User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Out of Date Technology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: [...].

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.

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 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.

Buy/More Info

Garmin Edge 705 GPS Enabled Cycling Computer Includes Heart Rate Monitor is a post from: Cycling Computers Reviews

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Digifit(TM) Connect communicates with a variety of fitness sensors to enable integration with the iPhone and iPod touch. Digifit Connect collects fitness data from multiple devices and forwards it all to iTMP’s iPhone applications. iTMP’s Digifit Ecosystem allows you to track your health and fitness information. Upload your health and fitness information to TrainingPeaks.com or eNewLeaf.com.
ADDITIONAL HARDWARE REQUIRED www.digifit.me/HW

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars iPhone Digifit Cardio App
I wanted to start with the Cardio App, since I have a Garmin heartbelt, but no foot pod. I downloaded it from the iPhone Apps Store. It is $20 for a year subscription. It was easy to pair the heartbelt with iCardio. Then I launched iCardio and walked around the house. It picked up the heartbelt no problem. So later on, I went for a run. I had not set up my workouts, so I just used Quickstart. It logged heart rate, max rate, average rate, time in zones, and calories burned. When I got back, it was ready with a summary of my workout – and ready to send it to a website – except I didn’t have a website to send it to. I am hoping Digifit will have its website ready soon. I’m going to get a footpod now and upgrade to iRunner.

5 Stars Getting Digifit
I bought the Garmin Heart Rate Monitor and Garmin GSC 10 Speed Cadence Sensor for Edge and Forerunner Series (010-10644-00) to go with my Digifit Connect. Thankfully the speed and cadence were easy to install and pairing was a snap. I am the type of person who likes numbers; I like to see my distance, heart rate, and calories being burned. All these metrics are tracked by my iBiker app and help push and motivate me through my workout. The iBiker app along with the accessories have been instrumental in kick-starting my workout routine for summer. I am glad I made the purchase!

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Digifit Connect Fitness and Health Accessory for iPhone and iPod Touch Compatible With ANT Interoperable Sensors Such as the Garmin Heart Rate Monitor Foot Pod and Bike Speed and Cadence Sensor as Well as the Spinning Star Trac Cadence Sensor and Tanita BC 1000 Weight Scale is a post from: Cycling Computers Reviews

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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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Garmin has really upped the ante on the entire cycling computercategory with it’s new gps-enabled navigator/computer, the 705. This is a true navigational aid with full-color maps and turn-by-turn directions in addition to advanced route-planning and saving capabilities. On top of that, the 705 adds heart rate and cadence monitors, a barometric altimeter, and wireless capability that lets you share routes and workout data with other riders instantly. Sleek and waterproof, with a 2.2-inch color screen that lets you customize what data you see and how you see it, these two devices help make the most of every ride.

The 705 comes in three different models. The basic model comes with a heart-rate monitor. You can also get models that add the speed/cadence sensor.

The Edge 305 Screen (actual size) The larger color screen (actual size) on the Edge 705 shows you your surroundings more clearly and supports real turn-by-turn navigation.

The Power Of Location-Based Data
Anyone who has used Garmin’s original Edge 205 or 305 already understands the power that attaching location data to traditional measurements like distance, speed, time, calories burned, and heart rate can provide. Knowing exactly where you worked hardest, rode fastest (or most slowly) lets you tailor your workouts to improve to improve your riding skills for specific distances, conditions, and types of terrain. It gives a complete picture of how you interact with every portion of your ride.

Altitude is recorded using a barometric altimeter for the Edge 705. This accurate altitude data makes it much easier for cyclists to match their altitude profile with their speed, cadence, and heart rate during post-ride analysis.

A First-Rate Bike Computer
The 705 also track your heart rate, cadence, power (from optional ANT + Sport-enabled third-party power meters), climb and descent. Other nifty features include the following.

• Virtual Partner lets you race a virtual competitor over a specified distance and speed.
• Courses let you race against a previously recorded workout, so you can compare your current and past performances over the same ride.
• Auto Pause pauses the timer when you slow down or stop and resumes when you speed up again, so you can focus on your ride.
• Customizable computer screen shows up to eight different data fields. The user may customize the display for the size and placement of the data.
• Program alerts to sound if the user strays outside the range of speed, heart rate or cadence values. Alerts can also indicate when a set amount of time or distance has passed.
• Auto Lap automatically starts a new lap each time you pass a specified location or travel a preset distance
• Click stick helps users navigate through the various options.

