Amazon.com Product Description Garmin has really upped the ante on the entire cycling computer category with it's two new gps-enabled navigator/computers, the 705 and its younger sibling, the 605. These are true navigational aids with full-color maps and turn-by-turn directions in addition to advanced route-planning and saving capabilities. On top of that, the 705 adds heart rate and cadence monitors, a barometric altimeter, and wireless capability that lets you share routes and workout data with other riders instantly. Sleek and waterproof, with a 2.2-inch color screen that lets you customize what data you see and how you see it, these two devices help make the most of every ride.
The Power Of Location-Based Data Anyone who has used Garmin's original Edge 205 or 305 already understands the power that attaching location data to traditional measurements like distance, speed, time, calories burned, and heart rate can provide. Knowing exactly where you worked hardest, rode fastest (or most slowly) lets you tailor your workouts to improve to improve your riding skills for specific distances, conditions, and types of terrain. It gives a complete picture of how you interact with every portion of your ride.
Altitude is recorded using a barometric altimeter for the Edge 705. This accurate altitude data makes it much easier for cyclists to match their altitude profile with their speed, cadence, and heart rate during post-ride analysis. The Edge 605 gives a somewhat less precise altitude measurement via the GPS positioning system itself.
A First-Rate Bike Computer The Edge 605 automatically measures your speed, distance, time, calories burned and altitude. The 705 also track your heart rate, cadence, power (from optional ANT + Sport-enabled third-party power meters), climb and descent. Other nifty features include the following.
Virtual Partner lets you race a virtual competitor over a specified distance and speed.
Courses let you race against a previously recorded workout, so you can compare your current and past performances over the same ride.
Auto Pause pauses the timer when you slow down or stop and resumes when you speed up again, so you can focus on your ride.
Auto Lap automatically starts a new lap each time you pass a specified location or travel a preset distance
Click stick helps users navigate through the various options.
Full-Featured Navigation
The Edge 305 Screen (actual size)
The larger color screen (actual size) on the Edge 605 and 705 shows you your surroundings more clearly and supports real turn-by-turn navigation.
No more scratch paper paper-clipped to your handlebars. In addition to their cycling computer functions, The Edge 705 and 605 provide the same robust navigation as Garmin's vehicle navigators, with turn-by-turn spoken directions (turn left in 500 yards) and a 2.2-inch (diagonal) color display that shows maps in great detail.
Both devices come pre-loaded with a built-in basemap, and a MicroSD card slot you can use to load new maps or store workout, course and ride data. Garmin has lots of street and topographic maps available for purchase and you can download courses and rides from Garmin or other riders at the Garmin Connect website.
Both feature a high-sensitivity receiver that holds a signal under trees and near tall buildings and have a click stick for easy screen navigation.
Connectivity and "ANT + Sport" One of Garmin's most ambitious decisions has been to approach fitness devices as a total platform with their "ANT + Sport" connectivity system. All of Garmin's new fitness devices, including the Edge 605 and 705, the Forerunner 50 heart rate monitor watches, will interface wirelessly with any devices that are compatible wiht the "ANT + Sport" protocol, including devices from other manufacturers. Currently, Garmin the devices will pair with power meter from SRM or Quarq to measure power - torque and cadence for each leg at the pedals - which is often cited as a true indicator of an efficient ride. It's unclear what other manufacturers will buy into the ANT + Sport platform, but this kind of open connectivity with products from other companies offers a great deal of potential flexibility.
The wireless function also makes it easy to connect one Edge unit to another to share rides, courses and workout data.
Heart Rate and Cadence Monitors The Edge 705 heart rate monitor uses a robust wireless technology that eliminates cross-talk and interference and delivers real-time heart rate data exclusively to the user's device. This data is stored with each track point for post-workout analysis. The Edge 705 with speed/cadence sensor incorporates a self-calibrating, wireless speed/cadence sensor that mounts to the rear chain stay of the bicycle.
Be Part of A Community In 2007, Garmin acquired Motion-based, the largest shared repository of customer-generated gps-based routes, courses and maps. This was a significant move for Garmin to support the gps user community and bring a wealth of route options to gps users. With a simple connection to your computer, you can join a worldwide network of cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts through Garmin Connect our new, one-stop site for data analysis an sharing.
