Bugner
New Member
- Location
- Sarf London
705 got me from LE to JOG last month, so I will be sticking with that. It does what it needs to do. 
Garmin 800 Any point
- Thread starter decca234uk
- Start date
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CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
I'm sure it will be. I have the Garmin Zumo 550 in the car, which is actually intended mostly for motorcycle use (it just happened to have the right feature set for my car needs). That uses a resistive screen because it was designed to be operated by fingers in motorcycle gloves.
adds21
Rider of bikes
- Location
- North Somerset
I quite fancy an 800 because it's shinier than my 705.
(although I do like the idea of OS maps too).
(although I do like the idea of OS maps too).
jiggerypokery
Über Member
- Location
- Solihull
I looked at mine last night 'adds21' and you're right, my 705 is dull, dull, dull... I need gloss and crabon fibre and colour not utilitarian black.
Headgardener
Armchair Cyclist
Jiggerypokery does a resistive screen mean it could change if a big wet raindrop landed on it?
CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
It would have to be a bloody large raindrop!
No, it requires a reasonably firm press.
jiggerypokery
Über Member
- Location
- Solihull
It's not a test that gets done in our usability lab but I guess that Garmin will have looked at this during their validation of the device - my thought is the same as Ben Lovejoy though, a resistive screen requires a concistent pressure so the raindrop would never achieve this as its impact pressure lacks a point of focus (unlike the tip of your finger or a stylus) and the pressure dissipates almost instantly as the drop disperses on the screen. Even though the touch is registered in miliseconds it has to be a focused touch - even fat fingers have a point of focus - and the pressure, however fleeting is a positive action against a passive surface.
Headgardener
Armchair Cyclist
Thanks for that guys I though that Garmin would probably have allowed for that but you never know.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
I would hope so. If not, you can always get some of these.
The only downside to a resistive screen is that IME they're less durable than capacitive screens, but that may be down to other factors. Resistive screens certainly seem to be more susceptible to water damage, though I'm sure Garmin would have taken account of the need for weatherproofing in a device intended to be used outdoors.
Someone mentioned upthread that you can't mount your smartphone to your handlebars or protect it from the elements. Well, depends which phone you have - Dahon do the Biologic mount for iPhone, which is weatherproof. The real problem with using your iPhone is that you can't run third-party GPS apps in the background, so if someone calls you while you're on your bike, you'll lose your data, for the duration of the call at the very least.
d.
rh100
Well-Known Member
I've not used the 800
But I do have the Dakota 20 which has touch screen, and it looks like the menu/software is similar between the two devices, the dakota is not sports based though. The touch screen on mine works fine, even with gloves if I'm carefull (smaller screen I think than the 800).
be wary about the maps though, as with all garmin's the supplied maps are useless, you will need to add the open maps or city navigator, or with the dakota 20 it takes the Ordnance survey maps (which i think someone mentioned the 800 will also), but the payware ones add significantly to the cost.
It's not without its bugs but I find it a good bit of kit. i like the touch screen and whilst i cant compare to models without, it doesn't cause me any issues when riding, if I need to concentrate on it I stop. I think Garmin are going the right direction with the touch screen stuff.
But I do have the Dakota 20 which has touch screen, and it looks like the menu/software is similar between the two devices, the dakota is not sports based though. The touch screen on mine works fine, even with gloves if I'm carefull (smaller screen I think than the 800).
be wary about the maps though, as with all garmin's the supplied maps are useless, you will need to add the open maps or city navigator, or with the dakota 20 it takes the Ordnance survey maps (which i think someone mentioned the 800 will also), but the payware ones add significantly to the cost.
It's not without its bugs but I find it a good bit of kit. i like the touch screen and whilst i cant compare to models without, it doesn't cause me any issues when riding, if I need to concentrate on it I stop. I think Garmin are going the right direction with the touch screen stuff.
Farky
Senior Member
- Location
- West London
Got my 800 yesterday and love it. Having said that, I've not used the mapping yet but to be fair, I didn't buy it for that.
Advantages for me are the screen in terms of size and clarity; it's definitely a higher resolution screen and makes the computer look much more modern than my 500. I also like the fact there are no buttons on the side as I used my 500 (and now my 800) on my commute bike and with a Hope vision one to the right and a Fenix torch to the left, with winter gloves on, the buttons were not that easy to get to.
The touch screen is great, much easier and quicker to use than the buttons on the 500 and if you already have the ANT HRM and cadence/speed sensor, you don’t need to buy this again as the 800 recognises it. My wife now has a 500 that is just using the GPS and she’s very happy with that.
The one down side for me, the 800 doesn’t fit to well on the computer bracket of my Pro Evo bars and make no mistake, it’s a fair size compared to the 500 but I'm not worried about that.
p.s. Hantec are doing just the computer for £306 delivered and VAT included.
Advantages for me are the screen in terms of size and clarity; it's definitely a higher resolution screen and makes the computer look much more modern than my 500. I also like the fact there are no buttons on the side as I used my 500 (and now my 800) on my commute bike and with a Hope vision one to the right and a Fenix torch to the left, with winter gloves on, the buttons were not that easy to get to.
The touch screen is great, much easier and quicker to use than the buttons on the 500 and if you already have the ANT HRM and cadence/speed sensor, you don’t need to buy this again as the 800 recognises it. My wife now has a 500 that is just using the GPS and she’s very happy with that.
The one down side for me, the 800 doesn’t fit to well on the computer bracket of my Pro Evo bars and make no mistake, it’s a fair size compared to the 500 but I'm not worried about that.
p.s. Hantec are doing just the computer for £306 delivered and VAT included.
I have one too, mine arrived on Tuesday and I've been out for a few rides with it. There are some good features that are missing on the 705. Temperature display is good (for some reason I have a fascination with knowing the temperature!). There's now a rate of ascent field, so instead of just gradient info it will tell you how fast you are climbing vertically, on Wednesday it was showing roughly 3000 feet per minute on some local climbs. Vertical rate of ascent is an excellent metric imo.
I've also experimented with the custom maps, I converted some PDF trail guides into a map, it shows as overlaid onto the standard map. So I have Llandegla trails on there, it's about 50% opaque so I can see the red/black routes etc. Very useful.
I'll probably do another review on my site like I did for the 705 all that time ago
I've also experimented with the custom maps, I converted some PDF trail guides into a map, it shows as overlaid onto the standard map. So I have Llandegla trails on there, it's about 50% opaque so I can see the red/black routes etc. Very useful.
I'll probably do another review on my site like I did for the 705 all that time ago
I just realised I already participated in this thread. Someone mentioned that the touchscreen will be rubbish - wrong I'm afraid 
I've been wearing thick gloves and it's a simple swipe across the screen to get to different modes, obviously if you're doing something like planning a destination then it's gloves off time - same as the 705. Once I'm moving I only tend to switch from say the map to my current performance (speed/distance/cadence etc), on the 705 that's a pain with thick gloves on, with touchscreen you just paw the screen - I was using Sealskinz lobster gloves, not exactly the gloves of choice by surgeons
I've been wearing thick gloves and it's a simple swipe across the screen to get to different modes, obviously if you're doing something like planning a destination then it's gloves off time - same as the 705. Once I'm moving I only tend to switch from say the map to my current performance (speed/distance/cadence etc), on the 705 that's a pain with thick gloves on, with touchscreen you just paw the screen - I was using Sealskinz lobster gloves, not exactly the gloves of choice by surgeons
Tim Bennet.
Entirely Average Member
- Location
- S of Kendal
Could you go out in the rain with it and give it a thorough test please? No more than four or five hours should do it. Thank you.
