Garmin Edge 800

[mandasol]

I'm pretty happy with my Edge 500 (after the latest firmware update). Don't know if I need any extra functionality or even the touch screen of the 800. Kinda seems like it would be tough to use with full fingered gloves.



http://garmin.blogs.com/my_weblog/2010/08/garmin-unveils-touchscreen-edge-800-making-bike-route-planning-easier.html


http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/garmin-edge-800-first-ride-review-27494

[MattTuck]

If anything, it will hopefully reduce the prices of the rest of the Edge line up. Maybe I'll be able to afford the 705.

[EastCoastRoadie]

I have had the 705 since it came out. While all of the GPS features are nice, I really don't use them at all despite logging thousands of miles on my bike every year. The 500 seems like the way to go right now. While the 800 looks really cool, it seems to be all about the "prettiness" of the interface (bigger screen, everything in color, etc.). I am sure you can't go wrong no matter which one you get, but can't imagine you will lust for features on the 800 if you buy the 500.

[norcalbiker]

I have the 500 and it is really more than I need right now and very happy with it except the battery. It doesn't seems to last long 2 or 3 of ride at the most.

[RADaines]

Lots of info here:

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/

[znfdl]

I really wish that Garmin would create a device that has atleast 24 hours of battery life.

Looks great for people who just want to go out and ride and explore.

[MattTuck]

I have had the 705 since it came out. While all of the GPS features are nice, I really don't use them at all despite logging thousands of miles on my bike every year. The 500 seems like the way to go right now. While the 800 looks really cool, it seems to be all about the "prettiness" of the interface (bigger screen, everything in color, etc.). I am sure you can't go wrong no matter which one you get, but can't imagine you will lust for features on the 800 if you buy the 500.


I tend to agree with you if you know the roads you ride pretty well. I can tell you (being a temporary resident of the fine state of Washington), the 705 would be damn useful to plan routes and download the routes the locals use.

[roydyates]

I guess I don't care too much about the training features. I can estimate my heart rate pretty well from how hard I'm breathing.

The best thing about the 705 is the ability to explore new areas without getting lost or wasting time to stop and study the map. Also, if you're into randonneuring, you can mostly put aay the cue sheet. The next best thing is the barometric altimeter so you get a good estimate of your suffering in vertical feet.

I'd be happy with a unit with the 705 mapping and the barometric altimeter but without the fitness extras.

[srice]

I am happy to see that Garmin has now added satellite imagery. I purchased a DeLorme unit for this purpose and while I was pleased with the images, I was very disappointed with the battery life and readability of the text. When my current Edge 605 dies again - I'll probably pick one of these up.

[bocarider]

I love my 705. The training features are excellent as it pairs with my power meter and I can create then upload interval workouts in Garmin Training Center and download results into WKO+. The fact that I can run an interval workout without having to touch a button, except the start button, is a super nice feature. The ability to program so many data screens (power, heart rate, speed, cadence, time, lap average power, max power) lets me see how badly I suck in multiple ways in real time on the bike.

The mapping to me is also super functional and one of the best features. When my wife and I have travelled with our bikes to places we have never been before, I have mapped out routes in both MapSourse and on ridewithgps.com and downloaded them onto the 705. It works really well. Plus, if you want to deviate from the plotted route because you see a nice road you want to explore, the unit recalculates to get you back on track. We also use it driving in the rental car and walking around cities as well.

My experience is that both the fitness, mapping, uploading and downloading features of the 705 work really well. I am always surprised at people’s complaints that it is not functional or it is too big and clunky to have on their stem.

[mtb_frk]

I wonder if the screen is anything like the one on the Oregon series. It looked nice but was quite dim in full sunlight. Adding the touch screen degrades the optical quality, so it will be interesting to see how this unit performs. I am quite happy with my 500 now that the firmware patch has fixed the locking up "feature".

[wasfast]

I wonder if the screen is anything like the one on the Oregon series. It looked nice but was quite dim in full sunlight. Adding the touch screen degrades the optical quality, so it will be interesting to see how this unit performs. I am quite happy with my 500 now that the firmware patch has fixed the locking up "feature".

Are you having similar battery life as norcalbiker reports? I've been eyeing a 500 to use with a power meter but if the battery life is only 2-3 hours, that's a non starter. Plenty of 4-6 hour rides during the year.

[Steve K]

Before recharging I typically have a 5-6 hour ride and a couple more 90-120 minutes rides and still be around 40-50% battery. No power meter in use, just heart rate, cadence and speed.

[Bob Loblaw]

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=30926

Not sure if it displays speed though.

Edit: Yes it does, and odometer apparently. I just looked at the screen shots.

BL


I'd be happy with a unit with the 705 mapping and the barometric altimeter but without the fitness extras.

[EastCoastRoadie]

I can't speak to battery life of the 500, but the 705 consistently gives me 10-12 hours on a full charge.

