Trainer. Navigator. Edge 705 pushes you to do your best, then shows you the way back. This GPS-enabled cycle computer knows no limits. Get heart rate, cadence (select models), turn-by-turn directions (data card preloaded with maps is required), power data ? the works. Even share your data with other Edge 705 buddies after your ride. All wireless with a color display, this is no ordinary cycle computer.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Serious bicyclists need this, but be aware that you will need tech supp
An odd mix of positives and negatives:

Pros:

Incomparable data graphs of numerous measured parameters during your ride, permitting quantification of training beyond anything even dreamed of a couple of decades ago.

All the other well-known advantages of GPS to display current location and to be able to plan routes and courses (as well, of course, as showing details of ridden courses).

The variety, choice, and arrangement of displayed measurements (the `fields’) are just amazing. Essentially, you can put on the screen virtually whatever you want and wherever you want it, and the screen is high resolution (as is required, to be sure, for detailed maps).

Heart-rate and cadence are reliably detected. Heart-rate is intelligently smoothed (but will detect tachycardia).

Tech support is US based and, therefore, native English speaking (unfortunately, it is needed far too often).

Battery life is good enough for a very long ride – I suspect easily over 10 hours (if back-lighting is not over-used).

Cons:

No temperature sensor

Barometer does not permit user calibration, thereby insuring that it can only be accurate in the accident of exactly the right weather (as atmospheric pressure, which it is actually measuring, varies with the weather). Why the maker would have done this is incomprehensible. Since the weather changes constantly, the indicated `elevation’ changes, even though you have not moved. Moreover, because there is no temperature sensor, the barometer transducer cannot be temperature compensated, inducing the inevitability of yet another error in that measurement. Consequently, I was able to watch the elevation drift from plus 150 feet to minus (!!) 200 feet in the space of a few minutes (the actual elevation was 245 feet). Finally, it is quite possible to have the device show a difference in altitude for the beginning and end of the ride of over 50 feet, even when you start and finish at the same place (with no perceptible change in weather)! At the very least, the user should be able to calibrate the instrument at the start of a ride (provided, of course, that he knows the elevation at that starting point). This would help ensure that `elevation’ (altitude) measurements at any point on the ride will be reasonably accurate.

The user manual is woefully inadequate. Example: you are told that, at a rate of 1 second intervals for route recordings, the device will begin to overwrite previous data after about 4.5 hours (without warning!). You are encouraged to `reset’ the device after 4 hours. What you are not told is what happens to your data in this circumstance (it turns out that, fortunately, it is saved!). Example: There is virtually no explanation of how `calories’ are calculated. If you are not using a power sensor, this number has to be interpolated from some algorithm. There is no information about this whatsoever in the manual and, you can obtain virtually nothing on this subject from Garmin tech support even over the phone! (I personally believe – admittedly, without quantitative proof – their calculation for calories burned to be grossly inaccurate, perhaps by as much as a factor of 2 too high.) Example: the `save location’ feature has 3 choices: “Avg”, “Max” and “OK”, none of which is explained in the manual. And I could go on with many other issues.

Copy/piracy protection for their maps is so obsessive that even their own staff cannot easily circumvent it in the (inevitable) case where copying is necessary. In my own case, I had to replace my 705 with another, but since I had already downloaded my (purchased) North American DVD of maps, I was unable to unlock the map without 3 hours (!) of telephone assistance from technical support. ! This is supposed to be called customer service?? There just has to be a better way…

The “Training Center” software, available as a free download from their web address, does not permit any user designation of units to be used in the graph, just how coarse or fine, for example, one can plot any particular variable (such as slope, or what Garmin calls `grade’) – it just arbitrarily chooses the ordinate, and cannot be changed. ? Surely Garmin can do better than this.

In sum: I have not tried other competitive models (or even know that they exist). As a cycling computer, this thing is amazing, blowing away the pre-GPS varieties, yet at the same time it is disappointing. With a bit more effort, especially with software and documentation, Garmin could have had something truly awesome. As it stands, it is a major achievement, but the user is made to feel uncomfortably dependent on tech support due to the poor documentation.

5 Stars Garmin Edge 705
I absolutely love this purchase! Very easy to install and use. I particularly like the integration with Training Center. Routes and performance can be uploaded to a computer and compared to other rides. Very cool. The map on Training Center leaves much to be desired, but the ability to overlay over Google Earth is nice.

