Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Garmin Edge 305 to be replaced by Edge 500

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=160&pID=36728&ra=true
MSRP is $250 for the base unit; $350 bundled with HR and cadence monitors.

It has temp, power and heart rate-based calorie calculation. Odd that they are not calling it an Edge 500CX. I have a felling they are not using the same algorithm for the heart based calorie calculation that are in their CX models.

I'll be replacing my Polar S725X with the Edge 500: the ability to interface with a Powertap (rather than the hokey Polar Power unit), ability to record the GPS route and later go back to any place on the route to figure out what your HR, Speed, Power, and the grade was, and ability to record data at a rate better than once every 5 seconds (I'm hoping the Edge 500 will do at least once a second) are all key selling points for me. I like the looks and the big display of the unit also.

Am I safe in assuming I'll be able to record at least at 1 sample / second? Anyone want to venture a guess as to how much (time) I'll be able to record at this rate? I'm really excited to see this unit--it's going to be a home run (for me at least)--replacing my Polar S725X / Iphone mapping combo...

I dono, it looks like it's got stripped features compared to the 305.... although I'm not up on the exact ways and means of the way Garmin GPS's work to know for sure. It looks like it won't let you load a course in the same way as you could with the 305.

My problem is that, given my cyclecomputer is a cheap and feature-limited $10 thing, I'm not actually sure what features I'd miss.

meh, I think I'll stick with my 305 until something better comes along. Doesn't look to upgrade much of anything and uglier looking than the 305 if you ask me :)

Looking at the specs, It would appear it doesn't do routes/waypoints or courses/virtual partner. Thanks, but no thanks Garmin.

I'd really like to see a grayscale mapping unit with epic battery life and expandable memory. That would get me to upgrade.

Couldn't care less about the wireless power meter thingie.

I'm not looking for route, turn by turn directions, a nice colorful map--I can get all that 'stuff' from my iPhone. No, I just want raw data recorded and synchronized so I can analyze it later: power, cadence, HR, speed, grade, vertical speed--the good stuff, raw numbers! Argh, Argh, Argh... ;)

I'm really looking forward to one unit to 'record it all'--that seems to be what this unit is aimed to provide (...high powered for the pro's, low-priced for the people...). Yes, I'll be picking one up--and maybe one for my wife too ('why do you always get the good stuff!' :love:)...

I'm not looking for route, turn by turn directions, a nice colorful map--I can get all that 'stuff' from my iPhone. No, I just want raw data recorded and synchronized so I can analyze it later: power, cadence, HR, speed, grade, vertical speed--the good stuff, raw numbers! Argh, Argh, Argh... ;)

I'm really looking forward to one unit to 'record it all'--that seems to be what this unit is aimed to provide (...high powered for the pro's, low-priced for the people...). Yes, I'll be picking one up--and maybe one for my wife too ('why do you always get the good stuff!' :love:)...
I have a Garmin Forerunner 305. I t records cadence, heart rate, calories, speed and elevation. I transfer the data to Training Center on my laptop. I also transfer it to the web using Carmin Connect. You can play back the route. The only disadvantage the heart rate is not being sed for the determination of the calories burned. I am using the optional cadence/speed sensor. The whole setup was about $200 from Amazon.com.

I've never owned a GPS with upload capabilities: can I ask a few questions? When you guys use these Garmin devices like the 305 or this new 500, and you upload the ride to the computer:

Is it then displayed in a map like format showing where you rode?
Does it also show a "profile" of the elevation change as you rode along?
Can you pick a section of the ride and get the time for that section?
Can you pick any point (say the summit of a climb) and get heart rate at that time?
If you do the same route again, can you compare times for sections of the ride (climbs for example)?

I've never owned a GPS with upload capabilities: can I ask a few questions? When you guys use these Garmin devices like the 305 or this new 500, and you upload the ride to the computer:

Is it then displayed in a map like format showing where you rode?
Does it also show a "profile" of the elevation change as you rode along?
Can you pick a section of the ride and get the time for that section?
Can you pick any point (say the summit of a climb) and get heart rate at that time?
If you do the same route again, can you compare times for sections of the ride (climbs for example)?

