p8rider

As mentioned recently, I rode my birthday ride a week or so ago, (53 yrs, 55 miles) and later in the week my Garmin 305 b'day gift came in. Put it on last weekend and have ridden four times so far with it. Being sort of a data lover, (I have an excel sheet showing every ride I have taken since June of '05) I find this thing to be a great deal of fun. Can't believe all the detailed data I can play with back on my computer! It has also caused my speed to increase, my waistline to lose an additional inch and I noted today that the roots of my dirty gray hair are growing in brown again!!

StanSeven

I love mine also. I've used it for two weeks and don't know how I did without it. I've found myself lagging way behind I wanted to be in terms of fitness, speed, and endurance. I get that way every winter but also come back motivated and strong by early summer. This year I didn't. But now with the Garmin, I'm quickly coming back.

I also wasn't aware of how slow my cadence is. I have a cadence monitor on another bike but it only shows the immediate cadence and not averages. I thought my cadence was fine on the other one; now I'm finding I needed to increase it my 10.

bobby c

You just wait, pretty soon you'll be throwing out your Viagra!

I'm a lover of the unit as well, I used it with MotionBased.com - a nice companion to keep and compare data.

p8rider

Yes, I like the average cadence feature also. Like you, my last computer had a candence monitor and I used it alot actually making it the largest number on the screen. I don't feel the need to raise my cadence further my average is 90, on level roads I like to be pedalling at approx 93-96.

DougG

I have a Forerunner 305 that I use for running. I've used it on the bike as well (it does have a bike mode and most of the features of the Edge), but I keep forgetting to wear it. Just last night I went out for a long ride exploring some new routes and wished I'd had it along so I could plot it on Google Earth (MotionBased output option).

jppe

Glad you're enjoying it!!

Belated happy 53rd as well!

Jet Travis

Dayum, a couple more of these threads and this low-tech guy will have to buy one.

Digital Gee

Does it work with a Mac?

solveg

NO! (I already checked!)

I suppose I could use it with my intel mac, though...

Digital Gee

I have one of those...

byte_speed

+1 on the Edge and the Excel spreadsheet. My log goes back to June 1990.

My only complaint with the Edge is that I haven't found a way to download data to my Excel log.

I don't pay much attention to cadence, but I love the % grade and total ascent functions.

Anyone thinking of getting an Edge 305 - if you are a data junkie, you will love the thing and, if you didn't see it, there is a $75 rebate good until November: https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/321102-sweet-75-garmin-edge-305-50-forerunner-rebate.html

gpelpel

Yes, it works perfectly with the Mac. The Garmin software for Mac is not very good though. But there's an outstanding solution from Montebello Software: Ascent is way better than anything else on the market Mac or PC.

https://www.montebellosoftware.com/index.html

solveg

Ooops! It must. I just went to the site and only saw "transferring your garmin data from your PC to your mac" and I only found reference to a PC USB interface. However, I just found this:


Corporate
January 10, 2006

Garmin Announces GPS Product Support for Mac OS X

MACWORLD EXPO, SAN FRANCISCO/January 10, 2006/PR Newswire — Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN), today announced that it will immediately begin to make its line of GPS and mobile electronics devices compatible with Mac OS X version 10.4 "Tiger." This makes Garmin the first major GPS designer and manufacturer to announce direct support for Mac OS X.

“We are very excited to be supporting the many tech-savvy Garmin users who are also Mac devotees,” said Min Kao, Garmin Ltd.’s chairman and CEO. “Mac users have been encouraging us to make our GPS units Mac compatible, and we’ve listened. We hope this brings the many benefits of GPS to current Mac users and invites future Apple customers to the Garmin fold.”

"The popularity of Mac OS X is attracting many first time developers to the Mac and driving astonishing innovation," said Ron Okamoto, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “We're thrilled to welcome Garmin to the platform and look forward to exciting new applications that take advantage of its GPS-based products and Mac OS X."

Beginning in spring 2006, Garmin will offer a Mac version of its popular Training Center software. Used with Garmin’s line of Forerunner and Edge series of fitness products, the Training Center software lets users plan and analyze workouts. Fitness enthusiasts can create their own workouts or use workout templates that can be downloaded into the unit for any level of personal training. The software also offers interactive analysis tools that will now allow Mac users to chart their performance information like speed, heart rate, cadence, elevation, and pace.