Full-Featured Navigation
No more scratch paper paper-clipped to your handlebars. In addition to their cycling computer functions, The Edge 705 provides the same robust navigation as Garmin’s vehicle navigators, with turn-by-turn spoken directions (turn left in 500 yards) and a 2.2-inch (diagonal) color display that shows maps in great detail.

Buy/More Info

Garmin Edge 705 GPS Enabled Cycling Computer Includes Heart Rate Monitor Speed Cadence Sensor and SD Card With Street Maps 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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GARMIN EDGE 305 COMPUTER HRM GPS CADENCE is a post from: Cycling Computers Reviews

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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

Buy/More Info

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

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Garmin has really upped the ante on the entire cycling computercategory with it’s two new gps-enabled navigator/computers, the 705 and its younger sibling, the 605. These are true navigational aids with full-color maps and turn-by-turn directions in addition to advanced route-planning and saving capabilities. On top of that, the 705 adds heart rate and cadence monitors, a barometric altimeter, and wireless capability that lets you share routes and workout data with other riders instantly. Sleek and waterproof, with a 2.2-inch color screen that lets you customize what data you see and how you see it, these two devices help make the most of every ride.

The 705 comes in three different models. The basic model comes with a heart-rate monitor and a City Navigator street map for U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. You can also get models that add a speed/cadence sensor, and a supplemental map.

The Edge 305 Screen (actual size) The larger color screen (actual size) on the Edge 605 and 705 shows you your surroundings more clearly and supports real turn-by-turn navigation.

The Power Of Location-Based Data
Anyone who has used Garmin’s original Edge 205 or 305 already understands the power that attaching location data to traditional measurements like distance, speed, time, calories burned, and heart rate can provide. Knowing exactly where you worked hardest, rode fastest (or most slowly) lets you tailor your workouts to improve to improve your riding skills for specific distances, conditions, and types of terrain. It gives a complete picture of how you interact with every portion of your ride.

Altitude is recorded using a barometric altimeter for the Edge 705. This accurate altitude data makes it much easier for cyclists to match their altitude profile with their speed, cadence, and heart rate during post-ride analysis. The Edge 605 gives a somewhat less precise altitude measurement via the GPS positioning system itself.

A First-Rate Bike Computer
The Edge 605 automatically measures your speed, distance, time, calories burned and altitude. The 705 also track your heart rate, cadence, power (from optional ANT + Sport-enabled third-party power meters), climb and descent. Other nifty features include the following.

• Virtual Partner lets you race a virtual competitor over a specified distance and speed.
• Courses let you race against a previously recorded workout, so you can compare your current and past performances over the same ride.
• Auto Pause pauses the timer when you slow down or stop and resumes when you speed up again, so you can focus on your ride.
• Customizable computer screen shows up to eight different data fields. The user may customize the display for the size and placement of the data.
• Program alerts to sound if the user strays outside the range of speed, heart rate or cadence values. Alerts can also indicate when a set amount of time or distance has passed.
• Auto Lap automatically starts a new lap each time you pass a specified location or travel a preset distance
• Click stick helps users navigate through the various options.

Full-Featured NavigationNo more scratch paper paper-clipped to your handlebars. In addition to their cycling computer functions, The Edge 705 and 605 provide the same robust navigation as Garmin’s vehicle navigators, with turn-by-turn spoken directions (turn left in 500 yards) and a 2.2-inch (diagonal) color display that shows maps in great detail.

Both devices come pre-loaded with a built-in basemap, and a MicroSD card slot you can use to load new maps or store workout, course and ride data. Garmin has lots of street and topographic maps available for purchase and you can download courses and rides from Garmin or other riders at the Garmin Connect website.

Both feature a high-sensitivity receiver that holds a signal under trees and near tall buildings and have a click stick for easy screen navigation.

