Small Device with Big Features!

As I did not want to purchase a full Garmin type GPS system I found this Allen GPS receiver was exactly what I was looking for in price and size. It's exactly the size of an iPod nano (the smallest version). The kit comes with an adjustable attachment for your car's vent louvers and can hold the Allen GPS and your phone. It also comes with an AC charger and a car charger (unlike most cell phones). I have the "Sony Ericsson W580i" as I like a clear vivid screen and the slide motion. Once you enter your start position and final destination you are on your way. The screen can be viewed in plan view or in `bird's eye (perspective) mode. You will receive visual guidance and voice commands. A British female voice announces whether you are ½ mile or 100 yards from your next turn and then announces "Turn left here" or whatever is appropriate. (Note that Allen Navigator GPS was first popular in the United Kingdom).



It notates your speed distance to turns and `beeps' twice after successfully completing a turn. Because it uses your mobile network it is continually updating map and POI information; meaning you never have to update your mapping information - ever. That's a big savings in money and time.



The Allen Navigator GPS software (www.mywayfinder.com) is best downloaded from your phone (check compatibility). With www.mywayfinder.com you can track your position on GOOGLE Earth and create favorites. This version includes the entire USA. You can also purchase map coverage of other countries which is not always available from other devices. You also don't need Tele-Nav which AT&T (my provider) told me I did need. The battery life is amazingly long so recharges are not often and I was surprised at its accuracy (within 10 yards driving)! It has a cool night mode viewing screen as well.



I am not a tech genius (really I am not at all) so I found the initial downloading to be slightly time consuming but then I had trouble with my Sony Ericsson cell phone too. Now that it is set-up and working it is almost intuitive. Taking a five hour trek from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe it was remarkably accurate as to all my several stops. There are literally millions of services or POI information. I had fun finding a steak & lobster restaurant as well as gas and an ATM. The only drawback I could find is that the message "Allow Application To Send To The Internet?" would frequently pop-up but all this meant was I had to press the YES button a few times. Also this device is meant for driving so it won't work where you cannot get cell coverage like hiking in the mountains. But I understand that this company is coming out with a version that will work in remote places. Very cool device.



Note that the price has come down significantly making this unit much more desirable in lieu of a full GPS unit.

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Needs instructions and a longer screw...

Recieved item it shipped without any paperwork (instructions). It came with two screws and nuts to connect a fixed piece to the bike then it has another screw to connect another piece to the fixed mount on the bike. The screw for this piece was too short. You are able to connect it but only about two threads catch. I went ahead and connected and put the PN-20 on it but it was too loose. I had to go to the hardware store and purchase a longer screw to make it work.More detail ...

Pricy but very cool

Product arrived in a timely manner and in perfect condition. Product was exactly as described. These caps seem over priced for all they are: two plastic caps for the top and base of the Garmin 550 GPS... but they are very cool. GREAT TRANSACTION - pricy item. AMore detail ...

A NEW STANDARD

Garmin with the Edge 305 heart rate/cadence has set the standard and literally eliminated the competition. The only thing the others can do at this point is to copy in attempt to duplicate. We have (2) with HR and CAD. Both have been used on the flats of Los Angeles County to the hills of Orange/San Diego County. The GPS has never failed to work. Actually nothing on the Edge 305 has failed to work with about 1000 miles on each. You can program the screen to display multiple items and with a glance see all of your desired information. I monitor Speed Distance Elapsed ride time Time of day HR CAD and Calories. Heck The Edge 305 is better than the bike! The training software is also outstanding.

The only negatives have nothing to do with actual computer performance and in my opinion include:

*Price-This toy aint cheap.

*Size-Relatively big for a bike computer but very light.

*Battery-Our units both are safe from four (4) to six (6)

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Works Great!

I was afraid that my 1994 H-D FXR would shake my PN-40 so badly that I wouldn't be able to read the display without stopping and killing the engine. No worry! This mount works great! I've got it installed on the left side handlebar and I can read the display just fine while I'm cruising along.More detail ...

Good case but the Zumo 550 GPS comes with one.

I ordered the case before my new Zumo 550 Motorcycle GPS arrived. The case is solid and has a cool rubberized tire tread pattern front cover that will definitely protect the screen. Internally there is a little pocket for things like the security screw driver spare SD memory cards etc. The extra large zipper pulls make it handy to open if you have gloves on. All around it's a good case but keep in mind that when you purchase the Zumo 550 GPS it already comes with one so you may not have to order this one unless you loose the one that comes with the GPS ;-). I say this because I ended up returning it when I discovered that I ended up with 2 (one from the GPS and the other I had ordered with out knowing that the GPS came with one). Oh well live and learn. Amazon made it a simple process to return it. More detail ...