You can also upload to optional Garmin Training Center software for further analysis. Garmin Training Center stores large quanities of workout and ride data. Some of the things you can do are
Review your workout data, including pace/speed, distance, time, calories burned; and if available, heart rate, cadence and detailed elevation.
View a detailed graph of your workout data, plotted over time or distance.
View a map of your workout that shows the exact path you traveled.
Categorize your workout history according to type of activity.
Review previous workouts, which are saved by day and week.
Create customized workouts with specific goals and rest intervals. Then send them to your fitness device.*
Schedule workouts for a specific day with calendar.
Get custom workout templates designed by the experts at TrainingPeaks.com
What's In The Box Edge 605 gps-enabled cycling computer, City Navigator for U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico street map, bike mounts, AC charger, USB cable, Owner's manual on CD-ROM, Quick reference guide
Product Description The Edge 605 Handheld GPS-enabled cycle computer comes loaded with everything you need to make the most out of your ride. Get cycle computer data and mapping detail, all from one compact, easy-to-use device. You can even store, analyze and share your stats for the world to see with Garmin's online training community. Edge 605 comes with a built-in Basemap, plus it has a microSD card slot for adding map detail, storing workouts courses, and saved rides. The optional, detailed MapSource City Navigator street maps give turn-by-turn directions on a sunlight-readable, color display as you pedal. Edge snaps easily into the included bike mount to guide you to your destination. The rugged Edge 605 automatically measures your speed, distance, time, calories burned and altitude. A high-sensitivity receiver holds a signal under trees or near tall buildings while the click stick provides easy screen navigation. Display size - Width 1.37 x Height 1.71 (3.48x4.36cm), 2.2 diagonal (5.6 cm) Display resolution - 176 x 220 pixels Battery - rechargeable li-polymer with up to 15 hours Garmin Connect compatible (online community where you analyze, categorize and share data) Garmin Training Center software compatible Advanced workouts (create custom, goal-oriented workouts) Quick workouts (input time, distance and pace goals) Pace alert (triggers alarm if you vary from preset pace) Time/distance alert (triggers alarm when you reach goal) Interval training (set up exercise and rest intervals) Dimensions - Width 2 x Height 4.3 x Depth 1 (5.1x10.9x2.5cm) Weight - 3.7 ounces (104.9 grams)
Customer Reviews:
No total ascentAugust 14, 2008 3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I am a mountain biker and wanted the new Edge 605 mainly to give me net ascent totals. For all I paid for it, I was so shocked it does not have this feature. None of Garmin's marketing was specific enough for me to know this. I had to go through the manual in detail before I realized it. What a disappointment!
Not worth it's valueJuly 3, 2008 4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I agree with all the reviewers.
1. You have to buy City Navigator for 100 bucks! Why isn't it included? 2. The backlight problem is irritating 3. It does lead you off to busier roads sometimes when there are better roads available. (even if you set the unit to avoid using highways) 4. Over and above, if you have to quickly enter a cue sheet or way points on the unit, god help you. You'll stay behind entering info while the rest of the group would have finished the first half of the ride and are on their way back.
And all said and done, it is still useful (if you get City Navigator) and you plan ahead carefully and you do your homework. You can download and upload routes even though it is not so straight forward. It also needs a little getting used to.
Bottom line: If you have the money....and don't care that it adds only so much value for 500 bucks....buy it. Otherwise you'll end up with buyer's remorse - for sure.
Good But With Some ProblemsMay 5, 2008 27 out of 31 found this review helpful
I think that the previous reviews for the 605 are a bit harsh. Let me get right to the negatives of the product as I see it.
1. The route algoritm allows you to select an option where it diverts you around major highways and roads. While this works 90% of the time, every so often it will direct me right onto a major highway or traffic circle when there are better routes available.
