TomTom gps watch

Spatulala
Spatulala Posts: 291
edited May 2014 in Road general
Any thoughts on this new TomTom Gps watch with hrm (no strap required)?

http://www.tomtom.com/en_us/products/yo ... tch/white/

Not a fan of mounted tech and no need for maps. Will upload to Strava as well. it seems designed for running, any thoughts on what it won't do for cycling?

Comments

  • mattbabs
    mattbabs Posts: 86
    It will be no use in the winter because for the HR monitor to work it needs to be next to your skin so it will be covered if you are wearing multiple layers. Also if you are riding hard you don't want to be taking your hands off the bars to look at a watch.
  • wongataa
    wongataa Posts: 1,001
    Full review: http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/04/tomtom-cardio.html.
  • Spatulala
    Spatulala Posts: 291
    Now there's a man who appreciates the art of being thorough!! Thanks for the link
  • OverTheHillAt21
    OverTheHillAt21 Posts: 102
    mattbabs wrote:
    It will be no use in the winter because for the HR monitor to work it needs to be next to your skin so it will be covered if you are wearing multiple layers. Also if you are riding hard you don't want to be taking your hands off the bars to look at a watch.
    I use a traditional Polar HRM watch when I'm riding. On the MTB I have a Polar handlebar mount which gets around the second problem. Does make the bar a bit cluttered and just squeezes in next to the Garmin mount. :)

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Polar-Bike-Moun ... B000ENWACY

    On the road bike I just wrap a kitchen towel around the handlebar and pop the watch strap around that.
  • Joeblack
    Joeblack Posts: 829
    I don't know how true this is but I'd been looking for a decent watch with HRM built in for the gym and everywhere I went said the tech was relatively new and not reliable, and on top of that taking HR from your wrist is extremely unreliable anyway and I know in both my military and CP training they don't advise checking for a pulse via the wrist for many reasons
    One plays football, tennis or golf, one does not play at cycling
  • mattbabs
    mattbabs Posts: 86
    This tech doesn't actually measure your pulse from your wrist, it works like an oxygen saturation monitor. It shines a light on the skin to detect blood flow changes rather than a physical pulsation. However I would still be dubious about the accuracy. I use saturation monitors at work on patients and they can be very sensitive to movement or poor circulation although the newer models are better. I see that you can mount the TomTom on your handlebars but then it won't measure your pulse. I saw a rumour today that Apple are working on headphones that will measure your heart rate through your ears!

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