grwoolf

Santa brought me a new Garmin Edge 500 today and I gave it a quick test today.

I've been using a Forerunner 305 and the Edge 500 has a pretty similar set of features, but in a bike-specific package that also supports power (on my wish list for the coming year).

Here are my initial impressions:

I like the size of the unit and the mounting system seems to work very well (you lock the unit in with a 90 degree turn).

The unit immediately recognized my existing cadence and HR monitor, so setup was simple.

You can customize each of 3 screens with up to 8 data fields and it is still very legible. This was a big improvement over the 4 fields available on my Forerunner 305 since I hate flipping between screens while riding.

I read that the calorie counter is much more accurate on this model and includes heart rate in the calculation. I compared my ride today to a similar ride with my 305 and the calories burned were about half on the Edge 500 vs. the 305. The numbers seem much more reasonable. I don't really track calories , but this seems like a valuable improvement for some.

Overall, I think the 500 a nice GPS unit for a reasonable price for people that don't care about mapping. Even more so if you have/want a power meter. The unit retails for $249, but my wife got it at the LBS for $199 with an x-mas coupon (that price is without the cadence pickup and HR strap). I imagine prices will be dropping once the 500 has been out a little longer.

umd

3 screens is also an improvement over the 305/705's 2 screens. Looks promising, I may consider picking one up for races and other times when I don't care about the mapping (almost always), or the workout functions (often).

tspek

I'm picking mine up tomorrow. Is it ok to already love it?

FlashBazbo

I can't help thinking this is the computer I OUGHT to have. I have used the Edge 705 with street maps for a long time, but I have never used the maps. The 500 does everything I need, I suspect.

bigd

Does this mean that you can no longer look at an overlay bread crumb map in sport tracks or just lacking mapping like the 705 features?

Does it show temperature?

tspek

You can.

Right.

I believe it does. It's a 705 without the maps.

tc83

I also recieved an Edge 500 as a gift, and I'm very excited. I am in a similar position as you, in that I anticipate getting a power meter within a year and was looking for a computer that will be accessible. My only gripe, and it is with polar more so than Garmin, is that my HR monitor is not ANT+. womp wah. I am on my way out to look for a cadence/speed sensor so that my time on the trainer is a little more interesting.

Kurt Erlenbach

Here is the best long review of the 500 I've read. I got mine yesterday, and in setting it up I noticed that it seems to be lacking the "sunrise" and "sunset" time field. Other than that, it seems great.

RecceDG

I find I use the mapping feature on my 705 far more than I do the workout feature.

Here's hoping that revised calorie counter makes it into a 705 firmware revision.

DG

learnmedia

I too received one as Christmas gift. Compared to my Cateye Strada Wireless (which I loved BTW) this is in a whole other league. It's a really well thought out and nicely designed cyclocomputer. My only problem is with the speed/cadence sensor. It's a bit of a challenge to get both the spoke magnet and the crank magnet close enough to the sensor. While riding outdoors this isn't a problem because I can use GPS to determine speed and can angle the sensor closer to the crank magnet to ensure that cadence is working. However, indoors on my rollers I would like to have both bits of data. Any tips?

Quel

I got a Garmin 60CSx. They thought it was a good choice because it has mapping but is cheaper than a 705. You get lost on a ride once and they think you need maps. Think I'm going to return it for a 500 or 705, but just not sure if I actually need maps.

Homer & G

I think I was able to get it to work fine on a Trek Madone 4.7(58-cm). The main body is tilted quite a bit toward the crank to get the correct gap and the adjustable wheel sensor is opened up toward the wheel, but it's not all the way out (jic... you did notice that the wheel sensor arm is adjustable?). My assumption is that since the auto wheel size calculator registered a number after my first ride that the speed sensor is working. I'll try it sometime with the gps switched off just to confirm.

Ron

FlashBazbo

The wheel speed sensor adjusts using a phillips screwdriver. On my Roubaix, the speed sensor will not fit between the chainstay and the wheel spokes. Solution? I loosened the speed sensor with a screwdriver, raised it above (rather than below) the main body of the transmitter, and re-tightened. It works great.

grwoolf

Yes, it does. However, it does not seem very accurate. From what I can tell, it seems to run about 5-7 degrees high. The manual says the sun can affect it, but even when I got home from my ride late today (no sun) it was reading higher than actual temp.

Another minor thing I noticed today on a longer ride is that the 'lap' button is on the side, which makes it a little harder to push than on my 305 where the button was on the top. Not a big deal, but the side buttons are a little tougher (especially with full finger gloves on).

learnmedia

Ron,

Thanks for the help. Yes, I have attempted to tilt the body of the sensor toward the crank. However, doing so causes the adjustable wheel sensor arm to only be closer to the spokes, not farther away from them. I have also kept the position of the sensor body in one position while attempting to adjust the sensor arm by loosening the screw, positioning it optimally, then retightening the screw.

At the moment, I'm repositioning the sensor body by moving it closer toward the seat post, thereby requiring me to move the crank magnet and spoke magnet closer toward the wheel rim. Hopefully, doing so will allow it to work better.

Anthony

umd

It sounds like you are trying to position the speed arm down, but you can flip it all the way up to move it farther away.

tspek

Hopped on for 10 mins after setting it up. First impression: Much more improved over the 305--as expected.

learnmedia

Doh!

Thanks UMD. I followed the pics in the quick setup guide which show the speed sensor arm in the down position. I stupidly assumed that was the way it must be positioned. Thanks for helping a newb out. Much appreciated!

learnmedia

Flash, I missed your sage advice which was also later offered by UMD. Makes so much sense. Thanks for the help!

ahmose

+1, you'd think that it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

tspek

Sort of. All these manufacturers have known for a while (one would think) that their "calorie estimators" are full of crap.

enjoi07

im wondering if this is the computer for me. i just want to be able to download all my data to the mac and not have to write it in a log anymore, have everything organized better. i cant help but feel the edge 500 is not worth it unless you are planning on using a power device.

what are the advantages of this computer over my strata wireless, especially if i am not using power. am i just paying an extra $200 over my strata solely for the ability to download data to my computer?

enjoi07

bump for the question above.
i'd rather not start a new thread about it.
anyone?

grwoolf

After a couple rides with a powertap and the edge 500, I found that the Kilojoules from the powertap and the calories calculated are pretty close (within 10% of each other at around 2,000 for 50 mile ride at 223 average watts). I have no idea what that means though. A quick google search did not give a clear explaination of the relationship between calories and Kilojoules.

grwoolf

I think the support for ANT power at a low price point and the small form factor are the biggest selling points for the 500. It also has all the typical GPS-based computer stuff with the abilty to download to your computer for analysis and mapping (many different software options). Elevation changes are also tracked. If you just want to download miles/cadence/HR/time to your computer, you would indeed be buying a bunch of features you may not need.