4 Stars Pleased
I like the unit, but Garmin is just confounding. The unit itself is nice. Only missing feature, for me, is that it does not tell me the current temperature. But I was blown away by all of the data that you can get from it.

Oh yeah, there’s so much data that I am disappointed in how limited the unit’s views are. They give me a standard data view, but you only get 1 page. What I’d like is the ability to create 1 or more pages and then as I am riding I should be able to cycle between them. You can already cycle between data / map / elevation – but I want multiple data pages (2 would do it for me).

As for Garmin – man what a confusing mess. They have so many software options (Base Camp, Training Center, Map Source, and website Garmin Connect). But the biggest complaint I have is the maps. I get that the maps are their bread and butter, but it is very confusing as to how and what to purchase, and in what form factor. Also, very bummed that I have to spend $100 every time I want the map updated for the unit (I have the Citi Nav North America SDcard as well as the Great Lakes 24K Topo card).

All in all, however, I say thumbs-up.

Oh, and I am using heart rate monitor and cadence sensor – all works goods.

3 Stars Out of Date Technology
As you can probably tell from my title, I’m a bit dissapointed with the Garmin Edge 605. First I realized that NO maps come with the edge. You must buy them for around $100 each. (I don’t really call the included freeway maps relevant to a bike computer.) Anyway, you must find the “Trainer” application on their web site. When you run it, it has all the sophistication of software written for PCs in the early 90s. It also crashes often just like the 90s software. (To be fair, it says you can install Google earth to see your tracks on top of Google maps.)

Last week I purchased a Droid Motorola phone. I found a free app under the “Market”, in Lifestyles category called “My Tracks”. This app tracked my route as well as the Garmin, and it has better maps, I just tap a menu item to send it to my google account. If you are thinking of buying a Garmin or any handheld GPS you should really consider instead just buying a Droid. Don’t fool around with multiple devices especially while biking.

Now here’s a “however”: I have no mount for the Droid for my bike. It just goes where I always keep my cell phone. So this could be the clincher for sticking with the separate Garmin GPS. But I’ll bet dollars to donuts that bike mounts for the Droid will be showing up soon.

After using the Droid and My Tracks, Garmin has some major catching up to do.

4 Stars Great gadget
This is a great exercise computer/GPS. I had a bicycle shop install it but in watching the process installing on your own does not seem difficult. It is easy to use with plenty of video clips available on Garmin’s site and Youtube to help out. Use any number of websites to plot a course and easily download to the unit. Only gripe: the unit does not exactly follow the course you map out and has you making turns where you did not indicate because it is looking to take the fastest route. Be sure to check out Edge’s minsite on Garmin: [...].

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Always know where you’re going and how far you’ve goneamong many other featureson your next bike ride with the Garmin Edge 205 GPS Unit. This cycle computer-style GPS snaps right onto the included bike mount and tracks your speed, distance, time, calories burned, altitude, and more. The high-sensitivity GPS receiver finds your position under tree cover and in canyons, not just out on the open road, while the Virtual Partner feature lets you race against a computer-generated competitor or your own previous workouts. The included Garmin Training Center software lets you create workouts, manage and download courses, and analyze your workout when you’re finished, and MotionBased technology lays Google maps over your course to show where you rode.

Product Features

• Material: Plastic
• Dimensions: 1.75 x 3.7 x .9in (4.4 x 9.4 x 2.3 cm)
• Antenna: Internal
• Routes: 50
• Waypoints: 100
• Mapping: MotionBased online overlay
• Digital Compass: Yes
• Computer Compatible: Yes
• Waterproof: Yes
• Battery Type: Li-ion rechargeable
• Battery Life: 12hrs
• Expansion Card: No
• Weight: 3.1oz (88g)
• Recommended Use: Cycling
• Manufacturer Warranty: 1 Year
• Country of Origin: China

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Garmin Edge 205 GPS Unit is a post from: Cycling Computers Reviews

