[Jerrylaw1]

hi guys, ive been riding for about 8 months now. I have a cateye on my bike now, but I want the option to store data and really keep track of whats going on while im riding. The reviews on the Garmin sound great and ive only found a few on the Polar, but it also sounds good. :mad2: I know this is a silly question here, but does anyone have an opinion or ideas. Thanks

 

[phil.]

I have the Polar and while riding you can see (all at one time): speed, distance, cadence and heart rate. It does all the other average, max, blah blah blah. It'll store the data from 7 rides before it starts recording over the first ride if you haven't already downloaded the data. It doesn't record the data at specific time intervals or anything though that will allow you to go back and look at a ride like you may have seen some riders post here (a graphic that shows speed/HR/elevation/power/etc....).

I'm not familiar with the Garmin 305, but I'm pretty sure it's a GPS so that is definitely something the CS200 doesn't do.

 

[yakky]

do a search for Garmin 305 on this forum, you will find a lot of happy users, myself included. There are only two shortcomings of the unit, battery is not replaceable (though there are a few external batteries that work) and there is no option to connect to a power meter, other than that, its a great unit.

 

[Mr Bentwrench]

Back in the early days of GPS, I velcro'ed the new Garmin Legend to my stem for my bike computer. Now over 50 and riding more for fitness, I went with a 200cad and focus on HR & cadence. However, I still occasionally slip the little Garmin in my jersey pocket.

Now when I was looking at the 200cad, the 305 was still new without many reviews. Now with some time with my 200cad and reading great reviews on the 305... I'm still glad I went with the 200cad. In fact, I've considered a new 305 for me and cycle the 200cad down to my wife but may very well just buy a 200cad for her too!

 

[Dr. Placebo]

these two computers have been at the top of my list, but on this forum lots of people b*tch about every computer in existence. It's strongly possible some just weren't installed properly though. It's confused the hell out of me. How old is your cs200cad? Thanks for the feedback.

 

[portlester]

I was also looking at both the Polar CS200 & Garmin 305. I bought the 305 and have had no regrets. It is a fantastic unit - & one I'm yet to fully utilise.

Advantages (for me) of the 305 over the CS200 were
1. The 305 connects to the computer via a usb cable (absolutely no problems with uploads), while the CS200 uses sound (little 'beeps') which requires you computer to have a microphone (& there are reports also of some people having problems with this type of upload).
2. The 305 stores & uploads all your ride real time data while the CS200 (I think) only uploads the post ride averages. This is especially useful when comparing your improvements overtime & putting together training programs.
3. Software available (e.g. SportTracks & Garmin's own software) takes advantage of the GPS component, automatically usinging google maps - once again great for post ride comparisons etc.
4. Wireless unit on the 305 is apparently less prone to interference than the CS200 - can't vouch for this, but I can say that I have had no problems with either the HR monitor or cadence unit's wireless reception.
5. Although bigger than the CS200, the 305 is still surprisingly small in size (I was expecting it to be bigger).
6. The 305 has some great training extras e.g. Virtual Partner (which I'm yet to use but looks like it will come in use) which the CS200 does not have a similar function.

Anyhow (if you can't tell) I'm very happy with the 305

 

[Jerrylaw1]

Great!!! Thanks guys. I think im going to go with the 305!!! I was kinda leaning in that direction anyway, just wanted outside input..

 

[normalnorm]

Yeah, another vote for the Garmin.

Ive had mine 2 years and dont regret buying it. Worth it.

 

[yakky]

6. The 305 has some great training extras e.g. Virtual Partner (which I'm yet to use but looks like it will come in use) which the CS200 does not have a similar function.

That's probably one of the most under utilized features of the 305. It really is usefull to race against yourself on a particular course. I like when I think I don't have any energy left, I can look down and call BS on myself, knowing that I rode the same course faster a few days ago. I have also raced a buddy of mine using the virtual partner, I downloaded his track and beat him. Good times.

 

[MarvinK]

Garmin, definitely.

 

[team_sheepshead]

I hope someone is still reading this post. I see on Garmin's website that the 305 has no baseline maps nor does it offer the ability to add maps. What I'd like to do with a GPS unit is map routes on my PC at home (with hills/elevation data), then download the routes to my GPS and simply follow the turn-by-turn directions on the unit.

Portlester's post says that the Garmin 305 interfaces with Google Maps. So can I "design" courses on Google Maps and download them to the 305? Thanks.

