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This is my Garmin Edge 205 bike-specific Global Positioning System (GPS) device.
This is between two- and three-times the size of a standard bike computer, and offers all the functions available as standard such as current speed, maximum speed, average speed and distance, combined with a large amount of data that is obtained from GPS satelites circling the planet, that a standard bike computer can't tell you - current altitude and heading, for instance.
Firstly, this device is more about training than navigation - it doesn't have maps as such; instead it draws your route on the screen, which you can download to the bundled Garmin software to review your ride.
So, I'm not yet entirely sure how much it could help you if you got lost, as a standard handheld GPS system might, but in any case, it is advisable to have a standard OS map with you when riding in unfamiliar territory, because GPS systems can lose their signal and are powered by batteries which, of course, can run out.
The device comes with mountings for two bikes; one designed to be handlebar mounted, one to be mounted on the stem. This was particularly handy for me because I fitted one to each bike. A wedge is included to adjust the angle that the device sits at when conected to the stem; depending on the angle of the stem, it can be hard to see the data on the screen.
One of my favourite features on the device is the ability to adjust the data fields that are shown on the screen. There are two different displays that can be switched between, and the fields on each are completely customisable.
An example application is my training for the South Downs Randonnee challenge. It will be really important to know average speed on this ride, in order to determine how much faster you have to go in order to reach the end of the route by the deadline. It's pretty much a given that you'll also want to know the current speed, so I also show that. I like to know what my maximum speed is during a ride, so I display that, and also distance, related to the reasons that average speed is chosen - so that you know how far you've gone and how much further you have to go.
This is the screen that's displayed as standard; there are only 5 fields on the screen which means that each is allocated a larger percentage of screen space, making them easier to see when riding along. On my second screen, I display a bit more data; as well as the speed, average speed and max speed, I also display the total ride time, the time of day which is always useful, and elevation, just to be geeky really, and heading.. again, probably to be geeky.
It is then relatively easy to flick between the screens, to be able to see the more detailed info such as elevation, as and when I want to see it (for instance at the top of a hill to see how high I've climbed.
This is one of the posts poached from the blog section - I'll turn it in to more of a review shortly, and give it a score.
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