GARMIN 010-10644-00 Speed/Cadence Sensor Reviews

• Excellent compact lightweight wireless cadence sensor

  
  By A27A0Z7X4Q8MFA on 2007-11-22
  Another handy piece of equipment from Garmin!
  
  This kit comes in three basic parts; a sensor unit, which is about the size of a matchbox, and two magnets about the size of your pinky nail. Several zip-ties are included for mounting purposes; the entire kit weighs at most a couple of ounces.
  
  Installation is pretty straightforward, but do follow the directions carefully and don't snug down the zip-ties until you're sure you've got all three components just where you want them and have tested the system!
  
  The sensor mounts to the left chain stay with a pair of zip-ties. Garmin thoughtfully added a piece of rubber padding to the bottom of the sensor unit, so it won't rough up your fancy carbon frame or your paint job :)
  
  A single zip-tie attaches the crank magnet to the crank, although I had to use a large (3/4") shim on my FSA crank (which has a curved profile and a hollow back) to place the crank magnet in the proper position for the sensor to "see" it. The spoke magnet clamp has both a round hole and a square hole; make sure you use the right hole for your spoke profile! I mounted mine on a spoke directly opposite the tire valve, just to help keep the wheel in balance.
  
  The sensor unit must be positioned along the chain stay such that it can "see" both the crank magnet as it passes by the cadence sensor (the round part on the side of the sensor unit), and the spoke magnet as it passes the speed sensor (the part that looks like a lever in the picture).
  
  Testing is accomplished by pressing a small button on the sensor unit, which prompts it to flash a red LED, then a green one to indicate that testing is started. As pointed out by another reviewer, the LEDs are hard to see in bright ambient light; I'd recommend testing in a garage if possible. Hi-intensity LEDs would have solved this problem, although I suspect these LEDs were chosen for their low power consumption, so maybe it's a smart design decision after all.
  
  Once the test button is pressed, the next 60 revolutions of the crank should cause the red LED to flash when the crank magnet passes the sensor, while the spoke magnet passing the sensor should generate a green LED flash. If you saw the red/green flash when the button was pressed, but don't see a flash as each magnet passes the sensor, chances are one or both magnets are not properly aligned with the sensor (there are alignment lines on the sensor and both magnets), or the magnets are passing too far from the sensor (this is the problem I encountered and solved with a shim).
  
  When you're sure everything is in the right places, snug the zip-ties and cut them flush. Then set up a screen (typically the Biking screen) on your 305 to display Cadence in one of the data fields, and go ride!
  
  
  

• Design could be improved

  
  By A331OZAZ69FROQ on 2006-02-24
  The design could be improved upon as you need to have a magnet on both the crank arm and the spoke within 5mm of the sensor. This makes id difficult and may require some minor modifications on some bicycles (I needed to add a spacer between the crank arm and the magnet). Too much tilt towards the crank, risks having the arm of the sensor being caught in the spokes after a large bump on the trails or raod. I have known of other people being able to purchase a larger magnet to the inside of the pedal screw which allows the sensor to be farther appart. Other than that, it works great with the Edge.
  
  

• It works

  
  By A905VXKIV0MM6 on 2006-08-13
  It has worked flawlessly on my TT and road bike. I use one Edge 305 and switch between bikes. When switching, you must go to the "Accessories" menu and rescan for the sensor. You must set this up exactly according to the directions and check the LED's in a dark room. You can not see them in a room with normal lighting. I do a fair amount of cadence based training and this cadence sensor has proved flawless.
  
  

• Doesn't work as advertised

  
  By A314K1U8IFYRUF on 2006-06-10
  I have this sensor on my road bike (works great), and thought I would get one for my mountain bike. This second sensor will not 'connect' with my Edge 305, and I've tried almost everything.
  
