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A GPS that cannot tell you where you are!: Starting with some positive comments, the unit itself (hardware) is nice, it’s slightly larger (thicker) than a standard mobile phone and feels sturdy. The screen is clear (but small) and buttons feel nice and are well placed. The unit has the new SirfStarIII technology for increased sensitivity, e.g. under tree cover, and my limited experience until now is that the reception is indeed good.

So not a bad unit, but it should be understood that this unit is set up as a trip computer, and not as a navigation unit (although it does have some navigation options). It has some nice options like racing a virtual partner, which are well documented on the Garmin web-page. What the web-page does not make very clear though is:

- It cannot give you the current position!!!

- It does not have WAAS/EGNOS for better location precision

- It does not have the “Upcoming turn feature” that the Geko has

As a trip computer it has the following limitations:

- The speed it gives fluctuates significantly more than with a normal (simple) cycle computer with a wheel sensor.

- The height fluctuates so much that the grade it gives is completely useless (note that the Edge 305 should be better as it has a barometric sensor as well). Also, the total ascent and descent will systematically be too high. In a test I left the Edge for two hours in the same place, and had it record every second. Minimum height was 51m, maximum height 84m, total ascent 215m, total descent 218m, and maximum speed 3.5km/h.

The included Garmin training center software works okay, but is very limited:

- You cannot combine tracks (to upload to the Edge e.g.).

- You cannot compare more than two tracks.

- It only exports data in Garmins own (and uncommon) .hst file format

Also note that if you want to overlay your track onto a map, you will need other software. The user manual (printed out) isokay but also very limited.

The Edge comes with a rechargeable battery that is not user exchangeable (tip: instead of using the car-charger, it may be possible to use a universal USB car charger and the supplied cable at a fraction of the cost. Note however that I have not yet tested this).

I mainly bought this unit to map mountainbiking tracks in order to be able to combine the best trails into some nice routes, and then use the Edge to find the routes. Using some third party software, this is possible, but it should have been much easier. I assumed I would be able to use it together with a map while hiking, and was very (and unpleasantly) suprised to learn that I bought a GPS that cannot tell me where I am.

I am still hoping that Garmin can do an update of the firmware (I am using version 2.30 now) such that the unit gives the current location (ideally with an option for different grids). Without this option, two stars is all it gets from me.

To check price or purchase GARMIN 010-00447-10 Edge 205 Bicycle Monitor With GPS.

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