Northern California - Questions about those Garmin thangs for the bike.

I have a Garmin for my car. I preprogram where I want to go by selecting a point of interest or address, then press GO. Do the bike thangs work the same way? Do they have trail maps as well so I can use them on a mtn bike? What if I take another road or trail but still want to end up at my preprogrammed destination, will the Garmin help me find my way there?

I am thinking of asking for a bike Garmin for Xmas. What's the best, most economical model out right now?

The 205 and 305 don't have maps ... the GPS contains data that you upload to a web site later on, and it shows where you went, along with other stuff, like altitude climbs, etc ... If you want a map, you gotta go up to 605 and 705, and lotsa $$$$$$

You can probably get a 305 for $220-250 ... don't even think about a 205. It doesn't have a HRM or Altimeter.

I just got a New 305 yesterday and it really is sweet. Paid $200 for it at the LBS with HRM and Cadence. If you get one, and own a Mac, go look at Ascent from http://www.montebellosoftware.com/index.html It costs $40 and blows the Garmin software away. The only drawback of the 305 Garmin is the screen. It's a little hard to read with my old eyes.

If the Garmin Edge 705 is too much money for you (price is similar to the model number), another option is the Garmin Etrex series. The Etrex GPS units are designed for hikers and are more bulky than the bicycle GPS. They also lack bike features like speed, cadence, and HR sensors. Prices are half as much as the Garmin Edge 705 for Etrex units with color mapping and auto-routing features. Garmin does sell both street and topo trail maps for their GPS units (maps are not free).

I already have an Etrex Legend that's still in it's original packaging. Maybe I'll look into using that and buy maps for it. Thanks guys.

As others have mentioned, the 305 doesn't automatically navigate you because it doesn't have built-in road or trail maps. BUT you can make your own route or download any of the millions of routes available on various websites (including Garmin's website, www.motionbased.com). Then you can do the ride and follow the line on your screen pretty easily. If you decide to take a different route, you will still see your intended course and should be able to find your way back to that course and get back on track or back home. I find that to be one of the most useful features of my Edge 305. Here are some of my routes, in case you are curious: http://rojadude.motionbased.com

Is there a bike mount available for the eTrex? If not, it will be hard to use on the bike.

Good luck!

Yes, Garmin does sell bike handlebar mounts for the Etrex computers ($10 to $15), but they are not as nice as the Edge bike mounts.