Garmin Edge 705 GPS-Enabled Cycling Computer (Includes Heart Rate Monitor, Speed/Cadence Sensor, and SD Card with Street Maps)

by Garmin

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2 x 4.3 x 1 inches ; 14.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000VRHPS2
• Item model number: Edge 705 Bundle
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,814 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 1, 2001

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description (9/5/2007)

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.

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 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 gps-enabled cycling computer, heart rate monitor, speed/cadence sensor, City Navigator for U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico street map, bike mounts, AC charger, USB cable, Owner's manual on CD-ROM, Quick reference guide.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

104 of 109 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Device, Beware of Hidden Map Costs, April 4, 2008

By 

Webster - See all my reviews

This review is from: Garmin Edge 705 GPS-Enabled Cycling Computer (Includes Heart Rate Monitor, Speed/Cadence Sensor, and SD Card with Street Maps) (Electronics)

I've had my 705 for about 3 weeks and have used it on over 400 miles of bike training. It's a great bike computer - very easy to setup, lots of data available, but only the data you decide to have on each screen. The GPS and in-unit maps are great. Installation is also easy since the sensor is wireless.

The Garmin Training Center software (Windows version in my case) is okay, but appears to have only basic integration with the 705 so far. GTC is a separate, but free, download from the Garmin site. Hopefully future versions will provide more/better 705 integration.

Something to watch out for as it isn't mentioned in the 705 docs or on the Garmin site, if you buy the 705 with the map card, those detailed maps will only be available in the 705, not in GTC. If you want detailed maps in GTC, you have to buy a PC/Mac version of the very same maps you have on the 705. That's another $100-130 on top of the $600-700 you just spent on the 705. Why? Ask Garmin.

109 of 117 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great unit, some flaws, April 16, 2008

By 

Danbucks "-DC" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Garmin Edge 705 GPS-Enabled Cycling Computer (Includes Heart Rate Monitor, Speed/Cadence Sensor, and SD Card with Street Maps) (Electronics)

Rating is more like 3.5 stars:
It is an expensive unit, but there's not much on the market that has so many features. Most early adopters will have fun playing with this device.
It is remarkably light given the number of features - in fact, it is as light as my small previous computer, given its cadence sensor was wired (wire weight adds up quickly).

First, the positives:
-installation on Mac OS X was flawless - the SW has some major issues (below),
-device setup (both HW and profiles) was trivial
-customizable screens on a LOT of data.

The negatives
-I doubt (no trials yet) the battery will last 15 hours with the backlight on, even for brief moments. I think Garmin knows this, which may be why the unit will not remember your backlight % strength setting: it will drop to 0% each and every time you sync the unit
-The screen is all but unreadable without the backlight at 100%, and, even then, is hard to read, in a common case: when the device itself is in shadow (your own, cast over it from riding on the hoods of a road bike), but full sun is out (presumably the rider is wearing sunglasses)
-The mounting bracket is the weakest I've seen in a long time. There's a huge amount of play between the unit and the mount - and it's all plastic, with a single tiny plastic "foot" that keeps the unit from flying off - so: at least on my road bike, it rattles quite loudly on occasion (on pavement). The mount itself will quickly starting rotating around the handlebar (horizontal mount) unless you carefully place your own compression in the right places by the cheap plastic ties included.
-There's no temperature reading. This is quite strange, given the unit is feature rich, and the barometer should be temperature compensated.
-As the prior reviewer commented, the prebundled street maps are unviewable in Garmin Training Center. Since this is where you would add course notes (I am not sure of their purpose: they don't appear on the unit as far as I can tell), where detail matters, it makes course notes - and all the map viewing - really weak, as far as I can tell. On OS X, there is not option to overlay on Google Earth (presumably Windows users can).
-Even though it's somewhat pointless due to lack of accuracy, there's no estimated power. One must purchase ANT+sport enabled power units separately. The current list are good ones, but they are very expensive.
-SW has a few bugs here and there, especially GTC, and Garmin Connect ... even a few on the unit. I am sure these will be fixed in several months or so.

[Update: Garmin must receive a major demerit for their ability to manage software. Over the course of a year, they've fixed only a small fraction of the SW bugs on the unit and in GTC, and, in once case, introduced a new major flaw (the entire left hand pane of GTC wouldn't update), and took over 4 months to repair it. Ironically, the only fix in this update was this bug they introduced. This unit still has several very annoying SW flaws, a year+ into its release. The good news is, I suppose, none of them fatal - those have been fixed]

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant bicyling companion, August 24, 2008

By 

Jeff (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Garmin Edge 705 GPS-Enabled Cycling Computer (Includes Heart Rate Monitor, Speed/Cadence Sensor, and SD Card with Street Maps) (Electronics)

I read all these reviews before I bought my Edge 705. The device has exceeded all my expectations, and has added a new dimension to my bike rides. It's the most sensitive GPS i've ever used - it "sees" satellites even when indoors. I also find it to be very accurate, the speed is always close to my Cateye bike computer, which i haven't removed yet.

One bike-specific feature that no one else seems to have mentioned is the actual routes the 705 gives you. If you punch in a "go to" address, it will provide directions using back roads and side streets - instead of the usual highways and major roads. Especially great in urban areas. The only caveat is that "rail trails" don't seem to be part of the database.

Danbucks "-DC" - you just need to really tighten the ties. I used needle-nose pliers to tighten mine, and today was mountain biking over gnarly roots and rocks, including slamming down rock "staircases" - the Garmin remained firmly attached to the handlebars. I'm using this unit on a road bike and mountain bike, it's very secure. Also: when you mount it, pay attention to the angle. This screen is easily readable with no backlight in bright sunlight, as long as you're looking at it straight on. Garmin includes a rubber wedge so you can position the unit for optimal viewing relative to your riding angle.

As far as software, Garmin's training center isn't that great, but third party software called "Ascent" is amazing. I'm using it on my mac, and when you sync the GPS with it, a presumably google-based map instantly appears with your route superimposed, along with graphs, charts, and a calendar. I'm just using the free demo version for now.

Overall, I find the Edge 705 to be robust, intuitive, and perfect for bike riding - or even when just on foot. I previously tried using a Magellan Explorist 500 as a bike GPS - a waste compared to the Garmin. I purchased the Edge 705 for the maps, but the ability to recall your speed, elevation, heart rate and cadence at any given point during your ride now has me analyzing my fitness level - and pushing me to go further.