Customer Reviews

Garmin Edge 705 GPS-Enabled Cycling Computer (Includes Heart Rate Monitor)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

(Oct. 8, 09 2nd and final Update) I will go back to 4 stars! Just rode 150mile ride - I now have about 800 miles using the 705 and i have finally figured the thing out. Once you figure all of the idosyncrasies out and learn how it works I would not ride without it (NO CUE SHEETS ANYMORE)!!! You must give yourself 6 mos+/- to use it, upload maps and figure out the settings that work with how you ride. I also use mine to run although I must carry it in my hand (the data and HR is well worth it). The biggest issue I still have is when plotting bike routes in MapMyRide (MMR) and then uploading those to the 705 I must scan the entire route in the 705's window to look for mistakes in the routing (these don't show up in MMR or Garmin's PC software. If there are errors that you can't live with (e.g. might straighten out a curvy road) then you must replot in MMR or other and upload again. To me it is worth it but if Garmin's mapping software was any good then I would use that and maybe eliminate these transfer issues. Either way, this issue keeps the 705 from getting 5 stars.

(Sept 8, 09 1st Update to my August 16th, 2009 review below which basically says NOT a good GPS for car or motorcycle)
My first review still stands but I have now used the navigation and auto-navigation after just completing a 105 mile (125 turns) and a 40 mile ride on back-to-back days. This is a lengthy review but there is a lot I have found out about the Edge 705. I do not race - I am a century/double century bike rider that rides only about 1,000 to 1,300 miles per year so this review applies to a distance rider.

OVERALL SUMMARY:
I changed this to 3 stars instead of 4 stars since this is still an early stage bicycle GPS solution; really the only bike GPS solution for sale that works for long distance riding. The 705 works but you cannot count on it 100% of the time. It has a very slow processor (works on a bike but you will sometimes pass your turns in a car or motorcycle, especially if the GPS has to re-route (re-routing can take 5 minutes)). The 705 will frustrate you, especially before you get to know it) but for me it is still better than carrying around pieces of paper for cue sheets, keeping track of your mileage between turns and not having a map when the road names are missing or incorrect. I expect that in 3-5 years the bicycle GPS will be working more like a car GPS but, until then, this is really your only option. Just be sure you know what limitations you are getting before you spend $550 on a device and maps - then you should be happy with the 705. When the 705 works, you can't imagine riding without it but, when it doesn't, you want to set fire to Garmin's headquarters.

DETAILED UPDATED REVIEW:
First the good: It was really, really nice not having to use a cue sheet, especially on the longer ride. This in itself makes the device worth it to me since I spend a lot of time formating the cue sheets and then "laminating" them with packing tape so they don't bleed/deteriorate from sweat. The 705 keeps the necessary bike computer information you want on the screen - very customisable and I like this a lot. When navigating, the 705 provides an audible beep alert about .1 to .3 miles before you will be "told" to make a turn and then another beep immediately before the turn; switching to a map that shows how the turn works. The 705 does NOT give any notice if you are continuing straight through an intersection and the road name changes. Since I was use to using cue sheets, I found this limitation annoying but quickly got use to simply riding straight since the device knows what road you are on and where you are located. Also, I like to ride back roads so there were several times when the posted road name sign was missing or posted differently than the cue sheet/mapping road names. With the 705 you can keep going since you are reassured by looking at the next few miles ahead on the 705's screen. I haven't had any problems with battery life (rode about 9.5 hrs on one charge w/more battery life remaining) or data storage limitations but I will test that in a couple of weeks with a double century ride. The 705 transfers information between the computer easily. The mount works well (make the ties tight) and the screen is easy enough to read in bright sunlight. I haven't lost a GPS signal while riding through trees (I imagine you would in a tunnel).