Connectivity and “ANT + Sport”
One of Garmin’s most ambitious decisions has been to approach fitness devices as a total platform with their “ANT + Sport” connectivity system. All of Garmin’s new fitness devices, including the Edge 605 and 705, the Forerunner 50 heart rate monitor watches, will interface wirelessly with any devices that are compatible wiht the “ANT + Sport” protocol, including devices from other manufacturers. Currently, Garmin the devices will pair with power meter from SRM or Quarq to measure power – torque and cadence for each leg at the pedals – which is often cited as a true indicator of an efficient ride. It’s unclear what other manufacturers will buy into the ANT + Sport platform, but this kind of open connectivity with products from other companies offers a great deal of potential flexibility.

The wireless function also makes it easy to connect one Edge unit to another to share rides, courses and workout data.

Heart Rate and Cadence Monitors
The Edge 705 heart rate monitor uses a robust wireless technology that eliminates cross-talk and interference and delivers real-time heart rate data exclusively to the user’s device. This data is stored with each track point for post-workout analysis. The Edge 705 with speed/cadence sensor incorporates a self-calibrating, wireless speed/cadence sensor that mounts to the rear chain stay of the bicycle.

Be Part of A Community
In 2007, Garmin acquired Motion-based, the largest shared repository of customer-generated gps-based routes, courses and maps. This was a significant move for Garmin to support the gps user community and bring a wealth of route options to gps users. With a simple connection to your computer, you can join a worldwide network of cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts through Garmin Connect our new, one-stop site for data analysis an sharing.

You can also upload to optional Garmin Training Center software for further analysis. Garmin Training Center stores large quanities of workout and ride data. Some of the things you can do are

• Review your workout data, including pace/speed, distance, time, calories burned; and if available, heart rate, cadence and detailed elevation.
• View a detailed graph of your workout data, plotted over time or distance.
• View a map of your workout that shows the exact path you traveled.
• Categorize your workout history according to type of activity.
• Review previous workouts, which are saved by day and week.
• Create customized workouts with specific goals and rest intervals. Then send them to your fitness device.*
• Schedule workouts for a specific day with calendar.
• Get custom workout templates designed by the experts at TrainingPeaks.com

What’s In The Box
* Edge 705 * One of the options below: o Heart rate monitor or o Heart rate monitor and speed/cadence sensor or o Heart rate monitor, speed/cadence sensor and data card preloaded with City Navigator for U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico street maps (maps on a preloaded data card cannot be copied or viewed on a computer) * Bike mounts * AC charger * USB cable * Owner’s manual on disk * Quick reference guide

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Worth it
The 705 is one of those devices that does many things very well. I was able to connect a PowerTap wheel in no time at all (It took me longer to navigate the Garmin menu than to have the 705 connect to the hub). One reason I really wanted the 705 is to have a device that can handle power, HR, cadence and use multiple intervals in the same workout. I found it very easy to track multiple workouts and also have different targets for each workout. For example during the 1st half of my ride my coach might have be working on cadence based drills then during the second half of my ride work on power or HR based drills. With the 705 I can track all of this in one workout, whereas in other computers I’d have to stop the workout and start another, having 2 different files, averages, etc.

Also being able to customize the screens, track up to 8 measurements per screen, setup multiple bikes. Battery life is good and using a mini-usb cable means I don’t have to travel with a charger all the time (just use the same cables/chargers as my other devices) Memory has been good on the unit as well both for longer and multiple rides plus I can expand the memory with a SD card if need be.

Mapping will come in more handy when traveling but I really don’t need maps around when in my hometown. Although being able to upload my ride to www.mapmyride.com is great to review a course, see a profile and mark points on a map. I still think the included Garmin maps and waypoint manager are ugly (compared to Google maps), difficult to setup a route (MapMyRide.com is so much easier to setup routes) so I think it’s ridiculous to have Garmin charge extra for their maps where there are solutions like MapMyRide.com that do it better for far less money or even free. Plus with MapMyRide or Google their maps are updated more often than Garmin.

Aside from the high initial price and extra cost of the maps the last downside is the Garmin Training Center software, frankly the software sucks in my opinion and this is the weakest link to the package. So I’m using TrainingPeaks WKO+ (http://trainingpeaks.com/) to track my workouts.

5 Stars The (nearly) everything bike computor
The Garmin Edge 705 has two basic functions;

1) to provide you with data while you ride.

