Garmin Recommendations and Christmas Sales

g0g

I've had a good search on boards and can't find a detailed thread on this, plus anyway this relates to current sales (I hope!) so thought I'd start a new thread. As I originally started with running I have a Garmin Forerunner 305 with HRM. When I started cycling I wore it oin my wrist, and then last year I bought the bike mount. Now I'm getting greedy and wanting more again! Originally I thought a cadence sensor would keep me happy, but now I want a fancier unit too! The main advantage I see is a screen that shoes more info and records more (potentially useless!) stats!

Question 1: Which to get? Firstly I'm writing off the 800 as it's way too much for me. I don't exactly have a budget limit, but would rather if it were < € 200! Am I right in saying that unless you need navigation you're wasting your money with a 605 or a 705? They seem big and look fancy (especially with 705 in colour!), but what extra do you get over a 500? The 500 seems to give everything I'd have thought people look for, plus it has a thermometer (which the other two don't have!). The 500 is also smaller (unit) yet same-ish size screen, lighter and seems to have a better way of clipping on. Has anyone had all 305, 500 and 705 and got an opinion? Yeah I've had a look on some review sites, but they can't help me with the next question below! Also does anyone recommend the Edge 305 as a good option?

Question 2: Where's the cheapest place to get one, and is there any hope at all of seeing a 500 on special offer sale these few days now? From my research it seems that either eBay or handtec.co.uk are the best places to go? I've bidded on a fair few auctions but the price seems to always go a lot higher than I'd be expecting at the last minute.

Ryder

This is not the answer youre looking for......but dunno if the 500 or others offer you noticably much more than the forerunner, other than a bit more bike specificity. I would probably wait and save up for the 800, unless you think that you will NEVER need navigation

g0g

Thanks yeah I was originally thinking the 705 or 800 would be worth saving up for, but I reckon by the time their price drops surely phones will be able to do the same job without their battery dying. I'm not finding myself getting lost much anyway so I'm probably more interested in having a little bit more info on display on the screen and maybe one or two other stats I don't have at the moment.

RobFowl

I've a 705 and think it's great. That said I never use the navigation functions. If I was buying one now I'd go for the 500 (actually I lie I'd go for the 800 but would never use half the functions :rolleyes:).

Traumadoc

305 is all I need with heart rate monitor.

http://www.handtec.co.uk/product.php/1446/garmin-edge-305-bundle--heart-rate-monitor---cadence--noh

g0g

Traumadoc wrote: »

305 is all I need with heart rate monitor.

http://www.handtec.co.uk/product.php/1446/garmin-edge-305-bundle--heart-rate-monitor---cadence--noh

Can you explain why it's more expensive than the 500 (comparing each of the packs with HRM + CAD) on the Handtec website? Does it have features that were dropped in later models or better battery life?

Traumadoc

No it's cheaper.

http://www.handtec.co.uk/section.php/343/1/cycling-gps

g0g

Actually a few places I've looked the 305 has seemed more expensive than 500 for some reason. Getting back to one of the first questions, are these likely to be reduced in sales now/January?