I had a Garmin Edge 305 but, tbh, it’s gone missing either in the house or thrown away with other stuff.

On the basis that buying a replacement will make it turn up I’m looking at an Edge 500 or a 705.

705 is discontinued but available ‘cheap’ with an HR strap and cadence kit. I can probably sell these (I have an HR strap already) to bring the 705 down to a similar price to the 500.

The other attraction of the 705 is that I have 5 bikes with mounts that’ll fit it where as I’d need to be moving a 500 mount all the time.

Any views on the 705?

or should I just go for the 500?

The 500 comes with 2 mounts, another 2 costs around a fiver

ah, they used to be a lot more for the older style ones…

I guess it all depends on what you want out of a GPS.
I recently wanted to be able to see the time, distance, elevation and calorie burn at a glance rather than chasing trails. I also wanted to be able to download the GPS data.

So instead of a bike mounted specific unit I went for the Garmin 910XT watch, which is FANTASTIC!! but I guess it all depends on what you want to get out of it.

500 isn’t really a navigation device. A 705 is more comparable with a 800

does the 500 do the ‘follow a track’ type thing like the 305 where it beeps if you go off course?

I don’t need navigation so I have a 500 with HR plus speed/cadence. It’s all I need and I probably lose 2-3 mins per ride at most by having to check google maps or tomtom on my phone if I’ve got myself a bit lost.

Pretty sure you can load tracks into it to follow though.

does the 500 do the ‘follow a track’ type thing like the 305 where it beeps if you go off course?

No don’t think so, not really looked though

I guess it all depends on what you want out of a GPS.
I recently wanted to be able to see the time, distance, elevation and calorie burn at a glance rather than chasing trails. I also wanted to be able to download the GPS data.

The 500 will do all that, it gives you up to 7 data fields for each screen

The 500 does have a way of putting courses on it and it will tell you if you’re off course. It won’t tell you how to get back on course though.

If you don’t need gps then Polar 200cad at £100 is far better value? Plus the online training diary is a lot better than Garmin.

Yes, you can downlaod routes to the 500 and follow the breadcrumb trail – as you say, beeps when off course.

there’s an in depth review here

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2009/11/garmin-edge-500-in-depth-review.html

@wwaswas, if you do get a 705, I’ll buy the cadence sensor if you decide to sell it. 😀

My Edge 500 is reading ~10% shorter than 2 other Garmin gps units and I can’t work out why. I have turned off auto pause, checked the units are correct etc.
I tried it in the car on the way to work & it was only 0.2 miles out over 40 miles compared to my car.

I suspect it’s either due to losing accuracy under tree cover (not convinced as it was even out at Rutland Water, which is pre-dominantely open air) or it is caused by the auto point option, that alters the quantity of points it records depending on how often you change direction.
Weird that it always seems to be 10% out though…

I use different units so just looked back at the last 3 times I did a set route I have

34.1 km – Edge 500
34.1 km – Forerunner 305
34.0 km – Forerunner 305

I guess I don;t need anything more than the 500 would give me and I’ve never needed more than breadcrumb type mapping either.

Keep hoping the 305 will turn up tucked in acorner somewhere 🙁

you can load a route into a 500 but the visuals are basic. If you want navigation then the bigger units are a better bet. For me, the 500 is perfect. Gives you all the stats and dead easy to use.

If you are used to a 305 then you have the choice of a bulky upgrade (700), or a downgrade (500).

I’d look for used 305.

I mount my 605 with some bar tape stuck on the bottom and a bungee round the unit and the stem.
I’ve got 10 bikes,and I wasn’t too keen on buying another 9 mounts.
besides,it’s just like mounting with zipties,but cutting zipties was too much of a hassle.

If you dont need to follow a trail with it, why mount it on the bike.
Thats why I went for a watch, as you can use it for running and or swimming and its less likely to come off in a crash and get lost.

I know several people who have lost theirs on the trail only to realise 2k later and have to go back and attempt to find it. One managed to, the other didnt.

Worth thinking about anyway.