2) to store data and allow you to analyze it later on a computer.

It is nearly perfect for displaying data while you ride. The screens are easily customizable to display up to 8 pieces of ride data simultaneously such as current, average, or maximum speed, cadence, heart rate, and power (providing you purchase and install a compatible power measuring device separately. The Edge 705 provides no power data without one). It can also display things such as calories burned, heading, altitude, and current grade. The map screen is customizable to display the map only or map combined with ride data. It’s very flexible and it legible day or night thanks to the backlighting. Wearing sunglasses detracts from the readability, but I’ve alway been able to read the screen easily. My only complaint is that when you are browsing the map screen the lesser roads disappear from the map screen when you zoom out, and only the main roads are displayed. This makes the maps a little difficult to use because he have to remained zoomed in to read the street names translates to a lot of screen scrolling. I can understand the limitation however because I think the Edge 705 would need a higher resolution screen alleviate this, which would be awesome, but add to the cost of an already pricey item.

When it comes to storing and analyzing the ride data the Edge 705 collects, it is both good and bad. The Edge 705 can store a lot of data and I have yet to delete anything in the 200+ miles I put on with it. The only thing the Edge 705 doesn’t store is grade. It will display current grade while you ride, but it does not store that data in any way. No maximum grade, no average grade, and no way to view the grade of the hills you climbed via software. The only way to get grade information is to look down at the screen while your riding. When you plug the Edge 705 into a computer it is effortless to get data transfered using the Garmin Training Center software. Your ride data will be displayed in both spreadsheet and graph format and you can export the data should you want to. Unfortunately, you can not really interact with your ride data with the Garmin Training Center software in a meaningful way, it’s just static what-you-see-is-what-you-get. Overall I am underwhelmed with it.

The Garmin Connect website is a different story altogether. The Garmin Connect website can also easily grab data from you Edge and display it via your web browser, but in a much more useful manner than the Garmin Training Center software. You can interact with the maps and the charts to see where on your ride you where when different events happened simply by clicking on the chart or on your route. You can also “play” back your ride using the Player, which is very slick. The ride route is laid over an interactive Google Maps view, which is also way better than the Garmin Training Center. The website lets you name your rides, add a description or comment to your rides, and you can share you ride data for other to view. You can not do any of those things with the Garmin Training Center software. The Garmin Connect website is a real selling point for the Edge 705 and I strongly suggest you visit the Garmin Connect website (you can google it), click on the “explore” tab and view some of the data shared there. As a note, your can make all or just particular rides private, so you can still use the site for yourself and not have others view your data. It’s your option. Just keep in mind that the website in much much better than the Garmin Training Center software.

I have no complaints about the mounting bracket (which I have mounted to my stem), however I don’t know if it would survive a hard crash (and hopefully I’ll never find out). By mounting the 705 to my stem, I don’t experience the rotation problem other mention from mounting it to the handlebars.

The speed/cadence sensor has to be mounted VERY close to the wheel and the pedal. On my Trek, the chain stay is oddly shaped and the sensor seems to mount a little precariously because of that, but I have not had a problem yet .

The speed/cadence sensor and heart rate monitor have always been automatically detected by the 705 and worked as expected.

The battery lasts a long time, even with backlighting on. The longest I’ve had it on is 4 hours. I believe that under normal use the 705 will last over 10 hours, but I have not actually tried it.

I don’t think that the odometer reading is inclusive. It only counts the miles you ride while the timer is running. If you ride 10 miles before you hit the start button, those 10 miles wont show up on the odometer for the bike, which is a shame. I’d like to know how many miles are on my bike regardless of whether I recording it or not. What other purpose does the odometer serve?

All-in-all I love the Edge 705. It has exceeded my expectations.

