I might break down and buy a HR monitor/GPS unit

[spazzdog]

Wahine, did you find it (the 305) worth the price tag?

I went looking at them a cople of weeks ago... thought I'd put my Polar HRM aside and go for something that gave HRM data and altitude info. But the watch is HUGE! as is the price.

I use a MAVIC wintech cyclometer w/cadence so only need the HRM function (and lust after the altitude function).

spazz

[yellow]

I'm with Wahine. I love the 305. Lovelovelove it.

I got it ridiculously cheap (well, for what it is) on Amazon.com (I posted somewhere about this recently...can't remember where...). I figured out how to use it very quickly, but then I'd already been using a GPS for mtn biking for a while. There is a rebate right now, through the end of May. So my after rebate price was $205. Way less than "retail price".

I don't get any weird readings and so far the gps signal has been very good. I can transfer the data to a number of different programs. It maps, it charts, has all kinds of functions (I love the % grade function)...it was worth every penny. Did I say that I lovelovelove it??

Now, if you're going to run for more than 10 hours , you might have a battery charge issue. But of course there are solutions for that now, too. I think some of the gals using the Edge have the on-the-go chargers. I suppose you could strap it to your arm next to your iPod and espresso maker.

By the way, I have a tiny wrist and I don't even notice it. So while it looks big, it does not feel awkward at all.

[Wahine]

Wahine, did you find it (the 305) worth the price tag?

spazz

Yup, since I didn't have to pay for it. To be honest, I wouldn't have bought it simply because it would have scared me to think about trying to learn to use it. But now that I know how...

I don't know what they retail for, but I would pay about $300 for it, knowing what it can do. I also agree with Yellow about the watch. Looks huge but is actually pretty comfy.

[KSH]

Decisions... decisions.

I think I am going to start out SIMPLE. Go for something small (I have a very small wrist, measures 5.5 inches around)... and easy to use... OH... and CHEAP! HA!

Once I get the hang of that... then I move on to bigger and better... with a GPS in it.

I can barely use my wireless bike computer as it is...

Knowing my HR might be good for right now.

[kelownagirl]

I found one for a fairly good price here.

http://www.etronics.com/addtocart.as...&sgar0044700=1

$239 US.

Still a lot of money though. Wahine - is yours the Garmin Forerunner 305 or the Garmin Edge 305?

[kerrybelle]

I just found a new feature on MotionBased. Choose one of your activities from your digest. Up pops the stats and the small map. On the right side are some orange tabs, choose the "Map Player" one. Here you can watch your ride unfold before you. It's a lot like the dot race but you don't need to ride the same trail twice to do it.

On the left side you can select the background you want such as photo, topo, street etc. And just below that you can Zones; heartrate % of max, elevation, speed, and grade. Select one and your ride becomes a technicolour ribbon of your efforts.

Here's my info from our first club ride of the year:

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/p...kValue=2403642

If you slow it down you can watch your stats as the ride progresses. I'm not a triathlete but thought I'd share this information.

Kerry

[LBTC]

Hi, Kerrybelle! Yup, that's one of my favourite features, too. That and that you can look at your route on Google Earth!

That looked like a very nice ride you did, there!

Hugs & butterflies,
~T~

[Deborajen]

So do you gals who use the GPS units use them in the country or in towns/cities? I was reading some reviews on the Garmins and there seemed to be a lot of complaints that the GPS signal isn't very good in town because of interference - ? It would be great to be able to measure distance with a GPS, but that's a lot of money if the GPS is unreliable.

Deb

[Pika]

So I really really want one of these....
It is DH birthday- we are celebrating today...was in a shop buying him a cool tech shirt and some nice shorts when I happen to ask..do you sell the garmin 305 and...THEY DO!!!
I think it would be great to support local shops- it is 15.00 more dollars than they sell it for at MEC..but is there any chance he'll believe that I bought it for him and not me???
hmmmm- told the guys in the shop I may be back....

[Thorn]

I just got the Garmin 305 and hooked it up. What a cool toy! But, DH and I "share" it. That is, it sits on my bike, but we both have the software installed and both play with the results. Of course, that means he can tease me about my heart rate and/or cadence, but we both get to play with the profiles and the grades.

So far, the coolest has been playing with the % Grade. Sure we live in the flat lands of the country, but the %Grade helps show which hills are really harder (by grade and also by recovery flatter spots). But, more importantly, we have one place on our route where we both bonk out. It looks like a flat, twisty-turny road, but with the GPS we discovered that there are several short bumps of 4-5%. We still feel it, but now we can see it is there.

Go ahead...do it...you can hear it calling you, can't you?!??!?!?

[Pika]

I am now the proud owner of a garmin 305 forerunner!
I LOOOOVE it don't know how to work it.... - but I love it
Actually it seems pretty straight forward for the simple stuff- ie timer/distance/pace etc but I haven't set up all the Heart rate zones or other alarms beepers and other various features.
I am llooking forward to doing that
I did find out that the climb to my house has a maximum grade of 19% no wonder it is a grunt!
Also was very useful sailing since we don't have a knotmeter on the boat- it did help with racing and sail time - so I think the "other" sport I will set on it is sailing.- Also will be nice to be able to email the race to the helmsman and other crew so they too can ponder our last place result

[kelownagirl]

Where did you get it Pika? I am going to buy one this weekend and I found the GPS Store in Winfield has the Edge for $349 and the Forerunner for #379 (minus the rebate). Any better prices out there? Are you going to use it for running only or for cycling too?