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General Brand GARMIN Model Edge 305HR Part Number 010-00447-20 Type Cycle Dimensions Height 1.75″ Width 3.7″ Depth 0.9″ Weight 3.1 oz. GPS System Receiver SiRFstarIII Antenna Built-in GPS System Features Lap history: 1000 laps Heart rate monitor Garmin Training Center software compatible Virtual Partner (train against a digital person) Courses (compete against previous workouts) Auto Pause (pauses and resumes timer based on speed) Auto Lap (automatically starts a new lap) Advanced workouts (create custom, goal-oriented workouts) Simple workouts (input time, distance and pace goals) Pace alert (triggers alarm if you vary from preset pace) Time/distance alert (triggers alarm when you reach goal) Interval training (set up exercise and rest intervals) Customizable screen(s) Barometric altimeter Navigation Waypoints 100 Routes 50 Display Screen Size 1.9″ Display Resolution 160 x 128 Connections PC InterFace Supported USB Battery Battery Type Lithium-Ion Rechargeable battery Battery Life 12 hours Manufacturer Warranty Parts 1 year limited Labor 90 days limited

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GARMIN Edge 305HR 1 9 Cycle GPS and Bicycle Computer W Heart Rate Monitor is a post from: Cycling Computers Reviews

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Take your ride to the next level with the Edge 305 – Garmin’s GPS-enabled, personal trainer and cycle computer. From competitive road racing to mountain biking, the cyclist-friendly, lightweight Edge will help you achieve your personal best. With the easy-to-use Edge 305 on your bike, you’ll always know where you’re going and how far you’ve gone. For advanced cyclists, the Edge 305 comes packaged with a heart rate monitor and/or wireless speed/pedaling cadence sensor to provide valuable feedback. In addition, the Edge 305 incorporates a barometric altimeter for extremely accurate elevation and vertical profile data. The Edge 305 has the ability to measure pedaling cadence, heart rate, speed, distance, time, calories burned, altitude, climb and descent, plus much more. FEATURES – Easy-to-install – no calibration required. Just snap it in the included bike mount and go High-sensitivity GPS receiver – knows your position even in tree cover and canyons, making it extremely reliable for navigation Highly efficient ANT wireless protocol provides superior battery life and reliably transfers your performance data to the Edge 305 Customizable cycle computer – shows up to eight different data fields for continuous feedback Virtual PartnerTM – lets you “race” a virtual competitor, making training fun Courses – lets you “race” against a recorded course to try to match previously set speeds at every point along the way Auto PauseTM – pauses the training timer when you slow down below a specified speed and resumes when you speed up again so you can focus on your ride Auto LapTM – automatically triggers a lap every time you pass a specified location or travel a preset distance Training Center software – gives you the ability to create workouts, manage and download courses, and create a detailed post-ride analysis that charts your performance The Edge 305 with heart rate lets you see whether you a

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Record your heart rate during your workouts without purchasing a product that confuses the heck out of you. Get the easy-to-use Polar FS2 Heart Rate Monitor Watch. Extra large digits make this watch easy to read and visual and audible alarms let you know when you’ve reached your target heart rate. The FS2 also records your exercise date, average heart rate, exercise duration, and maximum heart rate. A date and weekday indicator keeps you on track and a backlight lets you see this monitor easily in low light.

Product Features

• Material:
• Band Type:
• Altimeter: No
• Barometer: No
• Compass: No
• Stopwatch: Yes
• Chronograph: No
• Thermometer: No
• Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
• PC Compatible: No
• Waterproof: Yes, up to 30m
• Backlight/ Electroluminescent: Yes
• Alarms: Yes
• Size: Small to medium
• Recommended Use: Walking, running, biking, aerobic exercise
• Weight:
• Warranty: 2 Year

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars reivew of Polar FS2 Heart rate monitor
I had the old model of this model and it lasted me over 5 years. Based on that, and the other reviews I read about this model, I decided to try the FS2. It is great!! It is a very good basic heart rate monitor. No bells and whistles, but I was looking for simple. I highly recommend reading through the manual, which is very short. It will give you some great tips so you can utilize the few features it does have, such as min/max heart rate limits, etc. All and all, a great buy. I’ve only had it a couple of months, so I don’t know about the battery life. Hopefully it will perform as well as the old one did!

5 Stars First Rate Heart Rate…
This is the second one i have purchased. I am deployed in Afghanistan and it works with all the gym equipment here.

Bang for the buck it is a great unit.

5 Stars Polar Monitor
Takes a little getting used to, but once I understood the functions, it works great. Keeps me from exceeding HR objectives, both for me and my clients.

4 Stars Great product
This is a great product, I use it at the gym because the tredmill is compatable to it so I don’t have to wear the watch. When I run outside I wear it and I don’t have a problem with it. One thing that bothers me is the directions on the watch, it took a while to understand but I got it down to a science now. all in all it’s great, it does what it’s supose to do.

