Garmin's cyclist-minded GPS devices have sure come a long way from their earlier,
bulkier days, and it looks like the company has now produced one of its sleekest units to date in the form of its new Edge 500 GPS. Like most such devices, this one is primarily intended to track your cycling progress rather than lead you to your destination, and it promises to give you precise data on things like speed, distance, time, calories burned, and even climb and descent information, which is further bolstered by a built-in barometric altimeter to pinpoint changes in elevation. The unit can also sync up with various third-party devices that make use of
ANT+ technology, and it can naturally be paired with a Garmin heart rate monitor to keep a close watch on your vitals. Look for the standalone unit to set you back about $250, while the bundle with a heart rate monitor and speed/cadence sensor bumps things up to $350.
posted Sep 2nd 2009 10:12AM
It's tempting.
I've had the Edge 205 for years and have been wanting to upgrade to a 605, but I may just buy this one instead.
BTW... Absolutely love the 205. Best bike accessory I've ever bought.
it really depends where you go, if you stay on the known roads then 500 is probably no brainer, if you go crazy offroad then 705 (not cheap) is probably better
The problem is that the 605 and the 705 are ~$400 and then you have to pay for the $100 map card on top of it all. I've spoken with some people that have the 605 or 705 and they say that the map card sucks.
Very nice ID and UI
"Determined Unicyclists"
That is hilarious. Good one. Someone needs to buy you a beer for that one.
What have they determined?
@strider_mt2k
The next time you have a beer, someone should take it away from you for that one.
They at least need to determine how to attach it to the unicycle's handlebars . . .
I've got a Sigma MHR DTS 2006. I don't understand why these things can't tell you whether the speed sensor or heart rate strap batteries are dying. I get random dropouts all the time and can never tell why -- doesn't seem to be battery related, but who knows?
It's frustrating the way it loses my speed all the time. It seems to "recover" the lost data, but it bugs the hell out of me.
I've been considering getting a Garmin GPS unit for my bike, though having to charge it constantly is a serious drawback. It's cool that it does cadence and heart rate -- my Sigma doesn't have cadence, which might be nice to have.
I know it's not as accurate, but ill take teh 20 dollar walmart distance gadget anyday. Now if this was an acutal GPS map mounted unit , much like the ones you hold in your hand, then id be sold on 200 + USD.
If all it did was measure distance, I'd totally agree with you. BUT, these are very handy little devices. I use a Forerunner 205, same basic idea as the Edge series, but wrist-worn, and not only does it provide eerily-accurate position data (it easily shows me when I was in the northbound or southbound lanes on my bike commute), but it ALSO gives me:
-Elevation data (I discovered it's a 400+ foot climb home; no wonder I'm so tired!)
-Calories burned (and, yes, it knows the difference between downhill and uphill)
-Fantastic software to collect and manage data
So, yeah, these are pricey, but not totally ridiculous.
Get off the road and stop causing traffic jams.
And btw stop wearing those stupid form fitting cyclist jerseys, you look like a tool.
Get out of your chair and start exercising and realize that cyclists have the same road rights as cars in most of the country. I'll be biking to work every day since it's cheaper than driving, better for the environment than driving, and better for my health than driving and if someone in a car has to slow down for half a second to not run me over (though I ride on the shoulder with traffic, as everyone should) then they can deal with losing that extra second or two.
worst comment ever. best thing for you to do is to keep your mouth shut to prevent from looking like an idiot, instead of opening it and removing all doubt.
Agenteyser is a poopie pants.
Since my comment didn't show up the first time...
What I've noticed in 15+ years of cycling is that it's only the truly worthless lowlifes who have a problem with cyclists. On the very rare occasion someone honks or yells at me on my favorite mountain road, it's not a motorcyclist dragging knees on the way up the hill, nor the dude in the Porsche. Family men, econobox drivers, luxury car drivers, nobody has a problem with cyclists.
The ONLY people who give us crap are the pathetic losers driving a lifted truck with ricer taillights, or some totally beat to hell car that's missing most of its original components.
People who have a life of their own don't get all impotent and angsty about stuff that in no way affects them.
You must never driven in a city where cyclists blow past red traffic lights, stop signs, or generally ignoring traffic laws because they feel they have the right of way for both pedestrians and vehicles.
