Garmin Forerunner vs Edge
 

What are the pros + cons? Did anyone seriously consider both? It seems most people have the Edge, but that may be because it's older. The Forerunner is cheaper and a watch form factor seems a plus?

If you are into multi-sports, Dualthlons, Triathlons, etc. then the ForeRunner might make a better choice than the Edge. I do not like running, I think running is evil, I think running is Satan. http://67.19.70.250//images/evil.gif I have an Edge, since I will only be using it for biking.

I have the edge 305 with HR and cad and once you get used to everything, it is wonderful. There is a part of me that wishes I had gotten the forerunner though. I do a lot of running as well and I think it would have been a little more beneficial to me. Check Garmin's website. They have a list of features for each model. You may wanna pay attention to what bike specific functions the forerunner is lacking.
~Nick

I agree with you on running, although I do have a desire to do an Olympic tri one day I won't be running far enough to need a GPS. I do a fair amount of indoor cardio - treadmill, stationary bike, lift - but I could use my Polar for that.

The MSRP's are only $3 different, but the street prices I've seen were $60-70 apart.

I don't think the Forerunner is cheaper if you compare similar accessory bundles. The Forerunner is usually bundled with only the HR sensor, but the Edge usually gets the cadence sensor as well. The Forerunner is smaller, which is good if you want a small package. The Edge has a bigger screen to show you more data at once. Also, the Edge has a much more accurate altimeter, if you like comparing your cumulative elevation gain number with your friends.

I have an Edge, my buddy has a ForeRunner. He has GPS envy.

Edge is way cooler.

Ive got the Forerunner. I bought it for running.

Why do you say your buddy has envy?

Just throw the edge in your pocket or make an arm band for it.

The differences seem minuscule - battery life and screen size.

http://www.garmin.com/products/comparison.jsp

Mostly because he has the base model ForeRunner and I have the Edge 305 /w all the add-ons.

Also, I have a stem mount.

Cool. I thought you were implying there was a significant difference in the GPS itself.

If I only biked, Id consider the Edge. For myself, the Forerunner replaced a Polar HRM which died. I bought the Forerunner because the GPS seemed like a cool toy (which it is) and it was a bonus that you could get the cadence unit for it.

My only complaint is the appearance of the Forerunner. For the price, it just doesnt look right. It looks like its from the 1980s and cost $20.

I have the forerunner and love it. I am a runner, so I will ignore the silly comments above. :)

Does anyone have a link to a handlebar mount for the forerunner? I cannot find anything when I seach. I would prefer to put it somewhere on my handlebar instead of my arm when I bike.

I havent seen any in person. But google "garmin forerunner 305 handlebar mount" and you get a lot of hits. Seems theres a lot for the old 201 and 301.

http://www.amazon.com/GARMIN-HANDLEB.../dp/B000JT0OZ8

Are you talking about the old Forerunner 301 or the new 305? The new model is a lot nicer.

The Edge website says that the GPS aids in navigation - does that mean that these units will give you cue sheet directions? For some reason I thought they didn't.

You can download routes to the Edge and it will cue your turns.

Except if you are using only Garmin's Training Center, you need to have ridden the route once first then you can save the ride as a new course to aid in navigation. Kind of a backwards way of doing things.

There are some free utilities and some internet sites that will allow you to create a route then you can import it into Training Center for downloading into the Edge.

if you are not a runner and never going to be a runner then get the edge. the screen is bigger thus making it easier to read while biking. price wise, the edge with cad is cheaper then the forerunner with cad. i picked up the edge with HR and CAD off eBay for $260 shipped. later.

The Edges are so cheap on Ebay I guess it doesn't matter.

does the forerunner tell you your current speed? all of the pictures of it i see show pace (minutes/mile) since it's for running. my girlfriend wants to get a forerunner because she both runs and rides. anyone know if it shows current mph? thanks

Yes, you can configure it to display a number of bike specific data fields.

For example, when I am on my bike the first screen I display:

Speed (large numbers)
And then time and distance underneath.

The second screen I have dedicated to heart rate info.

The third screen has elevation, grade, cadence and time of day.

On the bike I use a Polar bike mount that you can attach to your bars. The just attach the watch to the mount like you put it on your wrist. Inexpensive and works great.

Here is a link to the mount at REI:

http://www.rei.com/product/733343

which forerunner model do you have? my girlfriend is looking at the either the 101 or 201. can you do view current speed with these ones also? also, with the forerunner 101, can you view your routes online through the garmin website/program?

I have the 305.

I would be careful purchasing anything older than the 205 or the 305 (essentially the same thing – the 205 does not have the heart rate monitor).

When doing my research, there were many complains about the GPS receivers of the older units. Obviously much cheaper, but the GPS chipset often fails in areas near trees and tall buildings.

You may want to check out the Garmin forums on the MotionBased site. I got lot’s of good information here:

http://forums.motionbased.com/smf/index.php

thanks!