4 Stars Fine Product and Excellent Service
Polar FS2 Heart Rate Monitor Watch (Black)

I ordered this for my daughter because it’s considered the best. When it arrived, it was defective and the screen was blank. I reported this to Amazon. Immediately, I received a prepaid shipping label to return the defective item. Within three days, I received a replacement, faster than I thought possible. The replacement works PERFECTLY.

I am THRILLED with the outstanding customer service and recommend this product highly.

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Wireless! In addition to all the functions of the RT55, the RT88 features Wireless Transmission, which means easy assembly and no wires to wrap and tuck. And Vetta’s fork mounted transmitter has been engineered to broadcast in a specific pattern and frequency – all but eliminating the chance of any bike-to-bike interference. Current Speed. Average Speed. Maximum Speed. Speed Comparator. Cumulative Odometer. Trip Odometer. 12 / 24 Hour Clock. Ride Timer. Service Timer. Freeze Frame Memory. Dual Display. Wireless Transmission. Auto Start Stop.

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars lucky i got a good price on it
I’ve been using this computer for less than a year and one of the buttons is already falling off . The unit’s response time is slower than the old ones I had in the 90′s. I should have bought another Cateye. That one lasted me a good five years on my old GT.

1 Star Sensor did not work
Putting it on my bike was pretty easy but I couldn’t get the sensor to work. No matter how much I spun my wheel or how close I put the sensors together, the computer wouldn’t register anything.

I sent it back and got a wired computer, which works perfectly

4 Stars Simple and easy to use
I run the RT88 on 3 of my bikes, and have done for several years. I like the simplicity and low price. I have had no problems with reliability. Battery life is good. I’ve ridden centuries and large group rides in many locations in northern California and haven’t had any problems with interference. This unit has everything I need, nothing I don’t, it’s cheap, reliable and easy to use.

I use more sophisticated units such as Cateye double and Polar on the indoor trainer when I want lots of data, but for road use, I found the Vetta is ideal.

1 Star very disappointed
after 15 miles it has malfunctioned. Even with battery changes, realignment, it fails to record any speed or distance. Poor equipment.

5 Stars Solid product
This model is easy to use and pretty accurate. I bought this one to replace the same model that I had for six years but I managed to smash it up pretty good on a rock . Even after that it still worked but the screen and mounting bracket were cracked. Not that flashy but for the price you can’t beat it.

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GARMIN 010-00447-10 EDGE 205 BICYCLE MONITOR WITH GPS

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Good product good price
Simple GPS at an affordable price, so you can track your ride, download it and return if you like. Battery life could be a little longer for those realy long 2 day rides when a charge is not available

4 Stars Good product
Well built and useful for basic ride data. Buy a USB emergency charger for long rides. Watch out for Amazon sellers; at least one (Buy Accessories) is selling refurbished units listed as “new.”

5 Stars My second Gramin Edge
Lost my first one after a couple of years. Good value for the price, although if you want precise elevation–get the 305 and above.

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Garmin Edge 605 & 705 By Garmin

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Overall it is great!
I think this is a great product! It has a wide range of trackable elements and really is a great tool. But, the base maps that it comes with are really poor quality. You will need to buy the Map pack. Make sure you get the DVD of the maps and not the SD. Otherwise, you will not be able to plan routes.

4 Stars Map Detail
As I’ve read in other reviews, the Edge 705 base map is better than the 305 but no where close to what you would expect from an all-in GPS unit. If you want to obtain map detail on your PC and you GPS unit, don’t buy the micro SD card but rather purchase the DVD version. I’ve confirmed from Garmin that if you purchase the DVD version, map detail can be viewed on your PC and the 705. All you need to do is copy the DVD to a micro sd card which you can insert into the unit.

As some of you may have found out, the micro sd card that comes with map detail can not be loaded on your PC which means you won’t see the detail from your rides once you download them to the GTC software. Hope this saves some people money as well as miminizes the frustration.

4 Stars Careful – Amazon Product Description is inaccurrate
The product is great, but the Amazon product description WHAT’S IN THE BOX section clearly states that City Navigator is included. It is not. I confirmed with Garmin that the product # Amazon is shipping (010-00555-30)does not include City Navigator and it will cost you $81.21 to get it on Amazon Garmin Micro Secure Digital North America Map Card. The correct product # is 010-00555-40 or 010-00555-60 (Team Garmin version) – neither available on Amazon as of today.

