Fifty Plus (50+) - Making the Most of a Garmin Edge

A friend gave me a heart rate monitor for Christmas, and I kinda got a kick out of it. Then the HRM began to go on the fritz awhile back, and finally, even with frequent battery replacements, it stopped working altogether.

With some shopping around and a $75 rebate, I was able to track down a Garmin Edge 305 for about $150, and I went for it. The unit comes with seven buttons and a 93-page manual. After several hours of configuring and only a little swearing, I took the Garmin out for a shakedown cruise. And it worked. Sort of. At this point it looks like a few more hours and a couple of software upgrades might maybe get me up to speed with this thing.

So, I continue to slide down the slippery slope of technology.

Anyone have any good tips for making the most of the Forerunner?

Do you have the Edge or Forerunner?

With the edge if you have the cadence make sure you don't store your bike with the crank sensor next to the sensor on the stay, same with the wheel magnett. I found that this will cause the sensor to drain its battery quicker.

Get into a routine or you will forget and loose data or get multiple rides in one ride. I have a standard procedure at the end of the ride; Hit Stop, Reset 3,2,1, Power down.

Sometimes both the cadence and HR sensor will take a bit of time to communicate. I have less problem with HR but on occasion I have to go into Accy and have it look for the signals. Also make sure you keep your HR strap clean and put a little water on it before you strap it on for better contact.

Use SportTracks or MotionBased the Training Center software is junk

That's about all I can think of.

Use CourseCreator2 to map out a course, download it to TC and then to your Garmin. It's cool.

Here is a good site for creating courses:

http://forums.motionbased.com/smf/index.php?topic=5747.msg36170#msg36170

Imagine being able to explore new routes without ever having to consult a map. I kick myself that I did not get the garmin at the beginning of the summer. The rebate pushed me to buy one 3 weeks ago and in all honesty if I knew back at the beginning of the summer what I know now, I would have jumped at the purchase. I can't imagine a more useful bicycling accessory.

Hey Jet,

I use Garmin's MapSource for creating courses, I especially like to create a course for a ride (such as a century) that I haven't ridden before. I create a course (a several step process) and then (following the steps outlined in the link above) I upload the course into the Garmin. I created a course for this weekend's Blue Ridge Extreme (the metric) - if you are riding it, you can give it a try. I've attached a CRS file - just go to the File/Course Import function and bring it in. Let me know if you have questions!

See you soon,
Bob

Thanks, bobby c! Can't wait to check it out.

Hey Jet,

Actually, the file I sent you is OK, but this is much better. Import this one for the Blue Ridge Extreme! Rather than a CRS it is a TCX (Training Center Database format). So do a Course Import & change the file type to TCX.

Bob

Hey Jet,

Actually, the file I sent you is OK, but this is much better. Import this one for the Blue Ridge Extreme! Rather than a CRS it is a TCX (Training Center Database format). So do a Course Import & change the file type to TCX.

Bob


Thanks, I've got a mac and my OS was too old to work correctly, but I should be up to date now. I'll want a tutorial when we meet up on Sunday.

If your using an Edge with a Mac, you have got to get Ascent, http://www.montebellosoftware.com/, which is one of the best pieces of software you will ever find. It is far better than the free Trainng Center software that comes with the Edge, and it is a better way to analyse your rides than MotionBased, especially MB on a Mac.

[QUOTE=kerlenbach@cfl.;5114975]If your using an Edge with a Mac, you have got to get Ascent, http://www.montebellosoftware.com/, which is one of the best pieces of software you will ever find. It is far better than the free Trainng Center software that comes with the Edge, and it is a better way to analyse your rides than MotionBased, especially MB on a Mac.[/QUOTE

Thanks. I got OSX4 yesterday and installed the Ascent software, which wouldn't run on what I had. I commuted this morning and am looking forward to checking it all out tonight. It's a bit daunting but exciting. I feel like a living laboratory.

A friend gave me a heart rate monitor for Christmas, and I kinda got a kick out of it. Then the HRM began to go on the fritz awhile back, and finally, even with frequent battery replacements, it stopped working altogether.

With some shopping around and a $75 rebate, I was able to track down a Garmin Edge 305 for about $150, and I went for it. The unit comes with seven buttons and a 93-page manual. After several hours of configuring and only a little swearing, I took the Garmin out for a shakedown cruise. And it worked. Sort of. At this point it looks like a few more hours and a couple of software upgrades might maybe get me up to speed with this thing.

So, I continue to slide down the slippery slope of technology.

Anyone have any good tips for making the most of the Forerunner?

By the way, before the Garmin, what did you use?

By the way, before the Garmin, what did you use?


A Timex HR monitor and a Performance bike computer. Sometimes nothing at all. The Performance computer works fine.

A friend gave me a heart rate monitor for Christmas, and I kinda got a kick out of it. Then the HRM began to go on the fritz awhile back, and finally, even with frequent battery replacements, it stopped working altogether.

The heart rate monitor sucks. I've gone back and forth with Garmin but they don't seem to want to send me a new one. :mad: Other than the HRM the Edge is really cool.

The heart rate monitor sucks. I've gone back and forth with Garmin but they don't seem to want to send me a new one. :mad: Other than the HRM the Edge is really cool.

I have used my HRM with my edge for 18 months now and never had a glitch. My main complaint is the cadence sensor battery goes pretty quickly. I have changed the battery probably 3-4 times in it, the HRM once. I have to wet the HRM strap before I put it on and sometimes move it a bit but I do have a fair amount of hair on my chest. I have never had to use jell though. You also will get some dead skin build up in the sensor grooves that you have to clean out every 3 months or so. But overall I have no problems with my edge and I use it every day.

The heart rate monitor sucks. I've gone back and forth with Garmin but they don't seem to want to send me a new one. :mad: Other than the HRM the Edge is really cool.

Sounds like you have one that was made on a Monday or Friday???? Never had any issues with any of the features here. I hope you can get it squared away!!

I'd kind of like to get one of these gizmos for making routes for my club rides. I was thinking that I could sell the idea to my wife of us getting one for Christmas this year. I'm thinking that it could mostly live in her car and I could use it now and then to map a new ride or trail or for trying new routes where I could get lost. Things like that.
So is there any chance that I wouldn't be totally BS-ing her? Are these things useful in a car?

I wouldn't say it is too useful in a car. The thing isn't something that just comes up and shows you a route or course, you have to select through a bunch of menus, etc. In addition, the course that is shown is just breadcrumbs - it doesn't show (unless you spend a lot of time when you create courses) cross streets, etc. A dedicated car GPS unit has a lot more memory and stores a much better (and larger) map, I wouldn't count on my 305 to give me directions.

As for car usefulness - maybe if you wear the heart monitor, you could show her how much your HR goes up when you canoodle in the backseat.

Rats! Just shows how techno-ignorant I am. I thought these were the same things people used in cars that talk to them and such. I really don't pay that much attention to all this newfangled stuff. I don't think I'll be getting one just for me to use.

Sounds like you have one that was made on a Monday or Friday???? Never had any issues with any of the features here. I hope you can get it squared away!!

I got mine late June. So far (knocking on wood) no problems (about 1200 miles).