# comp. choices garmin 305/500....bontrager node 2



## DCTILLER (Aug 18, 2010)

any thoughts. i have a droid x but havent used it as of yet for my mountain biking. saw the node 2 at the bike shop and thought it looked tasty. friends tell me to just go with the garmin for the downloadable data and be done with it. are the 305s still available? i like all the features of the 500 but 400 is a bit high for my wallet.
thanks for looking.


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

The 305 is available from Garmin.

I would search here for one.

Browse these forums for good feedback as well.


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## PureMX (May 5, 2009)

The Garmin 305 is still available. In fact, you can get it for $121 here:

http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=GRFR305&omid=122&utm_id=17&ref=pricegrabber&utm_source=PriceGrabber&utm_medium=cpc

If you add it to the cart, then use coupon code FEBSAVE5, it's $121 with free shipping and no sales tax outside of New Jersey.


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## DCTILLER (Aug 18, 2010)

*Thank you very much*

HOLY CRIKEYS.
thats a deal and a half.
thanks


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## 3034 (Apr 12, 2006)

Thats $121 price is for the fore runner not the edge 305
For cycling you want the GARMIN EDGE 305
(The edge 500 is not accurate enough for mtn biking)



PureMX said:


> The Garmin 305 is still available. In fact, you can get it for $121 here:
> 
> http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=GRFR305&omid=122&utm_id=17&ref=pricegrabber&utm_source=PriceGrabber&utm_medium=cpc
> 
> If you add it to the cart, then use coupon code FEBSAVE5, it's $121 with free shipping and no sales tax outside of New Jersey.


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## chiplikestoridehisbike (Aug 8, 2007)

Edge 500 has worked great for me this past year.


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## 3034 (Apr 12, 2006)

chiplikestoridehisbike said:


> Edge 500 has worked great for me this past year.


it works OK (I have one)but is is NOT a replacement for the edge 305 for accuracy on single track.


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## DCTILLER (Aug 18, 2010)

*confused*

i spent some time on the garmin factory outlet site and had my heart set on the 500 bundle. i did see that the forerunner did not have elevation. i have friends with both the 305 and the 500 edge. didnt think there would be a down side to the 500. maybe i will look again. thanks for the input guys.


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## chiplikestoridehisbike (Aug 8, 2007)

Mine has worked great. Picked up the base model from performance when they ran one of there 20% of sales. $200. Premium heart rate strap $70 Bontager wheel sensor $24 (local shop) <$300 has given me a great training aid with a ton of data I didn't have before. I can easily dump it into a number of training softwares. The size of the 500 is great compared to the older units as well. I am sure there are more accurate units out there but the 500 has worked great for me.


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## DCTILLER (Aug 18, 2010)

*500/305*

can i use my own heart rate monitor strap? i have a polar heart rate monitor that i use on my road bike thats only a year old or so. cant see needing cadence for the foreseeable future. if i can save 100 bucks and just buy the base unit, that would be cool.
thanks
i did see that the 500 base unit looks a good bit smaller than the 305, which i thought would be better for the bike. but if the gps accuracy of the 305 is better then i would want that one instead.


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

DCTILLER said:


> can i use my own heart rate monitor strap? i have a polar heart rate monitor that i use on my road bike thats only a year old or so. cant see needing cadence for the foreseeable future. if i can save 100 bucks and just buy the base unit, that would be cool.
> thanks
> i did see that the 500 base unit looks a good bit smaller than the 305, which i thought would be better for the bike. but if the gps accuracy of the 305 is better then i would want that one instead.


Polar straps do not work with Garmin units.

For the 500 accuracy, or inaccuracy for mtb, here are links.
http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=7147354&postcount=33
http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=7202821&postcount=12
http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=7649855&postcount=2


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## chiplikestoridehisbike (Aug 8, 2007)

Not sure about the polar strap. The 500 is compatible with ANT + devices, so if the polar strap is ANT + it should work. I would check around on line. I think people have mentioned using polar straps. Some of the older garmin units had battery problems. Check into the 305 and make sure that it is not affected. The Oregon units may be able to accept a heart rate strap and would probably provide you with the best accuracy. The main thing people complain about the 500 is that it uses "smart" recording instead of 1sec recording. So sometimes in tight single track it will not breadcrumb the corner and cut a shorter distance. It may also not be as accurate as the larger units, but mine has given consistent results. Supposedly using a wheel sensor helps keep recording distance if you loose signal. I just use it to record my rides and log data for training. If I ride the same trail twice and it doesn't plot the same exact path the second time, I don't loose sleep.


