# garmin 705 bike mount failure?



## _daemon_ (Sep 16, 2007)

I am looking at buying a 705, and some searching on google it seems lots of people have issues with the bike mount breaking and then loosing their 705's etc. etc. Anyone here having the same issues? Any way to fix it?


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## Pedalfaraway (Jan 19, 2004)

*I have not broken any mounts for my 305.*

It has shaken loose from the mounts and fell to the ground on 2 occasions in the probably 400 MTB rides I have taken it on. One time a friend picked it up, and the other time I heard it hit the ground. Luckily it was not damaged.

So they certainly can fallout and its an expensive toy to lose. Something similar to a safety chain on a trailer is not a bad idea. So if it does come out it just dangles from a string for a second, rather then get bounced down the trail.


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## GEOMAN (May 30, 2006)

_daemon_ said:


> I am looking at buying a 705, and some searching on google it seems lots of people have issues with the bike mount breaking and then loosing their 705's etc. etc. Anyone here having the same issues? Any way to fix it?


Don't know where you heard this. The 205/305/605/705 all use the same mount. They are cheap and we sell them as a single or 4-pack.

Frankly, I rode three years without replacing one. This is not a big issue that should affect your purchase decision.

Get a 705 or 305. You'll wonder what all this "hubbub" was all about.

Enjoy!


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## ArmySlowRdr (Dec 19, 2003)

yeah it's no huge issue. i even broke the little knub (protuding lever) but the unit still snaps and locks in place--and my fingernail is easily used to get at the inner piece of the lever that's still left to get it to "unlock".


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## _daemon_ (Sep 16, 2007)

Cool, thanks guys, will be picking up my 705 then next week


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

I have five mounts that are all three years or more old and have been on probably eight different bikes, and with stem changes, probably been remounted 25 to 30 times.. Nothing has failed, broken, fallen off, nothing. There was a thread here a year or so back that folks were catching the release tab and breaking mounts, but for me, that has never been an issue. shrug....


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## pastajet (May 26, 2006)

No breaks or issues with my Edge mounts, have them on 3 bikes and they see 3 days a week of hard mountain biking for over 3 years now.


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## Resist (Aug 13, 2008)

Since the mount is made of plastic I doubt it was ever intended for rough mountain biking. Probably works better for the road than trails. But it would be nice if someone came up with a stronger mounting system.


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

Resist said:


> Since mount is made of plastic I doubt it was ever intended for rough mountain biking.


Really? Garmin does not seem to agree (link). Lots of pictures of the Edge on mountain bikes there.


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## GEOMAN (May 30, 2006)

Resist said:


> Since mount is made of plastic I doubt it was ever intended for rough mountain biking. Probably works better for the road than trails.


The mount is not a problem on either a mountain or road bike.



Resist said:


> But it would be nice if someone came up with a stronger mounting system.


There you go... A market opportunity, go for it!


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## pastajet (May 26, 2006)

Resist said:


> Since mount is made of plastic I doubt it was ever intended for rough mountain biking. Probably works better for the road than trails. But it would be nice if someone came up with a stronger mounting system.


The mounting system is fine, 3 years of heavy abuse on multiple mountain bikes with no issues, I ride through rock gardens and rocky terrain all the time, and as long as you tighten the mount properly it should be fine. I can't say the same for my Edge 305, one of them died on me (under warranty), and every couple of months the unit just seems to give up the ghost and then will start working again.


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

Only smooth trails for me..... 

This is called "What? Trail" for obvious reasons.
I have more troubles here than my old 305 or new 705.


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## GEOMAN (May 30, 2006)

slocaus said:


> Only smooth trails for me.....
> 
> This is called "What? Trail" for obvious reasons.
> I have more troubles here than my old 305 or new 705.


I've got a trail that looks almost exactly similar. There's no problem with the mounting system even on rides like this one. Nice!


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## pastajet (May 26, 2006)

Here is some short videos of one of local spots





Pueblo South Shore Trails - April 5th, 2009 from Brian Mullin on Vimeo.





The Burn Zone, Mt Herman, Monument, CO from Brian Mullin on Vimeo.


