Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)As a basis for my review: I'm someone who owns a 305, 705, 500 and 800 (and has the Cyclemeter iPhone app). I've ridden thousands of miles with all of them (well, not the iphone app and 800- yet). I've owned polar watches in the past too. My current set-ups include bikes with a powertap and Quarq. My training rides during the winter include 5+ hour road rides- although this is nothing compared to what the rondo folks do. I'm also a Cat 2 road racer with experience in many many many races. (also race MTB and cyclocross- no track this year)
At first I was a little hesitant about the touchscreen having been so used to my iphone. Is it sensitive? Can I use it with gloves on? I will say for a fact that the touchscreen changes your entire interaction with the device. It does work with gloves- and surprisingly well at that. Have you ever tried to enter data into the 705 using the little thumbstick? Hunt, click, hunt, click. It's a frustrating experience. With the touchscreen it's a snap. Tap, tap, tap. Done. Don't expect iPhone/Android phone screen quality- if you did, you'd be paying a couple hundred more for it (and probably wouldn't be able to use gloves with it)
Benefits over the iphone: screen works with gloves on. Don't need to worry about it getting wet. If I drop it, I don't need to worry about it as much. I still have navigational capability and maps if I'm out of cell range (happens a lot if I'm in the Cascades or the Oregon coastal range).
Another bonus over the 705- the sheer number of screens and discrete informational elements. 3 data screens with a possible 10 fields per each. Plus more available data fields on the map, courses and workout pages. A bike geek's dream. If you want to change one of the data fields- for example, instead of power, you figure you need to see 3 second power, you hold your finger on the field and poof, you can select the field you'd like to change it to. Changing all the fields on the 800 is a much easier process too, and if you don't want a screen, you can turn it off. (most of them at least)
Another big improvement- writing speed compared to the 705. I plug the 705 in and if I have a lot of activities, it takes forever to mount- if you have the 705, you know what I mean- that stinking green bar. The 800 mounts much quicker and the files are much smaller as .fit.
Compared to the 500- it's a completely different unit made for different purposes. The 500 I use in race situations for data collection and I only have a few data fields shown. Distance, power, heart rate and time. I rarely look at it but it's nice to be able to know why I am about to blow at certain points. The 800 on the other hand is great for training- the ability to change fields on the fly, the maps are quite handy to see where roads go and having the navigational ability is handy too. 500 takes more steps to change fields too so I rarely like to change them. Other fields that are available on the 800 but not on the 705, temperature (is at freezing- kinda important to know), watts/kg.
There's still some elements that need to be improved but given Garmin's track record for providing excellent updates, those should be fixed. For example- during workouts, using instantaneous power for narrow band workouts is not the best. If you're trying to work at threshold, instantaneous power tends to bounce around, and it really should have 3 second power as the basis. Otherwise the outside of zone alarm keeps on going off. The other piece I wish for is the ability to custom tailor fields to each bike. (So I choose my cross bike, it shows the appropriate screens since I don't have a power unit on that).
The other improvement over the 705 is the mounting system. It has the twist lock like the 500 instead of the 705 mount with the flimsy push down flap that breaks.
My summary? I for one love the 800- and the linchpin is the touchscreen. It makes the unit much easier to work with over past units. I was a little jaded and didn't expect much from touchscreen but now that I've used it, it has made a world of difference. I would say this is a large step improvement, not incremental.
How would I compare these?
705- 2nd generation, good evolution from 305, data entry a chore, good navigation capabilities, limited screens
500- minimalist, lightweight- great for those who don't need to navigate but want enough info to train with.
800- 3rd generation, UI greatly improved, data entry a breeze, plenty of information available, flexible with potential for more improvements
Is it worth it? Yeah, in my opinion it is. For the amount of time I spend on the road, absolutely.
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Garmin Edge 800 GPS-Enabled Cycling Computer (Includes Heart Rate Monitor and Speed/Cadence Sensor)Make the most of every ride with Edge 800--the first touchscreen GPS bike computer. Providing navigation and performance monitoring, Edge 800 is ideal for touring, commuting, competitive cycling and mountain biking. It has a built-in basemap and tracks your distance, speed, location and ascent/descent. Use it the included heart rate monitor and speed/cadence sensor for a finely tuned analysis of your ride.
Bundled Version This version of the Edge 800 is decorated in blue trim, and includes a premium heart rate monitor and a speed/cadence sensor, enabling you to gather more training data for analysis or sharing. To expand upon the basemap, it also includes a microSD card preloaded with City Navigator for U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico street maps.
The Edge 800 is also available on its own, with white trim.
At Your Fingertips We designed this display to be rugged enough to stand up to the elements, yet sensitive enough to respond to the tap of your gloved hand. Switch training pages or pan and zoom the map with just a tap. The bright, sunlight-readable color display is easy to view in all lighting conditions. Just don't let its good looks fool you--Edge 800 is waterproof to IPX7 standards and can withstand hard knocks and scrapes it might endure in mountain biking environments.
The aerodynamic Edge 800 has a carbon fiber look with either blue or white accents and attaches to the stem or handlebar of your bike with the low-profile mount. A quarter-turn mount design holds unit securely and lets you easily swap it between bikes using removable, reusable bands.
Know Where To Go Whether your bike is a means of transportation or escape, having maps at your fingertips makes every journey easier and more fun. Edge 800 comes with a built-in basemap that shows major roads and cities, plus it's compatible with our microSD cards packed with either street or topo maps. Select a destination and Edge 800 provides turn-by-turn navigation prompts on screen.
Edge 800 can also guide you along routes recorded by other cyclists. Explore our Garmin Connect site and choose from millions of rides uploaded by other users. Any activities you upload to your Edge 800 are stored as courses. You can follow the course with navigation prompts or, for a little competition, race it and try to beat previously set goals. You can also use Garmin's free BaseCamp software or other applications to create a route, view elevation changes and other data, and then upload to Edge.
Edge 800 records your every move with a high-sensitivity GPS receiver that stays locked on, even under tree cover. The receiver features HotFix satellite prediction to calculate your position faster, plus it has automatic time zone adjustment.
Data, Any Way You Want It Edge 800 tracks a bunch of data from your ride and lets you customize up to three training pages so you can see as much or as little data as you want. The barometric altimeter provides extra-precise climb and descent data and records temperature changes.
If you're a performance cyclist, you can pair Edge 800 with a third-party ANT+ enabled power meter to display your power output in watts as you ride. This valuable data shows you how hard you're working, regardless of conditions affecting your ride, so you can train smarter. Some versions of Edge 800 also come with a speed/cadence sensor and heart rate monitor.
Training Tools Need a little motivation to push your performance? See how you measure up to the Virtual Partner--a digital depiction of your goal speed vs. your speed in real-time. Other training features include detailed workout planning, Auto Pause, Auto Lap and Courses, which helps you compare successive rides over the same route.
Analyze Your Ride You logged the miles, now it's time to review, replay and share your ride. Just upload your data to Garmin Connect, our website for free data analysis and sharing. You can upload from your PC or Mac using the included USB cable. At Garmin Connect, you can see the route you traveled on a map, view a summary of your ride, create goals, share it with others and much more.
What's in the Box Edge 800 (Blue Trim); Premium Heart Rate Monitor; Speed/Cadence Sensor; Data Card Preloaded With City Navigator for U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico Street Maps; Bike Mount; AC Charger; USB Cable; Quick Start Manual
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