Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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]

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.

I've logged close to five hundred miles on my Garmin Edge 705 after upgrading from an Edge 305HR that I used for nearly two years. Here's a quick review of my experience...

Display: The new, larger color display is gorgeous. Improvements include removing the "title bar" present on the Edge 305 and using every pixel of this larger screen for displaying data fields that you select. The display is easy to view, without backlighting, during the day. For early morning or night rides, just a click or two to engage the backlight provides plenty of clarity while providing long battery life.
Battery: So far, it's handled 2-3 hour rides with very little battery drain (including about an hour of riding at night with the backlight set to "stay on"). I see no reason, at this point, that the unit would not meet its stated battery life of 10-15 hours.

Maps: Let's say that again. Maps! The ability to see where you are and to actually navigate using the Edge 705 continues to impress me. It provides detailed routing optimized for bicycles. It does this by optimizing the route to avoid major streets and other hazards. On a recent ride it routed us as far as possible on low-traffic side streets before taking us to the main street in town where we only had about 1/4 mile of riding in traffic before arriving at our destination! Very impressive and a powerful ally for bicycle commuters.

Size/Weight: The Edge 705 is physically larger than the 305 and a tad heavier. Kudos to Garmin for making the 705 compatible with the 305 mounting system.

Usability: Usa...what? This is a measure of how intuitive and user-friendly the device and its internal software is. Here the Edge 705 scores BIG. The inclusion of a "joystick" type input device makes entering information, changing data, etc. much easier than the 305. Nice touches include customizing the color scheme of menus and having the ability to actually NAME your various bike profiles (instead of just "Bike 1", "Bike 2", etc.).

Garmin has a solid track record of releasing firmware updates that correct software glitches and/or adds features to the unit.

If you want the ultimate cycle computer and a robust navigation aid for your bicycle commutes, look no further.

If you don't need the color screen, detailed maps/routing, etc. - the Edge 305HR remains a solid option.

For more detailed, real-world use of the Edge 705 you can learn more by visiting my cycling blog. [...]

Garmin wins in the bike GPS category simply because there is no comparable device competing with it. I've had this device for over a year and I had a Garmin 305 before this. They have improved many bugs through firmware updates, but there are some things that you will have to suffer with:

- Non-swappable battery. You would think a GPS device would be built with the long distance rider in mind, but long distance is where this device really fails. If you do very long events (randonneur events, 24 hour rides, etc), you'll need some way to keep the battery going. The battery is built into the 705, and Garmin does not offer any external power options. There are third party products you can try out, the big problem there is that if its raining you'll need to worry about water getting into the port.
- It ships without maps. Yes, you bought a GPS unit and now you need to buy the maps for it separately.
- Very delicate components. The cadence sensors die easily, I've gone through four in the past year (hold onto your warranty info!). In Garmins defense, they are always good about honoring those warranties. The main unit itself often gets blinky when I hit rough road. A frequent problem I have is that the street names on the map turn off, and the only way to get them back is by turning the unit off and then on again. The unit itself is light weight plastic - not what I'd expect for a rugged outdoors product.
- Still buggy. Most of the major bugs have been fixed by now, but some still remain.

It's still the best bike computer available, but as I said - that's only because nobody else offers the same features in a bike computer. I would love to see this product improved with a solid or rubberized case so that I could be confident it won't burst apart if I drop or hit it. The cadence sensors need to be built to survive use outdoors, as I believe the are currently intended solely for indoor use. And the battery situation is just inexcusable - anything for the bike needs to be able to operate without ANY dependency on power outlets (sometimes on multi-day rides you just don't have that luxury).

Danbucks "-DC", it sounds like your cable ties need tightening. This is my second Garmin, (had the 205 for a few years first) I use it on both my mountain and road bike and have never had a problem with the mounting. One other thing I'd like to add to these two great reviews is that while the speed/cadence may be optional for some, the SD map data card is a must have! In my opinion, this opens up a whole new world of cycling. I have "gotten lost" with it several times, I just keep track of my miles away from home, then when Im ready to head back I just hit "go home" or "track back" and viola, The trusty Garmin takes me right to my doorstep. If it were not for this data card and turn by turn directions, there would have been no need for me to upgrade, I would have been just fine w/my 205.
btw, Garmin Edge 205 for sale! ;-)

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.

