Garmin Edge 500 GPS Bicycle Unit

Garmin Edge 500 Bicycle GPS Unit / Cycling Computer.
Garmin Edge 500 Cycling Computers. Sharpen your cycling performance with Edge 500, a lightweight GPS-based cycling computer for performance-driven cyclists. Loaded with data, Edge 500 tracks your distance, speed, location and elevation with high sensitivity GPS.
Heart Rate: Optional.
GPS-Enabled: Included.
Cadence: Optiona.l
Wireless: Yes.
Color: Gray.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Just what I expected
The Garmin Edge 500 is just what I expected it to be. I think it was the most anticipated GPS/cycle computer from Garmin. It’s small and pretty does the all the things (and some more) that you expect a cycle computer to do. To begin with the size of the computer was a little larger that what I expected it to be, but having said that, it fits perfectly fine on my handle bar stem and note I have a short stem (80 mm). I did my first ride with it a while ago and it was pretty much ready to go from the box it arrived it in. It did not have any difficulties acquiring sattelites, and easily paired with the Garmin Heart Rate monitor and the Bontrager Duotrap cadence/speed sensor. Did not see any drops in signal during my ride, something that I would see with the previous Garmin that I had. You have three screens which you can 8 fields of data per screen. So you can monitor 24 data sets real time during your ride. There are far more options than I can list here, just to keep it short it’s a plenty.
I personally am upgrading from a Forerunner 50 and I think this is just great! I think that everyone will be pleasantly surprised by the capabilities of this device except for the Edge 705 owners who will feel it is a downgrade for the lack of maps (which it is).
5 Stars Garmin Afficianado. This does not disappoint.
I was looking for a reliable, water resistant, bike computer that has no wires and actually works. I have used a variety of wireless units in the past with mixed results. I bought two of these to put on a new, high-end, tandem. We didn’t want wires hanging on the bike. The functionality of a GPS can be difficult for many. I understand that. If you want maps and route guidance and such, you might want the 605 or 705. I have some experience with the Garmin screen technology on those units. I cannot see the screen well enough. For me the software is intuitive, but I hate to say it will be easy for anyone else. I have been using hand held and automotive GPS units for years. This is just another evolution. In the end this one is the right size and gives me the features I want. I got the one without the cadence sensor and without the heartrate. I just need a few basic functions. This one does it without too much bulk.
4 Stars Pricey, But Works Well With Small Footprint
This unit is remarkably small and performs as advertised. I like the ability to customize the fields which the unit displays. It has 3 “pages” that you can scroll thru while biking with all kinds of cool info such as speed, max speed, avg speed, vertical climb rate, temperature, heart rate, calories burned…just about anything you could possibly want to track.
You can download software updates and upload data to track ride history. Neat feature.
This unit is NOT a car-type navi system, however, with maps and turn-by-turn directions.
On the negative side, wazzup with the price? Seems overpriced to me. $149 – $199 would be more in line with other electronics of similar technology innovation.
Also, the buttons are on the side of the unit, not the top, which makes pushing them a bit awkward while biking. As other reviews stated, the logic in programming the unit is a bit obtuse and complex. Why not be able to program the unit via Garmin’s website using simple point and clicks?
5 stars, but price and programming cost this model 1 star.
5 Stars The Perfect Bicycle Computer
This little GPS system takes all the best elements of a bicycle computer and puts it into one small, easy-to-use device. It’s basically ready to go once you get it out of the box and put it on your handle bars, and it being a GPS system is much more accurate than any bicycle computer. Plus it allows you to use garminconnect where you can store all your data and previous routes and rides, as well as see your routes on google earth. This is an excellent way to analyze your progress and reach higher goals since you can set goals on the website where it’ll give you a percentage of your goals completed.
Any information you would like to know while on your ride is equipped on this device (traveling time, distance, time of day, speed, average speed, cadence, HR, elevation, percent grade, temperature, calories, elevation gained, elevation lost, vertical climb speed, and a couple dozen more), and it’s fully customizable to allow you to place on the screen what information you want to see during your ride. This is what bicycle computers were supposed to be like all along.
5 Stars review
Great Product!
Instructions leave a lot to be desired for novice computer people. Very unclear instructions about downloading data to computer and which program is best to use. . vague at best and inadequate at worst.
Thanks
gary Johnson
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