The Garmin Edge 500 Thread

[Murphs]

If there are no wayspoints in edge 500 , how can I put the location which I want to saveand memorize into Edge 500 .

You can't, sorry.

[ParisCarbon]

Firmware 2.2 got released today that allows workouts (I take it this is the interval programming like the 705)
For as long as Ive been waiting for Joule.. Ill now take the 500 for hlaf the size, and half the price...If I can't avg X watts on an interval I know Im having a bad day, and WKO+ will tell me the rest when I get home...

Heres the list of updates for the 500 owners... ordering mine tomorrow..

Changes made from version 2.10 to 2.20:
Workouts have been added.
Improved smart recording algorithms. This will improve track point dropping during turns.
Added %FTP Power, 30s Average Vertical Speed, and Maximum Speed as new Data Fields.
Increased detection radius for Elevation Points and added a detection message.
Improved Course processing and error handling.
Removed limitations on the displayed Power Calibration Value.
Added notification messages for Courses, Workouts, and Metabolic Profiles.
Added the ability to import .NLF New Leaf files.
Fixed some issues with setting files not being saved properly.
Improved Vertical Speed values.
The Bike Profile page should now show an invalid value if the wheel calibration is set to Auto and not yet calibrated

[mathi]

This is a new version of the Edge 500 ?
I only picked mine up this week

[ty-ro]

Don't worry. You're safe. You get all the new functionality through the My Garmin website update.

[ParisCarbon]

Yeah.. its just a firmware update... nothing withe the physical hardware of the unit... kind of like updating a PS3

[coloclimber]

Great news Pariscarbon. I'll get that download today.

I merged a bunch of Edge 500 threads to keep it together. Please use this thread to post questions, firmware updates, etc on the Garmin Edge 500

[LarsEjaas]

I am waiting for the Edge 500 to show up in the mail.
Finally Garmin has made a unit for the racing crowd.

Never really liked the Edge 705 - simply to large for racing and I rarely have the use for map-features (more like a nice-to-have gimmick to me). If I really get wild I always carry my cellphone with a GPS: Found that usefull in Belgium last summer: But hey: I am mostly training in known territory: And in racing I just "go with the flow"

Powermeter compatibility is a must however, and I like the feature of me and my coach being able to see the route afterwards.

The price is also important for me: Really couldn't justify the SRM PCVI/PCVII compared to the much cheaper Garmin Edge 500. Who cares if it won't last as long: At this pricepoint I can by a new one more than once before I will reach the pricepoint of SRM computers.

[italia1]

got one and love it

love downloading my owrkouts on the trainign centre and comparing hearts rates, cadence etc

very good little unit, hopefully in the future will get a powermetre for it

[ParisCarbon]

Has anyone tested the new update yet? Read some conflicting posts on the Garmin forum about ride time/distance covered on the unit vs the download...

[Johnny Rad]

I downloaded the firmware and successfully updated my Garmin 500 today. The only bummer is that it resets all of the user settings, like the custom make-up of your display screens. I recommend that you write down what you're using before you start the update!

Today was the first time using my new 500 Edge.

The HRM strap seamlessly synched with the unit without me having to do anything outside of clicking that one existed during the set-up process. Sweet. Thank goodness for an itegrated cyclocomputer and HRM read-out! Having used a Polar watch and a computer on the bar of my old bike, a single computer is a big aesthetic improvement. Sweet.

Coming from "virtual cadence" on Shimano's Flightdeck, the real-time cadence function is a bit eye-opening. No discernible lag, but it seems like it's a bit higher than what my legs were telling me. I've got to look into the cadence settings to make sure I'm good to go (I recall an option to use "auto" or "custom" for wheel size ... I guess "auto" uses GPS to calculate it with speed traveled?!).

What I didn't like was my issue. I mounted it on my stem instead of the bar. I have to take my eyes even further off the road to read it now. I doubt that I'll try the bar location and instead just get used to the new location.

I'm still a giant Garmin newb, so I didn't do much more than look at my three displays. I didn't try the workout function, sorry! And I've yet to download any ride data onto my computer (Mac). Maybe I'll try 'em one day soon.

EDIT:
(1) Why is the odometer function hidden away in a sub menu and not avavilable in a display screen?
(2) I lost out on recording my ride yesterday because I think I forgot to "start" the timer. Why can't it auto-start?!

[xrc15t]

I'm trying to understand the difference between virtual partner and comparing course feature,
1) Whats the difference?
2) since the 500 doesnt have virtual partner, how does it compare? on PC? or can see old sessions on the unit's course screen?

Thanks

[nycmtber]

I installed the update last Friday and everything has been fine. I use an apple computer.

Like another mentioned, I was annoyed I had to set everything up from scratch again. I like the addition of %ftp watts.

I'm a bit disappointed re: the workout feature. It does not work with power so it's basically useless to me still. Is it the same with windows software? I looked in the notes for the windows build and it didn't say anything about lacking it.

[SW]

I've been using my edge 500 for a couple months now and really like it. Used firmware 2.2 for the first time today, everything seemed a bit quicker which was nice. For instance, when zeroing my Cinqo with 4 backwards pedals, before it would show zero power afterwards for quite some time, like it lost the signal of the Quarq, now it doesn't do that anymore.

Here is my one question. I have it set to auto pause when stopped, and then it just restarts when I get going again. It seems fine on the ride, but then when I get it into wko, the ride time includes the time that it was paused. Under the laps there is a "lap 0" which seems to be just the ride time, but under "entire workout" it's got the whole time. This isn't that big of a deal, but what's really weird is that the average/norm power doesn't seem that different between the two, even though the difference in the two is time when there is 0 power being recorded. For example, the other day I did a 4.5 hour ride where my average power was about 200 watts. The "lap 0" read 4.5 hours at 200 watts, but the entire workout was 6 hours (took a lunch break ), but the average power is still about 195 watts and the TSS goes waaay up. Oh, and I should note I have it set to zero averaging for power.

Anyone have a fix for this? Thanks!

[Johnny Rad]

EDITED w/ANSWERS from GARMIN SUPPORT

Q - Do I have to start / stop the timer at the beginning of the ride to get it to show when I upload it to Garmin Connect? I have auto-start turned on, but it seems that I have to start / stop the timer manually. The day I didn't, my ride didn't show up in the upload.

A - Garmin Support: You will need to manually start and stop the time to begin and end a ride.


Q - Do I need to re-set the timer between rides? If I ride one day, do I need to re-set the timer prior to starting my next ride the next day?

A - Garmin Support: You will want to reset the timer after every ride because otherwise it will combine the ride before as one ride.


Q - When I re-set the timer, what does it re-set? In other words, what does it erase? What's the purpose or re-setting it?

A - Garmin Support: When you reset the timer, the ride data is stored in the history of the Garmin. Nothing is erased but the training pages are cleared for your next ride.


x. How about we post our screen set-ups to give one another some ideas?! Here's mine (no power), so recommend me some better screen data:

Screen 1 (I look at this one 99% of the time) - speed, cadence, hrm and time

Screen 2 (I figured it's an in ride summary of effort) - hr graph (I wonder why I'm looking at it), elapsed time, avg speed and distance

Screen 3 (I figured it's a detailed in ride summary) - grade, vertical speed, total ascent, total descent, elevation, temp, calories and avg hr

[Murphs]

New colour schemes coming out in May (ToC): http://garmin.blogs.com/my_weblog/2010/03/argyle-style-for-gps-with-team-garmin-versions-of-edge-500-and-n%C3%BCvi-.html