Garmin edge

[addictfreak]

Have been debating whether to treat myself to a Garmin Edge. Not sure if I should go all out and buy the 705, or to try the new 500.

Have read that the 705 can have a few problems (switching itself off etc)

500 seems to get good reviews, but is it just an expensive wireless computer.

Any thoughts

 

[Hugo15]

I got a 705 a month or so ago. Not had any problems with it. Managed get a great deal (turned out they had priced it wrong!!) so got it for the price of the 500. A couple of the guys I ride with have the 500 and they seem pretty pleased with them. Probably comes down to whether you want/need the mapping ability of the 705. Most of the other features are pretty much the same.

IMHO the Garmin is a brilliant piece of kit.

 

[Tollers]

I'm waiting on the next generation. The 705 is a few years old now, so.....i can't justify the cost for an out of date technology.

Hugo......you should have put a link in "found a bargain". You bugger

 

[Mista Preston]

no issues with mine after a couple of months riding in all conditions. Only gives a funny speed reading when I fly down one specific hill which may be a satellite issue but other than that its great. The edge has really made me think more about how I ride and once I get the cadence sensor fitted it will give me even more data. The training partner is great and the fact that I can use it as a standard sat nav if needed as well is good.

If you can handle the price its a great bit of kit however their are alternatives which I am sure others will advise on. I would get the HRM and Cadence pack with the maps on the DVD if you can get this, again others will advise i am sure and their are plenty of threads on this around the site.

Have a look at this to give you some more info

http://frank.kinlan.co.uk/?page_id=1212

 

[Hugo15]

Hugo......you should have put a link in "found a bargain". You bugger

I had planned to get a 500 but saw a thread on BikeRadar about the "deal" on the 705. Spent the evening trying to decide between the 500 and the 705. Eventually decided to go for the 705 and placed my order at around 10pm. By 10am the next day it had gone up by £100!! I was so lucky. Turns out they had priced it wrong on the website but they honoured the purchase.

 

[addictfreak]

Thanks for the feedback guys, its much appreciated.

Got an interest free period coming up on the credit card, so it will probably be the 705. Purely for the mapping.

 

[AhThisFeckinThing]

I know this is an old thread, but how did you get on with the 705. I have a current choice of a 705 or 500 both new with HR and Cad. £227 for 705 or £184 for 500. Views?

 

[ianrauk]

I know this is an old thread, but how did you get on with the 705. I have a current choice of a 705 or 500 both new with HR and Cad. £227 for 705 or £184 for 500. Views?

If you want mapping go 705, if you don't want mapping go 500.

 

[gavintc]

I have had my 705 for about 3-4 yrs now. It is good and I mostly use it to record my rides. It collects HR, speed, distance, location etc. I do not use the mapping content much. This is mainly due to not trusting the routing it produces. If you know the route and the 705 is simply a confirmatory signal - excellent. But, I have used it a couple of times to take me somewhere I have not been before and I have not been impressed. It tried to send me down some very small tracks - completely uncycleable. So in my opinion, the map is OK - nothing special as it is simply too small and the GPS systems are unreliable.

 

[AhThisFeckinThing]

If I plan a route on ridewithgps.com, can I load that into a 705 to give 'confirmation' directions. I just use roads, so little paths and tracks shouldn't be a problem.

 

[theloafer]

was in the lps in 2009 with a group a few ppl had the 705 it was great if we went astray from the route .. i thought when i get back i`ll get one ..well last year a friend was upgrading to the 800 was asking if i wanted his 705 cheapish...but i found the joystick a bit of a faff so went for the 800 .. bloody brillant piece of kit and touch screen even works with gloves on.. got mine for £265 ...base model and mapping from a friend..

 

[HLaB]

The older 305 has a problem with switching off Addict, but Garmin has an excellent customer care, I phoned them up with the unit probably out of warranty when mine went on the blink, they said it was a known problem with a certain batch so they sent me a new one no quibble.

Just noted the OP was Mar 2010 so they've probably decided, etc

 

[addictfreak]

The older 305 has a problem with switching off Addict, but Garmin has an excellent customer care, I phoned them up with the unit probably out of warranty when mine went on the blink, they said it was a known problem with a certain batch so they sent me a new one no quibble.

Just noted the OP was Mar 2010 so they've probably decided, etc

Cheers for the belated reply! I ended up getting the 800 with mapping, HRM etc.

 

[400bhp]

I have had my 705 for about 3-4 yrs now. It is good and I mostly use it to record my rides. It collects HR, speed, distance, location etc. I do not use the mapping content much. This is mainly due to not trusting the routing it produces. If you know the route and the 705 is simply a confirmatory signal - excellent. But, I have used it a couple of times to take me somewhere I have not been before and I have not been impressed. It tried to send me down some very small tracks - completely uncycleable. So in my opinion, the map is OK - nothing special as it is simply too small and the GPS systems are unreliable.

Just to potentially correct that.

The maps on the 705 are excellent (not the base map though). The self guidance is crap.

Pre planned gpx or tcx routes downloaded onto the 705 work very well.

 

[Headgardener]

Anybody had any experiance of the Garmin 200 yet. As I am looking to get one with some of the money I will get at Christmas (he wishes).