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## wannabeRacer (Feb 9, 2004)

I never had any issues with mine through rocky sections and jumps


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## fliernh (Aug 19, 2008)

I have broken two of them. I have no idea how, I just looked at them one day and saw each was broken. Both the broken ones were from my MTB. I tend to agree they are pretty marginal for tough and frequent use.

Love the 705 though. Would be very pissed to lose it due to cheap mount. I agree a better mount would sure be a welcome thing.


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## scooter916 (Jan 2, 2006)

from a friend that works for garmin, they have beefed up the mounts, give them a call and they may hook you up with a new one no charge


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## fliernh (Aug 19, 2008)

scooter916 said:


> from a friend that works for garmin, they have beefed up the mounts, give them a call and they may hook you up with a new one no charge


Thanks, I just bought three new (old) mounts on line so I am sending Garmin a note asking how I can get the new ones instead. We'll see if they respond.

Thanks for the info.


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## fliernh (Aug 19, 2008)

scooter916 said:


> from a friend that works for garmin, they have beefed up the mounts, give them a call and they may hook you up with a new one no charge


I was just in contact with Garmin. The Customer Service people checked and to their knowledge, there is no change to the Edge mounts.

I guess just be easy on them......


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## Resist (Aug 13, 2008)

fliernh said:


> The Customer Service people checked and to their knowledge, there is no change to the Edge mounts.


I called Garmin as well and was told the same thing.


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## rensho (Mar 8, 2004)

I've broken 3 mounts with my edge 305. None yet with the new, replaced mounts using my 705.

In all 3 cases, the tab breaks and then the device falls off.


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## Datalogger (Jul 5, 2008)

The only time I managed to break the mount on my 705 was when I had a massive wipeout while downhilling at a ski resort.


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## mtb_Frk (Jun 16, 2006)

The only time I broke one was once when I flipped the bike upside down to fix a chain. The little release tab broke. Of course this was a day before a big race, and I didnt have an extra one. So I just zip tied it on and it was fine. I use a pony tail holder to help keep in place, just in case. I just cut it and tie it around the stem and the edge. Not sure if will help or not, but at least it makes me feel a little bit better. It would really suck to lose it.


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## GEOMAN (May 30, 2006)

scooter916 said:


> they have beefed up the mounts, give them a call and they may hook you up with a new one no charge


Garmin hasn't released any new mounts.

BTW, we sell mounts in a 4-pack with free shipping - just in case you need them... click here


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## whit022000 (Jul 2, 2007)

mtb_Frk said:


> The only time I broke one was once when I flipped the bike upside down to fix a chain. The little release tab broke. Of course this was a day before a big race, and I didnt have an extra one. So I just zip tied it on and it was fine. I use a pony tail holder to help keep in place, just in case. I just cut it and tie it around the stem and the edge. Not sure if will help or not, but at least it makes me feel a little bit better. It would really suck to lose it.


Can you post a pic of the safety strap? I have been thinking about something like this.


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## Cino (Oct 31, 2007)

They do break, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The tab breaks and then the unit can slide out easily. I get maybe 100 or so rides before it breaks, and I'm real gentle with it. Complaints are all over the internet.


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## pastajet (May 26, 2006)

Ok, 3 years and 500 rides later, and no issues, and I abuse it. Maybe some newer ones are worse? Maybe I have been nice to the tab? Very strange, sorry to hear the issues with the Garmin mount. I can now appreciate the monster proof RAM mount for my Earthmate PN-40, I have cratered on it. and it just twisted a bit on the bars and got a minor scratch.


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## GEOMAN (May 30, 2006)

There's no "problem", per se. 

Of course they break, so do chains and frames. I had over 400 rides on three bikes before I replaced my original Garmin mount. It broke. 

I know a guy who has replaced his GF frame three times now in three years. Is it a "problem"? Naw, he rides hard.

BTW, I Googled "Garmin Edge Mount Break", "Garmin Edge Mount Failure", "Garmin Edge Mount Issues", etc., etc.. Is it "all over the internet" as someone implied? I could only find this thread, frankly, though I'm sure it has been discussed on MB, etc. but I couldn't find it off-hand. We've sold over 8,000 Edges and this issue just isn't one that comes up, frankly. 

Don't let this this stand in the way of buying or using an incredible riding tool.


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## scoutcat (Mar 30, 2008)

just run a large zip tie over the face and under the stem, solved.


