Been looking at MTB GPS and am considering getting a Edge 705.

For someone who isn't super technical with different file types etc, is it easy to get on with when it comes to loading new maps?

I really want to get out more and explore new areas and obviously if I can use other peoples mapped rides for areas I don't know I will see a great benefit.

How useful are they for normal satnav applications?

I have been offered a unit for a stupidly low price and it comes with heart rate and cadance equipment and loaded with the UK MTB map.
I may also be able to get some additional maps as well.

offroad mapping is very poor. it's great on the road bike and if you just want to use it to spot features/locality then it's good.

If you don't want to mess around with different gps file formats then it'll be pretty useless. I have to use Mapsource, Tracklogs, google earth and GPS babel when working with the files for complex stuff.

If you don't take the edge 705 can you pass the details to myself.

Azarat, will do.

Need some decent map pictures from the unit.

mrmichaelwright when you say that the off road mapping is poor, is that with the MTB maps?

i'm not aware of the MTB maps, only the UK topo maps.

The Edge is more of a GPS training tool than a mapping GPS.
The maps are OK at best, but if you plot a route in multimap or something similar then the Edge will follow the track pretty well.

If your after a mapping GPS then the Oregon would be more suitable.

I wouldnt use any Garmin Edge products – although a very good bit of a kit they tend to shake themselves to bits (on an MTB) resulting in losing your data 1/2 way round..

Matt, I wasn't aware you could plot a route on multimap.

How do you do that?

I will be using this for training, road riding and also MTB work.

as a training tool they are **** ace, not really used mine for navigation but when i have it's been okay, not ace, not not terrible.

go for it.

how much you paying btw?
i got mine for 205 on the bay a while back

Seriously I wouldnt get an Edge – Ive been through 3 on my MTB (the battery eventually shakes loose) & ok Garmin replaced 2 of them under warranty but I just cant be @rsed to get the 3rd one fixed. Its just not worth the effort or the money..

Matt, I wasn't aware you could plot a route on multimap.

How do you do that?

Just create a track, save as .gpx file and send to the 705.
Then select saved routes and it will guide you round your loop.

Never heard about the battery problem before. Had no problems with my unit despite plenty of use, no problems for friends who have them either.

Matt, I dont appear to be able to create a track.

I can put postcodes in and then it showns me a map and directions but can't self plot or save as gpx.

I assume you are talking about http://www.multimap.com

I feel thick this morning.

I think he might mean memory map…?!

Dummies Guide to the Edge 705

I am now finding the 705 good to use but it took ages to get my head round it.

If you plot a map in Topo or Memory Map you can get it into the 705 as a course and that is a fantastically accurate and easy route to follow. A couple of months ago going up rushup edge it told me I was off course when I was on the footpath instead of the bridle path.

But it needs 2 or 3 pieces of non-garmin software to transfer the courses to the unit, which is a faff.

To get the most out of the Edge 705 you need to be sending it courses. A course is a track with added timings to drive the virtual partner. To generate these timings your mapping software needs to be aware of elevation changes. TrackLogs will do this direct to the Edge 705 with no additional software required. You need v3.14.01 which is the current beta downloaded from here:
http://www.tracklogs.co.uk/cgi-bin/publ/user.cgi?obj=home&page=softup&id=2400

There's some information on courses here:
http://www.tracklogs.co.uk/manuals/TrackLogsV3_14_00/saveascourse.htm

Memory map, sorry 🙂

Can't you just upload tracks to a 705?
Then just follow the wiggly black line it creates.
Not used an edge but that's all I ever do on my Etrex. If your going into the wilds you still need a paper map.

I assume if you ride a route it will record it for you with specific times to allow you to train to beat them.

Anyone got a licence key I could borrow for tracklogs?

dimmasaxo@hotmail.com

if you download a trial they will send you a licence key to play with.

Yeah, I am on there now. Looks like a really good bit of kit.

I think I will buy the 705 as the price I can get it is soo stupid not to.

Download the TrackLogs beta and install it. Then request a free trial key. It will give you 30 day eval using the beta with all the good Edge 705 stuff.

For what it's worth I have a very full drawer here with pretty much every Garmin model and every time I go out I use an Edge 705.

Kool, cheers for the advice. The Edge 705 dummies guide looks good and the free online mapping software is also rather good.