 

[portlester]

I hope someone is still reading this post. I see on Garmin's website that the 305 has no baseline maps nor does it offer the ability to add maps. What I'd like to do with a GPS unit is map routes on my PC at home (with hills/elevation data), then download the routes to my GPS and simply follow the turn-by-turn directions on the unit.

I have not had any need to import data into the 305 yet, however it can be done although(from my reading a few months back) requires a couple of hoops to jump through.

Take a look at the following link which has a step by step tutorial (http://frank.kinlan.co.uk/?page_id=410). I remember also reading some other ways of doing as well on one of the bike forums as well, so you may need to do a bit of a search.

As I said I don't import into my 305, but if you are uploading from your 305 to the computer I can highly recommend SportsTracks - much simply & more features than the Garmin software.

 

[yakky]

I hope someone is still reading this post. I see on Garmin's website that the 305 has no baseline maps nor does it offer the ability to add maps. What I'd like to do with a GPS unit is map routes on my PC at home (with hills/elevation data), then download the routes to my GPS and simply follow the turn-by-turn directions on the unit.

Portlester's post says that the Garmin 305 interfaces with Google Maps. So can I "design" courses on Google Maps and download them to the 305? Thanks.

Bikeroutetoaster.com lets you create "courses" and then you open up the garmin training center software, file->import course then hit the upload to device button and you are done. Garmin would like to have you create routes using their pricey mapsources, but there are several other methods, easiest being the toaster.

The unit will prompt you to turn about 30 yards before the turn and then again at the turn itself, but you can also add aditional turn points in the toaster. The 305 will just beep, point and show the street name. It doesn't read anything aloud and if you get of course you have to get back on course, it will not re-route.

 

[stunzeed]

So I usually ride alone and figured things like the computer trainer as well as being able to race against your previous routes would be good things to have as well as a calorie counter. I would like to have a hear monitor but not sure I really need one or would use it.

So I can get the 305 with cadence and Heart monitor

or

Get the 605 which doesn't have either but has a bigger screen with color and has maps and seems to be a much better gps. I have also read people have issues of the 305 not recording speed or miles correctly and that they felt the HR monitor was not accurate

I do not race and am not a very serious trainer so trying to find what will work best for me.

 

[yakky]

So I can get the 305 with cadence and Heart monitor

or

Get the 605 which doesn't have either but has a bigger screen with color and has maps and seems to be a much better gps. I have also read people have issues of the 305 not recording speed or miles correctly and that they felt the HR monitor was not accurate

I do not race and am not a very serious trainer so trying to find what will work best for me.

If you don't want cadence or heart rate, you can buy a $100 tomtom that will record your route and you can upload it to motionbased or sporttracks. Even my cellphone's gps is enough to do that.

I have a 305 and have three friends with them. No one has complained about speed or heart rate issues. In fact I had another brand heart rate monitor that kept crapping itself when I was under power lines, that's why I bought the garmin. I think the HRM is the biggest advantage you can get short of a pricey power meter.

 

[I-Ride]

Your Polar CS200cad actually can record intervals. I've set mine for 1 mile intervals and find that is usefull (well, maybe not really, but at least fun) to see the averages at each mile, especially with a familiar course and mile markers.

 

[averen]

Wow...kinda an old thread but here's my take.

First, I have a 305, I'm biased.

For my road bike the 305 is quite adequate. I can download routes from MapMyRide and while that doesn't give me true turn by turn it does plot out the course on the mapping screen well enough that I can figure out where I'm going. The 305 does not contain basemaps...and if you get lost it won't really help you get out unless you follow the course that you came in on.

The 305 isn't really geared towards trail riding or hiking. It's more of a data logging device...and it stores a LOT of information! On my mountain bike I use a Vista C. This is a trail GPS and doesn't keep track of heart rate or cadence...however it does have mapping and can take custom maps.

The 305 is a great computer and I generally highly recommend it...but it sounds like it might not be exactly what you're looking for. If you're contemplating the 605 then I would highly recommend looking at the Vista line...which is considerably less expensive and does pretty much everything the 605 does. It is larger though...

My favorite things about my 305 include barometric altimeter, heart rate and cadence. The GPS functionality really only gets used when I drop a route from MapMyRide into the GPS so I can know where I'm going...but I don't use that all that much.

Jared