Garmin Edge 705: My New Toy

Ok, on the way home from the airport I stopped by the Pineville REI and picked up my new Garmin Edge 705.

There are a few things you notice right off the bat. When you open the box the first thing you notice is just how big the unit is. Almost alarming in size, until you remove it from the box and actually hold it in your hands. Then all you really notice is the width of the unit more than the length.

In the kit I bought, the deluxe bundle (SKU 010-00555-40, MSRP $709.07 USD) comes complete with an AC adapter with the appropriate US style plug, a USB cable for transferring data to and from the unit, the GSC10 Speed/Cadence sensor and the Heart Rate Monitor & Strap. If you already have a cadence sensor and HRM strap you can buy the less expensive versions that do not include those items.

There is also a case containing a micro-SD card with SD adapter that has City Navigator North America NT 2008 preloaded. This is the accessory that gives you detailed street maps including points of interest so that you can actually tell the Edge to route you to your favorite Coffee Shop so you can sit in you full kit and watch the world go by. There is a multi-language warranty book and a quick start guide. A CD also contains electronic copies of all available documentation.

There are a few things that I will need to figure out about how data is stored on the unit. There is mention of memory in the unit itself increased to 500 Mb and there is ample space left on the microSD card for history files and courses. When I get a chance to ride with it once or twice I will be better able to see how to move the data around to continue to bring you the route maps and elevation profiles.

One more thing, there is no software included with the 705, you must either download the latest version of Garmin Training Center or use the new Garmin Connect (this is the eventual replacement of MotionBased). I use neither of these programs and will be looking for ways to bring data into SportTracks instead. Stay tuned.