curious about getting something to monitor rides, not really looking for a navigation device as such. The three all seem to have similar feature sets, has anyone any experience of them and the pros and cons?

I have a 305. Brilliant as a way of recording where you've been and how hard you were working at the time. I have the HRM and hardly ever bother with it as I'm not that serious about training, but the cadence sensor is interesting.
I really like knowing the profile of the ride and the compass is handy.
I wish you could extract a grid ref or a lat/long during rides though.

Had a 205 for a few years now, seems bulletproof. There is a small design flaw in that the two big buttons are not rubberised, so mud can get underneath and cause problems. Not than common though, and you just pull the button of and clean it. Battery life is about 12 hours I think. It won't do cadence or HR like the 305 though, and lacks the barometric altimeter. Meh.

I have a 205 too, but I only get just 6 hours life from it on economy mode. Fine for recording, which is what I use it for, or for following a downloaded route, but useless for finding out where you are as it doesn't understand the UK grid. Mind you I like being lost 🙂

I believe there is a trick where you can get a GR from it Simon – something like saving location as a waypoint then looking at the details for that.

that gives you lat/lon not an OS grid reference. So not ideal.

that gives you lat/lon not an OS grid reference

exactly, and longitude increases right to left in this country, apart from not fitting the grid 🙁

i have a 305 and as said above is ideal to know where you have been and how hard you have been working.

if you have got a mac the best programme to download to is Ascent.

richpenny – how do you get the buttons off the 205/305 as mine has started playing up recently due to mud/grit in behind them?