[peterk]

Well, my wife went nuts and bought me a garmin edge 705 for our 20th anniversary. I must say, it's pretty cool. I can now ride routes that I wouldn't have in the past because I know I will find my way home.

I am having a hell of a time with the manual. I have so many questions but no great place to find answers. Hopefully some of users here can lead me in the right direction for a good tutorial.

In the meantime, I have a fairly straightforward one to ask. I have a cd disk for North America, which works fine, but I also would like to put preplanned routes onto a sd disk. I think I succesfully saved a route on the sd disk but I can't for the life of me figure out how to make the edge find it or open it. Can anyone help? I saw a suggestion online which recommended that I remove the map that is currently on the gps. That seems nuts. There has to be a better answer.

Thanks

Pete

 

[been200mph]

https://forums.garmin.com/forumdisplay.php?f=21

 

[Marc]

Garmin's "documentation" is the worst around. Pathetic really.

A) The PC-Basemap set which is preloaded on the GPS itself is crap, and not really useful for anything

B) The City Navigator mapset has a complex system of unlock codes-make sure you unlock it for your GPS...if you want to use it on your computer in MapSource, you'll need to ask Garmin for a 2nd unlock code.

C) Regarding your route you saved. IIRC, it needs to go in a folder called garmin on the microSD card. Go through the menu>Training>Courses to run your course...if you have a saved ride you want to ride again use menu>Where To?>Saved Rides

 

[peterk]

Thanks for the replies. I just found the solution. The file name is not what get posted to the gps; it is a title that Mapsource provides it. I was able to uncheck the autoname function and give it a new title.

I was too kind previously about the manual. It sucks. Lot of trial and error required to figure this thing out.

PEte

 

[jsedlak]

Here are some tips I have picked up from using my 705 for almost a year...

1) The Garmin acts as a storage device, and (I believe) all the useful content (history, courses, etc) are stored in plainly named folders. When you connect it to your computer via the USB cable, use the one called "Garmin", not the one with the number (maps card).

The reason I mention this is because...
a. Pull your history off the device for backup / safe keeping. You can also upload, import, view these files later without connecting your device.

b. Put stuff on your device this way! Create a course with http://bikeroutetoaster.com and drop it on your device.

2) Always be sure to make sure your device is charged the night before you ride. Two or three times now I have started a ride only to realize the battery was empty. Whoops!

3) Training Center is okay and works well for importing courses to the device and getting quick views of your workouts.

4) http://connect.garmin.com is a pretty sweet site and is getting better. It is also an AWESOME way of sharing a workout/course with a friend.

5) Periodically, after backing up your history, delete it off your device. This will speed up the reading/upload process in the future.

6) Find a source for cheap batteries. My cadence battery has died 2-3 times already. My HRM battery didn't "die" but said I had a heart rate of 250bpm. Yeah, right!

7) Be sure to either connect your Garmin to a computer after each workout, or reset the timer before each ride. There have been a few times where my workouts have 20 hour gaps of time without any activity.

8) There is no "back" in the menu system, at least not that I have found. You have to go back to the root menu.

9) When in map mode, if you have scrolled at all, just hit Mode again to reset the map.

10) When doing a course, you will get extra modes, and your bike 1 & 2 modes won't work the same. Directions also often come after the turn has occurred.

11) BUY EXTRA MOUNTS. Seriously, these things break like a piece of balsa wood. They cost like $8 at Amazon.

12) Be sure to turn on auto-pause, and set it for like 1.5 or 2 miles per hour. You may want to set it even higher depending on how good your satellite connection is.

 

[EMB145 Driver]

Auto-pause, 3mph is perfect.

 

[peterk]

Thanks everyone. Great tips. Jsedlak, I can help you with your scroll back issue; I found it by accident. It appears that pressing the MODE button brings you back one screen.

Has anyone had to lean the cadence thingy out towards their pedal to get it close enough for a reading? I had to but I'm not sure that it will be sturdy over the longhaul.

 

[bruzer]

I have one of the rides where there are extra information over 20 miles away where I accidentally turned it back on.

I know how to upload rides and look at them. The Garmin connect web site is awesome for that.

Does anyone know how to EDIT the routes?

 

[Daverino]

A couple other tips-

- turn off the auto reroute function. It's broken and I'm not sure Garmin has fixed it yet. Say you've uploaded a route and you're riding it. If you go off course, the Garmin is supposed to reroute you to your destination (or at least get you back on the original course). Instead, it will route you back to your start point even if you're only 2 miles into a 50 mile route.

- check out www.strava.com for a great website that shows all kinds of info if you upload rides from your Garmin. Categorization of climbs with a history of other strava users and their fastest times up them, among other things.

 

[somno]

I am looking to buy a 705 but need some additional info.

I want to be able to plot the route from route slips that are posted on the internet the night before rides by our bicycling group and download them into my 705.

Does it make a difference which City Navigator maps that I use (SD card version or the DVD)? I gather that you can do some things easier with the DVD version. However, if using the SD card version works equally well, it may be less hassle as you don't need to get it unlocked if you change devices.

 

[jsedlak]

Does anyone know how to EDIT the routes?

You can upload GPX/TCX files to http://bikeroutetoaster.com and should be able to edit from there.

I am looking to buy a 705 but need some additional info.

I want to be able to plot the route from route slips that are posted on the internet the night before rides by our bicycling group and download them into my 705.

I use, and like, http://bikeroutetoaster.com for this purpose. I think Map My Ride also works, but the site annoys the hell out of me.

Does it make a difference which City Navigator maps that I use (SD card version or the DVD)? I gather that you can do some things easier with the DVD version. However, if using the SD card version works equally well, it may be less hassle as you don't need to get it unlocked if you change devices.

I bought the SD card because I like having the maps in my Garmin so that the map makes sense. I don't use TC for routing, so I don't really need the maps on a DVD.

 

[peterk]

I loaded a street map and a topo map to the device but I cannot deselect the street map in Settings/Map so I can view the topo. ANyone know what I am doing wrong?