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## fliernh (Aug 19, 2008)

I think of this as an opportunity to make a great product better. In the spirit of continuous improvement, this is a place that could use some attention. Great product, could be made even better at very low cost/effort.

Certainly if I lost or broke the edge as a result of this, I would sour considerably on Garmin.


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## sopwithcamel (Oct 2, 2007)

Last week I broke the retention clip that holds the 705 in the mount. It gets flexed every time the GPS is taken in and out of the mount. It's plastic and it fatigues over time. So if you own a Garmin 705 be fore warned.

*Sopwithcamel*


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## Grandmastermbkr (May 1, 2004)

*There is always a first time*

I have used the Garmin Edge 305 for over a year without any problems with it coming off until last week. I went for a short mountain bike ride and lost my Garmin. I wasn't going hard so I wasn't watching speed, HR ect. I remember seeing it at 24 minutes in but didn't even notice it was missing until about 45 minutes. I retraced the trail but never could find it. Maybe I didn't have it snapped in good but it would be nice if there was a secondary system to prevent losing it.


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## fliernh (Aug 19, 2008)

Garmin, are you listening????


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## Jllaclair (Sep 14, 2003)

I have used the Garmin 705 for a few years now. The mounts break OFTEN and are expensive to replace. The little tab thing you have to depress is what always breaks on mine. Having said that, my unit has never fallen off. Except in my last race at Michaux I did a little (forcefull) endo and apparently my GPS unit split in two. Top half went in the stream (which I couldn't find), and the bottom half still remained in the mount. Garmin was willing to replace my unit with a refurbished one for 59.00....... Although it is taking a little longer because the replacement they sent me was a NUVI.  So Now I am in the process of sending that back. 
Jeff


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## squeeler (Jan 4, 2008)

I've broken 4 in the last year on my mtb, but the one on my roadie is as good as new. I don't think it's a design fault as such, I just think it gets more abuse on the mtb. I think if the mount was strengthened it may cause problems i.e. I'd rather a cheap plastic mount snap than part of the mounting system on the unit itself.

By the way it is always the same bit that breaks, the removeable bit you insert into the main mount which you slide the zip ties thru' , as the unit gets bashed the zip ties are stronger than the mount and deform it untill they break.

However, in the UK at a best price of £7 each and no four packs to be found I think its very expensive for a couple of zip ties and a few small lumps of plastic and gives me an extra niggle every few months when I need a new one!


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## fastmtnbiker33w (Feb 3, 2004)

I hate those mounts. I just tape mine on with clear packing tape.


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## Cheers! (Jun 26, 2006)

only time i've ever broken a mount was in a crash. But then again the saddle rail snapped too in teh crash.


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

It is interesting that their sponsored pro road team uses a big zip tie over the unit and around the stem.


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## ghawk (Sep 14, 2007)

> and every couple of months the unit just seems to give up the ghost and then will start working again.


Sorry guys, but they do break off on occasion. But it is easily cured by a rubberband. Or just go with the Forerunner Sans. decent cumulative elevation(but save 20-30 grams.) But ALL of em give up the ghost after allot of pounding ... to be expected with GPS. Just get it from a good no questions warranty like Performance or REI and don't worry about it, just get it replaced they stand behind you better than Garmin or any equipment manufacturer ever will.
But, you are also giving back to a company that supports a $$$ cycling team.
On another note:
What is the real battery life of the Edge ?????? I have heard it is actually about 5-10% less than the Forerunner.


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## Tony (Jan 20, 2004)

I ordered a 4-pack of mounts from Geoman and all four are the new style. See this thread for more details.


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## GEOMAN (May 30, 2006)

Tony said:


> I ordered a 4-pack of mounts from Geoman and all four are the new style. See this thread for more details.


We've been selling the new mounts for some time now.

The four-pack is very popular.


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## gstahl (Dec 20, 2003)

Update on my exprience...

I have had a 305 since they came out moving between 3 bikes and a jogging stroller. Broke the jogging stroller mount very early and that resulted in a cracked 305 which did not affect the operation so I lived with it. Today I have a second mount break on a fast jeep road descent, went back to look for the 305 without any luck. So the $9 mount finally after 3 years or so cost me the unit. (note, these are the original mounts and the failure was of the tab in both cases).

