Fantastic post – you describe perfectly the heartache of a long term relationship with an faithful training partner whose all too frequent failings can no longer be ignored.

“Upload your workout data to MotionBased.com, Garmin’s web-based application that provides in-depth analysis of your workouts, online mapping and route sharing that will take your training to the next level,” says Garmin.

I’m sure I would – if only MotionBased.com were available on a regular basis and I had the patience to wait longer for the data upload than I’d just spent training. I’m a particularly slow distance runner, so that can be a very long time with numerous connects, reconnects, failed uploads and “refresh to view your inbox for new activities” (which are still being processed – “please browse the MotionBased website”).

I love the idea of a Forerunner 405 and Garmin Connect to replace my inadequate 305 and the hopelessly abandoned MotionBased website, but I think it might be more appropriate to accept that this is another Garmin fantasy bound to disappoint if it were ever made real.

Kieron

I’m on the PC. I’d love to have the ability to add non-GPS activities to the log, including the odd ride where the Edge 305 has a problem recording. Apparently it’s on the development schedule, but there’s been no concrete evidence it’s forthcoming anytime soon.

I’d be happy if some of the nagging usability problems that compromise the site were addressed. Since my post, I’ve been reassured by Garmin support that Connect will be worth the wait. I hope it is, because if it’s not substantially better than MB right out the gate I’ll be looking around for an alternative like Ascent.

However, I’ve been fairly happy with the unit itself. In fact, it was only today that I noticed any weirdness when my speed was flipping from 32kph to 16kph… clearly it was occasionally missing a rotation of the wheel. But, I also just reinstalled the magnet on my wheel, so perhaps I have the alignment off slightly or something.

Anyway long story longer, I’m using a Mac and apparently Training Center is actually worse in MacOS than it is in Windows. But, as per usual there’s someone out there in the Mac community with the motivation and skills to code something better than the manufacturer; in this case that’s a program called Ascent. So basically I’m using Training Center just to set up structured workouts, and then I’m using Ascent to view/track/etc all the recorded data.

Of course, if you’re using a windows machine that doesn’t really help you.

When the only thing you get from a company is “our auto renewal of your subscription failed to process” it does make you wonder. Glad you see cause for optimism.