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Submitted by
Paul
a Racer
from Burnsville, MN
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Murphy Hanhrehan | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | Solid build, accurate, host of features | | Weaknesses: | It would be nice to have a replaceable battery for those multi-day trips where a charger isn't available. | | Similar Products Used: | All sorts of bike computers | | Bike Setup: | Kona Kula, all XT components, RS Judy | | Bottom Line: | This may be one of the best purchases I've made! The Garmin Edge 305 puts all kinds of fun and a boatload of stats into your biking. Being able to track your routes, record speeds, ascents & descents, heart rate, averages, and weather (via motionbased.com) is awesome! The "race yourself" feature is very cool and if you use motionbased.com (soon to be GarminConnect) you can download someone else's performance on a trail and then ride 'virtually' against them!
Those that have lamented the lack of true GPS features obviously didn't do their homework before buying. This unit isn't meant to that. It has simple tracking, heading info, and waypoint data but the real GPS power comes when tracking your route, mileage, speed, etc. This is a huge benefit if your a multi-sport person. I can use this biking and then slip it in my armband for hiking, running, canoing, etc.
If you absolutely have to have mapping like auto GPS units then spend the extra $200 for the 705. If not, the 305 is the ultimate training tool. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ray Smith
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson, AZ, USA
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | any trail, anywyere | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Strengths: | Easy to use. Records tons of data. Very accurate sensor. Fast acuisition. Vista Friendly (and that's saying something) | | Weaknesses: | Garmin Training Center (That horse has been suficiently flogged,so I'll just leave it at that) | | Similar Products Used: | most of them | | Bike Setup: | A bike...with a garmin 305 stuck to the front. | | Bottom Line: | I think it's important to remember that this is not a navigation device, or a tool for geocaching. As it says on the package, "GPS enabled bike computer" (or something basically like that) With that it mind, I think it does it's intended duties quite well.
There are a couple of issues that I have, but they aren't so much this GPS as much something inherent to GPS rcvrs in general. For one, distance accuracy will always be slightly less with the GPS than with the wireless speed sensor for one simple reason: The GPS makes a series of a bazillion track points, then measures the distance between the points. Over a good distance, curves in the trail become are transformed into a series of straight lines. The longer the ride, the greater the inaccuracy. It's just a fact of the GPS.
Elevation change is another one. Even the best GPS rcvrs aren't perfect in the 3rd demension. The barametric altemeter helps, but that data is not recorded with the track points. You'll notice that the total ascent in the device will be different from what ends up on your computer screen.
Overall, this a great training tool, especially when comparing one ride to another. As meantioned below, it helps me get out and ride more just because I love piling up the data. (whatever it takes to get out there)
Oh, and for those below that want to get their history uploaded to a different GPS rcvr, you can convert your history in Garmin's Motion Based websiet, or at www.gpsvisualizer.com
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakland, CA
Date Reviewed: September 18, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Camp Tamarancho | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | Received as a gift | | Strengths: | This has been the most troublefree computer I have had. Setup was easy, I did not have any difficulty with the cadence/speed transmitter. In fact the LED on the transmitter itself removed the guess work on the relationship between the sensor(s) and magnet(s). Based on my experience, if you get the LEDS to flash, you are going to get signal and info. Also, the heart rate monitor has been the most reliable of the ones I have used. Even when riding next to electric train tracks as wellas other areas with lots of EMF I get good readings The GPS is quite accurate and solid. It's important to not move while acquiring sattelites locations, but once you get a lock you're happy. I usualy mount it on the bike and turn it on in my garage as I'm getting ready and by the time I'm on the bike the unit's ready to go. I only had problems in truly dense forest/trails and that was momentary. Also you CAN share routes with others users using any basic GPS conversion tool that supports Garmin Courses (crs files). MapMyRide.com seems to work well. I've created rides online and downloaded them to the Edge without a problem. I haven't had a problem with battery life, although I haven't tried using it all day. After a four hour bike ride, I had 80% power left according to the meter. How that changes as you get closer to an empty tank I do not know. But so far so good and it charges rather quickly.