I've had one in hand for a few days now, and the one thing I would have done differently is to buy the 705 WITHOUT the SD card, and instead have bought the maps on CDROM (or DVD or whatever they are). The SD card does NOT work on your computer. I believe (but cannot positively confirm) that the CDROM (DVD?) will work on BOTH your computer as well as your 705, that will save you over $70.

That said, the 705 is better than 3-star -- I'd give it at least 4 stars. The hardware is pretty cool, the software is pretty lame. The second day I had the thing, it seemed to perform flawlessly on my bike. Brought it home, and the history file was corrupt, I couldn't get any information off my 47-mile ride. Bummer. Since then, the history has stored OK however for 4 much shorter rides.

The Owner's Manual is miserable, doing little more than showing you how to attach the unit to your bike and hinting at some of the features. You'll learn much more about this thing by surfing the Internet than you will from any guide.

The software is the worst. No way to edit or truncate data (and note that you will get some erroneous spikes in your data indicating superhuman speed and heart rate). The base map for your computer shows little more than highways and rivers -- who takes a bicycle on a highway or river? You can get more detailed maps for your computer, but at about $80 a pop, too bad the SD card won't work on your computer, only in the unit (once again, you've been warned, DON'T buy the SD-card based map!).

I do really like this unit. Autorouting home after exploring during a 47-mile ride was VERY nice and gives you a great deal of confidence while riding. But, I feel like a chump for buying the SD-card version. Hopefully software fixes will come along for the PC.

Hope this helps.

Wow, I'm usually pleased with Garmin products, but this is a real stinker.

On Mac Training Center the device is unable to load ride data into computer due to profile conflicts. The software keeps asking which profile to use and upload fails. No progress bar or percentage to help you know when to give up. The ride data and laps are all visible on the 705, but never make onto computer.

The square blocky fonts from the 70s are out of place, their legibility (of lack there of) is really evident if you set the device to display just a couple of data fields.

For the size and cost of this product the screen should be 20% larger.

Designed/programmed by people that have never ridden with a cycling computer. Unit fails to poll the speed sensor until after the satellite signal has been lost for many seconds. Consequently auto stop doesn't work. Every time the unit drops satellite reception the software assumes you've stopped, but you're actually going 30 mph on the drops of your bars with your head creating a reception shadow. Accurate determination of stopped/moving is a basic function of any cycling computer and this unit fails.

Average cadence data is useless as it fails to account for coasting.

Lap history viewed on the unit fails to show ascent/descent totals. You must plug into computer to see those numbers.

The buttons are confusing and poorly labeled. The unit does not effectively display start/stop status and you'll lose miles of data because you pressed the stop button instead of the lap button. The button labels are too small and are all white.

The PC Training Center software is incapable of loading waypoints (favorites) to the unit. This and other basic GPS functions are inexplicably absent.

I have had mine for just over 2 weeks now. I have explored most of it's capabilities. Had to call tech support twice,so far. They are wonderful but the wait time is long. The first issue was a problem with my computer's drive letter assignment which they fixed for me remotely by taking control of my computer...very strange watching someone else control your computer.

The second problem has not been resolved as of yet but, I'm sure it will be. It seems as though I've discovered a bug. When I created and scheduled workouts in Garmin Training Center and then download to my 705 the dates get offset by one day. That is to say the workout I have scheduled on the computer for tomorrow has been placed in todays schedule on the 705.

They had me export my tcdatabase.tcx file to them as an attachment and they tried it in their 705. They got the same result. It is not a problem with the 605 however. They are not sure at this point if the problem is in the TC software or in the 705. If you have one,watch for an upgrade to resolve this problem.

All in all...absolutely wonderful unit especially if one utilizes it's full capabilities. I'm having a blast with it!