5 Stars Wife really likes it
My wife really likes this. She wouldn’t let me install the cadence device though…. She didn’t want to change the appearance of her bike. SHe downloads the info to her computer and keeps track of all her rides. Began with a PC but recently transferred everything to her Mac, now that Garmin discovered that Macs exist…. About the same time that PC users discovered that Vista PCs are shi……… If you use Vista, you should be aware that Garmin has the same software for Macs now. Get it. You won’t be sorry

2 Stars A cool gadget but beware of shabby software
As a bike computer, it works kind of OK.

It displays two screens of data, each screen can be custom configured to show up to 8 fields. For those 16 fields (8 + you get to chose which data item to display and the list is impressively long – speed, average speed, average speed per lap, max speed, cadence, altitude, etc, etc. 49 total. So how do you fit 49 data items into 16 fields to be displayed on the screen? Well, you can’t. There is no way to cycle or scroll through the data. So you’ll never be able to see any of the remaining 33 data items. Not unless you go into setup and reconfigure the display to show a different set of 16 items. Totally lame.

As for the display itself, numbers could be bigger and/or more legible, the font is horrible. Example: on my first ride I was trying to read my speed and saw “195.” What the heck is that number? Then I understood, it was “19.5 mph.” The 1/10 digit is the same size as the other digits (on a good bike computer it would be smaller) and the dot is hard to see while riding a bike.

Goddess forbid I wanted to read my power or cadence or whatever while riding at 30 mph in a tight bunch of racers banging elbows with each other. The display could be much more legible (for instance by making use of colors). In comparison my Powertap computer looks primitive but does a much better job displaying the numbers I want to see. The Powertap aside for it is an expensive device, there are cycling computers that cost 1/15th of the 705′s price but execute basic cyclocomputer functions much better.

As a GPS the Edge 705 falls flat on its face.

Sure it’ll do basic GPS functions, like navigate you to a destination. It’s even intelligent enough not to send you on an interstate on your bike. But finding a destination point is challenging unless you know the exact address. Trying to find a point on the map is, if perhaps not quite hopeless, certainly tedious. The screen is small and the map is rendered pathetically ugly and stupidly unreadable. As for zooming and scrolling, it is painfully slow. Calculating a route takes an age. Arm yourself with ample patience and goodwill when operating this thing, it looks and feels like a GPS from the stone age. Something as basic as orienting the map north or according to your direction of travel requires that you go into setup – there is no quick and easy way to do it.

As for trying to program a custom ride into this unit (a cue sheet) and have it give me turn by turn directions, it has been a total fiasco for the first 12 hours of trying (the route would look fine in whatever mapping software I was using but once in the Garmin it would inexplicably become a succession of U-turns)… until I got advice online to try Bike Route Toaster. That actually worked pretty well on paper. Why on earth couldn’t Garmin provide such a tool to those that have paid quite a bit of money to buy one of their products? Oh, I get it! They want you to use MapSource which requires the purchase of City Navigator on DVD at an extra expense of $100 or so (even tho the Edge 705 model you just bought comes with City Navigator on a micro SD card). Brilliant.

So how does it work on the road? So and so. It’s prone to recalculating your route which would not be a problem if it did it promptly. But it doesn’t – it can take minutes. Or it’ll simply crash (sometimes repeatedly) and you have to reboot it. And if while it was taking all its time recalculating the route you have been riding in a direction it didn’t want you to ride, then it will start recalculating all over again. As for following a route (a cue sheet you have programmed), it just doesn’t seem to work all that well more often than not. But you can just display the course on the map and do your own navigation without depending on the Edge to tell you where to turn. That actually works much better… but after loading a dozen routes my device consistently crashes 100% of the time. Why can’t this device actually work and give you accurate turn by turn directions I’ll never understand?

In a pinch you can also use your Edge 705 in a car and it does have a routing profile just for that purpose (it won’t avoid highways as in bike mode). But inexplicably Garmin has failed to include a simple suction cup attachment so I’m not exactly sure how you are supposed to use it in a car other than holding it in your lap. Stupid.

As a power meter… well I’d rather not try. The Edge 705 is ANT+Sport compatible and can be paired to a power meter – for instance a new or upgraded Powertap hub. But here again the Edge is far from perfect. To begin with, it’ll record your power data (or any other data for that matter – location, speed, etc) only if you have started the timer. In addition, at the recording interval of 1 second (which is what you need in order to get meaningful data for WKO+), it’ll record for only 4.5 hours. Finally, it’ll apply some custom algorithm to the data it saves so when you import it into WKO+ you will not get accurate numbers. So I’ve decided to save myself $100 on upgrading my Powertap hub to ANT+Sport standard and I’ll just keep the Powertap computer on my handlebars because the Edge 705 is not a viable replacement.