I blow red lights and stop signs when I'm not affecting anyone. I'm not about to make someone slam on the brakes whether I'm in my car, on my motorcycle, or on my bicycle, but common sense dictates that the rules apply somewhat differently.
What idiots like you need to understand is that the laws ARE designed for the multi-ton deathtrap that is a car or soccer mom's SUV. Most of the time you shouldn't have to stop your car at a stop sign, either, but the law requires it because of the danger to the public represented by said large mass hurtling around while the driver sends a text message.
Legally speaking you can get a ticket for blowing a stop sign on a bicycle but usually the cops won't do anything unless you're inconveniencing someone, because there is simply no public danger from a cyclist doing this, just like a smart pedestrian can jaywalk safely.
Or do you try to mow down pedestrians for daring to have the temerity to cross somewhere other than a government-approved location?
The world's not as black-and-white as you think it is. Relax and stop throwing a hissyfit about stuff that doesn't in any way impact you. Life will be a lot more pleasant.
But if another driver, a cyclist, or a pedestrian makes you take evasive action or poses a danger, by all means, lay on the horn and let them hear it.
I bike, a alot (about 50 miles a week), but i can say for sure, here in the city, I have been hit 2 times by bikecyclists (hipster bike "pros" on fixed gears) and nearly hit contless numbers of times (far more then ever by "multi-ton deathtraps") Douche bags ride bikes, douche bags drive cars, the world is full of a-holes.
But people like you that act all high and mighty that you ride a bike, are what makes riding a chore in a first place. Drivers here in my city get NERVOUS around bicyclists because they don't know what the next idiot move they are going to pull (and accidents ALWAYS go in the cyclists favor). Your 15-20MPH bike does not belong in the middle of a road with a speed limit of 30...plain and simple, you are not a car.
I love biking, but seriously get off your high horse. "People who have a life of their own don't get all impotent and angsty about stuff that in no way affects them." ya, that goes two ways, people who have a life of there own, don't spend time rationalizing or legitimizing it either.
@UnixSystemsEngineer
I couldn't agree more with everything you've said. My experiences as a cyclist (commuting and recreation) have been nearly identical to yours. I love riding and love the fact that a vast majority of motorists (myself included when I'm in my car) not only understand the road laws, but seem happy to oblige by them. I too have bad experiences with aggressive, impatient, or ignorant motorists when I’m on my bike (typically 1-3 per day of commuting) and a vast majority of the offenders match your description to a T. All I can do is continue to follow the rules of the road and hope motorists do the same (as most do). No high horse here, just a cyclist who has been at it long enough to notice trends among bad drivers.
I will admit though that I do roll-stop intersections quite often when there is no other traffic around. I’ve struggled to come to terms with it since I’d never dream of doing it while in my car, but I think I’ve finally figured out a fair way to describe it: the agility, control, and response of a bike make full stops overkill. Full stops where I have to unclip from one pedal and step down to the road feel like the equivalent to my driving up to an intersection in my car, coming to a stop, turning off the car and putting in park, getting out and looking for traffic, then getting back in, starting the car again, putting it in gear and carrying on. Over the course of a 27km round trip commute, that could get to be a bit much.
That being said, if there is any traffic at an intersection with a stop sign or red light, the safest move by far is to take the full lane and come to a complete stop behind the white line or the vehicle in front of you. NEVER ride up beside cars at an intersection or let them pull up beside you. It’s the single most dangerous thing you can do on a bike in traffic. When you clear the intersection, you can move back to the side of the road to make room for motorists.
We have a legal right to occupy the road. In addition, it is truly the safest place for a cyclist to be - If we were riding 15-20 mph down the sidewalk, we would be a serious safety risk to pedestrians.
That said, I have to respectfully disagree with Unix Engineer's definition of proper bicycle road behavor. It is true that we are more nimble on the road than automobiles, but we need to obey traffic laws, just like a car, if we are to be able claim any right to the road. Screaming "Share the Road!" seems ridiculous coming from cyclists who blast through traffic signals, ride on the wrong side of the road, etc. Traffic laws are applicable to bicycles, just as they are to any other vehicle.
A 1-2 second trackstand at a stop light is no big deal, and the only time a red light can be ignored by cyclists (in most states) is at an unoccupied light and there is not enough metal in our frames/rims to trip the traffic sensor.
Knog NERD. Silicone casing makes it water/weather proof, shock proof. Comes in different colors and isnt that large. Includes cadence, but no heart rate monitor. Also no GPS. they work great and run under $100. Also check out Knog lights, so slick.