Great Device Beware of Hidden Map Costs

I've had my 705 for about 3 weeks and have used it on over 400 miles of bike training. It's a great bike computer - very easy to setup lots of data available but only the data you decide to have on each screen. The GPS and in-unit maps are great. Installation is also easy since the sensor is wireless.



The Garmin Training Center software (Windows version in my case) is okay but appears to have only basic integration with the 705 so far. GTC is a separate but free download from the Garmin site. Hopefully future versions will provide more/better 705 integration.



Something to watch out for as it isn't mentioned in the 705 docs or on the Garmin site if you buy the 705 with the map card those detailed maps will only be available in the 705 not in GTC. If you want detailed maps in GTC you have to buy a PC/Mac version of the very same maps you have on the 705. That's another $100-130 on top of the $600-700 you just spent on the 705. Why? Ask Garmin.More detail ...

Great Device Beware of Hidden Map Costs

I've had my 705 for about 3 weeks and have used it on over 400 miles of bike training. It's a great bike computer - very easy to setup lots of data available but only the data you decide to have on each screen. The GPS and in-unit maps are great. Installation is also easy since the sensor is wireless.



The Garmin Training Center software (Windows version in my case) is okay but appears to have only basic integration with the 705 so far. GTC is a separate but free download from the Garmin site. Hopefully future versions will provide more/better 705 integration.



Something to watch out for as it isn't mentioned in the 705 docs or on the Garmin site if you buy the 705 with the map card those detailed maps will only be available in the 705 not in GTC. If you want detailed maps in GTC you have to buy a PC/Mac version of the very same maps you have on the 705. That's another $100-130 on top of the $600-700 you just spent on the 705. Why? Ask Garmin.More detail ...

Just what I expected

The Garmin Edge 500 is just what I expected it to be. I think it was the most anticipated GPS/cycle computer from Garmin. It's small and pretty does the all the things (and some more) that you expect a cycle computer to do. To begin with the size of the computer was a little larger that what I expected it to be but having said that it fits perfectly fine on my handle bar stem and note I have a short stem (80 mm). I did my first ride with it a while ago and it was pretty much ready to go from the box it arrived it in. It did not have any difficulties acquiring sattelites and easily paired with the Garmin Heart Rate monitor and the Bontrager Duotrap cadence/speed sensor. Did not see any drops in signal during my ride something that I would see with the previous Garmin that I had. You have three screens which you can 8 fields of data per screen. So you can monitor 24 data sets real time during your ride. There are far more options than I can list here just to keep it short it's a plenty.



I personally am upgrading from a Forerunner 50 and I think this is just great! I think that everyone will be pleasantly surprised by the capabilities of this device except for the Edge 705 owners who will feel it is a downgrade for the lack of maps (which it is). More detail ...

The Neatest Cyclometer Out There!

The 305 is a neat item and very clean to install. Satellite reception is excellent even in dense forrests and far superior to my Garmin GPSMAP 60CS. The stem mount is very clean with rubberized mountings with a supplied wedge for proper viewing angles.



The cadence and speed pickups are neatly packaged in one sensor on the rear tire and the cadence magnet is unobtrunsive. Installation documentation is very clear and accurate.



The software for downloading rides is very good although it lacks some functionality that is available in Garmin's other products (waypoint and route management) and you cannot erase the unit from your PC. No big deal there. Seeing your actual ride or hike track on a map is pretty cool.



It has multiple (3) bike profiles so more than one bike use is possible. If using this only on one bike then bike 2 can be used as a secondary information screen for trip data like average speed average cadence average heart rate etc. things that you won't want on your primary biking screen.



The one item that is missing and I was surprised about is that the 305 does not have a persistant odometer. It does have a ride trip meter and there is no separate data field that keeps track of your total mileage. You can do this in the PC based software though. I prefer a built in odometer function for routine maintenance on my bike when I hit 500 1000 2000 3000 mile cycles per year. I'm working with Garmin tech-support and they admit they sort of kind of missed it. That's the primary reason why I gave this item four stars.



Battery life is another concern especially when the unit is searching to pair up with the heart rate and cadence sensors. If you turn off those features it consumes less power. For most one day rides the unit is fine. It would be great if Garmin put a solar cell on the front of the unit where all the black is.