Yes to all of those. Here is a nice free software package that is compatible with Garmin GPS bike computers:
http://www.zonefivesoftware.com/SportTracks/

I have a Garmin Forerunner 305. I t records cadence, heart rate, calories, speed and elevation. I transfer the data to Training Center on my laptop. I also transfer it to the web using Carmin Connect. You can play back the route. The only disadvantage the heart rate is not being sed for the determination of the calories burned. I am using the optional cadence/speed sensor. The whole setup was about $200 from Amazon.com.

The one major thing that the 305 won't do is interface with a Powertap--that's why I'm excited about the 500. The other reason is that the 500 is reasonably priced at $350 and records *everything* (I need anyway) all in one device, thus synchronizing all the data by location. When I'm going to dump a grand+ on a Powertap, the lower price of the 500 definitely helps keep the whole power package more affordable...

There are two major features that could get me to upgrade from my 305 to the 500, and I'm not sure either are there:

1. More memory, to eliminate the problem of the device overwriting the gps points on long, multi-day trips. As an alternative, a slot for a flash drive or sd card would be nice.
2. The eliminateion of the persistent problem of the thing shutting off in mid-ride if you hit a little bump. This is reported by enough people that I realize it isn't just a quirk of mine.

If they've fixed these, I'll be lining up with my checkbook.

There are two major features that could get me to upgrade from my 305 to the 500, and I'm not sure either are there:

1. More memory, to eliminate the problem of the device overwriting the gps points on long, multi-day trips. As an alternative, a slot for a flash drive or sd card would be nice.
2. The eliminateion of the persistent problem of the thing shutting off in mid-ride if you hit a little bump. This is reported by enough people that I realize it isn't just a quirk of mine.

If they've fixed these, I'll be lining up with my checkbook.

This is a great idea--one that the bike computer guys should embrace. I would certainly go for it: SD cards are small enough (actually this is a really good application for those small cards), they are cheap, and readily available. You'd think they would be all over this idea...

There are two major features that could get me to upgrade from my 305 to the 500, and I'm not sure either are there:

1. More memory, to eliminate the problem of the device overwriting the gps points on long, multi-day trips. As an alternative, a slot for a flash drive or sd card would be nice.
2. The eliminateion of the persistent problem of the thing shutting off in mid-ride if you hit a little bump. This is reported by enough people that I realize it isn't just a quirk of mine.

If they've fixed these, I'll be lining up with my checkbook.

These were both addressed in the 605/705.

Anybody know when the 500 will be available? I had a 305 untill it took a flying leap off the mount when I hit a relatively small pot hole at 32mph during the cat 4 race at hotter n hell this past weekend. I didn't go back this time with 100 racers hot on my wheel.

The 500 is going to have a twist lock mount like the polars...it's about time, and they're saying 18 hours battery life compared to the 6 for the 305....another big plus.

It's got everything else that I used on the 305 and if I every do spring for a power meter it'll read it too.

Yeah I'll be getting a basic 500 and using my heart rate belt and cadenence pick from my 305.

I need it now.

Garmin says available in December. Based on the 305 and 705 history add another 3 to 6 months before they really hit the market.

That's too long...I don't know if I can put up with just a regular computer till then and I hate to spend the bigger bucks on something like another 305 with the 500 coming down the pipe.

There are two major features that could get me to upgrade from my 305 to the 500, and I'm not sure either are there:

1. More memory, to eliminate the problem of the device overwriting the gps points on long, multi-day trips. As an alternative, a slot for a flash drive or sd card would be nice.
2. The eliminateion of the persistent problem of the thing shutting off in mid-ride if you hit a little bump. This is reported by enough people that I realize it isn't just a quirk of mine.


Have you tried the rubber band fix for that? My 305 used to have that problem, but it has been working without problems all summer with just a rubber band wound tight round the part above the display.

/s-o

That is one of the better ideas I've heard. I've seen all sorts of things that I don't care to try posted on various forums, including disassembling the thing and redoing the battery connectors. The rubber band seems like a great idea.

The rubber band seems like a great idea.

I can just see that on the Garmin FAQ page. Their engineers must be proud, LOL.