Yeah man, don't forget about those unicyclists. We're crazzzzy :P
I don't see how this really improves over the $10 Shimano one I got on Amazon. The Shimano doesn't do cadence or heartrate, but neither does this without a $100 upgrade.
Sure, this is more accurate, but is it really $240 more accurate? Why not just use your smartphone or whatever to do GPS logs to get your hyper accurate stats and a cheapo cyclocomputer to do the instantaneous speed readings.
According to wikipedia, phone accelerometers can be used to measure cadence. Is there an App for that?
I *highly* doubt that a phone accelerometer would be able to determine my cadence. Bumps in the road cause far more movement than a smooth cadence does. Unless maybe you mounted the phone to your shoe.
For serious cyclists who are training to compete, those other devices don't record accurately enough, nor do they provide ways to do detailed analysis of your ride. Those are worth the extra costs.
I love my edge 305. One of the best reasons to own a garmin device is to record all your history. The garmin connect portal allows to upload all your activities for free. http://connect.garmin.com/
Oh damn! I just went a brought a Polar CS200cad - good but this looks better :(
ugh, hate to do it, but...for 1.99 I got the motionX gps app for the iPhone...its about 95% accurate with tracking (a bonus is even if you have a GPS drop it out it attempts to get your location from cell trianguation), the speed tracking is about 80% accurate (usually its lower then it should be), and even without a 3GS as long as you are going atleast 3MPH+ it can give you a basic compass heading.
While this is nice...why is it so expensive? GPS trackers go for 40, and bike computers go for 20...would love to get one (hating taking my phone with me while I bike), but the price is a turn off.
Can your motionX app link with a powermeter? Can it link with a cadence sensor? Does it link to a heartrate monitor? Does it have a built in barometric altimeter?
Obviously, if all you need is a basic GPS device with accuracy to 90-95%, then you don't need all the bells and whistles, but if you want to train seriously then you do.
Imagine that, you get what you pay for.
train for what? bragging your bike routes to your friends? seriously people need to chillout and stop taking every little activity TO THE EXTREME
Training for bike racing. Being able to monitor power, HR, elevation gain, grade percentage, and cadence is important to many of us when trying to monitor our physical progress.
Oh, and good luck mounting your iphone securely to the stem.
If you have a compatible Nokia phone (such as the 5800, E71, E75) Nokia SportsTracker is also pretty cool - and costs nothing.
For all you cycle fans out there, keep in mind what Team Garmin did to Hinky on the TDF. I swear I will never buy a Garmin product for that reason alone.
Garmin had a way better TDF than Silence-Lotto, and yet I still own a Canyon.
Then again, that's sort of fitting, as I do about as well in the crits as Evans did in the GC.
Garmin owed Hincapie no favors after call the trash CAV talked all year.
I don't mind the revamped aesthetic, but why buy a Garmin without GPS capabilities? My 705 is a better unit all around than the 500, and even the 305 has some extra features for about the same cost.
The Garmin 500 does have GPS for speed, just not the mapping functions of the 705. Its also smaller, lighter, and has better battery life than the 705. The new 500 is a better choice for people who don't want or need the mapping functions. This is a great price for a computer that can receive ANT+ data.
@ Brian:
Speed derived from GPS is not super accurate - you're better off using the unit with the cadence/wheel magnet sensor.
While the 500 is a good value against the Powertap Joule or SRM head unit, I still think the other Edge models are the better buy. The 500 is only 21 grams lighter than the the 305, which is equal in cost but also features some limited maping capability.
If you look around you can find the 305 for under $200. Best Buy had them for $189.
I don't really see the point.
The 105 is great, trace a route, follow as course, but this is just flashy rubbish.
I've been in love with my 305 since it came out. So far, no other device has been able to convince me to change. Of course, 305 is no navi tool and has low battery life (7hours), but still number one for me. Any idea whether a 705 successor is soon out? that might be a challenge...
There's an app for that. It's free, and it's called The Bike Computer. I've been using it for a couple months now and it provides most of the functionality of this Garmin unit. It also can upload the data to www.everytrail.com, which provides a nice Google map of your ride and serves as an ongoing cycling log.
I'd like to see an app like that come to the Pre. I'm already using GPS and texting (oops, did I just say that?) as I ride, might as well do the other things my old $20 device could do.