  My Edge 305 picks up the other sensor on my road bike but will not recognize this second sensor. I believe it to be a technical issue about using two different sensors. Also, according to the instructions if you lose the GPS signal the sensor should be able to track speed and distance through this sensor---it doesn't work.
  
  

• Garmin GSC 10 Speed Cadence Sensor

  
  By A3W2KVZE0SIAQF on 2006-11-09
  Easy installation of sensor and magnets. Crank magnet come loose easily.
  Pairing the sensor with the receiver unit can fail without much of an indication of the problem. Once the sensor is paired, the unit works very reliably.
  
  
• Great product, confusing packaging if you have a Forerunner 305
  By A3OAVRTJ7UDRCP on 2008-02-17
  The handlebar mount and cadence and speed sensors went on quickly and worked flawlessly. However, when I first received the package in the mail, I was concerned I had ordered the wrong item. I have a Forerunner 305 wrist-mounted GPS, and all of the packaging for this product references the Edge GPS sensor, so I didn't know whether or not this would even work with the Forerunner. There are very slight differences in navigating the menus to set up the cadence sensor between the Forerunner and the Edge, but the cadence sensor does indeed work very well with the Forerunner, so Forerunner owners order without fear!
  
  
• Garmin Finally Got It Right
  By A375C7CD13VOV8 on 2007-06-07
  I purchased this item and, based on the reviews I had read, I also purchased a battery for it because Customers had complained that the Garmins were being shipped with batteries that did not contain a charge anymore. However, to my surprise, the battery worked fin and I really enjoy having the extra cadence information when I download my workout histories. Works great with my ForeRunner 305. I highly recommend it.
  
  
• A must have for you Edge 305
  By A35OOXR21OBA7F on 2007-07-14
  I bought the Edge 305 w/o the cadence sensor thinking I don't need it but I was wrong. Once you realize what the Edge can give you for information and you start to plot everything ( I use SportTracks )you became addicted and you want cadence chart too !!!
  
  Furthermore, the sensor allows you to get speed even when there's no GPS signal ( tunnel, cities, etc). A fact that overlooked.
  
  Easy to install and the red/green light tells you if the unit senses the magnets which have to run pretty close to the unit. I would suggest you test the unit on your bike in a rather dark area to make it easier to look at the ligth on the unit.
  
  
  
  
• If you already have Garmin Edge, this might be okay
  By ABWFG8OMR4K2D on 2007-01-04
  Well, I think the GSC 10 I got might be defective, but my recent experience with Garmin products makes it hard to tell the difference between defective and poor design. The GSC 10 seemed to arrive with a dead battery. The "reset button" is supposed to blink the LEDs when pressed, but didn't. I replaced the battery and then could see the LEDs (though they are very dim). It still took a while to get it to "connect" with my Edge305, but finally did. It seemed to work fine for about 6 rides before bad weather interrupted. Now, about 7 weeks since my previous ride, I went out and, again, the GSC10 isn't showing up on the Edge305. I haven't investigated it yet to see if the battery is again dead or what. I really don't have time to debug my bicycle accessories all the time, but if you do...
  
  By the way, I got this GSC10 for a second bike. The one that came with the Edge305 has not had the same problems and I have had it for about 5 months now. That is why I think this might be a defective unit.
  Followup on 6/5/2007: Bought a 3rd one of these for a new bike. Again, it arrived from Amazon with a dead battery. So, plan on spending about $4 extra to get a working unit. Also will mention that some new bikes won't fit this accessory as well. The distance between pedals and the frame are much larger on the new bike so I have to tilt the unit way over. And the distance between the frame and wheel spokes is very narrow so the speed sensor arm must be raised way up high as it won't clean in the down position shown.
  
  I should also mention that the heart rate monitor works very poorly, which is probably clouding my judgement. I had a Polar HR monitor for about 4 years that worked pretty well. The Garmin one drops out frequently and I have yet to have it record an entire workout. Sometimes it will record my entire run or ride at a rate of 60-80 bpm, even though I am actually at 150-170 bpm. You can tell in the downloaded data because the rate is a flat line frequently.
  
