Garmin Announces GPS Cyclocomputer - The Edge

Today, Garmin announced their cycling specific GPS device, the Garmin Edge©. It’s a thing of beauty and loaded with everything we could ask in a device under $350. At the same time, we’re announcing MotionBased’s future support of The Edge©. It should be no secret that most of us at the MBHQ are heavily into cycling, so we are very excited about the Edge©.  Yeah we love toys, but this one is different than all the others. This cyclocomputer promises to provide the most accurate detailed information, more than any other device, on the market.  New features, like displaying cumulative elevation (Edge 305 only) and Courses, make the software superior to any other outdoor GPS unit on the market. This great new product is a clear sign of Garmin's commitment to leading the outdoor fitness and recreation computer market.

The only downside... most of you will have to wait until January when all of the Edge models will be available for purchase.  Of course... the MB Crew will be getting their hands on some tasty prototypes in the next few weeks.  Afterall, we need to get MotionBased ready to support these new features -- one of the benefits of working at MB.  Did we mention that we're looking for software engineers?

Pricing

Garmin is offering four packages and add-ons. Choosing the right combination can be a little confusing, so let's break it down. Firstly, you'll need to decide between base units, Edge 205 or 305. We suggest the Edge 305 with barometric altimeter and expandability into heart rate and/or speed/cadence.

Model	Est. Retail Price	Altimeter	Heart Rate	Speed & Cadence
Edge 205	$249	GPS
Edge 305HR	$349	GPS + Barometric	X
Edge 305CAD	$349	GPS + Barometric		X
Edge 305 Bundle	$399	GPS + Barometric	X	X

Note:
- Cumulative elevation is displayed on The Edge 305. 205 users have to wait to see their elevation gain on MotionBased.

- The Edge 205 does not allow for expandability into heart rate or speed/cadence.

- All units include a bike mount, USB PC interface cable, AC charger, Training Center CD, owner’s manual and quick-reference guide.

Improved Accuracy

The Edge works like any other GPS unit communicating directly with the satellites high in the sky.  Using the new SiRF chip promises better signal deep in the trees, which we all know can hinder the effectiveness of using GPS to track distance.  Add the wheel speed/cadence sensor and even when the GPS signal is blocked from the sky your bike computer will track the actual distance ridden.

Independent of the sensor that is calculating speed and distance (GPS or wheel sensor), the Edge records the distance between each trackpoint and stores it in a large 13,000 trackpoint repository, to be retrieved later by the MotionBased Agent. This addition means that statistics at MotionBased can now perfectly match those statistics reported on the Edge 205 and 305 during the ride. Probably our most commonly and passionately requested feature to date and one we've been eager to provide.

Although GPS altitude is recorded by most modern GPS units, the accuracy of the altitude can be incorrect if a clear view of the sky is hindered by trees, buildings or nearby hills.  Barometric altimeters found on many watches provide a more stable view of the altitude, but require calibration to a known altitude on earth.  If you knew the altitude then why carry the watch, right?  Beyond initial calibration the barometric altimeters accuracy can change throughout your activity due to changes in the weather.

Garmin GPS units with barometric altimeters (eTrex Vista, Geko 301 and now the Edge 305) auto-calibrate the altitude using the best of both technologies to make sure your altitude is as accurate as possible.  The Edge 305 uses this combination of altitude sensors to provide cumulative elevation gain on the device, much like MotionBased does with our Dashboard Elevation view corrected with MB Gravity.

Courses

We've all been on a bike ride that turned out to be longer and more difficult than planned, wondering when it is going to end. Perhaps you made a wrong turn somewhere back wherever and you don't know how to get home. In addition, we all have a little bit of that competitive nature that makes us want to beat the other guy to the finish line. Courses are the perfect answer for these situations that make us love to hate cycling.

The TrailNetwork is one of MotionBased's greatest assets. We have secretly been building the largest digital repository of trails and routes for all kinds of activities, and haven't taken advantage of it until now. TrailNetwork activities now become courses on the device that make outdoor training or expedition guidance possible...guidance with time and elevation in mind.

Traditional GPS routing only knows location in a two-dimensional world. The old school way to calculate estimated time of arrival is to take your average speed and figure out the distance to your next location on a flat Earth, and guess when you might arrive at your destination. What if there is a massive hill along the way? It could take you three times longer than the GPS estimated. How about 5 miles of technical single track that feels like 50?

Courses take location, elevation and time into consideration, to make the most accurate estimation of guidance. Using previously recorded rides, the Edge will now make estimations that pertain to the real world, not the mathematical two-dimensional world without terrain changes. This means that you can use courses to help you understand how well you are doing along the route.