Got lots of great use out of the 305 but a bit annoyed a cheap plastic mount cost me the whole unit. Think of a 705 but just thinking that something else will be coming out soon (maybe a simple bump to the new 405cx type calorie calculation or some such update).


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## PCC (Sep 5, 2005)

rensho said:


> the tab breaks and then the device falls off.


I've just broken my first Garmin Edge mount this way. I was moving the mount from one bike to another and I guess I pressed on that tab the wrong way and, ping! it went flying. I ended up wrapping a rubber band around it, wrapped it around the stem then back around the Edge 305 again. It'll hold it in place well enough.


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## UN-COG-KNEE-TOE (Mar 7, 2008)

*Edge Batteries*



ghawk said:


> What is the real battery life of the Edge ?????? I have heard it is actually about 5-10% less than the Forerunner.


...this brings up a question i have, when the Battery in the Edge 705 can no longer be recharged or do not last very long, can they be REPLACED... is this a GARMIN only job?


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

This is on the 305, but should work the same.
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=368822


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## UN-COG-KNEE-TOE (Mar 7, 2008)

*battery changing*



slocaus said:


> This is on the 305, but should work the same.
> http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=368822


Thanks... reading those posts now....


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## SuperBad (Jan 5, 2004)

I lost my 705 in a rock garden due to the new mount letting go of the unit. I just got back home and I am going to send Garmin an email about this, but I don't expect much. I am not happy about losing the GPS. I looked around but after 20 mins of digging around in the poison Ivy, I gave up.


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## UN-COG-KNEE-TOE (Mar 7, 2008)

*whoa - that blows...*



SuperBad said:


> I lost my 705 in a rock garden due to the new mount letting go of the unit. I just got back home and I am going to send Garmin an email about this, but I don't expect much. I am not happy about losing the GPS. I looked around but after 20 mins of digging around in the poison Ivy, I gave up.


whoa, sorry to hear Your story... i broke 3 Garmin RINO Handlebar mounts, my RINO flew off every time = luckily i was able to go back and find it each time, 1 was a NIGHT RIDE, and it was always on VERY ROUGH downhill sections, and not always easy or safe to stop when it happens... but GARMIN gave me NO SYMPATHY, would not even replace their broken crappy plastic Mounts, i did not do anything to it that it was not intended for, but as i found out the Hard way, their RINO handlebar mounts are NOT strong enough for Bouncing around with, i have to ZIP tie it onto the mount to use it... but their attitude BLOWS IMO.


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## randyharris (Jul 1, 2009)

pastajet said:


> The mounting system is fine, 3 years of heavy abuse on multiple mountain bikes with no issues, I ride through rock gardens and rocky terrain all the time, and as long as you tighten the mount properly it should be fine. I can't say the same for my Edge 305, one of them died on me (under warranty), and every couple of months the unit just seems to give up the ghost and then will start working again.


I wonder if I got a bad batch, the two mounts that came with my Edge 305 have both cracked in two months of use.


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## UN-COG-KNEE-TOE (Mar 7, 2008)

*Beefier Edge Mounts look good!*



GEOMAN said:


> We've been selling the new mounts for some time now.
> 
> The four-pack is very popular.


I just Received my Garmin parts order from Geoman, i got 2 new edge mounts and a few other odd Garmin bits, my old Edge Mounts are still working on 3 bikes but i can see how the tab CAN break, although my RINO Handlebar mounts will NOT work for Mountain biking unless you TIGHTLY Zip-Tie the upper and lower mounts together on the Bike to prevent the 2 halves from Bouncing around when connected to each other, the Fit of the the Rino Holder to the handlebar Rail Mount is NOT precise and it can NOT take any trail abuse at all!
I also think that Garmin still does not know about the Newer beefier mounts because they Likely have the same Part numbers as the original mounts, so Customer Service does not SEE the changes... it is a Big Company and they DO make Great Stuff, but it has been my experience that they are not very sympathetic or very helpful, this Forum has given me MORE help when i was learning GPS than Garmin ever did.
Also a Big Thanks to Geoman, i requested Actual Shipping charges and he rebated me $8.00 as the shopping cart punched up a big fee for a few plastic pieces, Geoman rocks!