The "needs improvement" or simply bad:

This is not a "set-it and forget-it" device, nor always intuitive to use. There is a lot of room for big improvements, especially if you have previously used a $200+ Automotive GPS(these are far superior to the 705 in speed, accuracy, and auto-routing/re-routing). The software that comes with the 705 is not good for the year 2009 - maybe 1990s. Since it is so un-intuitive, I have not fully explored this software so maybe I need more time with it. It does the very basics and it doesn't even do those well. I used to own a Ciclosport bike computer/altimeter and it captured data and one could export the data to the PC. The software for data analyzation was far superior in the ciclosport. The Edge does give you data to analyze and for most riders I think you will find that it is enough since it is more a novelty unless you are really serious about training. You can also use the 705 to setup training rides to make your training more efficient and productive but I doubt I will ever use those. If you are a racer or serious trainer then maybe you will be able to get more from some of the features in the 705. I did try to ride against myself (a previous ride using virtual partner) but I didn't get it to work. I think that was my fault and I will try that again.

More importantly, I expect one spends all of this $ to use the Edge 705 for navigation...to either pre-route for on-bike navigation or auto-route while on a ride to find a place to ride to (or head home). To pre-route, I won't use the poor Garmin software provided - period. It is not good. I use map-my-ride (MMR) and export everything as a gpx file. The gpx file needs to be opened in Garmin's MapSource software and transfered to the Edge 705 as a track - simple and quick to do. However, all of the early tracks I uploaded to the 705 had 1 or 2 errors in them - produced by the 705 when the GPX file was imported from MapSource. I find the imported track will sometimes "jump roads" where there isn't any roads - especially if you select "follow roads" when you are mapping your route in MMR (everyone will use this or it would take forever to map a route w/out it). This "jumping" may be only once or twice in a track but it is obviously a big problem. The 705 device work-around is to turn on the 705, select a saved track, select "navigate" in the 705 (this alone can take 5+min) and then review it in the 705. This takes some time and is pretty tedious, especially for a 105 mile track. One of the things I started to do was when I map my routes in MMR I click right before and right after a road/major direction change. This seems to help and I did not find any errors in my 105 mile track on the 705 that were caused by the 705 (there was one error but it was created in MMR). Maybe I won't have anymore 705 import errors but as of now I just don't fully trust the 705 yet. Everyone must realize that the online mapping program data isn't perfect - every long route I have planned using google maps, mapquest or mapmyride has given me wrong directions, wrong road lables and/or shown roads that do not exist (not the 705's fault). These online mapping programs have been 99% accurate but that 1% is always frustrating, especially when you have to stop, find an alternate route and often backtrack. Having the 705 will not change these online mapping program errors. However, I don't need the 705 to add more errors. I think I have corrected the 705 import errors by clicking before/after each turn but only time will tell. Also, where I ride (central NJ - Central PA) none of the online mapping solutions or the 705 have avoided gravel roads. The capability to do this is there but the data and companies just don't keep up with it. This is not a weakness of the 705 but simply an industry maturity/capacity issue. Lastly, the on-bike auto-routing capabilities of the Edge 705 is also somewhat questionable. I've only used it 3x and, while it works, it hasn't taken me the quickest way home. It does come close but I'm not sure why it selects some roads over others. And, if you intentionally go off a pre-programmed route (bad weather, closed road, just curious, etc.) you should be careful. If you have auto-recalculate turned on it will not get you back onto the track unless you turn-around. The 705 will eventually just send you back to your starting point. I recommend that you turn on ASK PRIOR TO RECALCULATING setting. It will still ask you to turn around 3 or 4x but you can ignore it and ride back onto the track (it will then continue to navigate using the original track) or you can decide to recalculate and go to your starting destination. Plan on it re-navigating for up to 5 minutes (it says 100% recalculated but then must irritate you by staying on that screen for a minute or so!) If you continue to ride while it is recalculating you will pass roads and have no clue if you should turn or not. So you can pull over and wait but you can't stop your timer if it is calculating a new route (this will increase your riding time/decrease your speed avg. if you are set for manual). To deal with this turn on the AUTO PAUSE feature that automatically stops the timer when you stop and restarts when you ride. The 705 doesn't have a re-routing capability to avoid an obstacle and then take you back to your original track (like closed bridge or accident avoidance). The 705 will simply tell you to turn around and ultimately send you home.

Good luck - I hope this review helps you make a more informed decision. I am sure I confused something above so if you have any questions, post a reply and I will respond asap.


ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I purchased the 705 with heart monitor and 2010 City Maps DVD only a month ago. I have only used it maybe a dozen times and 4 of those times were in a car. First and foremost this is NOT a car GPS and one should not expect anything more than a very basic point-to-point GPS if using it in a car or motorcycle. The routing is way to slow and if you go off path you need to pull over and wait for it to re-route. Even when selecting the car/motorcycle routing feature (& unchecking the "avoid toll- roads" and "avoid highways" toggles) the device will auto route on less traveled roads. In fact, with my limited experience, I do not trust the device to auto-route yet. THis may be due to me not being familiar with the device yet but I simply asked it for the fastest route from Avalon, NJ to Flemington, NJ and the auto-route suggested I go west of Philadelphia (about 45min out of my way).

But I bought this for the bicycle so on the bike it works as expected, although I am having a "challenging" time entering routes and using virtual partner. Like any electronic device, they all have their idiosyncrasies and I am simply learning how to use this device. Some things are intuitive and some are not but it generally works as expected and I am happy with it so far. Per the reviews I bought the 2010 City Maps on DVD instead of a Garmin card and that is what eveyone should do since I can use the maps on my computer and my Edge 705 (doesn't work the other way around). Getting authorization from Garmin was a little unclear but techsupport showed me what I needed to do fairly quickly.

I am riding some centries and double centries soon so we will see how this unit works. I will update my review after those rides since I expect to push the limits of this device.

Garmin Edge 705 HRM Outdoor Fitness GPS with Heart Rate Monitor
Executive Summary: If you are looking for a complete solution to HR, power, Cyclo computer and GPS with great usability, Garmin 705 is for you. The 705 retains the 305's ability to record data indoors as well as outside. Additionally, the 705 is compatible with the 305 rear wheel speed / cadence transmitter. Mapping is good, but roadies rarely need directional assistance. Basic cyclo computer functions are perfect and are easy to configure. Great user interface and controls - on and off the bike. Easy to see and adjust the color screen's intensity. No problem with interference from other HR monitors or other Garmin users.
Down side (the reason I rated this a 3 and not a 5):
1) (Not Garmin's fault) Power Tap is not yet compatible with the ANT+ communication protocol and the Quark power meter (which IS compatible) will not work for Shimano & Campy cranks. Major disappointment! Cannot test the power meter integration.
2) Motion Based / Garmin Connect data upload sites: While Motion Based was an adequate site to collect and analyze ride data; it was never as good as the Polar software / Web site. Garmin is in the middle of moving its fitness uploads from the Motion Based website (supposed to happen in May?) to the Garmin Connect website. Either Garmin / Motion based are completely inept at web site development management or they have not resourced the project appropriately. Garmin connect has a slick appearance but still lacks the meat of Motion Based and when compared to Polar is completely inadequate for analyzing ride data. The site lacks a GREAT deal of data reporting and presentation features to make it useful to even us amateur cyclists.
3) Garmin needs work on its drivers for the 705 - Windows Vista in general and the 64 bit version in particular. (I did not downgrade them for this; I was dumb enough to buy into Microsoft's hype and choose Vista 64). No clue on how the drivers work for Mac.
4) Still no ambient temperature available measurement available on the 705. In fact the Motion Based feature that associated weather with a particular ride was not activated for the first three weeks I had the 705. One day, out of the blue it started working - but only on the Motion Based Site; it is still not there in any form for the Garmin Connect Site.
Bottom Line: Garmin has done its job in creating a great combo HR, Power, cyclo computer and GPS receiver. Arguably, the greatest selling point of the device is the ability to integrate power data with other cycling data; unfortunately Garmin partnered with high end provider (SRM) and the new low cost provider (Quark) for power data instead of driving a natural relationship with the more popular Power Tap. Additionally, they have not invested enough resources to create even a reasonable data collection site / software to adequately use all the data collected by the 705. My recommendation is buy it, go without integrated power until Power Tap get its act together and invest in the Training Peaks software to upload the wealth of meaningful data that is collected by this wonderful device.