Setting up the interface is pretty cool. You can have two pages on info, each with eight data fields. Garmin does provide you with a variety of data which you can monitor in those fields (e.g. speed,average speed, heart rate, heading, time of day, distance, cadence, and more). There is no power reading however, so if that's important I would look elsewhere or you will have to use another device. Compass function is cool. Punch in a waypoint/marker or course and the compass mode will be available and you can see if you're going in the right direction. Overall a great training tool to help record your ride and help you make improvements. The virtual partner is cool. It's a neat tool that allows real time comparison of a ride (or course as Garmin says). | | Weaknesses: | The provided Training Center software is a bare bones application. I'm using 3rd party software to accomplish things that should have been included in the training center. Cyclingpeaks is pretty good as is the previously mention MapMyRide website. But it is obvious that the Training Center software is not a major concern to Garmin, it's just too primative of an app. I have not had any problems with TC working. It just is not very powerful. | | Similar Products Used: | DeLorme Blue Logger GPS logger, Cateye and Cyclosport computers | | Bike Setup: | SC Blur | | Bottom Line: | It helps to think of this as a GPS enabled cycling computer, not GPS for your bike. There is no turn-by-turn directions, no pretty colored screen to show you "YOU ARE HERE" or where the nearest Starbucks is (unless you program it to). It helps you to monitor (in real time) and critique (view the logs later) your rides. It's a good training tool. I do find it does inspires me to go out and ride and to find new courses and to beat the ones I've done before. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
R M
a
from North Van
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Lick Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | - Data logging
- most sensetive GPS recevier I have used (though it needs 4 satellites to lock)
- Wireless cadence and speed sensor works well (on road bikes)
- Training features
- customizable screens
- basic, basic GPS features can help in a pinch
- don't need to use wheel sensor
- computer works well with GPS disabled | | Weaknesses: | - wheel an cadence sensor is really only designed to work on road bikes
- GPS functionality is extremely limited. Can't upload tracks. Only shows a portion of your current track. Only displays lat and long when creating waypoints, and doesn't have any other datums or grids (i.e. UTM)
- Typical cycling computer functions work better with the GPS turned off
- GPS speed is very unreliable, and unit will override wheel sensor in favour of GPS, unless the GPS is disabled.
- even through there is a wheel sensor, uses GPS data to calculate speed, which can be unreliable
- General Garmin satellite locking quirkyness (these exist with every Garmin GPS I've used over the past 10 years) where the unit will not lock at all. Usually requires a re-start, or to be left out for an hour or so to sort things out. Good example is that last night I went out for a off-road ride. There was bad satellite coverage, so the unit would not lock, even after several minutes. Oh well. Went for a ride with it running, but it never did lock. Today I rode to work on the ride. The unit had 7 satellites locked, but could not get a position. I wouldn't usually care, as on the road bike I have the wheel sensor which will at least give me basic speed and distance. However, today the GPS was overiding the speed sensor, and it wouldn't work. Eventually I just disabled the GPS and things worked fine. I'll just leave the unit sitting still for an hour or so today, and it should be able to sort it out. Had similar issues where the altitude got 'stuck' and had to just be patient.
- Very, very weak GPS features. Virtually useless for navigation.
| | Similar Products Used: | Garmin 12XL, GPS II+, 60CS. Sachs, Cateye, Vetta, and Sigma computers. | | Bike Setup: | Which one? I use this thing on my road bike, DH bike and XC bike. | | Bottom Line: | I had bought this unit, hoping to be able to use it for more than riding, as it is so nice and small to carry. I've has a number of Garmin GPS's (12XL, II+, and 60CS). Unfortunately, the navigation features of even the most basic GPS are missing (partial display of tracks, no coordinate display, no heading display). It has a very good receiver, but even that is an issue in heavy tree cover, or with poor coverage at certain times per day. I thought the wheel sensor would help, but it seems that even with sketchy reception, the unit overrides the wheel sensor, resulting in speed readings that jump around.
I typically recommend to anyone that asks that they not buy one of these. You're better off getting a descent GPS and a cheap computer. When I travel off-road where navigation and map reading is required, then I carry a 60CS to use for that. The only reason to buy the garmin is if you are interested in the data logging or training features, both of which are very good.
The bottom line is that Garmin has created a GPS cycling computer that not a great cycling computer, and a pretty poor GPS. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rod
a Racer
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 19, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | gpscity | | Strengths: | Huge amount of info recorded. | | Weaknesses: | Durability? | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bottom Line: | This thing is so cool, when it works. 1st unit sent to me didn't work. I sent it back at my cost and got a replacement. It worked well for about 4 months before I started having problems. Garbled info and the unit kept turning off by itself several times during the ride. I sent it ibn for repair, again at my cost. I have been without it now for over 4 weeks and the Garmin Canada repair center has no idea when I'll get a replacement. I have contacted Garmin headquarters and they are working on a solution for me.
