From what I recall, the TCX format is essentially a list of waypoints, so instead of having a full routing database that says something like "Follow the B3412 for 12 miles, and turn left along the B4567", it'll say "travel at 30 degrees for 3km until you reach $waypoint, then travel at 45 degrees for 7km".
    Essentially the accuracy of the route will be down to how many waypoints your routing file has, and I suspect a twisty route of ~100 miles might require too many waypoints. It is, however, possible to simplify routes by stripping waypoints, but that'll reduce the accuracy of the exact heading information.

    Basically, I think it can be made to do what you want, but it might take a little work on your part until you're up to speed with the process.
    Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    If you ride the same route twice, does it allow you to compare your HR up a particular hill so you can judge how you're doing?
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • godders1
    godders1 Posts: 750
    The DC rainmaker in depth review covers everything the 500 does and will tell you how to do it:

    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2009/11/garm ... eview.html
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    @Godders - cheers.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    bobgfish wrote:
    You can upload a course !!! Just it doesn;t have maps. If you go off course it will just tell you which direction to head to get back on course. It does give you a warning and tell you to turn left etc in 2 mins. Suggest you use http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx and try it out. It works well enough for me. The 500 doesn;t work as well off road as on for the routes.

    Just had a look at Bike Route Toaster, how do I work it?! So is it possible for me to make up a course and then load it into the 500? The instruction manual makes it sound like you have to have cycled the course 1st and have it saved to the Edge....
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  • suzyb
    suzyb Posts: 3,449
    Godders1 wrote:
    The DC rainmaker in depth review covers everything the 500 does and will tell you how to do it:

    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2009/11/garm ... eview.html
    That's the site I was looking for earlier.

    Thanks for finding it for me :wink:
    Whippet
  • davis
    davis Posts: 2,506
    Headhuunter wrote:
    bobgfish wrote:
    You can upload a course !!! Just it doesn;t have maps. If you go off course it will just tell you which direction to head to get back on course. It does give you a warning and tell you to turn left etc in 2 mins. Suggest you use http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx and try it out. It works well enough for me. The 500 doesn;t work as well off road as on for the routes.

    Just had a look at Bike Route Toaster, how do I work it?! So is it possible for me to make up a course and then load it into the 500? The instruction manual makes it sound like you have to have cycled the course 1st and have it saved to the Edge....

    HH, read my post about the tcx files...
    Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
  • MaxwellBygraves
    MaxwellBygraves Posts: 1,353
    I spent ages trying to decide on a 500 or 800. Decided to get the 800.

    Deffo the right choice, the maps are great and if any degree of routing is what you are after it has to be the 800.
    "That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college! " - Homer
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    Got the 800 this afternoon :wink:
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