You may be asking yourself where on Earth could you get a course for a ride that you've never done before?  Our answer is the MotionBased TrailNetwork.  Yes, you have been helping build the world's largest repository of time-based route information. Based on rides shared at MotionBased, you now can use your Edge to help you navigate a ride, know how long it will really take to complete the ride, and yes know if you are going to beat your time or someone else's.  Imagine competing against the winner of last year's record breaking Mt. Tam Hill Climb, Tom Danielson's record breaking Mt. Evans Hill Climb or Wier's record breaking Downieville Downhill.  The Edge is taking Dot Racing to a whole new level!

Whatever level of cycling you enjoy the Edge will enhance your cycling experience, both during the ride on the Edge or after the ride at MotionBased.

Update
We're updating this post to notify you that the Garmin Edge won't be out until January 2006. On the bright-side, Garmin has announced a fourth product SKU for the Garmin Edge -- the Edge 305 Bundle which will include the whole enchilada (Heart Rate monitor and Speed/Cadence sensors).  The estimated retail price of the Edge 305 Bundle is $399.  We've updated the charts above to reflect this new product bundle.

Comments

[Flatman]

Cool article! Thanks...

[chris]

Would this be helpful for roadbiking as well, or are most of the trails for mtb

[Randy Reddig]

Is the wheel/cadence sensor wireless or wired?

Wireless

[Randy Reddig]

Man, I wish we had one in Japan earlier this year...

http://flickr.com/photos/shaderlab/13236651/

[Peter]

Is there mapping software on this system? And if so, is/will a Canadian/North American version be available?

[Clark Weber]

Chris,

The Edge series will be great for both road and mountain biking. You will be able to download a route for either discipline and follow the track for navigation but also follow previous times for performance.

We have more road biking than mountain biking routes on MotionBased.

[Clark Weber]

Peter,

The Edge does NOT have mapping software that you find on the GPSMAP series or on the other traditional automobile GPS systems.

Instead, you can follow a previous track that you have stored on your computer or on the MotionBased TrailNetwork. We have over 100,000 activities from around the world and the list is growing at almost 850 per day.

Even though you don't get a graphical map, this route finding can be very helpful especially when you can compare your performance in real-time on the device from a previos activity.

[Tom]

Is there a way to overlay the route onto a third-party map? Either before, with a pre-computed route, or afterwards, with data collected from the ride?

[Clark Weber]

Tom,

That is what MotionBased -- http://www.motionbased.com -- is all about. You let the GPS device collect the data and when you're done, we take of the post-activity analysis and mapping. We support Google Maps, Google Earth, NAVTEQ Street Maps, Satellite Maps, and Topo Maps from most countries around the world. I encourage you to check out our site to see what you can do with current and the upcoming GPS devices.

[Mark]

Does the CAD model include all features, ie heart rate, cadence, and elevation gain?

[Mark]

I see the heart rate is an add on. How does that work?

[Ivan Strand]

Micro$oft only? How would it be to take skiing?

[Matt G]

Looks like the details are not quite right as you have them above. Can you investigate and correct this article please? According to the Garmin announcement, the pricing and features differ a bit from the data above.

Here's how the units are different:

Edge 205:
Altitude: GPS based
Elevation profile: yes
Cadence: no
Heart rate: no

Edge 305HR:
Altitude: barometric altimeter
Elevation profile: yes
Cadence: yes with purchase of speed/cadence kit
Heart rate: yes
Edge 305CAD:

Altitude: barometric altimeter
Elevation profile: yes
Cadence: yes
Heart rate: yes with purchase of heart rate monitor kit

That combined with the cost difference (announcement says "$379" for the 305HR or 305CAD models), that means the entire unit that does both HR and cadence could be pushing $400. That's a somewhat subtle but important difference to me.

[Clark Weber]

Mark,
The Edge305CAD does not include HR and the Edge305HR does not include cadence. However, you can add-on any of the missing accessories to each product. I'm surprised that Garmin is not selling one product that includes everything -- but that's the path they've chosen. Both of these models will track cumlative elevation gain/loss since they come with a barometric altimeter.

Ivan,
We are hammering Garmin to release USB drivers for the Mac. I encourage you to call or send Garmin Customer Support demanding they support the Mac. We've tried but it will take the masses to change their position -- please!!!!!!!

As a resort and backcountry skier, I could actually see the Garmin Edge305HR as a good device. I would use it primarily as a recording device and keep it in a inside pocket of my jacket or in my backpack. I currently use the Garmin Forerunner 201 for resort skiing and the Garmin eTrex Vista C for backcountry skiing. I like the Vista C for backcountry because you can load maps into the device which can be handy for navigation.