LOTS OF FUN----when it works and if you can get it fixed. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Weekend Warrior
from Spangdahlem AB, Germany
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | "F" Trail at Rodalben | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Strengths: | Records everything that you want or need to monitor your workouts. I think it even makes coffee. | | Weaknesses: | Cant load tracks into a GPS. Ziptie system used to secure cadence sensor is not too smart. Training Center Software can be figity and Garmins Customer service is crap. | | Bike Setup: | 07 Kona Caldera | | Bottom Line: | It started out OK with the exception of 2 things. 1. The cadence sensor came with a weak battery and I had to replace it. (I read that on amazon so I wasnt surprised and expected that) 2. You cant transfer your tracks to your regular handheld GPS. I was really hoping to build a database for all of my cycling friends to use after I roll back to the states without leaving my Edge behind. I've used it over the last 2-3 months and it's worked good. I've had some problems here lately with the Training Center (TC) software. I've updated all of the software for the unit itself, the USB drivers and the TC software itself and it worked fine for about a month. A week and a half ago I went to start up TC adn I got an error window. It gives instructions as to how to inform Garmin of this problem so they can help. I copied the info to an email and sent it off to garmin with no response. So I sent them the info from the error window again and still no reply. So i called them directly and got someone from their software dept to try and help me. The gentleman asked me to email the info directly to him and he'd look at it to get it fixed. (pretty nice of them right)(Heres where it gets good) The guy gives me his email address and we double check and triple check it to make sure it's the right email address. I emailed the info to the guy and 5 minutes after hitting the send button, it get the failed delivery email from Garmin's server. This email addy doesnt exist in so many words it says. I sent it out again and the same thing. I checked the spelling with how the guy told me it was spelled. Still the same thing about 4-5 times. I called garmin back and asked to be transferred to this guy and I got his machine and left a message for him to email me. Nothing yet. I'm not pleased with their customer service support at all. In fact I'm pretty livid about it. Maybe I'm expecting a bit too much but I paid $300+ for this thing and it should work properly and their customer service should be much better than what I'm getting. The unit itself is a good piece and it records everything you need. But with the dead battery, lack of transfer to GPS ability, the zip ties that break real easy and could leave the cadence sensor along the trail if you dont really pay attention to it everytime you stop for water and the absolutly pathetic customer srvice, I have to give it only 2 chilis. Without their customer service, the software doesnt work. Without the software you cant save any of your workout data. With being able to save your work out data, all you have is an expensive heart rate monitor that cant even tell you your GPS co-ordinates. Sorry Garmin, pull your act together. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick Fragedakis
a Weekend Warrior
from Raleigh, NC USA
Date Reviewed: June 16, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | New Light | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$225.00 | | Purchased At: | EBAY | | Strengths: | Awesome training tool. Records just about anything you could want. Easy to set up. Garmin site is useful for software updates. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. Others say the battery life isn't good enough but I'm not doing any 24 hour races and if I'm biking more than 10 hours the last thing I'm concerned with is battery life. I'm not that hardcore yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Cateye, Polar, Specialized computers | | Bike Setup: | 07 Trek Fuel EX-8 stock | | Bottom Line: | If your getting a little bored with the same old trails or are always wondering how long you rode for and how many calories you burned, top speed, elevation climbed, or just get lost in the woods this little gadget will get you excited all over again. Oh yea, the virtual trainer is bad a$$. I love trying to beat my best times when I'm out on the trails I've been riding for a while now. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
LegendaryMrDude
a Weekend Warrior
from Ldondon, UK
Date Reviewed: April 29, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$450.00 | | Purchased At: | www.wiggle.co.uk | | Strengths: | Compact unit, waterproof, shock proof, hugely configurable, captures tonnes of data, comfy heart monitor strap, reaosnable software | | Weaknesses: | Battery life, Cadence sensor can be fussy and tough to fit | | Similar Products Used: | Bike comps from Cateye, Polar | | Bike Setup: | Trek Fuel EX8, Giant XTC850, Giant TCR Team | | Bottom Line: | The Garmin Edge is the biggest motivational boost I've had in a long while. Provided you buy the heart-rate + cadence pack, it will record just about every aspect of your bike ride (the only real missing being power). Downloaded into the supplied training centre software you can see your speed, pace, heart rate, cadence, gradient and compare the values to historic performances. The unit itself is simple to use, sensible layout of the buttons means it's easy to operate while riding. The customisable readout means you can have whatever information you want on show. The trail display is great for finding your way back to the car park and individual waypoints can be marked for future reference. You can even race against your previous best times while out on the trail. The battery in the main unit lasts between 6 - 10 hours and there's enough memory that it should be able to track a full 5 - 6 hour ride.
On the down-side, the cadence sensor eats through CR-2032 batteries and the magnet needed for the crankarm might not fit if you've got cranks with a hollowed out back. Additionally, I take this between bikes, each having their own cadence sensor fitted and it doesn't like changing... can be a bit fussy to pick up a new cadence sensor.
Overall, if you're serious about improving your performance on a bike, this is a GREAT tool. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
william cordero
a Cross Country Rider
from santa cruz, bolivia
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | good combination of heart rate monitor and gps | | Weaknesses: | low battery life (about 10 hrs in warm weather), weak cadence monitor (bad location exposed to mud and water), not possible to upload trackings into GPS | | Similar Products Used: | garmin 12xl, garmin vista, polar | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS carbon | | Bottom Line: | prices has come down, GPS use is limited, there are better GPS possibilities with other garmin models like the VISTA. Heart rate monitor works fine. Dont buy the cadence monitor if you ride in rough conditions (water, mud, crossing creeks, etc) it just dont last.
Had some problems with my original unit and was replaced by Garmin. Garmin warranty is very good | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
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