Garmin Edge 305 Bicycle GPS Navigator with Heart Rate Monitor and Speed/Cadence Sensor by Garmin
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Digital camera reviews of Garmin Edge 305 Bicycle GPS Navigator with Heart Rate Monitor and Speed/Cadence Sensor
Digital camera Review: Caveats!
Summary: 2 Stars
Pros: 1. Accurate mileage if you stay in the open. 2. Basic GPS information with maps.
Cons: 1. You will lose the signal sporadically in the woods. 2. Cadence needs constant adjustment. 3. Calorie count grossly inaccurate. This past summer I rode 100 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway and calories were barely counted on the ascents. On the flats, calorie numbers are about about 40 percent inflated. 4. Software doesn't work with Macs. 5. Expensive.
Recommendation: Until Garmin does a software fix, avoid this item. If you're going to spend the money, go with a Suunto T6.
Digital camera Review: Clip on and go!
Summary: 5 Stars
Tells me everythng I need and moves easily among my 3 bikes - great unit.Digital camera Review: DON'T DO IT
Summary: 1 Stars
Do yourself a favor: Google "garmin edge 305 power shuts off". After a few hundred miles, these power down randomly. Read the stories of people trying to work with Garmin to get it fixed, only to be sent a refurbished unit with the same problem.
Shame on Garmin for keeping this on the market. Sorry I bought it.
Digital camera Review: Disapointed but nothing else out there like it
Summary: 1 Stars
Updated 01/30/10 - still a love/hate affair
Garmin replaced my unit 1 year ago free of charge due to the shutting off problems mentioned in the previous update. Must have been a common problem because the CS rep gave me an RMA immediately without asking questions. The replacement unit (previously used because when I went to register it said it was already registered to someone else) does not have the shut off problem.
I also reported the erroneous heart rate reading. They sent me a new heart rate chest transmitter, but that did not fix the problem which is due to "flapping" jerseys giving a stronger signal than my heart. They are well aware of this problem but did not have a fix.
To remedy the start/end altimeter discrepancies, Garmin's fix is to turn on the GPS a half hour before the ride. This helps, if I have time to remember to do so.
Now the current situation: I forgot to tun the unit off yesterday. I plugged it in to recharge overnight and today it won't turn on. I tried contacting Garmin, but understandably they aren't open weekends. They must also shut down email because the link wouldn't work using any of my 3 browsers. Time is critical because they have a 1 year warranty and my previous RMA was 1 year ago today! I'll update this with the results of my conversation with them.
Updated 10/18/08
still have, still wish I didn't and still looking for a replacement. Rode with a guy yesterday who was using one and he said he also has the erroneous heart rate readings and beginning and ending elevation discrepancies I experience. I am now also experiencing the unit shutting off mid ride. Thought it was associated to road bumps, but have looked down to see no data on smooth flat roads. And I MUST make sure to recharge the battery after every ride or it will have a low/no charge.
Added 8/4/7: If I could, I would lower the rating to 2 stars. Customer Service is nice but it doesn't make up for a weak product.
I bought this unit to be able to record my rides to computer and have one unit that does it all. I ride 4/5 times a week for about 125 miles. Previously I used a Vetta 55 odo/cadence unit, a Sunotto heart rate monitor and Garmin 60csx GPS and recorded everything in Excel. I have been using the 305 for several months now and his unit has it's problems:
1 - Usually the heartrate readings are inaccurate when going fast (downhill) and/or into a strong wind. By inaccurate, I mean readings of over 225! This is caused, according to Garmin customer service, by the pressure of a "flapping" jersey which gives a stronger reading than your heartbeat. Garmin does not have a fix, they suggest wearing a very tight jersey or none at all. I find if you cross your arm over the chest strap to stop the wind, it sometimes corrects after a several seconds. Bummer to have to ride this way. The other bummer is that these miss readings are transferred to the computer program and distort the workout totals (ie average heartrate) and graphs.
2 - The altimeter is often inaccurate with the starting altitude. When I review my ride on the computer, I see the the starting altitude is lower than the finish. I know this is not right because I start and end in the same place! I don't use the altitude during my ride but I like to know the overall assent/descent for the ride and I have to subtract the beginning from the ending to make an adjustment.
3 - I had a real problem trying to install the cadence meter. In fact, I gave up and use the old wired Vetta that I previously installed. The Garmin is bulky and interferes with the spokes. Vetta works great but I do not have the cadence data to download to the computer.
4 - The computer program is nice but has it's limitations. You cannot get an overall view of all your rides as it is organized by week and day without the ability to rename a ride. If you do many different ride routes, you have to switch to the map tab (vs the stats tab or note tab) to see which is which. Seeing only one tab at a time makes it pain to compare rides. You have the ability to break a ride into "laps" (sections) during the ride but the program will not allow for comparison of laps of different rides. My favorite ride starts with a 4 mile flat and then 3 mile climb. I would like to compare the climb between different days but no can do. I still load everything into Excel and use that, with adjustments to the data to compensate for the altitude and heartrate problems, to give me an overall ride review.
5. The battery is rechargeable and gives over 6 3/4 hours use, my longest continuous ride. I have had it quit during a ride, however, when I forgot to recharge it after the last use. I now make it a habit to download the data after each ride and leave it plugged into the USB port. It does recharge rather quickly.
On the plus side, and why I gave it a 3 and not 2 rating, is Customer Service is good. Minimal hold time and the reps seemed knowable of the products: they admitted the heartrate problem and they replaced my other product (the GPS) quickly when it died. The GPS function matches the other GPS and I don't now carry that bulky unit.
There are also "workout" and "course" functions but I usually don't ride the same route often so I don't use this.
If I knew then what I know now, I would not buy this again - at least not until Garmin fixed the HR function.
Digital camera Review: Don't ride too far from the charger...
Summary: 4 Stars
Great little device but the battery dies after about 7 hours without even using the heart rate or cadence monitors - not anywhere near the 12 hour life as advertised. Probably OK if you don't ride much but it's a pain for me. The screen is very small making it difficult to view data while riding. Nitpicks aside - viewing ride stats on motionbased.com and google earth pretty much make up for any shortcomings but the battery life is a real downer.