So far I have mixed feelings about the Edge 705. Sure it’s a cool gadget and having a GPS on your handlebars is fantastic (I don’t have a car so finding places on my bike is important to me). But Garmin could learn how to do software better because what they have delivered miserably fails to match the potentials of this unit and crashes all the time to boot. The only people that could possibly give this unit a 5-star rating are those that haven’t tried to use any of the more advanced features.

As for the so-called “owner’s manual”, it completely fails to document the majority of this unit’s features leaving you totally bemused. Tech support is equally useless in my experience – after I complained about a couple of issues, they declared my unit “defective” and sent me a replacement one with the exact same problems. How smart is that? BTW, as I later found out, the unit was not defective, the software was. And still is.

So, simply stated, the biggest problem of the Edge 705 is that it is a niche product without any competition whatsoever so Garmin can get away with delivering inferior software that hasn’t even been debugged. I can only wish Apple would come out with an iBike GPS and teach them how it’s done.

If you don’t need a bike computer with GPS functionality right this very instant, you would be much better off waiting for a more mature product to come along. Otherwise you have no choice but the buy the Edge 705.

Verdict: 2 stars out of 5, ample room for substantial improvements. Any device whose users go to online forums to compile long lists of issues and bugs is a device that should be avoided if anyhow possible.

4 Stars Amazon’s deceptive pricing
I’ve been researching this product for personal purchase for a while. Amazon says the List price is $709 for the bundle (The -40), but on Garmin’s website they list the MSRP as $649.

Edge 705, Heart Rate, Speed/Cadence & Data Card with Street Maps 010-00555-40 $ 649.99 USD

Check out Garmin’s website before thinking you are going to save any money on this item at Amazon. I’ve found it cheaper elsewhere and won’t be buying it here.

Buy/More Info

Garmin 010 00555 40 Edge 705 Bicycle Computer and GPS Navigator Includes Heart Rate Monitor Speed Cadence Sensor and SD Card With Street Maps is a post from: Cycling Computers Reviews

A post from: Projectors for Home Theater

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.

Buy/More Info

Polar FS2 Heart Rate Monitor Watch is a post from: Cycling Computers Reviews

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Monitor the intensity of your workouts using Polar”s Sport Zone program and create personalized training sessions using the Interval Trainer. Event Countdown Timer counts down the days to your next running event so you stay motivated. Download your stats to the Polar Running Coach Web Service for complete analysis.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars great watch
I’ve had my watch for about a month now and I love it. I had a little trouble getting my personal sport zones in it because this is my first watch but my trainer was able to do it without a problem. In fact, the trainer liked it so much that the gym is now planning to sell this watch. The rest of the set up was very easy. I love that I can personalize it to display the info that I want to keep track of during my workout. I would definately recommend this watch.

5 Stars run for your life.
this product allows you to accurately measure your heart rate and is great for receiving quick, needed, health advice.

5 Stars A lot of information, but not complicated
This watch is working very well for me. I really like looking at my statistics after a workout. There is a lot of information available through this watch, but it is not complicated to understand or navigate. I wish that Polar offered a female-sized version of this watch; it’s a bit chunky for a female wrist.

1 Star RS200 is Fine – Avoid the Footpod
I’ve found that the watch and heart rate strap works well although you’ll struggle with the learning curve and the extremely poor manual. At all costs, avoid the foot pod. I bought this to track my pace while running and found it was initially very inaccurate (off by 25% or more) and after a few runs it stopped working altogether.

1 Star Dont buy it.
Let see.

Shipped with a dead battery.

Put in a new battery. Sucked it dry in a week.

AlsoPlease note that I have read the directions:

Top left button is useless. Should illuminate. Never worked.

GUI. aka Interface is all over the place. You get to a section and it wont let you back out. Mine has been stuck in stopwatch mode for a week now. It has taken 48 separate time splits without my asking it to.

I hate my watch. Im ready to throw it out if it wasnt so dam expensive. Thanks for nothing Polar.

Buy/More Info

Polar RS200 Running Computer Heart Rate Monitor is a post from: Cycling Computers Reviews

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