# Garmin Edge 500 vs 305



## surfndav (Aug 3, 2007)

I know the 500 is new but how are those using it liking it? Is it suitable for mountain biking? I have had the 305 for about 2 years. I had it replaced under warranty after eight months. It completely went dead. The new one worked well for about nine months and then started dying 20 or 30 minutes into each ride. It dies/shuts off, and then you can turn it back on and it will go for another 20 minutes or so, very frustrating. Because of this I haven’t been using it for a while. My LBS has the 500 in stock and the owner tells me the 500 is more reliable. What do you guys think? I like the way it looks, its size and the features it’s missing from the 305 I can live without, but reliability is my concern. 

One other question, is Garmin Connect free?

Thanks in advance for any help.


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## 6thElement (Jul 17, 2006)

Don't know about the 500 as I'm very happy with my 705 and Garmin Connect is a great free resource.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Garmin Connect is free, but they're lagging on even giving it comparable features to Motionbased. Other sites have been quicker to provide those features. But, since the E500 uses a different file format, I don't know which sites are currently set up to be compatible.


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## Crack Monkey (Sep 25, 2006)

I have a 500. Liking it so far (been in use since Xmas). 

I've used it for road bike training, running, and mtn biking. Cadence sensor on the road bike.

No problems so far, but haven't had it long enough to comment on durability or long-term battery life.

Garmin Connect may not be fancy, but it does what I want.


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## Toff (Sep 11, 2004)

I used a 305 for over a year. It did the job fine but finally died and Garmin replaced it under warranty. I decided to sell it at that point as the 500 was around the corner.

I now have a 500 and like it. It has more options to display than the 305, is smaller (which I like alot). and has a few useful new features. I never once used the maps on the 305 so not having maps isn't a con to me.

The 500 hasn't been out long enough for long term durability data.


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## lanpope (Jan 6, 2004)

How useful is the "course" function in the 500?

One of the main reasons that I want a GPS unit is to be able to ride other peoples routes from MMR or similar in new areas of the country when I travel.

I also want to be able to plan new routes at home on MMR or Bikeroutetoaster and then ride those courses.

Will the "course" function on the Garmin 500 adequately allow for this. I really don't care about a cue sheet or any of that. I just want the thing to indicate where I need to turn to stay on course.

LP


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## D-Town (Oct 20, 2005)

NateHawk said:


> But, since the E500 uses a different file format, I don't know which sites are currently set up to be compatible.


Rubitrack works great with the 500. It's able to read the .FIT file and directly synchs with the unit. Garmin Training Center (GTC) works great with the 500 as well. As of this posting, the 500 does not synch with other software (TrainPeaks, Sport Tracks, etc.) but you can export a .TCX file out of GTC and then import the file into these programs.

I've been running the 500 for 6 rides so far and I like its's simplicity and compact size. I can't speak of the courses function yet but I plan to test it on some upcoming rides.


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## thirpo (Jan 18, 2010)

Hi I also use a 500 for Road bike on turbo trainer with HRM and Cadence, on the Stumpy MTB just as the unit with no speed or cedence sensor but works speed on gps, also used HRM & unit to go Jogging out side to calibrate my nike plus wristband " which was way out compared to GPS about .58 of a mile, also used it on the treadmill for HRM & Calories only, I'm trying to work out how to do speed and distance on treadmill with 500 anyone know let us know, battery life is amazingly good lasts for an age without recharge. Was not sure of handlebar mounts but am lovin that all now, one coment I would say is that I had trouble mounting the cadence sensor on the spesch road Tarmac Comp due to chain stays that curve inwards, I feel the Speed/Cadence sensor definately needs to be redesigned to be more universal. Take note Garmin!!


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

thirpo said:


> Hi I also use a 500 for Road bike on turbo trainer with HRM and Cadence, on the Stumpy MTB just as the unit with no speed or cedence sensor but works speed on gps, also used HRM & unit to go Jogging out side to calibrate my nike plus wristband " which was way out compared to GPS about .58 of a mile, also used it on the treadmill for HRM & Calories only, I'm trying to work out how to do speed and distance on treadmill with 500 anyone know let us know, battery life is amazingly good lasts for an age without recharge. Was not sure of handlebar mounts but am lovin that all now, one coment I would say is that I had trouble mounting the cadence sensor on the spesch road Tarmac Comp due to chain stays that curve inwards, I feel the Speed/Cadence sensor definately needs to be redesigned to be more universal. Take note Garmin!!


Was your problem with the cadence sensor or the speed sensor? The speed sensor pivots towards the wheel to properly pick up the wheel magnet. I have not had trouble with either sensor, really. But you could easily shim the crank magnet to move it a little closer to the sensor if you had to.


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## D-Town (Oct 20, 2005)

lanpope said:


> How useful is the "course" function in the 500?
> 
> LP


It's a major bug that Garmin needs to deal with right now. If you check the Garmin forums (https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?t=5225), several people are having problems with the Course function (including me). I hope that Garmin will release an update soon because it's getting a little old when I try and do a course.


