Garmin Edge 305 or Edge 500 ??

On Jul 14, 4:48*pm, AMuzi wrote:
"TheCoz" wrote
I have the opportunity to get one of these two Garmin computers and
have never used either one or any other Garmin products. Could someone
who has used one or both please recommend one for cycling?
*MikeWhy wrote:
I have both a 305 and a 705. Assuming the 500 is of the same technology
as the 705, it would be well worth the additional cost.
Kevan Smith wrote:
You can get a lot of other great bike stuff for $500. Just sayin'.
I'm glad I took the computers off my bikes.

Second that.
I owned a bike computer once. Almost all the way home.

Years ago when they cost the price of a small car and weighed nearly
as much, roundabout the time of the Apple Newton, I had a mobile
phone. I carried it on my bike for emergencies and one day my NY
technical representative called me while I was out cycling. "This is
my quiet time," I answering the phone, which should have warned anyone
less insensitive that, unless he had licensed whatever bee I had in my
bonnet at the time for a gazillion spondulicks, I dinna want to hear
from him. "I'm running in Central Park," he burbled away. "You should
get out more, take some exercise." Without even bothering to switch it
off, I threw the phone into a ditch, where it sizzled most
satisfyingly. A vole popped up and said, "Hey, there may be cow ****
in this little stream, but that doesn't make it right for you to throw
in an attorney, even a geek shyster." -- Andre "Not quite The Wind in
the Willows" Jute

On Jul 14, 7:31*am, "MikeWhy" wrote:
"Kevan Smith" wrote in message

...

On 7/14/10 12:02 AM, MikeWhy wrote:
"TheCoz" wrote in message
....
I have the opportunity to get one of these two Garmin computers and
have never used either one or any other Garmin products. Could someone
who has used one or both please recommend one for cycling?

I have both a 305 and a 705. Assuming the 500 is of the same technology
as the 705, it would be well worth the additional cost.

You can get a lot of other great bike stuff for $500. Just sayin'.

Tallying it up, the last $500 bought a saddle, shoes, pedals, and a
ding-a-ling bell that doesn't fit on my STI shifter despite the claims on
its packaging. The tires and everything else came from a different block of
cash.

I'm glad I took the computers off my bikes.

There are good and valid reasons for each, and you would be convinced of
their righteousness if I dared to verbalize them. The MTB has the least
instrumentation. I took it for a very enjoyable long, slow ride this
evening. I find that not so easy to do with the data recorder constantly
"watching". Sunday afternoon, I rode the skinny tires the 84 mile roundtrip
to North Ave beach, but couldn't wind down enough to dally and enjoy the
scenery when I got there. Later that evening, I got to play coach and
analyze the day's activities and relive the ride. I feel fairly compensated
for the investment of time and exertion. The initial cost is inconsequential
compared to being able to measure and quantify performance and endurance
gains each ride, as well as long term.

Hmm, I found when I had a Ciclosport HAC 4, all bells and whistles,
that the computer analysis became a very time-consuming end in itself,
and in the end I was no fitter. -- AJ

Andre Jute wrote:
On Jul 14, 8:05 am, Kevan Smith wrote:
On 7/14/10 1:31 AM, MikeWhy wrote:



Tallying it up, the last $500 bought a saddle, shoes, pedals, and a
ding-a-ling bell that doesn't fit on my STI shifter despite the
claims on its packaging.

I would have gotten a lot of shorts or shirts. I never do laundry
often enough.

Bought fifteen (15) Oxford broadcloth cotton button-down shirts for 75
Euro (95USD) at a sale the other day, pinks, blues, lilac, suitable
for cycling. That's my fifteen minutes of shirt shopping for the next
ten years (the trick is to send your wife scouting the shops), since I
earlier in the year I bought fifteen brushed cotton shirts for winter
cycling. Assos my Assxx. The sweaty roadies in their polyester looked
envious as I passed looking cool in pink shirt and cream ducks and
sandals on my even cooler forest-green bike with the icy gold
coachlines. -- AJ

I'm pretty sure that wasn't envy you saw. Me personally, I'm measuring the
sweat soaked fabric area and estimating the quality of your workout, with
the understanding that there are other reasons to be out and riding about.
The polyester is dry to the touch when I take it off, even after passing
more than a gallon of electrolyte beverage through them. I'm convinced it's
much more efficient at wicking the perspiration from the skin to the moving
airstream, and so helps keep me cool. I do wonder if those wearing the loose
fitting "street" clothes are aware that their shirts stick to the sweat on
their protruding areas as they ride -- the man-teats and belly fat --
calling attention to them, and making interesting shapes and patterns with
the dampness. Not that I wouldn't gloat also at the $6 cotton shirt deal
that you found. There's riding, and there's riding. I just wouldn't think to
bring it up in context of riding.

