Are You Using The Garmin Edge 705? If So, Would You Buy It Again? What Do You Like? / Dislike?
I am a gadget gal. and am tempted to buy the Garmin Edge 705 for my bicycling. I would like feedback from those of you who are using it or have had a chance to try one.
I’ve been using the Garmin Edge 305 for about a year now. The 305 is the predecessor to the 705 in the cycling GPS lineup. The 705 is the newest model that came out last fall. They are very similar, except the 705 has some updated and advanced features. I’d say the functionality of the 305 and 705 is about 99% the same.
I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’m a bit of a gadget geek also. My 305 actually is worth more than my bicycle itself! But I justify my 305 by saying that it motivates me to get out and ride, which it does. My favorite features are that I can download my data into “SportTracks”, which is a free fitness tracking software. There are other fitness tracking softwares available as well. It’s almost like creating a scrapbook of my rides, showing me a map of where I rode for that workout, as well as all of the neat data, like average speed, pedal cadence, heart rate, as well as graphs of these variables throughout the ride, etc. The 305 also has an altimeter, which is kinda cool. When I get to the base of a climb, I’ll try to guess how many feet of elevation until I get to the top, because my 305 can display that variable on screen as I climb. There are various other features I’m probably forgetting. It’s all geeky stuff, but it keeps me interested and motivated.
Now the nitty gritty. I’d maybe recommend that you get the 305 instead of the 705. I say this because I’ve heard some people that upgraded from the 305 to the 705 weren’t happy. I guess there are some bugs in the 705 that aren’t completely worked out or something. Besides, the 705′s main extra features are power meter support and the color screen as far as I can tell. But, I’d maybe dig a little deeper with the power meter support, because even based on Garmin’s website, there seems to be some uncertainty. Most people don’t use power meters anyway, unless they are racing bicycles professionally. (Or maybe are ultra-geeks with money to burn. Powertap setups cost around a grand.). Plus, the retail price of the 305 is half of the 705 in many cases. I got my 305 online for around 250 bucks. Do your own research, but you may find that the 305 will meet your needs and only cost half as much.