Customer Rating: 
Summary: Garmon 705 bike computer
Comment: Very easy to use.A real help for the avid bike rider who wants their heart rate data,their cadance and ascent imformation
Customer Rating:
Summary: Coool unit!
Comment: Should have gotten the faster shipping because I *love* this unit! It is great fun to see the way your heart and cadence interact with the map. Do I need this? No! Do I think it is a great way to be a geek and have fun? Yes!
My only complaint with Garmin is that they need to get their new service online. They've owned MotionBased for awhile now and they are supposed to be making a "free" version available that will allow unlimited uploads. They need to get this done more quickly.
Only other nit is that you shouldn't bother with the non-street map version. It galls me that you have to spend another $100 for a unit that should have maps built-in already (let's face it... The Edge 705 is *not* an inexpensive toy!). Without the maps, the granularity of the GPS mapping data is pretty much useless. It only has the most major of streets.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Device ok, beware of Amazon pricing policy
Comment: Beware of deceptive Amazon pricing policy. I purchased on 8/26 at $649.99 from Amazon. I needed to pull up item today (9/1) on Amazon.com to get order details so I could write Garmin for City Navigator SD card instructions (City Navigator SD card does not come with any instructions) and was shocked to see that the same item is now being sold for $100 less. I called Amazon customer service to inquire about price guarantee. I was told that if Amazon itself is not selling product at the lower price, they will not provide price guarantee. So, buyer beware, whatever price you see Amazon offering might not be the best pricing they offer on their site, and if they under-cut their pricing a moment after you place your order by posting a lower price of another re-seller, it's your loss! Just bad Amazon pricing policy and a bad Amazon branding policy that creates a lousy Amazon buying experience. Take this risk into consideration as you buy this item.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A brilliant bicyling companion
Comment: I read all these reviews before I bought my Edge 705. The device has exceeded all my expectations, and has added a new dimension to my bike rides. It's the most sensitive GPS i've ever used - it "sees" satellites even when indoors. I also find it to be very accurate, the speed is always close to my Cateye bike computer, which i haven't removed yet.
One bike-specific feature that no one else seems to have mentioned is the actual routes the 705 gives you. If you punch in a "go to" address, it will provide directions using back roads and side streets - instead of the usual highways and major roads. Especially great in urban areas. The only caveat is that "rail trails" don't seem to be part of the database.
Danbucks "-DC" - you just need to really tighten the ties. I used needle-nose pliers to tighten mine, and today was mountain biking over gnarly roots and rocks, including slamming down rock "staircases" - the Garmin remained firmly attached to the handlebars. I'm using this unit on a road bike and mountain bike, it's very secure. Also: when you mount it, pay attention to the angle. This screen is easily readable with no backlight in bright sunlight, as long as you're looking at it straight on. Garmin includes a rubber wedge so you can position the unit for optimal viewing relative to your riding angle.
As far as software, Garmin's training center isn't that great, but third party software called "Ascent" is amazing. I'm using it on my mac, and when you sync the GPS with it, a presumably google-based map instantly appears with your route superimposed, along with graphs, charts, and a calendar. I'm just using the free demo version for now.
Overall, I find the Edge 705 to be robust, intuitive, and perfect for bike riding - or even when just on foot. I previously tried using a Magellan Explorist 500 as a bike GPS - a waste compared to the Garmin. I purchased the Edge 705 for the maps, but the ability to recall your speed, elevation, heart rate and cadence at any given point during your ride now has me analyzing my fitness level - and pushing me to go further.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Don't buy this SD-card version
Comment: I've had one in hand for a few days now, and the one thing I would have done differently is to buy the 705 WITHOUT the SD card, and instead have bought the maps on CDROM (or DVD or whatever they are). The SD card does NOT work on your computer. I believe (but cannot positively confirm) that the CDROM (DVD?) will work on BOTH your computer as well as your 705, that will save you over $70.
That said, the 705 is better than 3-star -- I'd give it at least 4 stars. The hardware is pretty cool, the software is pretty lame. The second day I had the thing, it seemed to perform flawlessly on my bike. Brought it home, and the history file was corrupt, I couldn't get any information off my 47-mile ride. Bummer. Since then, the history has stored OK however for 4 much shorter rides.
The Owner's Manual is miserable, doing little more than showing you how to attach the unit to your bike and hinting at some of the features. You'll learn much more about this thing by surfing the Internet than you will from any guide.
The software is the worst. No way to edit or truncate data (and note that you will get some erroneous spikes in your data indicating superhuman speed and heart rate). The base map for your computer shows little more than highways and rivers -- who takes a bicycle on a highway or river? You can get more detailed maps for your computer, but at about $80 a pop, too bad the SD card won't work on your computer, only in the unit (once again, you've been warned, DON'T buy the SD-card based map!).
I do really like this unit. Autorouting home after exploring during a 47-mile ride was VERY nice and gives you a great deal of confidence while riding. But, I feel like a chump for buying the SD-card version. Hopefully software fixes will come along for the PC.
Hope this helps.
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