If you really like GPS and capturing as much data as possible about your ride heart rate cadence timings grades maps ... this is the unit for you! Enjoy!



Update:



Battery life is a serious issue with the Edge 305! I am getting no more than five hours out of an overnight charge and that is with just the cadence sensor. I have asked Garmin Tech Support about this three times and the answers are disappointing. If you ride long I cannot recommend that you go with the Edge 305 until they correct the battery life issue. I'll update you with Garmin's responses!More detail ...

The Neatest Cyclometer Out There!

The 305 is a neat item and very clean to install. Satellite reception is excellent even in dense forrests and far superior to my Garmin GPSMAP 60CS. The stem mount is very clean with rubberized mountings with a supplied wedge for proper viewing angles.



The cadence and speed pickups are neatly packaged in one sensor on the rear tire and the cadence magnet is unobtrunsive. Installation documentation is very clear and accurate.



The software for downloading rides is very good although it lacks some functionality that is available in Garmin's other products (waypoint and route management) and you cannot erase the unit from your PC. No big deal there. Seeing your actual ride or hike track on a map is pretty cool.



It has multiple (3) bike profiles so more than one bike use is possible. If using this only on one bike then bike 2 can be used as a secondary information screen for trip data like average speed average cadence average heart rate etc. things that you won't want on your primary biking screen.



The one item that is missing and I was surprised about is that the 305 does not have a persistant odometer. It does have a ride trip meter and there is no separate data field that keeps track of your total mileage. You can do this in the PC based software though. I prefer a built in odometer function for routine maintenance on my bike when I hit 500 1000 2000 3000 mile cycles per year. I'm working with Garmin tech-support and they admit they sort of kind of missed it. That's the primary reason why I gave this item four stars.



Battery life is another concern especially when the unit is searching to pair up with the heart rate and cadence sensors. If you turn off those features it consumes less power. For most one day rides the unit is fine. It would be great if Garmin put a solar cell on the front of the unit where all the black is.



If you really like GPS and capturing as much data as possible about your ride heart rate cadence timings grades maps ... this is the unit for you! Enjoy!



Update:



Battery life is a serious issue with the Edge 305! I am getting no more than five hours out of an overnight charge and that is with just the cadence sensor. I have asked Garmin Tech Support about this three times and the answers are disappointing. If you ride long I cannot recommend that you go with the Edge 305 until they correct the battery life issue. I'll update you with Garmin's responses!More detail ...

Take your ride to the next level with the Edge 205 Garmins GPS-enabled personal trainer and cycle computer. Perfect for touring and the trails the lightweight Edge is the ultimate fitness partner. With the easy-to-use Edge 205 on your bike you always know where you are going and how far you have gone. The Edge 205 measures speed distance time calories burned altitude climb and descent plus much more. 205 features include: Easy-to-install - no calibration required. Just snap it in the included bike mount and go High-sensitivity GPS receiver knows your position even in tree cover and canyons making it extremely reliable for navigation Customizable cycle computer shows up to eight different data fields for continuous feedback Virtual Partner lets you race a virtual competitor making training fun Courses lets you race against a recorded course to try to match previously set speeds at every point along the way Auto Pause pauses the training timer when you slow down below a specified speed and resumes when you speed up again so you can focus on your ride Auto Lap automatically triggers a lap every time you pass a specified location or travel a preset distance Training Center software gives you the ability to create workouts manage and download courses and create a detailed post-ride analysis that charts your performance With its waterproof sleek design the Edge is the perfect companion on any bike and attaches to either the stem or handlebars. Its rugged case frames an easy-to-read large backlit display that can show up to eight different data fields along with altitude and a map view. Included Training Center software gives you the ability to overlay your ride data onto a course map. It offers interactive analysis tools that measure your speed distance climb and descent against varying terrain elevation and more. Create and schedule custom workouts or use workout templates and download to the Edge. Cyclists: get your Edge from GarminMore detail ...

GARMIN Edge 705 Speed/ Cade Outdoor Fitness GPS. Wherever you go you can bring it on with the Garmin Edge 705 navigating trainer. Edge 705 pushes you to do your best then shows you the way back. This GPS enabled cycle computer knows no limits. Get heart rate cadence turn by turn directions power data /from ANT plus Sport enabled third party power meters/ the works. Even share your data with other Edge 705 buddies after your ride. All wireless with a color display this is no ordinary cycle computer.More detail ...