I have had the Edge 705 a little over a week and am enjoying riding with it. I did take the advice of several reviewers and bought the city navigator map separately on DVD so I could use it both on my computer and on the Edge. I first bought a 4GB microSD through Amazon to put the maps in the Edge. The card would not work on the Edge - my computer would not recognize the Garmin and I couldn't get beyond the opening screen on the Garmin. I then bought a 2 GB microSD at Walmart which did work. I realized afterwards that the 4GB was an HC card (it took 6 minutes to load the maps versus 48 minutes). I am not sure if it was the size or the HC that prevented the microSD from working with this unit.

One Week Later - I learned yesterday that Garmin just released a Firmware update. I updated the Firmware to 2.9 and the 4 GB HC card does work.

I bought the Garmin Edge 705 to replace my Garmin Edge 305. Although the 305 did everything i needed, I wanted a larger display, better battery management, and the ability to load maps in the device. I got everything I wanted with the 705. In fact, the new features and the way the buttons operate are so much better to toggle between views and to enter information in. Its a pricey item, but I use it at least twice a week so I get my money's worth. I upload my info onto my computer and can map where my routes are (that feature is similar to the 305)...with the exception of beaming my routes to other 605 or 705 devices, which I have yet to do. Since I had my cadence and bike mount from the 305 on the bike already, I just purchased the most basic model and didn't have to do any additional installation...that was nice. Its a great device, can't ride without it even more so.

I think this is a great product! It has a wide range of trackable elements and really is a great tool. But, the base maps that it comes with are really poor quality. You will need to buy the Map pack. Make sure you get the DVD of the maps and not the SD. Otherwise, you will not be able to plan routes.

As a long time fan of training with powermeters, I have been anxiously awaiting the availability of Ant+ Sport power units. When Quarg made their first Ant+Sport compatible crankset I put one on my TT bike, then put the Edge 705 on the stem. The 705 "found" the power meter right away and worked flawlessly right out of the box. The heart rate monitor is solid, I now prefer the Garmin HRM to other brands. I use it with the power meter and on other bikes without power meters. The speed and distance is accurate without the supplementary pickup on the wheel. I recommend it very highly. The display is programmable and is bright and easily readible. The battery life is as advertised. Workouts download to Garmin's software easily. Hopefully other Ant+Sport devices will come on the market soon.

I have been using the Garmin Edge 705 for about a week now. Seems to work almost flawlessly.

The 'Bearing' field does not read out. The Heading field works fine as well as every other feature I have tried. The 705 quickly syncs up with satellites and the maps show the direction I am heading. I am wondering whether something is wrong with my 705 or whether there is something else going on that I am unaware of.

Thanks,

Norm

If you read what they answered me when I lost a small rubber cover for the thumb stick, I think YOU WILL NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM GARMIN with this kind of service.

read it:

HI I LOST MY THUMB STICK FOR MY EDGE 705 RIDING MY MOUNTAIN BIKE. HOW CAN I FIND A NEW THUMB STICK

It is not broken, actually its working I just lost the rubber cover of the stick,I just need to buy another rubber cover


Re:

Thanks for the clarification. unfortunately there is not just a replacement rubber cover that is available to be sent out for the thumbstick of the Edge 705. You would need to have the entire unit replaced.


With Best Regards,
James Mi.
Product Support Specialist

Garmin International
913-397-8200
800-800-1020
913-440-8280 (fax) Att: James Mi., Associate #5969
[...]

This is maybe the 6th Garmin GPS system I have bought but it's the first dedicated cycling GPS. Before you rush off and spend another $100+ on the 800 you really should do a side-by-side comparison. The 800 has a bigger and touch-sensitive screen, double the memory, and weighs 0.2oz less. But it costs a lot more and reviews on the touch screen and UI are not that great.

I bought this for brevets (up to 40 hours) so I needed an external power source because this has a 15 hour battery life. Bear that in mind if you're a long distance cyclist too. However, if you're on a multi-day bike vacation this would be perfect as it comes. You can download multiple routes, one for each day, and select the one you want to follow each day. This is one big advantage over the Nuvi type GPS systems - that you can tell it the route you want to follow, and it will highlight it in the map and warn you as you approach turns. When you're zoned out after cycling continuously for 20 hours this feature is awesome.