Hmmm... you got me thinking. The Edge maybe become my new ski device.

[Clark Weber]

Matt,

Your list is no different than ours -- what we call "Add-On" for the HR and Cadence features you call "yes with purchase of X".

In regards to price, we grabbed that from the Garmin Press release. Now, it appears confusing because the prices listed on the product pages are different. But if you look carefully, there are two different prices being mentioned -- Estimated Retail Price and Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). We listed the Estimated Retail Price in this post. So... here's the deal to get rid of any confusion.

Product ERP MSRP
------- --- ----
Edge 205 $249 $269
Edge 305HR $349 $379
Edge 305CAD $349 $379

[Janos]

Did anyone notice that the title of the entry is wrong? It says 'Gamin' instead of 'Garmin'. :)

Otherwise, lots of thanks for the article / sum up.

[Tommy Cheatham]

Here's something I've been wondering about this type of unit...

Will I be able to create a route in mapping software and then upload it to the unit, or am I stuck using routes I've previously done with it?

There isn't likely to be anyone else around here that has one.

[Aaron Roller]

Janos, thanx for the tip on the incorrect spelling.

Tommy, traditional Garmin units provide Routes which are generally not really good for guidance since they have a limited number of waypoints (usually 100 or less) that you may follow. Newer models allow you to navigate tracks which allow 500 trackpoints...which is actually pretty cool, but there are still some things left to be desired.

I can't be certain if the Edge will provide either of these mechanisms (Routes or Saved Tracks) for guidance. I can be certain that MotionBased would rather allow you to build a route online and download it onto your device via a Course. Where do we get the time/elevation information...don't worry, leave it up to us. It won't come right away, but it will come.

Aaron

[Ken Wallace]

As a cyclist who just bought a 301 but may want to now get an Edge, can I get the 305CAD and use my existing heartrate monitor strap to have both HR and CAD (in otherwords, is the upgrade to the HR version simply the purchase of a strap)?

Ken

[Ted Yang]

Aaron,
I was wondering if the heart rate band is the same as the one supplied with the Garmin 301? So, if I already own the 301 and get the Edge 305 with cadence, would I be able to use the same heart rate transmitter?
Ted

[Ken Wallace]

Some cycling devices measure expended power in WATTS--will the Edge support this?

[Robert]

Aaron,
Great device, no doubt about that.
But looking at it the Edge's specs Suunto -with their 9 series- already provide many of the functions in a much smaller footprint (watch size) for more than a year now.

Besides, why is MB so heavily Garmin oriented?... Hopefully it's not a 'money matter'! ;(
Although MB services -especially together with Google Earth- are amazing I'm starting to feel a little left out as a Suunto X9 user situated in The Netherlands:
- MB X9 'time' issue is still not resolved;
- your support for this device is only 'off the record' and scarce (still not listed in your 'Supported GPS Devices' section?!);
- Under 'International Support' available mapping and functions for Europe is -at last- correctly downgraded on MB's site. Which is indeed far less than initially stated. For example local weather was supposed to be available for us, but isn't for Amsterdam (thus 'Weather not guarenteed' is now correct indeed!)...
No offence MB, but plz provide the 'roots' of North America with the whole MB package asap as well! ;)
Best regards, Robert (aka rpvisser)

[Clark Weber]

Ken/Ted,
Good question. We'll forward your question to Garmin to get an official answer. I do know that the heart rate strap will take on a different form factor -- supposedly more comfortable.

The Edge 205 and Edge 305HR/CAD do NOT support power. We don't know the product roadmap for the Edge series, but I would guess that if Garmin decided to add power to the Edge series it will be at least one year before it's introduced.

[Clark Weber]

Robert,

Besides the more subtle differences, the main difference between the Garmin Edge and Suunto X9 is that the Edge allows you to download courses into the device that includes performance data. This allows you to race or check on your progress in real-time on the Edge. The form factor and prices are also significantly different.

It is fair to say that we are more geared towards Garmin and it is a money related... 99% of our customers use Garmin and we need to pay the bills. In the history of MotionBased, we have received less than 10 requests to support Suunto or Magellan and less than 20 requests to support the Timex Bodylink so we are less incented to support those product lines. That probably shows on our site. However, we have tried and will try to support other devices but most likely on a limited basis.

That said, we do support the X9 and we should probably reflect that on our site. We'll change out supported device page soon.

The time issue is NOT a MotionBased problem. You can ask the Suunto engineers to implement the fix that we've asked them 3 times to correct.

We realize that our mapping and weather support for some countries is not as great as others. We're looking into other sources but there is not much there. If you can point us to some sources, we'd appreciate it but I think you'll come up short like we have.