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## randyharris (Jul 1, 2009)

It isn't the tabs that are breaking for me, it is the side of the plastic mount - 2 of them!


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## SuperBad (Jan 5, 2004)

My mount didn't "break" it just let go of the GPS


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## Mal01 (Feb 16, 2009)

*Another broken*

I went to mount my 705 this morning to discover the moiunt tab had broken off. Have no idea when or how. Was last used a few days ago. Unit is less than 12 months old. Mostly MTB use.

A single mount here in Australia, on ebay, is going for A$34! (US$30). Stupid price.


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## GEOMAN (May 30, 2006)

We'll ship one from here for less than half.

Take a look.

Geo


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## loud (Sep 5, 2009)

Mal01 said:


> I went to mount my 705 this morning to discover the moiunt tab had broken off. Have no idea when or how. Was last used a few days ago. Unit is less than 12 months old. Mostly MTB use.
> 
> A single mount here in Australia, on ebay, is going for A$34! (US$30). Stupid price.


In Australia try Johnny Appleseed, a GPS specialty store.

http://www.ja-gps.com.au/

$19.00 Australian for genuine part.


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## KarmaBiker (Dec 24, 2007)

Lost my 705 in Terlingua TX over the weekend, so it does happen. Overall pleased with the folks at Garmin regarding what they did for me (not a freebie, but not retail).

Would anyone here be interested in a CNC mount with a screw down type gate to hold the garmin in? Probably wouldnt be cheap ($50 or so) because of the limited production but I'm willing to look into it if I can find 5 or 6 other folks that would want one.

Chris
www.karmabiker.com


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

KarmaBiker said:


> Lost my 705 in Terlingua TX over the weekend, so it does happen. Overall pleased with the folks at Garmin regarding what they did for me (not a freebie, but not retail).
> 
> Would anyone here be interested in a CNC mount with a screw down type gate to hold the garmin in? Probably wouldnt be cheap ($50 or so) because of the limited production but I'm willing to look into it if I can find 5 or 6 other folks that would want one.
> 
> ...


Can you do some sort of drawing to show us what you have in mind?


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## Cheers! (Jun 26, 2006)

having a mount that is beefer will no longer allow the mount to act as a fuse. Meaning when you do crash you will damage the slot that is part of the molded back of the garmin unit. It is either you have your mount survive a crash, or you have your unit survive a crash. If you are riding in rough terrain, just put the unit in your camelbak or jersey rear pocket.


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## KarmaBiker (Dec 24, 2007)

I need to take a closer look when my replacement comes in and do some CAD mockups at that point. From a general concept the monut would have the same rails as the garmin mount (only one direction on the bike - stem mount) and instead of the goofy tab on the left I would put either a solid alum plate on the right that would need to be unscrewed to remove the garmin or a spring loaded gate. Favoring the screw down option, probably with a small stainless bolt (machine screw) that goes all the way through the AL block and fastens to a steel nut that would be recessed on the other side. Thinking that the AL is too soft for repeated removal of the bolt considering teh size of the stuff we are talking about. The mount would probably weigh 2-3x what the plastic garmin mount weighs. In the great scheme of things less than a salsa QR. Undoing the bolt (probably a machine screw) every time would be a pain, but you wouldn't lose your garmin.......


Chris


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## AnthemRider (Feb 7, 2007)

KarmaBiker said:


> Would anyone here be interested in a CNC mount with a screw down type gate to hold the garmin in? Probably wouldnt be cheap ($50 or so) because of the limited production but I'm willing to look into it if I can find 5 or 6 other folks that would want one.
> www.karmabiker.com


Certainly be interested in checking it out, I think the screw in idea would work well, I've thought about a strap or cage. To address the concern about crashes, I think you could make a more secure mount (i.e., not falling out due to coming unlocked) and still have a "break away" threshold if you get a nasty hit.


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## Idshooter (Oct 27, 2006)

KarmaBiker, I'd be interested in 2 if you can come up with something.


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## Matharvey (Feb 20, 2009)

So far i've lost a 305 due to mount failure down a particulary rocky fast section and my replacement 705 has fallen off twice (thankfully i've been able to backtrack and find it). Don't trust the mounting system on fast rough trails. I now use one of those sport 'strap to your arm' i Phone pouches and strap it to the bike with that. Surely Garmin can come up with a better system than the flimsy plastic one they currently use?