On 7/14/10 1:57 PM, MikeWhy wrote:
The polyester is dry to the touch when I take it off ....

Come ride in my humidity. The polyester jersies get absolutely soaked.
They are still light years better than cotton tees.

Kevan Smith wrote:
On 7/14/10 1:57 PM, MikeWhy wrote:
The polyester is dry to the touch when I take it off ....

Come ride in my humidity. The polyester jersies get absolutely soaked.
They are still light years better than cotton tees.


I have a drawer full of cycling jerseys, I can't remember the last time
I wore one, maybe the new ones are better. I started wearing Coolmax
(Dacron microfiber) t-shirts years ago, they've yet to wear out and I've
yet to find anything that wicks and evaporates better.

Although Boston is pretty far north, it seems we get in weather patterns
that result in us getting Alabama's used air. The last couple of weeks
have been like that, the humidity maps show us equal to, or worse than,
the deep South.

Andre Jute wrote:
On Jul 14, 7:31 am, "MikeWhy" wrote:
"Kevan Smith" wrote in message

...

On 7/14/10 12:02 AM, MikeWhy wrote:
"TheCoz" wrote in message
...
I have the opportunity to get one of these two Garmin computers
and have never used either one or any other Garmin products.
Could someone who has used one or both please recommend one for
cycling?

I have both a 305 and a 705. Assuming the 500 is of the same
technology as the 705, it would be well worth the additional cost.

You can get a lot of other great bike stuff for $500. Just sayin'.

Tallying it up, the last $500 bought a saddle, shoes, pedals, and a
ding-a-ling bell that doesn't fit on my STI shifter despite the
claims on its packaging. The tires and everything else came from a
different block of cash.

I'm glad I took the computers off my bikes.

There are good and valid reasons for each, and you would be
convinced of their righteousness if I dared to verbalize them.
The MTB has the least instrumentation. I took it for a very
enjoyable long, slow ride this evening. I find that not so easy to
do with the data recorder constantly "watching". Sunday afternoon, I
rode the skinny tires the 84 mile roundtrip to North Ave beach, but
couldn't wind down enough to dally and enjoy the scenery when I got
there. Later that evening, I got to play coach and analyze the day's
activities and relive the ride. I feel fairly compensated for the
investment of time and exertion. The initial cost is inconsequential
compared to being able to measure and quantify performance and
endurance gains each ride, as well as long term.

Hmm, I found when I had a Ciclosport HAC 4, all bells and whistles,
that the computer analysis became a very time-consuming end in itself,
and in the end I was no fitter. -- AJ

There's nothing automatic about it, of course. CycleOps PowerAgent is brief
and to the point about workout summaries. You can peruse the scant
statistics in moments. Training Peaks WKO+ helps you focus in on the details
of your whatever intervals, rather than glomping the entire ride into a more
or less meaningless overall summary for the day. The feedback is probably
more important when getting started. Now, I'm just as happy to measure it
monthly in fitness tests. It's still useful for guiding interval intensity,
and useful for identifying why you might have popped early on a bad day. At
some point, measuring performance is important if your interest is on your
performance. And if you're to measure it, you may as well measure it
directly, rather than try to estimate it from HR or some other metric. As to
becoming an end in itself, sure it happens. You're thinking about riding in
those hours when you can't just hop on the bike and go. Isn't that what
we're doing here, jabbering about riding?

Op 14-7-2010 21:38, Peter Cole schreef:
Kevan Smith wrote:
On 7/14/10 1:57 PM, MikeWhy wrote:
The polyester is dry to the touch when I take it off ....

Come ride in my humidity. The polyester jersies get absolutely soaked.
They are still light years better than cotton tees.


