redspoke

Wow! I'm going to get one now that the price is too low to say no...

https://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...=1&topnav=&s=1

Plus the return policy is like REI...

spingineer

It's about time they dropped the price on Garmin 305.

superunleaded

Thanks for the heads up. My friend bought the 205 last week for about 160. I'm sure he can still return that and go for this 305.

gpelpel

This is not the Bundle, it is the HR pack without the speed/cadence sensor. The GPS alone can record your speed but not the cadence.

redspoke

Oh! Thanks for that info. How much is that in addition?

gpelpel

$38 with free shipping at Amazon.com

johnny99

I have a Garmin Edge 305 and have been using it for 2 years without the cadence sensor. Unless you really want to know your cadence, I say don't bother with the sensor. The GPS does fine for measuring speed and distance. I only lose the GPS signal when going through tunnels or in narrow canyons (like Pescadero Road).

superunleaded

I just checked Geomangear and its at 255 + shipping for the bundle

redspoke

So, this Costco deal is good price, no?

BlastRadius

Tempting but I think I'm going to hold out for this to replace my Forerunner 301.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=142&pID=27335#

cantdrv55

Ignoramus here. What can the 305 do that my Polar HRM w/cadence cannot? The 705 has maps but the 305 does not, correct?

BlastRadius

GPS tracking. Saving your route.

cantdrv55

Can you download a route to it and give you a turn-by-turn or will it just save the route you're on?

x136 

It won't do a "turn left here" kind of a thing, but you can upload a route to it, and it'll show a breadcrumb trail on the screen. I've never gotten it to work very well (more due to my choice in operating systems than anything, I'm sure), so I can't say exactly how to do so or how it works, but it does have that functionality.

gpelpel

I used to own a Polar 825x and switched to an Edge 305 about 2 years ago.

Main difference on paper is GPS tracking allowing you to download your route to your computer and see it on a satellite map. It's not necessary but a fun tool, I like it a lot.
Secondary difference is support for the Mac, although Garmin software is not great. So if you are a Mac user both options will require a 3rd party software such as iSmartTrain for the Polar or Ascent for the Garmin. Ascent is really, really nice.

On practice I give a huge thumbs up to the Garmin for their HR belt, it's a lot more consistent than the Polar's that needed really good care and tended to require a replacement every year or so. The Edge also pick up much less interferences (from powerlines to cars) than the Polar. So I find the Edge to be more accurate and consistent.
Polar has an advantage on battery life, the Edge will track up to 8 hours unless you have an extension battery such as the MintyBoost kit or a retail charger such as the Energizer Energi To Go. The Garmin has a rechargeable battery while the Polar uses a button battery that needs to be replaced every couple of years, the Edge sensor need new batteries once a year.

You can upload crude maps in the 305, I have never done it but it is possible to do it with proper software.

superunleaded

I think that is a good price with the HR sensor.

kix

It can show you arrows on where to turn by only when returning home to your starting location.

I've used it for driving around in foreign countries...you simply plot out where you want to go in advance, and pop it into the Garmin. It'll show you a bread crumb but no streets but that also means you're not purchasing new maps.

It's also how I explore new routes.

redspoke

Insane! I ordered this while munching on lunch yesterday. I came home from a ride after work and VI-OLA! It was there on the kitchen counter... Talk about instant gratification. I was hoping get it just in time for the Davis Double. Niiiiice! I am charging it now and put my old computer on the Langster already. I Costco.

msincredible

Hmmm, doesn't sound so useful for me.

kb5ql

705 seems to have better reception and battery life. I've had no problems with either when going down alpine to pescadero and back up tunitas. But then that unit costs a lot more...

gpelpel

That's the reason why it's important to have the speed/cadence sensor. GPS reception doesn't exist in a tunnel or under a bridge, and can be very weak under heavy tree cover especially at startup.

I had to experience the problem while accompanying a boy scout troop during a 50 miles outting. We were at the Avenue of the Giants in Northern CA under the redwoods. The GPS (305) couldn't pick up satellite connections where we started the ride at the campground because of the trees, I needed to wait for a meadow for it to start. Once GPS connection started it did pickup the rest of the ride even under heavy tree coverage. The Speed/Cadence sensor did however record the complete ride from start to finish so the boys could prove they had ridden 50 miles.

gti337

Not quite true. It will show you left/right/straight/summit/valley and several other markers, but only if you apply them to the course ahead of time. I routinely download new rides from Motionbased, import them into Garmin Training Center as courses, apply turn/summit markers, and upload them to the GPS. When following a course, it will display the distance to the next marker on the course.

msincredible

I'll always be starting under heavy tree cover. Checked out the 705 price and

I have my VDO wired cyclocomputer on the Orbea, works great for speed and distance, it uses barometric pressure for altitude though which can be really flaky especially with the microclimates around here. I don't have anything on the Birdy, I don't like the wireless computers because of the interference issues, and obviously wired may be an issue with folding and travel. I was thinking a GPS would work well but I'm not willing to spend that much.

x136 

Yeah, the 705 is horridly expensive, and the 305 can be a bit finicky under heavy tree-cover or behind mountains. Only reason I've stayed with the 305 is that's nice to be able to save routes for future reference (before I got it, half the time I had no idea where I was if I was following other people), and near the end of rides, it's nice to be able to see how far away from the car I am, or what general direction I need to go in to get back to the start.

Rushfan

Don't mean to steal the thread, but how was the ride? I proposed the same ride for my troop next month but we're a bit put off by the trip distance (about 4hrs each way from Woodland according to Yahoo). Also, where did you stay?