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## ribena1234 (Jan 13, 2006)

i too have broken three of these mounts now, just about to buy a fourth. I've no idea how they are breaking, i just go to take the 705 off the bars and can't because the little tab is missing. Its a right pain! 
They just don't seem strong enough for lots of biking. Maybe its because the 605/705 are heavier than the old 205/305?


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## loud (Sep 5, 2009)

Do you have to push really hard to get the tab to release the GPS? Make sure that the tab is positioned over the cavity. See page 10 of the Garmin 305 down loadable owners manual.

The release lever must push down into the underlying chassis. It is possible to set it up incorrectly.


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## KarmaBiker (Dec 24, 2007)

Alpha version 1 was entertaining. Working on alpha version 2 with some significant design changes.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

loud said:


> Do you have to push really hard to get the tab to release the GPS? Make sure that the tab is positioned over the cavity. See page 10 of the Garmin 305 down loadable owners manual.
> 
> The release lever must push down into the underlying chassis. It is possible to set it up incorrectly.


I've noticed with mine that it doesn't take much to release the GPS from the mount. It could be easy to accidentally manhandle the mount and break it. I also have an old mount on my HT and a new one on my FS. The newer mount seems sturdier, but that little tab is still the weak point. If you've got gorilla hands, you're still going to break a lot of them.


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## mtb101 (Jan 7, 2009)

Has anyone come up with a fix for the Edge bike mount. Never had issues with the actual strength of mount on road or mtb. Problem is the mount release clip can easily break (when edge is off the bike, you catch your hand etc on clip and it breaks), I now have 3 broken and only 1 good one. Could buy some new ones, but if there's a repair anyone has come up with and would like to share it.


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## sopwithcamel (Oct 2, 2007)

Yes, I have come up with fix for my Garmin 705. It's called strategically place "duct tape". I just place a little tape on the base so it can't slide out. I now it's not very high tech but it seems to work.


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## _daemon_ (Sep 16, 2007)

sopwithcamel said:


> Yes, I have come up with fix for my Garmin 705. It's called strategically place "duct tape". I just place a little tape on the base so it can't slide out. I now it's not very high tech but it seems to work.


That's quiet a clever idea!

Now the only problem is, you have to re-tape everytime you transfer data to your PC, I guess that's not such a huge problem.


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## sopwithcamel (Oct 2, 2007)

@daemon

Most of the time I am able to pull back the tape a little bit and get the unit free for charging and data transfer. Actually just pulling on the unit is usally enough to free it. Then when I stick the unit back in to the mount I just pat down the tape into its usual position.


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## mtb101 (Jan 7, 2009)

sopwithcamel said:


> @daemon
> 
> Most of the time I am able to pull back the tape a little bit and get the unit free for charging and data transfer. Actually just pulling on the unit is usally enough to free it. Then when I stick the unit back in to the mount I just pat down the tape into its usual position.


I think I can devise a mini locking system that will be more robust - well it will allow me to recycle the broken mounts I have (4). Something else i've noticed, the mount is made up of 2 parts and surprisingly the parts are only clipped together. So superglue your mount parts together especially if you're doing alot of rough riding.


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## randyharris (Jul 1, 2009)

mtb101 said:


> I think I can devise a mini locking system that will be more robust - well it will allow me to recycle the broken mounts I have (4). Something else i've noticed, the mount is made up of 2 parts and surprisingly the parts are only clipped together. So superglue your mount parts together especially if you're doing alot of rough riding.


The old mounts are two parts, the newer ones are one part and are much stronger.


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## Re21Agent (Nov 8, 2008)

The Garman bike series of monitoring units are extremely problematic. I have gone through several units (edge 305 with heart rate) and the problems that have arose include:

1)	7 mount failures (3 carbon road bike, 2 Aluminum/carbon cross bike and one mountain bike). I have never lost a unit but have spent a considerable amount of time looking for the unit once it has dismounted. 
2)	2 unit failures due to the common problem of the units turning off mid-ride due to the battery contacts. I sent the unit in for a swap out and the new unit started the same problem on the next ride. 
3)	Multiple satellite disconnections during mid ride (in open areas 22-30 mph. 