  So, if you haven't gotten an Edge yet, I would avoid it. I have many complaints about the base unit as well, but this review is about the accessories.
  
  
• Battery dead
  By A147HAMV0EW332 on 2007-03-09
  The product is great, I have used it extensively both for road and MTB cycling. Very easy to install and almost no set up, you'll be pedaling in minutes. Only reason not to give 5 stars is that it stopped working about two weeks after instalation and I was sorprised to find that the battery was dead (probably a long time in inventory), the new battery has worked fine for months so is not a matter of high consumption.
  
  
• Works extremely well.
  By A2IMRD74ZUV2B9 on 2007-07-14
  Unlike the Polar speed/cadence units, the Garmin is made to work from the rear wheel (great if you ride an indoor trainer) and its creative design allows it to catch both speed and cadence from a single unit. Impressive. Just be sure to get a new battery - mine, like others, came shipped with a dead battery.
  
  
• Works fine,
  By A23VEALNC4FGUY on 2006-08-20
  The Cadence Sensor works as advertised. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of five was that the battery that came with it was dead. Kind of aggravating, as it meant a trip to the store before I could verify that the sensor worked.
  
  
• works great
  By A2C8AOU2HJMWPP on 2007-01-05
  This was bought to use on my road bike and to work with my Garmin Forerunner 301. It works great.
  
  
• Garmin GSC 10 Speed Cadence Sensor
  By A302RD6PJGNVJQ on 2007-01-06
  Works great, simple to install. Only problem is that the unit had a VERY weak battery which caused me to think the unit was bad while trying to set it up/calibrate it with my Garmin. I finaly realized that the indicater lights were in fact coming on, just VERY weakly, so I swapped for a new battery and all was well. The seller owes me four bucks.
  
  
• Good broduct, bad battery
  By A2NYOD498X4JIC on 2007-01-11
  The sensor is awesome and compatable with the garmin forerunner 305, but came with a dead battery.
  
  
• What's wrong with it?
  By AGHF93XN5A411 on 2007-08-04
  That was my question when I was trying to get it set up. I thought the battery was dead so I replaced it. The forerunner I was trying to pair it with kept flashing an X across the cadence symbol, so I thought it wasn't working. Finally I gave up and started riding to test the rest of it. Once it started getting a continuous signal the forerunner showed the cadence symbol without the X through it and it displayed the cadence just fine. So far it seems to work great. This may be more of a complaint about the forerunner, but it is all one system. The forerunner should give some indication that it is properly paired. The flashing X gives the impression that it is not. It has also been mentioned by others that the setup light does not flash brightly or long enough to see it in normal daylight. Garmin should make a note of that in the setup guide so people don't mistakenly think it is not working... like I did.
  
  
• Product Excellent, Battery Dead
  By A1CUXVRCJ13187 on 2006-08-18
  This must have been in stock a while. I just hate buying something that doesn't work. It was the battery. Pfff. Oh well, price was cheap.
  
  
• Garmin GSC 10 Speed Cadence Sensor
  By A3280PKPXMPFL4 on 2007-01-29
  The device battery was dead when I received the cadence sensor, but once I replaced the battery the sensor works great with my Garmin Forerunner 305.
  
  
• GSC 10 Cadence Sensor
  By A69BTESH2EKLR on 2007-02-23
  based on previous reviews of this product, I went ahead and changed the battery before even trying to install it.
  
  Installed it in tandem with my current wired cateye computer(used the cateye crank sensor, and just installed a second wheel magnet), worked on the first try with my FR 305...works great for capturing speed/cadence data on indoor trainer.
  
  
• Speed sensor not working
  By AIB5SAOPCVCOJ on 2007-05-08
  The Garmin 305 works great, but I can't get the speed sensor to work without GPS. I've had the unit for about a week. I checked the magnet with my old Cateye. I will have to contact Garmin for a replacement.
  
