garmin edge 500

[skellster]

hi can anyone help me with a query. keep reading conflicting write ups on the garmin 500 and would just like to know from anyone who has one, can you actually upload maps onto it and follow a set route. i do sportives and would be very helpful if you could because sometimes signs are missing etc. thank you

 

[Master50]

I have an edge 500 and I have heard you can program a route and the computer will report turns. I don't know how smart that function is and there is no map display to find your route if the computer can't recalculate. To see a map you need the 800.
I was told by Scotland's Team Mechanic that David Miller had programmed the route in his Garmin 500. It foretold the next turn.

So even though I have one my knowledge of the function is still second hand.

 

[brianf7]

hi can anyone help me with a query. keep reading conflicting write ups on the garmin 500 and would just like to know from anyone who has one, can you actually upload maps onto it and follow a set route. i do sportives and would be very helpful if you could because sometimes signs are missing etc. thank you

I have a Garmin 705 and that has maps built in most of your local maps are free but you can buy extras .

I beleive the 500 is same .

Dont after a bike race put the bike on top of the car with the garmin turned on or you will have some interesting data .

 

[Martin318is]

hi can anyone help me with a query. keep reading conflicting write ups on the garmin 500 and would just like to know from anyone who has one, can you actually upload maps onto it and follow a set route. i do sportives and would be very helpful if you could because sometimes signs are missing etc. thank you

You have two main paths for mapping on the device.

1) You can use a webmapper like BikeRouteToaster to create a route and then save it into Garmin 500 format. When you 'play' the course it will start by giving you an arrow to the start of the course and tell you how far away it is. When you get there (or anywhere else along the course itself) it will immediately start the course and begin giving you arrow and distance instructions. This includes being able to have an alert alarm for when you are about 200m away from the next turn. The instruction will tell you to turn left, go straight, or right.

2) You do a ride and save it as an activity. Then you can use the courses function to turn that ride into a course. The course then behaves exactly like a normall course. This allows you to turn your regular rides easily into courses.

In both cases:
The course has a page that shows the route profile.
If you go off course, it alerts you and provides an arrow guiding you back to the course.
A 'pacer' is on the course as well as another dot that you can try to beat.
When starting the course, you can adjust the pace of the pacer. This means if it is a course you did before, you can set it to be 10% faster (or slower) to help you to improve or restrain yourself if you are doing recovery.

'The' Problem:
It is true that there are a lot of net comments about the device locking up. This has happened to me one time only and it was when I was doing a 120km using a course provided by someone else. If it happens though, you just turn it off and turn it back on again. (it can tak eup to a minute for it to recognise the off button when it is locked up but it WILL work after that). You shouldn't lose any data.

There have been a number of firmware updates and each one has some good new features. The device is VERY popular and is very well supported by Garmin.

If you are more interested in training features such as planning workouts and connecting power devices than you are in having a GPS map, this device is highly recommended.

 

[dolophonic]

Just like Martin said. I have found feature very useful while traveling.