Garmin Edge 305 GPS Bundle
Rugged, lightweight Edge attaches easily to the stem or handlebars of your bike with the included bike mount. Just turn it on, acquire GPS satellites and go. Edge 305 automatically measures your speed, distance, time, calories burned, altitude, climb and descent, and records this data for your review. For extra-precise climb and descent data, Edge 305 also incorporates a barometric altimeter to pinpoint changes in elevation
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars New to Cycling Computers
I took this out of the box and mounted it to my bicycle using the easy to follow directions. I did not know what to expect at the time but now don’t go anywhere without it! The information it provides is great and has helped me to improve my rides and hikes. It easily connects to the computer and downloads automatically into Garmin Training Center. I also upload the files to Motionbased.com where it is automatically plotted on Google maps that you can email to friends. I haven’t had problems with the battery yet but know that charging shortens the life of any battery. The longest hike I’ve taken using this is 5.5 hours. I have only had one problem with this unit and it happened when I loaded a course from Garmin Training Center to be used with virtual trainer. When I went to upload my information to the computer it would not work. Garmin support was not very helpful. I had to search Google for a solution, the problem was a corrupt course download, once removed everything worked fine.
4 Stars Works like a champ
I’ve been using the Edge 305 for nearly a month now and its great! I’ve found the speedometer and the heart monitor are more accurate than my old computer (cat’s eye) and the polar watch (forgot the model) I usually mount to my handlebar.
Installing the software was super simple and transferring data is as simple as pulling in the USB cable and watching the data transfer. The charts and information layout is pretty straight forward and easy to read.
My only complaint is that the recording of my position can sometimes float away or it cuts corners (literally). The Smart Record mode seems to work fine but regardless, either recording mode still has minor position recording issues.
Note about the handlebar mount: I’ve read many many bad reviews about the mount breaking and to date it hasn’t happened. Then again, its mounted on a road bike that never goes off-roading. I would expect it to break if you’re doing some serious devil-may-care rides in the back country.
Do I miss a color screen? No. Would I pay a few extra hundred dollars for a color screen and the same features as the 305? No.
Would I recommend the Edge 305? Yes! Who would I recommend this to? Anyone road cyclist who wants to track your basic stats and train yourself to be a better rider. My old computer didn’t have a cadence monitor and now that I do with this unit, I can see where I’m spinning too hard to too fast.
1 Star Unusable before setup was complete
After fully charging the Edge 305, I set out to configure the unit and ended up with 2 significant problems. First, the unit was not recognized via the USB connector by either my XP or Vista PC. I had the latest Garmin drivers and software installed and this was confirmed by Garmin Support. Both PCs said the USB device was an unrecognized USB device. This problem ended up being a bad USB cable shipped with the EDGE.
Then after 15 minutes of setting up the unit, the LCD is now distorted and unreadable. The LCD is on and every once in awhile you can recognize a menu within the disortion but its useless in its current state. Running the Webupdater from Garmin and overwritting the Edge 305 firmware seems to bring it back to life, but only for seconds, then the display distorts.
Amazon Customer Service was great in dealing with the issue and I am now waiting for my replacement. If it wasn’t for Amazon’s efficient return policy, I think I would have given up on this unit. 2 defects in one box is a little hard to accept. Garmin support was very helpful but in the end they couldn’t do much about the defective LCD screen. Will update when the replacement units comes in.
5 Stars Garmin Edge 305 is the shiz nit!
This thing is great! I’ve used heart rate monitors before but I was limited to using them on one bike if I wanted to get my speed as well. With this unit having GPS, I can use it on all my bikes, in the car, on my motorcycles, anywhere. I even use this as a lap timer for my street motorcycles when I go to the track. The interface is simple and the fitness software is a no-brainer, even for me.
5 Stars Great Product
The Garmin Edge 305 provides excellent value at today’s Amazon prices. Software installation on MAC was quick and easy. It sometimes times out after connecting to USB not transferring the new ride data, but a manual Data Transfer achieves the same result. The Training software could feature better Garmin maps and longterm ride statistic features. I am sure online platforms provide this but I had no time to look into it. Adjusting the cadence sensor was a bit of a problem and required some improvised shims on my crankset to meet the <5mm spec for the sensor to work, but it was not a real obstacle. A 2nd flexible arm for the cadence sensor would allow for more adjustability. All in all a stabile product with no cinks.