[Blue Jays]

My current Garmin 705 easily gets 12-15 hours riding time per charge.
The especially nice features on the new Garmin 500/800 is the improved quarter-turn attachment system and alarm to notify of riding without *start* having been activated.
The attachment system feature alone makes the Garmin 500/800 superior.
One just needs to determine if the need the turn-by-turn mapping capabilities onboard.

[ergott]

Dislike
It even bigger than my 705
Touchscreen (try using it while riding and see your results with a few bumps).

Definitely not going to be an early adopter on this one. I love using my 705. I updated my bikes with the new mount and it's much better.

[cody.wms]

Apparently it can travel in time too. From the Garmin blog post:

"Edge 800 will debut at Interbike (Booth 2631) and Eurobike (Booth A5-201), where it won the coveted Eurobike Award for electronic components."

How did it manage to know it would win awards before its debut?


I'm OK with my 305. It seems to get slower and slower getting a satellite signal, though. The mapping features of the 705 and 800 seem nice, but I'm not sure how much I'd use them.

[cody.wms]

A good size comparison here (http://www.bikeradar.com/gallery/article/garmin-edge-800-first-ride-review-27494?img=9) .


Image 9, in case the link is being goofy.

[veloduffer]

Definitely not going to be an early adopter on this one. I love using my 705. I updated my bikes with the new mount and it's much better.

If you don't mind me asking, how did you update the 705 mount to the 500/800 quarter-turn mount?

The Edge 605/705 mount has been a source of frustration with me.

[ergott]

I can't seem to find a proper pic, but when I ordered replacement mounts the new ones were one piece instead of two (disregarding the tilt spacer). The bottom was shaped for both stem and bar orientation. The catalog pic from my distributor and Garmin.com shows the old mount, but I received a different one.

[bozman]

I really wish that Garmin would create a device that has atleast 24 hours of battery life.

Looks great for people who just want to go out and ride and explore.

+1

the 800 is huge. like strapping my ipod touch to the bars.

[mandasol]

For my 500 I find the battery left percentage indicator to be pretty accurate. On mine it uses up about 8% of the battery for every hour of use from full charge to near empty.

[weatherman]

Before recharging I typically have a 5-6 hour ride and a couple more 90-120 minutes rides and still be around 40-50% battery. No power meter in use, just heart rate, cadence and speed.

I have a 500, used to have a 705. Battery life on my 500 has been much better. Haven't put in any 12 hour rides of late, but my experience leads me to believe it would make it no problem. (I am not running power meter--cadence and HR only).

Have not done the firmware upgrade either as my unit seems to work fine.

[mgm777]

Can you store more than one ride on the 500? Also, how does the upload process work? Occassionaly, I use my wife's 405 (running GPS watch) for riding and it seems the upload interface to that USB receiver can be somewhat finicky. Is the 500's process similiar? Thanks in advance. I am considering the 500.

[Blue Jays]

"...If you don't mind me asking, how did you update the 705 mount to the 500/800 quarter-turn mount?...""...I can't seem to find a proper pic, but when I ordered replacement mounts the new ones were one piece instead of two (disregarding the tilt spacer). The bottom was shaped for both stem and bar orientation. The catalog pic from my distributor and Garmin.com shows the old mount, but I received a different one..."Ergott, the new mounts you received are a distinct improvement. I similarly have them for my 705 as well.
They are absolutely nothing like the robust new quarter-turn mounts on the 500/800 series.

[mtb_frk]

Are you having similar battery life as norcalbiker reports? I've been eyeing a 500 to use with a power meter but if the battery life is only 2-3 hours, that's a non starter. Plenty of 4-6 hour rides during the year.

I have never really charged mine other than when I upload files to the computer and it always has a pretty full charge. The battery life seems to be really good. I have a p-tap, and a heart rate monitor that I use all the time.

[onekgguy]

Actually, the touch screen is more a negative than a positive for me. I like a nice, un-smudged screen when I ride. Considering how grimy fingers can get from wiping away sweat and the accumulated goo from gel-packs I don't think I want to be touching my screen.

Kevin g

[djg21]

+1

the 800 is huge. like strapping my ipod touch to the bars.


It's actually 1/2" shorter than the 705, and the 705 was not excessively oversized. From the Garmin website:

705: 2" x 4.3" x 1" (5.1 x 10.9 x 2.5 cm)
800: 2" x 3.7" x 1" (5.1 x 9.3 x 2.5 cm)

On the other hand, the 800 screen is significantly larger, which makes a difference on any GPS:

705: 1.37" x 1.71" (3.48 x 4.36 cm); 2.2" diag (5.6 cm)
805: 1.4" x 2.2" (3.8 x 5.6 cm); 2.6" diag (6.6 cm)

The one thing the 800 does not appear able to do is exchange info with other devices wirelessly. I actually used this feature when going on pre-planned group rides where I was unfamiliar with the terrain. It was nice to be able to have someone send me a pre-loaded course that I could follow.

I'm also curious to see how the touchscreen will work with sweaty hands, and if the screen will remain readable when covered with greasy fingerprints.