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Edge 705/800

Old 06-09-11, 09:40 PM
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Edge 705/800

I use a Garmin eTrex Vista HCX with City Navigator. Works good most of the time. But not at all for route files generated off unit. Always corrupted. No problem with track files.

Would like to hear from folks using the Edge 705/800. The good, the bad, the ugly. I'm especially interested in how it handles a route file built at an online mapping site and transferred thru Mapsouce/Basecamp. Garmin says the Edge will not corrupt the file. What's your experience been? Are turn by turn directions reliable with transferred route files? What's your evaluation of the utility of the touchscreen? Of the Edge models for cycle touring?

If good responses, I may reference this thread in an article over at CG.
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Old 06-09-11, 10:11 PM
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I'm using opensource maps in my 705, so there are often discrepancies between what I download from a place like map my ride and my maps. However, once I got the settings fixed, the unit seems to work pretty well, just gets a little whiny when I insist on staying on the real road and not the imaginary one it has in its databanks.
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Old 06-10-11, 09:39 AM
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You'd probably get more answers to this question over in the Electronics forum than one where people pride themselves on avoiding battery-powered devices...

That said, I own a Garmin Edge 705, planned my tour down the Pacific Coast using BikeRouteToaster and didn't have any problems getting turn-by-turn directions. The only trick was that I had to download routes using the .TCX format rather than .GPX format. I created daily routes that were 50-100 miles in length. The device seemed to have a tendency to hang when trying to process .GPX routes, IIRC. It might have finished processing them at some point, but I usually gave up after 5-10 minutes of waiting. In any event, .TCX courses would start almost immediately and seemed to provide all of the turn-by-turn info needed so I stuck with them.

I've found it difficult to hit touch-screen buttons on my iPhone when sitting in a seat on a bumpy train. As a result, I'm glad I own the push-button Edge 705 rather than the touch-screen Edge 800...
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Old 06-10-11, 02:30 PM
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Thanks for the posting tip sstorkel.
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Old 06-10-11, 04:12 PM
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After a 25 mile ride today on a new route, I was reminded of a couple of shortcomings that I thought I would mention.

The 705 really needs to understand that it is the journey, not the destination that matters. Any route that come back to where you start, will have you fighting the 705 for a bit while it gets things sorted out. It keeps wanting me to turn around, home is right there...

The other issue, and this may be the open source maps as much as the 705, is it does not like state borders. When I was approaching the state line, it started telling me to make a u turn, after the state line, it was a bit sulky, and took a couple of turns before it showed the map right, but then it got over it. Good thing that, at that point, I knew were I was going. The rest of the trip, it was quite helpful, I doubt I would have made it where I wanted to go without it.
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Old 06-10-11, 06:46 PM
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Originally Posted by hyegeek
The 705 really needs to understand that it is the journey, not the destination that matters. Any route that come back to where you start, will have you fighting the 705 for a bit while it gets things sorted out. It keeps wanting me to turn around, home is right there...
I've never found this to be the case. I program circular routes all the time and have never had an issue.

The one feature that's pretty stupid, though, is the "Return to Start" or whatever it's called. Rather than routing you back to the starting point via the most efficient route, it simply follows your path in reverse. So, if you're on mile 25 of a 30-mile circular route, this feature will have you ride 25 miles to get back (= 50 miles total) rather than the 5 miles or less that a direct routing would require.
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Old 06-10-11, 06:50 PM
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Every time I have run into this issue, the route has not been a full loop, but has had some overlap (lollipop). Not sure if that makes the difference or not. I do know that once I got outside the stick of the lollipop, it did a great job.
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Old 06-11-11, 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by hyegeek
Every time I have run into this issue, the route has not been a full loop, but has had some overlap (lollipop). Not sure if that makes the difference or not. I do know that once I got outside the stick of the lollipop, it did a great job.
I understand now. The problem, which I have seen, is that the Edge 705 really wants you to pass over the start point for a route. If it doesn't think you've passed the start point, it will spend quite a bit of time trying to direct you back to it. The unit is pretty sensitive, so if you don't zoom in when mapping the start point, it's easy to put it slightly out of place and miss the start. Also, if you don't start the course before you begin riding then the Edge will want to direct you back to the start.

The best solution I've found, which I forgot about until you mentioned it, is to start mapping lollipop courses a bit further into the ride. In my case, I start mapping lollipop courses 2-3 houses down the street, rather than right at the end of my driveway.
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Old 06-11-11, 02:52 PM
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We have a 605 (same as the 705, but less training-oriented features) and we had a lot of trouble with the .gpx routes. However, using a course (.tcx) works perfectly. Only issue is you have to mark where you want each warning manually in bikeroutetoaster, if you want it to warn you of upcoming turns. For me I don't find it to be a problem, as the screen is always right in front of me, and I can easily see when a turn is approaching.
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Old 06-11-11, 04:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Spudd
Only issue is you have to mark where you want each warning manually in bikeroutetoaster, if you want it to warn you of upcoming turns.
I didn't have to do this when I used BikeRouteToaster to plan my trip down the Pacific Coast. In the map view, make sure you check "Add Course Points at Junctions" under the Auto-Routing options. When downloading TCX files from the Summary tab, check the "Add Course Point Warnings" before downloading the file. It's been a while since I used the site, but I think that's what I did to get automatic turn warnings...
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Old 06-11-11, 06:17 PM
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Originally Posted by sstorkel
In the map view, make sure you check "Add Course Points at Junctions" under the Auto-Routing options.
Oooh, good tip! I never noticed that.
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