This unit also replaces your bike computer. It has a highly customizable display that can simultaneously show you up to 10 (I think) readouts from a list of 30 or so. Some of the more interesting readouts available are time, speed, max speed, average speed, elevation, total climbing, gradient, rate of climb, distance travelled, bearing, distance to next turn, ETA, calories burned, and many more. If your package includes an HR strap you can add heart rate to that list. With the right accessories you can also add power and cadence.

In addition to readout mode, this unit has an elevation chart, map, and compass mode. Garmin recommends buying a North American city map (or whatever is appropriate for where you will be using it) to add detail to the base map that comes with the unit. I got mine on micro SD-card for about $35 from Amazon. Without this extra map you may find yourself only cycling on major roads. Be aware that the micro SD-card comes in a full-size SD-card adaptor. You have to remove it from the adaptor and then insert it into the correct slot on the GPS unit. This process is documented and easy to follow once you realize that the SD-card you're looking at is only an adaptor :-) Otherwise you'll be scratching your head for 5 minutes trying to figure out where to insert the full size SD-card.

One feature I did not expect was POIs. It's not as slick as the Nuvi POI UI but it's great if you need to find a bike shop in a hurry -- no restrooms though :-(. I also was not expecting the ability to specify a POI, address, city, etc and have it calculate the best route there (you have the option to avoid highways and unpaved roads).

The unit comes with detailed instructions on CD but no details on how to download and follow your own routes. It's not that hard though because websites like gpsies.com, mapmyride.com, biketoaster.com, and ridewithgps.com all have download features. You need to have the unit connected to your computer using the included USB cable (which is also the power cable if you use an external power source). Then you export your chosen route in TCX format and it ends up in the Courses folder on the GPS unit. You can then access the route using the 'Training' option on the GPS's menu and then select the ride and click 'Do Course'. Be sure to select the 'Warn before turn' option on the website before you download the TCX file if you want the unit to tell you about upcoming turns.

It is my understanding that the Edge 705 will accept GPX (standard) and TCX (also XML) file formats. However TCX files seem to be smaller than the equivalent GPX file. Someone told me the 800 only accepts FIT (proprietary) files but I can't verify that.

The unit comes with two bike mounts that will work on the stem or handlebars (so I can put a mount on my 'bent too). The mount seems a little flimsy at first especially when you consider you are mounting $300+ worth of fragile hardware on it (I bet the Edge won't survive hitting concrete at 30mph). However once it's on it does seem pretty solid. One rider told me that the release lever is weak and will snap if you're not careful. I believe him. Many people like to pick their bikes up by the stem and you would need to make sure you don't bend the release tab as you grab the bike.

I am absolutely thrilled with the Edge 705. The only reason I took a star off is because there is no reference in the documentation on how to download and follow your own courses which is the main reason a lot of cyclists will want to buy this unit in the first place.

I have purchase a second Egde 705 unit, not because I really love this model, but I cannot live without my gadgets.

To who travel with a bike (riding), the GPS is very usefull, it helps you to plan and execute the ride, keeping you in the road or trail you want, providing the distance to the next point and etc.

Since sometimes you have no map with the exactly road or trails you want, you can use some software or applications, like Google Maps or Google Earth to plan and upload the ride, but this is not something so friendly and requires some software expertise.

There is some other points which disapoint me:
- Since I am a GPS user from a long time, I got used to manage the unit, like select the map database (WGS85, SA69) and customize more the GPS, those controls does not exist in the Edge 705.
- Still about the lack of control, I also have speed and cadence sensor, so I have no information if the speed, distance measurements and register is based in the sensor or by the GPS/Satellite readings.
- I just figured, the unit does not use heart rate sensor to calculate the calories burned, so what is the point to have calories information and heart measurements.
- I do no know if it is possible to use the MicroSD slot/memory to store the data, there is no information how to select the memory device internal GPS Memory or MicroSD, the real problem here is: I do not know if I can get more storage capacity using an additional MicroSD card and worse than that is if I am using a MicroSD with map database, when the GPS memory get full, the GPS will not overhide my map in the MicroSD with the GPS data.