  
• No problems with this device...
  By A30XTS3VGFQLVY on 2008-02-11
  I was hesitant to purchase this product due to the negative reviews. But I hoped for the best and I have not been disappointed. Installation and setup were easy, it works great. READ THE DIRECTIONS.
  
  
• Great product. Unexpected additional functionality.
  By A3P2B0QNPLCTWC on 2008-02-21
  I was hesitant to buy this unit since I already owned a reliable cyclometer with cadence. I own the Forerunner 305, not the Edge unit, so biking was not my main concern. However, now that I use my Forerunner for biking too, I wanted this unit so that I could download cadence data with my other measures from the Forerunner. It works great for that purpose. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that when riding indoors on my trainer with GPS turned off, the Forerunner reports SPEED and DISTANCE as well. Of course, it's not entirely accurate depending on gearing and such, but it is a nice measure to have that I didn't expect. Great unit. A little pricey at $40ish but once you have it, you forget about what you paid.
  
  
• Really "slick"
  By A2YYN5OK6PA7JC on 2008-03-04
  I actually really like this add-on to the garmin system. It is small, light weight, reads very accurately (does not need a satellite reading) and can be used both indoors and outside. As it attaches to the rear chain-stay on the crank side, I get both speed and cadence when on the trainer. It is exceptionally easy to set up (can be customized to wheel circumference) and can be adjusted for 3 bikes. I put bike mounts on my other two bikes so I can switch off as needed. It works just like any other wireless cycling computer and the settings on the Forerunner 305 give plenty of info as did my Polar CS200. Well worth the cost.
  
  
• Better Than Expected
  By AG7E5XWXMFNOA on 2008-04-01
  As another poster said, I was concerned when I received the box because no where did it refer to the Forerunner (only the Edge). I installed it anyway and much to my surprise it was quick and easy to install and it paired very easily as well. It works flawlessly with my Forerunner.
  
  
• What a training tool!!!
  By A1SGPKCK9QNA77 on 2008-04-20
  What a great training tool! I did not have a computer for my bike, but have been using my Garmin Forerunner 305 while running for some time now. I decided to purchase the cadence sensor, and am glad I did, what a great training tool and it has helped me improve my riding significantly. Highly recommended if you are serious about riding.
  
  
• Excellent Rear Wheel Mount
  By A34LKE34UWN79J on 2006-09-01
  Love the intergrated cadence and speed sensor. Self calibrating to boot. Mounting was very easy and the 305 detected it immediately.
  
  
• Battery..?
  By A2TW0TECZX3VPO on 2006-09-28
  I guess I'm crazy for thinking something should work out of the box. The customer service/tech support rep seemed amazed I hadn't already rushed out to buy a new battery. The thing is kind of a pain to set up too -- but it'd all be a lot more worth it if I didn't have to make an extra run to the store.
  
  
• I love this thing
  By AAAD41NETN769 on 2006-11-09
  love the product, quick and easy to install. i have the edge 305 and i bought this as an additional for my other bike so all i have to do is mount the sensor on the bike and go. just be sure to re-scan the accessorie before using each time.
  
  
• GREAT PRODUCT
  By A156IDDCEC78PA on 2007-01-03
  VERY EASY TO INSTALL. ALTHOUGH IT REQUIRED A NEW BATTERY. I HAVE USED IT FOR SOME TIME NOW AND THE BATTERY LASTS AND THE CEDENCE SENDOR WORKS JUST FINE
  
  
• great addition to another less than perfect Garmin
  By A1LTL48YLUSK4G on 2007-01-03
  Garmin has great ideas that suffer from the company they belong to. This option is a great thing to add to your 305 if you spin indoors or want to increase the accuracy of the GPS. NOW if only the software was smart about how and when to use the Sensor ....
  
  

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