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## thirpo (Jan 18, 2010)

Thanks Natehawk yes sorry I did mean the speed sensor, on the cs10 Speed/cadence sensor, I managed to fit it on but the arm of the speed sensor has to be mounted in a verticle position. The problem with this I can see is if it came loose or moved in to wards the spokes it would casuse some servere damage to sensor and wheel and spokes due to the wheel rotation direction. If it mounted as per manual guide it would brush past the spokes just causing a bit of noise hopefully with out damaging expensive wheels. The sensors are Ant + sensors and the Garmin 500 has a menu setting where you can program in new seperate cadence and speed sensors, my thoughts were to put in seperate speed and cadence sensors so when I approached Garmin they did not know where I could obtain or purchase these sensors so I gave up on this Idea and botch fitted the combined sensor unit.
I suppose all this hassel was so I could use all the 500 functions when on the turbo trainer been sensor rear wheel mounting,....Hey you live & Learn but it is by far one of the best cycle computers I've ever used.


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## thirpo (Jan 18, 2010)

Another easy way would be for Garmin to allow the two sensors to be swopped around in advanced menus or something like that..........:skep:


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## lanpope (Jan 6, 2004)

D-Town said:


> It's a major bug that Garmin needs to deal with right now. If you check the Garmin forums (https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?t=5225), several people are having problems with the Course function (including me).


I actually did read those threads. Seems cause for concern at this point if one hopes to follow a course. Hopefully Garmin will have a fix soon.

Still trying to make up my mind between the 500/705.

Let me know if you find a fix. I'm sure I will still be mulling over irrelevant details and will not have made a decision yet. 

LP


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## surfndav (Aug 3, 2007)

Picked up the 500 Saturday, it's nice to have a GPS again. Garmin Connect seems to be okay it's got most of what I want, but I'll be looking for a better program. The battery seems to be very good and charges fast, will it be good long term? Only time will tell. The only thing that's weird is I rode a 24ish mile loop I do from home all but 2 miles is single track (Hawes, Mesa AZ) with my 305 it was showing 3400' of elevation with the 500 it only shows 2700'. Quite a difference I'd say. I've done lots of rides over 5000' elevation gain and this 24+mile loop is more than 2700' so the question is, is it defective or are they all off? What do you guys think?

Here are the links to the two rides. I added a little rode to the end of the ride yesterday cause I wanted to ride linger. And yes I was in better shape last year.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/23057434
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/18032602


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## The_Boy (Sep 15, 2005)

lanpope said:


> How useful is the "course" function in the 500?
> 
> One of the main reasons that I want a GPS unit is to be able to ride other peoples routes from MMR or similar in new areas of the country when I travel.
> 
> ...


Loading someone else's route and being able to follow it on a trail I've never ridden is the main/only reason I've started researching GPS devices. Is that what this "course" function is? And is it not a common feature on most GPS devices?


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

The_Boy said:


> Loading someone else's route and being able to follow it on a trail I've never ridden is the main/only reason I've started researching GPS devices. Is that what this "course" function is? And is it not a common feature on most GPS devices?


You can do it as a "course", but uploading it as a "route" is simpler and easier. The fitness GPSes use courses, a regular mapping GPS does not usually. They are almost the same thing in reality, unless you want to "race" yourself, and then you need to add it to a course to a fitness GPS.


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## lanpope (Jan 6, 2004)

slocaus said:


> You can do it as a "course", but uploading it as a "route" is simpler and easier. The fitness GPSes use courses, a regular mapping GPS does not usually. They are almost the same thing in reality, unless you want to "race" yourself, and then you need to add it to a course to a fitness GPS.


I have not been able to "upload" any type of pre-planned or downloaded ride as a "route" in the 205 and 305 that I have been playing with.

It is easy to upload the ride as a "course" and then follow it. I have even gotten it to give me turn ques with Bikeroutetoaster "courses", but I can get nothing into the "routes" portion of the GPS.

From reading the manual...it looks like "routes" only navigate you from premarked location to premarked location "as the crow flies". Not very useful on the 205/305 if you ask me.

Edge 500 and 705 may be different...I've not played with them.

LP


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## funkydrum (Mar 10, 2007)

Just bought and raced the 500 last weekend. I'm a 305 user but was on my 2nd reconditioned unit (auto-off in the rock-gardens, Lap/Reset button non-functional). Here's a few thoughts:

- Boot time was comparable
- Liked the % charged indicator instead of "Charging in Progress"
- All buttons are rubber-covered (vs. the lap and start/stop on the 305)
- Menus just as or slightly more intuitive as 305
- Better mount. O-ring lifespan questionable but easy, plus extras included.
- Unclear whether the temp. data is stored or just real-time.

I'm happy as it's smaller and I never used the mapping functions of the 305. The claimed longer battery life will be a plus on the 6-hr races and epic rides.


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