Garmin Edge 305 Bicycle GPS Navigator with Heart Rate Monitor and Speed/Cadence Sensor by Garmin
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List Price: Our Price: $399.00 You Save: $34.00 (8%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $159.99 (click here) Category: GPS or Navigation System See more digital camera details and other models |
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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: Fun Gadget
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased the Garmin after getting a road bike. I love the GPS and elevation features. The software is great and I use it to chart my rides and keep track of my training.
Since it is a GPS, the distance is not measured by wheel revolutions, so I think it is more accurate. It tracks a ton of stats, so I like fiddling with it when I get bored on rides. This has led to few near-wrecks ;-)
It will run out of juice on long rides, anything over 6 hours. And it has locked up on my a couple of times, but each time it came back to life after I followed the reset instructions.
All-in-all, a great product for that active gadget freak.
Digital camera Review: GREAT Garmin Edge 305 Bicycle HRM/Cadence/GPS/%Grade
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a GREAT bicycle computer for road bike training and general riding. Has many parameters it monitors in real time. I especially like the heart rate monitor functions (current HR, HR Zone, HR Alarms, and more), plus all the usual bicycle paramters such as speed and cadence including each of their varients. But my favorite are all the GPS functions (including uploading your ride route to Garmin Training Center software and/or to MapMyRide.com) and I really like the % Grade, Elevation, and climbing paramters. Works very well here in the foothills of Boulder Colorado area. HIGHLY RECOMENDED!!!!!Digital camera Review: GREAT cyclometer in a small package
Summary: 5 Stars
I received my 305 from Amazon (at a greatly discounted rate) just last week, and have since had the time to log 3 seperate rides. Overall, I am very pleased w/ the unit - it's a small, very lightweight unit and convenient to monitor onboard - I have had no problem reading the data in daylight or at dusk. This thing does a lot more that I need it to - I bought it for the HR and basic distance/time/speed info, and it's great to be able to plug it into the PC and instantly download the raw data - though I do wish it used a cradle (like the Forerunners), the USB plug on the back of the unit is a little awkard (and its the only way to charge it - I've forgotten to plug it into/keep it plugged into the computer a few times and when I'm headed out for a ride, find it dead - it doesn't quick charge and the rebound is slow, so I've had to leave it at home a few times... bummer. The cadence sensor and speed sensor magnet (I suppose for stationary training, since the Garmin uses GPS to calculate speed) are okay - I had trouble getting them to align on my Klein frame - they wanted the sensors w/in 5mm of each other (cadencce on the crank arm and magnets on the spoke), but they're not that close on my bike w/o haning off the frame dramatically. I finagled w/ it and got it to work, but the magnet is designed for cross spokes and doesn't work w/ ,my single spoke Campy's - no big ddeal, I think I've subsequently removed the cadence thing altogether - that info is not a concern for me. I'm just a recreational rider, and was more interested in heartrate, speed, distance, etc. and here the Garmin is flawless. The software is fun to review after a long ride, here's some data from a ride this weekend:
Distance: 50.03
Total Time: 3.04.00
Average Pace: 3.41mins/mile
Average speed: 16.3mph
Max speed: 34.8mph
Total Calories: 3,586 (who know how accurate this is?)
Average HR 160 bpm
Max Heart Rate: 214 - probably not true, it takes a second for the monitor to start working - needs some moisture (sweat) between it and your chest. Actual is probably closer to 185
Average Cadence: 255 (not working anymore since I took it off)
Total Accent: 1,832
Total Descent: 2,032 - I stopped in the Valley w/ a few problems and drove it to the boke shop, otherwise Accent/Descent would be the same.
Under Heart Rate it shows time/distance in each zone:
For example, I spent 1.56 hrs and 33.3 miles in zone 4 = 150-167 bpm
The above information is plotted on a graph, showing zones/intervals over time/distance. Neat. Also shows an overhead map of the course - though not impeccably detailed, you can zoom in and it services a basic purpose, etc.
As for the accuracy of the GPS unit itself, it seems pretty spot on - I played w/ it in the car one night and it seems to be w/in a few 1/10's mph and w/in a few feet as far as location - that was the extent of my scientific testing. Overall, I am pleased w/ the unit - I'll use it on every ride from now on.
Digital camera Review: Garmen Edge
Summary: 5 Stars
This item was a gift, I ordered it shortly before Christmas, and it was shipped immediately and arrived in time-incredible service. My husband-an avid mountain biker, is very impressed with the product and the numerous functions it performs. The price and service could not be beat!Digital camera Review: Garmin 305
Summary: 4 Stars
This is my first computer with heart rate and cadence and I love it. The software that comes with it is just ok. Installation and use are very simple.