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## DCTILLER (Aug 18, 2010)

*305*

answers both questions.
thank you very much


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## PureMX (May 5, 2009)

3034 said:


> Thats $121 price is for the fore runner not the edge 305
> For cycling you want the GARMIN EDGE 305
> (The edge 500 is not accurate enough for mtn biking)


Sorry, no...the EDGE 305 is not what I want for cycling. I have found little need to look down at a bar mounted heart rate/GPS device. A quick glance at my wrist mounted Foreunner 305 gives me all the info I need (which is usually distance or heart rate). Need bar mount info, Cateye is fine.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

PureMX said:


> Sorry, no...the EDGE 305 is not what I want for cycling. I have found little need to look down at a bar mounted heart rate/GPS device. A quick glance at my wrist mounted Foreunner 305 gives me all the info I need (which is usually distance or heart rate). Need bar mount info, Cateye is fine.


With the number model designations being the same in a couple product lines, it's important to distinguish between the models we're talking about. Most people in this forum assume folks are talking about Edge models, but obviously that's not always the case.

I prefer a GPS mounted on the handlebars. My wife uses her Forerunner on the bike and it drops signal on occasion. I think the problem has to do with antenna orientation, which not quite ideal with the Forerunner when biking.


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## DCTILLER (Aug 18, 2010)

*info*

i definitely dont want the forerunner. that would be fine for runners. i think the edge 305 is exactly what i need/want. its expensive, but it has all the features i am looking for in a mountain bike computer. im not having a whole lot of luck though, finding a new one. im guessing they are phasing this one out. dont know why with all the attributes that you have mentioned here it sounds like the perfect device for the mb. 
thanks again for all the input guys. ill keep looking.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

DCTILLER said:


> i definitely dont want the forerunner. that would be fine for runners. i think the edge 305 is exactly what i need/want. its expensive, but it has all the features i am looking for in a mountain bike computer. im not having a whole lot of luck though, finding a new one. im guessing they are phasing this one out. dont know why with all the attributes that you have mentioned here it sounds like the perfect device for the mb.
> thanks again for all the input guys. ill keep looking.


Yep, phasing this one out. Why? The Edge 605/705 (basic maps), Edge 500 (no maps), and the Edge 800 (raster maps) have been released since. The Edge 205/305 are "obsolete" and Garmin won't sell as many new models if the "obsolete" ones are still being sold. It's still plenty reliable and if you can get your hands on one (I'd look on ebay), it should do the job for you for quite awhile.


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## DCTILLER (Aug 18, 2010)

*500 edge*

bit the bullet and got the edge 500. this thing is amazing. does everything except ride the bike for me! loving it and all its features. like the options for the display. multiple windows. 
thanks for all the tips guys.


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## mrm1 (Apr 22, 2007)

My 305 just died after 2.5 years  rubber button failure. Trying to decide to go factory refurb for $79 or bite and get a 500. Not a lot of diff from what I can tell. 

And for those interested in data collection, I have been using Sport Tracs. If I get the 500 I will have to buy the new version if I want to keep using Sport Tracs as I do not think my old version will support the 500.


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## D1PHAM (Sep 15, 2008)

I've been pondering the same decision for quite a while now. In the end I decided to stick with my Android based phone and my bluetooth heartrate monitor for the following reasons:

1. Cost effective.
2. Voice based data announcements (heartrate, heartrate zone, mileage, elevation, etc.).
3. GPX based mapping.
4. Suffice battery life (downclock CPU during rides, rooted phone) after 3 hours I'm at 80% could probably go 8 hours easy. 

I'm using SportsTracker Pro for ride logging and MyTrails for GPX mapping/navigation.


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## mrm1 (Apr 22, 2007)

What Bluetooth RH monitor are you using?


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## D1PHAM (Sep 15, 2008)

Zephyr


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