Other than that, I have been very happy with the 705.

5 Stars All that and a bag of chips
I’ve have several Garmin devices including: Forerunner 201, 205, 305, eTrex, 60sx but the 705 brings it all together in a small package with a looooooong battery life, sensitive GPS (aquires sats inside my garage), bright screen and enough internal memory for Socal maps (great since 2009 version of maps requires more memory), the 705 includes a micro sd slot but it requires a Garmin card, it did not recognize my Kingston or Sandisk micro sd cards; I haven’t used the card slot yet because the internal memory has enough capacity and I’ve loaded most of the southwestern US.

Cadence monitor, speed monitor installed quickly and have worked flawlessly; I have several heart rate chest straps and the HR monitor recognizes all of them.

The kit comes with two attachment straps so you can orient the 705 on the neck of your handle bar or the handle bar.

Every rider takes the occasional spill but my 705 remained securely attached.

Great device, if it had a wrist strap for running (it is smaller than my 201) it would be perfect; it is the envy of my riding group.

4 Stars Almost perfect
I have used my Garmin Edge 705 for about six weeks on road rides and trail hiking. Before I rant, let me say this GPS unit is almost perfect and I do not know a better solution currently on the market. The seamless integration with the GPS, heart rate monitor, mapping software, and speed/cadence monitor are killer.

As previously commented, the first charge took over two days. Garmin can call it whatever they want. If it is a software glitch, issue a patch. Microsoft does it ad nauseum. However, it charges now in a few of hours and has good battery life. (Sorry, I have not run it down for endurance.)

When mounting the speed/cadence monitor on the stay, the tolerance can be extremely tight (-especially on a carbon fiber bike with aerodynamic stays). The installation guide does not really say, nor does it show, and I was being a knuckehead during installation and did not realize that you need to loosen that screw prior to mounting and swing the sensor arm away from the body of the unit. Test the speed sensor for the wheel and the cadence for the crank arm and then tighten everything down.

The handlebar mount is terrible. Why? It lacks mounting options, has a cheap plastic design with a catch latch that does not release well when new and breaks off quickly thereafter, and does not have the ability to create a safety tether from the GPS to the bike or body (-if hiking/running).

Beware! Garmin and Amazon sell a hardcase that they say is for the Edge 705. Hah! I could fit at least four Edges into this hard shell monster. One of the great features of the Edge for off bike use is its compact size. Unfortunately, no dedicated carrier is made that can be body mounted. A wrist mount would be ideal. The mount for the Forerunners cannot be used. The best solution is an Ipod holder with a completely clear and colorless face with a small hole made for the joystick.

Speaking of which, buy a quality screen protector at the time you are buying the Edge or as soon thereafter as possible. Why tempt fate on a unit this expensive for so little expense?

Do spend the money and buy the map card. If you are not traveling around the United States, buy the Topo card instead of the City card. This only works if you live in an area that Garmin has mapped for the cards and they only cover a couple of states per card. I have both types. My Topo card has all the data I need contained on the City card, plus hiking trails, elevation (contour) lines, etc., associated with a Topo map. If I am outside of the California/Nevada area, I’ll pop the City card I also bought back in. There is no “base map” with this unit to speak off. The base map reminds me of my old Garmin 12. You would have to build your own map ahead of time with waypoints and tracks and download it into the unit. If you go off your track, your only reference is your track and waypoints you loaded. Buy the card.

Satellite acquisition is one of the fastest for various GPS units I have had. Accuracy – I would not use it to survey and also pay attention to the degree of accuracy it self reports when I am offroad. But, for most trail riding and road use, it more than meets my needs.

The Garmin Training Center (TC) software and its ability to export to GoogleEarth your ride data is outstanding. The GoggleEarth view creates points (~30 seconds?) along your ride that can pop up and display heart rate, speed, cadence, etc. My huge issue is the lack of ability to export in a normal format. Yes, TC can export into a .tcx file, which is a modified .xml format. This sidesteps Excel’s great import ability and I must manually slog through all the data for each ride that is recorded in that history file. Each of those data collection points (~1/30seconds) creates a data row. All the rides are recorded in that one file. AAHHHHH…

As I started this review, I know this was a rant but I do not know a better GPS unit out there for a cyclist. I would not return mine or trade it for a different model. Now if only the Power recording options were within a reasonable price range…

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