Additionally, I own a Garman Forerunner 305 and that unit has worked pretty well in the past year of ownership. The unit turned off on one occasion while road biking. 
I have come to the conclusion that the Forerunner 310XT would meet my needs well enough so I contacted Garman to see if they would trade the current broken unit for the Forerunner. The customer service rep said that they have a no compete clause and they would not trade up, down or for a unit of equal price. The only option is to send the current undependable product in and receive a like undependable product. 

From my experience I would seriously consider another brand monitor.


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

Counterpoint.

I have had two Garmin units, a 305 (three plus years) and 705 (over a year), and six bike mounts moved and remounted on many different bars on what was seven bikes, now down to four bikes. Three mountain (geared FS, geared HT, rigid SS) and one paved / dirt road monstercross rigid.

Nothing broke, nothing went wrong, all are still in service.


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## fliernh (Aug 19, 2008)

slocaus said:


> Counterpoint.
> 
> I have had two Garmin units, a 305 (three plus years) and 705 (over a year), and six bike mounts moved and remounted on many different bars on what was seven bikes, now down to four bikes. Three mountain (geared FS, geared HT, rigid SS) and one paved / dirt road monstercross rigid.
> 
> Nothing broke, nothing went wrong, all are still in service.


And your point is?

I guess you found a few that didn't break. Wish I had your luck.


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

fliernh said:


> And your point is?


They don't all break.


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## Re21Agent (Nov 8, 2008)

From my experience (see prior post) and the experience of others (see other posts in this thread and other areas of Mtbr) my opinion is that anyone considering purchasing a monitoring unit should seriously consider a brand other than Garman. 

Now here is something I have a question on, once the year warranty is up will Garman still replace the unit with no charge?


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

It is a well known fact that users come to forums to complain far more than they come to offer info stating "all is ok". Just because 10 users here have trouble does not mean that all have trouble.

What other unit offers small size, mapping ability, heart rate and cadence as your suggested alternative to Garmin?

There are many reports here of people getting free replacements when they have crashed and broken the unit. Some have had out of warranty replaced free, some have had to pay a minimal fee. I suspect how you approach Garmin in your request for service makes a difference in how they treat you in return. If it is a crash, be honest. If you are heavy handed and broke it, be honest. Above all else, be nice.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

No kidding. My Edge 705 is my fourth Garmin receiver since 2003. All of them work just fine, and the worst thing that's happened to any of them is a small scratch on the screen of my Rino 120 (now my loaner).

I haven't been using the Edge for all that long, but I can absolutely see how someone who manhandles the mount could easily break the tab off. But that doesn't mean the whole company is worth dismissing.

NOBODY does it better. AFAIK, Delorme is your only other really viable option, and I'd say from what I've heard that they're not immune to troubles, either. I'd rate them equivalent with Garmin. Magellan flat out sucks. And neither of those companies offers a fitness GPS.

The other companies that do offer fitness GPSes just don't seem as good as what Garmin offers. While there's always room for improvement, nobody's doing that at this point. So good luck ditching Garmin (in all reality, you'll probably realize the same thing and we'll never hear a word from you on the issue again).


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## Re21Agent (Nov 8, 2008)

The only time I come on the Internet for my sport related items is when I do research. I happened to find this thread and decided to comment on it due to my experience. Had I done proper research like daemon is conducting I probably would not be posting. 

One can assume that proper use of the edge would include mounting the unit on your bike and riding. Once the unit is properly mounted and assuming you are not “man handling” the mount and or unit, in my opinion the unit and its accessories should work without interruption. If they only last 9 months or less then the manufacture should let the consumer know. The consumer would then decide if it is worth it to spend the money and have the unit for a few months. 

I understand that all units are not used the same. My unit with 250-300 miles a week for 52 weeks a year will probably have more wear than the unit that is used once or twice a week. Additionally, there is room for reviews of both parties’ opinions. In my opinion, one who rides 250-300 miles a week cannot base a decision on the knowledge of one who rides 50 miles a week a few weeks during the summer.


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## Dirt-Dog (Feb 13, 2011)

My mount broke today, and my 705 is destroyed. $500 GPS held on by a .10 cent piece of plastic. Amazing. I am not happy.


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