Also in spring 2006, Garmin will make the www.MotionBased.com upload interface Mac compatible. MotionBased.com translates GPS data into performance analysis, online mapping, and route sharing for endurance and outdoor athletes. Data collected by a Garmin GPS device is uploaded to MotionBased.com where time, distance, speed, elevation, cadence, grade, and heart rate analysis is displayed through charts, illustrations, and reports. This activity data can also be displayed as a route and replayed on street, photo, topographic, and elevation maps as well as the popular Google Earth service. Members can also use the TrailNetwork database to seek out and download new activities in their region, to find popular routes while traveling, or to engage in "virtual races" with other MotionBased users.

By the end of 2006, Garmin intends to have made all its popular hardware and software applications Mac OS X compatible. This includes the ability to load MapSource map data to Garmin units via a Mac, as well as waypoint and trip planning applications. Additionally, the Garmin nRoute application will allow Powerbook and iBook users to turn their laptop into a powerful street navigation tool with Garmin’s GPS 10 or GPS 18 sens

stapfam

+1 on that. Just so I can confirm to the road dept. that they have the wrong sign on that 10% hill that I am convinced is a 25%er halfway up.

solveg

gpelpel,

This was from the garmin website. This seems to imply that you need a PC to work as an intermediary for a mac. Is this how you do it?

Question: How do I transfer Training Center data from my PC to my Macintosh?
Answer:
On the PC please follow these easy steps:

Update PC Training Center to the latest version. Click here to download file.
Export history to a .tcx file.
Export workouts to a .tcx file.
Export courses to a .tcx file.
All of the data above can be saved to a standard USB jump drive for crossover purposes.

On the Mac please follow these easy steps:

Install and run Garmin Training Center for Macintosh
Connect the Garmin device to the computer. This will automatically create the profile.
Access the exported PC files on the jump drive.
Import the history .tcx file.
Import the workout .tcx file.
Import the course .tcx file.
Last modified on: 06/13/2007

gpelpel

After installing the software the only think you need on the Mac is to connect the Edge to the Mac via an USB cable.
When using Ascent, you then activate the 'Sync GPS' command from the File menu.
When using Garmin Training Center you activate the 'Receive from Device' or 'Sent from Device' from the File menu.
With MotionBased it works the same on Macs and PCs.
It cannot be easier and doesn't require any additional software or hardware as the Polar HRM require with the Mac.

card

YES IT DOES!! Just download the program off the web site.

ps: my Mac is not Intel.

solveg

Wheeee! I want* one now.

Digital Gee

Yeah, but does it work with my iPhone?

solveg

That's the penalty for being the coolest kid in class... noone can answer that question but you!

qwerty37

I've owned the Garmin Forerunner 305 since it came out, similiar to the Edge but wrist watch style. Don't know how I ever cycled & run without it! I use MotionBased, Garmin Training Center & SportTracks software with it to analyze my data, each package is a little bit different. All in all it really made a difference in my training!!

jppe

BTW-I was up in the mountains today and got drenched-felt like I was 20 ft under water. I didn't have any issues with the Garmin related to the moisture.......keep right on logging stuff. Of course I had so much water in my eyes I couldn't see the info but I did check to see if the numbers changed from time to time.

solveg

There's a recent thread on the roadie forum about a $75 rebate on the 305
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=321102.

Someone was thinking that they may be coming out with a newer model. Anyway, if you're going to get one, you might as well save $75.

fprintf

Just to add my two, non-50+ cents in, but you can get an Edge 305 with HR and Cadence for $269 before rebate from www.geomangear.com, very fast shipping plus he is a member of bikeforums.net. So minus the rebate that is $194 plus shipping. I think with shipping I am going to be out $207 once the rebate comes back.

dendawg

I also love my edge, but my biggest complaint is the battery life on the cadence sensor. Seems to only last around 2-3 months. I had been buying batteries at Radio Shack where they were (ouch) $5.99. I have since ordered 17 online for $16.50. They can be had even cheaper on ebay where I have seen them for as little as 25 for $9.99 including shipping. My other complaint is that Garmin doesn't carry parts for the accessories. I have already lost the o-ring from the battery compartment cover on my HR sensor and can't get a replacement. I have just been wiping out the compartment on a regular basis and cleaning out any corrosion that might be occurring.