Handlebar mountable GPS units
 

was originally thinking of getting a Garmin 705 to take care of my cycling and direction needs, now it looks like the purchase of a 705 might be too rich, and I will get a saris electropack and a separate GPS unit for directions. has anyone done this? what model do you have and what do you use for handlebar mounts? i know that most of the units can be used with a handlebar adapter for motorcycles, but i'm not sure how well this would work with a 31.8mm handlebar.

thanks in advance

705s can be had for $350 or so. another option, if you have a GPS-enabled cellphone, is to go for a 305 (doesn't have mapping, but can be had for $150 or less these days).

I bought an edge 305, used it for a month, and traded it in on a 705. not sure whether it was worth the extra $200, but I am using free maps that work great, so at least I didn't have to pay even more

A refurbished and Garmin-warranteed 705 is about $340 with the speed and cadence kit, another $100 for the maps to make the GPS useable. The electropak is what - about $180 and you'd have to add to that whatever your mapping device costs.

As much as I've complained that Garmin's documentation isn't up to snuff, the device itself is very nice and there is a lot of information on BF and youtube about how to get the most out of it.

yes that's the bundle I got. but you don't need to spend $100 to make the maps usable

the free maps at http://garmin.na1400.info/routable.php work well for routing. the only defect I've found so far is that the city names are not tied to states, so if you want to type in an address that's broken. but if you just point the 705 to a location on the map and say "get me there" it works great

(and if you want the "official" maps they are only $70 on Amazon).

what do you want gps for specifically?

my 305 is great at directions if i upload a route with ridewithgps or bikeroutetoaster. its pretty intuitive and easy to follow once you get the hang of it, and as a bonus, i got mine for $75 when best buy was blowing them out a few months ago.

I use an eTrex Vista HCx and an $11 handlebar mount. Granted, I have to use another computer for cadence and heart rate (which I already had), but for the same price as a new 705, I got the eTrex, NA Roadmaps, four states worth of topo maps, handlebar mount, dashboard mount, rechargable batteries and charger, and power adapter for the car. I can use it for hiking, biking, four wheeling, and urban navigation. It would be nice to be able to get all of my ride data in a single unit, be able just plug it into a charger rather than replace batteries, and save a few grams, but the versatility that I have with the eTrex makes up for function specific features I would get with the 705.

To mount it, I use the Garmin mount for the eTrex series and a Dashboard Genie. I have the same setup on two bikes.

+1
If you just want to create nice routes for riding, then the 205 or 305 works very well. The routes are created through many different websites using google maps, and download directly into the Garmin .crs format. With these you are just following a line on the screen and not seeing roads, but it works very effectively.

I agree, the 305 can work if you've fully planned your route in advance and don't have much in the way of changes. but I always got tripped up when I went off the path (detours, construction, curiosity, other change of plans) and got lost. so I traded mine in on a 705. now it's great b/c I can tell it to take me somewhere else, or I can just go for a "random ride" and always find my way back

that said, for half the price the 305 is a great item. and it is a bit smaller, which is nice

For me, the mapping on the 705 isn't so great because I use it that much, because I don't, but because it's there if I do want to use it. I never know where I will end up riding, but I never have to worry about where I go, the 705 will get me back. Having color, regardless of how unnecessary it is, is just appealing to me also.

guys, thanks for the response. the purpose of the GPS would be for making sure i don't get lost when i get a case of wanderlust, which i'm sure i'll get when i go home to NC this summer. the real impetus was when my entire group got lost in the "mountains" of NW New Jersey, looking for a way out, but instead going nowhere for an hour. i was looking at the 705 on newegg but realized that i needed to spend another $70 on a street map of the lower 49 states for a grand total of $420.

with a $180 electropack, this leaves me $240 to spend for the GPS & mount, which i think i can easily do with $150.

Breathgood, how well does the handlebar mount mes with the handlebar? I always thought motorcycle handlebars are quite thick, possibly too thick for something that could also accommodate 31.8mm bicycle bars

again, you don't need to spend $70 for the street maps. the free maps at http://garmin.na1400.info/routable.php work well for routing

thanks. i didn't realize this until i read your post from a few days ago

I have a Garmin 310xt. You can use it for Biking, Running, and Swimming. You can get a bike mount kit too.

If you're just worried about getting lost, the 305 can get you back home following the track you took to your current location.

I have used the 305 for a year and just upgraded to a refurb 705 mainly because I needed power recording that the 305 didn't provide. I always loaded crs files into the 305 and followed the little line on the screen because I don't like to do the same routes over and over, and it worked well unless there was a fork in the road or a lot of streets close together; then I tended to make mistakes and have to backtrack a bit when it told me I was off course. BUT after my first ride with the 705 I found out why it's an order of magnitude better: I loaded a gpx file of a completely unknown 70mi route I found on garmin connect and headed out. I was able to keep a screen with 8 data fields up while I rode and when I was approaching a turn the 705 beeped and changed the display to show where I needed to turn AND what the street name was, just like a "real" gps. When I got closer it double beeped and showed me again. No more constant staring at a screen with only a couple data points and a little line drawn on nothingness! You can download completely free routable maps from the opensteetmap website and have all the maps you need for the price of a 4gig micro-mini-super-tiny SD card.

If you usually do the same routes and know your way around then the 305 is great. If you like to explore or simply change things up then the 705 is definately worth the $$$

i got a refurb Edge 705 from Newegg. It's simply great, with the cadence and HR monitor included. cost was $350. one year factory warranty.

If you have an Android cell phone you can skip on the GPS unit. Download an app called Tracks turn it on and it will record nearly everything.

1. Speed/Average Speed/Fastest Speed/Slowest
2. Elevation Changes
3. Distance
4. Time/Time with stops and with no stops
5. It will map your route
6. You can save and upload your results to your pc and keep "track."

That's what I do. Take my phone turn the app on, throw the phone in my back pocket and go.
But I guess if you want to see your real time speed I guess a GPS unit on handlebars is the way to go.

I just purchased a garmin nuvi 255 for $112 shipped, and it's supposed to come in tomorrow. I am also using a separate computer for speed, cadence, ect. I'll keep you posted.

Wow...does it also plot directions for bikes? If so that's cool!

That it doesn't do. Does not have any directions, it just records where you were via the gps and measures the stuff I mentioned.

great. really appreciate it

I think whether this make sense depends on price sensitive you are. As the numbers are adding up, it looks like your approach will save you around $120. ($420 for the 705 vs $180 for the electropak, and $120 give or take for a GPS, and a mount).

If you went with the 705 for that $120, you'll get a better interface for your powertap than the basic PT head unit, a GPS that is designed for bike use, and avoid the clutter of 2 units.

The question is whether that's worth $120 to you.

Tracks doesn't, but any phone with Android 2.1 or higher can do turn by turn directions, with voice guidance and bike directions via Google maps for Android...

http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/201...ts-biking.html

<sound of hitting head on table for upgrading to 705 instead of keeping 305 and getting an Android phone for price of 705 upgrade. arrrrrrrrrrrgh

I have taken my Nuvi 255 on 4 rides, and it works great. I was able to easily navigate with the turn by turn directions, though you can't load a pre-mapped route, and it tracks your ride. With the garminconnect feature, I'm able to upload my route that it tracked, and look at the data: elevation, min, max, avg speed, ect. I'm happy with it. Hope that helps.