I have a drawer full of cycling jerseys, I can't remember the last time
I wore one, maybe the new ones are better. I started wearing Coolmax
(Dacron microfiber) t-shirts years ago, they've yet to wear out and I've
yet to find anything that wicks and evaporates better.

Although Boston is pretty far north, it seems we get in weather patterns
that result in us getting Alabama's used air. The last couple of weeks
have been like that, the humidity maps show us equal to, or worse than,
the deep South.


I find cycling clothing highly functional. Many people associate them
with ugly colors and full of sponsornames. It doesn't have to be this
way even if you are in some sort of race:

http://picasaweb.google.nl/LoetjeH/M...52247089760914

Lou

On Jul 14, 8:55*pm, Lou Holtman wrote:
Op 14-7-2010 21:38, Peter Cole schreef:





Kevan Smith wrote:
On 7/14/10 1:57 PM, MikeWhy wrote:
The polyester is dry to the touch when I take it off ....

Come ride in my humidity. The polyester jersies get absolutely soaked.
They are still light years better than cotton tees.

I have a drawer full of cycling jerseys, I can't remember the last time
I wore one, maybe the new ones are better. I started wearing Coolmax
(Dacron microfiber) t-shirts years ago, they've yet to wear out and I've
yet to find anything that wicks and evaporates better.

I have some Coolmax that I bought to see what you guys were talking
about. Maybe I should give it another go.

Although Boston is pretty far north, it seems we get in weather patterns
that result in us getting Alabama's used air. The last couple of weeks
have been like that, the humidity maps show us equal to, or worse than,
the deep South.

I find cycling clothing highly functional. Many people associate them
with ugly colors

I don't know about that, Lou. On the whole I think the colours of most
cycling gear are well chosen for purpose and attractive too. The guys
who chose them are professionals who in design school learned my book
COLOUR FOR PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATORS off by heart g.

and full of sponsornames.

Yeah, right. I wouldn't be seen dead advertising some guy's product
unless he pays me for the service. I have nothing but contempt for the
sort of mentality that assumes because they wear a T-shirt with
someone else's brand name on it that they share in the success of the
brand. All they're sharing is the (correct) assumption by everyone
else that they are impressionable fashion victims.

It doesn't have to be this
way even if you are in some sort of race:
http://picasaweb.google.nl/LoetjeH/M...52247089760914

See how the classy guy in the plain gear stands out? BTW, is that a
professional publicity or media shot, or some amateur having a really,
really good day? That's superior action photography; it puts you right
into the excitement of the action.

Andre Jute
Observant, thoughtful, fair

On Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:05:22 -0500, Kevan Smith
wrote:

Tallying it up, the last $500 bought a saddle, shoes, pedals, and a
ding-a-ling bell that doesn't fit on my STI shifter despite the claims
on its packaging.

I would have gotten a lot of shorts or shirts. I never do laundry often
enough.

Or a washing machine?

Lou Holtman wrote:
Op 14-7-2010 21:38, Peter Cole schreef:
Kevan Smith wrote:
On 7/14/10 1:57 PM, MikeWhy wrote:
The polyester is dry to the touch when I take it off ....

Come ride in my humidity. The polyester jersies get absolutely soaked.
They are still light years better than cotton tees.


I have a drawer full of cycling jerseys, I can't remember the last time
I wore one, maybe the new ones are better. I started wearing Coolmax
(Dacron microfiber) t-shirts years ago, they've yet to wear out and I've
yet to find anything that wicks and evaporates better.

Although Boston is pretty far north, it seems we get in weather patterns
that result in us getting Alabama's used air. The last couple of weeks
have been like that, the humidity maps show us equal to, or worse than,
the deep South.


I find cycling clothing highly functional. Many people associate them
with ugly colors and full of sponsornames. It doesn't have to be this
way even if you are in some sort of race:

http://picasaweb.google.nl/LoetjeH/M...52247089760914

Lou

I find cycling clothing to be functional, too. I'm very picky about
shorts, gloves and shoes. I rarely use cycling jackets any more and
never jerseys. Cycling jerseys are expensive, I don't use the pockets,
nor the zippers (after being stung a few times). Mostly I just don't
like the fabrics.