2. Backlighting settings not being saved is a pain as the other reviewer mentioned
3. The straps that the 605 comes with to attach to your bike aren't strong enough. After a few rides my 605 tends to move around to much requiring constant re-adjustment, especially on bumpy roads. I plan on adding some velcro to the back which should solve the problem
4. The free Training Center software that you can use with the 605 is pretty much a waste. Outside of storing your rides and keeping a history of ride statistics, it's not worth the download.
5. The detailed street maps do not come standard with the unit. For $399 I was expecting them to and don't think Garmin made this point clear on their site.
Outside of the above, I really don't think that I could not recommend the 605. Its not perfect but it really does make riding easier when you don't have to mentally keep track of where you are or worry about getting lost.
Not Ready for PrimetimeApril 30, 2008 23 out of 24 found this review helpful
I agree with the first reviewer, I bought this anticipating it at least had some maps and streets on it, it has pretty much nothing, it is worthless until you buy a sd card with the preloaded maps, to top it off the descriptions of what you can expect when you buy an sd card whether it be a topo map of an area or city navigator is pretty vague, I also thought I would be able to upload routes and follow them, no, nope, not happening until someone hacks into this thing, if I had it to do over again I wouldn't buy this, I bought a Quest (garmin) a few years ago for a couple hundred more dollars and a bike mount and used that with much more success, I would still be using it if it still worked, (kept falling off windshield of car until the antenna broke off) another better option would be a nuvi with a bike mount, 199.00 + bike mount, anyway I wouldnt reccomend this item. but I will say this, having a gps on my bike has been a life saver where I ride, dirtroads, min maint roads, sometimes far from home, I have been able to ride without fear of getting lost and not getting home or wondering how far from home I am as well as being able to tell my wife exactly where I need rescued at. I do reccomend GPS for your bike if you are going to be in this situation, I love it, but I would go with the Quest with the bike mount.
Terrible.April 18, 2008 65 out of 70 found this review helpful
I bought the 605 for a couple of reasons.
First was the turn-by-turn directions.
What Garmin is vague about is that to get turn-by-turn directions, you have to buy their City Navigator Map card for another $100.
Ok, fine. Bought the map.
First attempt at getting directions - picked a destination 25 miles from home (nothing too difficult, as a test). The unit literally took 23 minutes to plot the course. 23 minutes! Unbelievable. Car navigators take seconds. Once the unit plotted the course, I noticed that it took me through the Holland Tunnel (leaving New York City) and on a freeway. Not exactly how I pictured my first bike ride with the thing.
Ok, so maybe the plotting doesn't work so well. I figured maybe I could just create routes on my computer and upload them to the device. Nope. Not possible. I took a closer look at the manual. No help whatsoever. It's a joke, actually. On-line help? Ha.
Go to Garmin's website. Download the manual. Try to find any good, specific, detailed information on how to really use the device. It's not possible.
Somewhere in the Amazon listing, Garmin also promises SPOKEN directions. Nope. Totally not a feature either.
It's really amazing how bad this thing is. It does almost nothing except tell you where you are. Which is what my $90 Garmin Geko did 4 years ago.
As for the cycle-computer functions, I got better data with my $30 Cateye. The Garmin's data is very slow to update and the altitude was always wrong. The unit doesn't come with a heart rate strap - and I didn't expect it to. But if you ever want to upgrade later and add one - forget it. You need the 705 for that. I really can't believe what a piece of junk this is.
Also, it lets you set the backlight level - nice feature, except that whenever you turn the unit off, it forgets your setting and reverts to no backlight. So everytime you turn the thing on you have to reset your backlight setting. Arg.
It is true that you can log on to Motion Based (Garmin's GPS web-community) and download other users' routes. But the unit will only hold one at a time. And there's no way to edit the routes. You can't edit your own routes on a computer either. So frustrating.
I've never been so underwhelmed over a product.
Here's all I want (Garmin, are you listening?):
-Decent turn-by-turn directions. For a BICYCLE. And instantly (or under 2 minutes). -Ability to download routes I've ridden and edit them, then upload them back to the device. -Ability to create a route from scratch and upload it to the device.
I'm not asking for much. This thing does NONE OF THE ABOVE.
Whatever you do, don't buy this thing. Unless you want to buy mine on eBay.
