Recommend me a watch

tgotb

One for the runners/triantelopes out there:

Looking for a new watch, with Garmin-like functionality, for this year's cyclocross season. Last year I raced with my Garmin 800 which was fine, but this season I'll be racing 2 bikes so I need something that stays with me when I swap.

Key criteria:
GPS, with the ability to record rides and upload to PC/Strava
Big, easy-to-read display, ideally with the ability to display elapsed time and HR at the same time; failing that, just elapsed time, which is the key bit of information I need in a race.
Bonus feature: elapsed time that pauses when not moving, meaning I can hit the start button well before the start gun fires (as I do with my Garmin) and the clock won't start running until I start moving.
Separate mode to show time of day (so I get to the start on time)
Buttons that don't "press themselves" when riding - I used to have a Timex that was basically unusable with cycling/sailing gloves due to automatic button pressing
Waterproof, obviously
Would be nice if it was ANT+ compatible; there are occasions when I might want to use in tandem with my Garmin without having to wear 2 HR straps.
Not too bulky (subject to obvious tradeoff with display size/readability)
Happy to have something rechargeable, so long as it'll run in GPS mode for a few hours.

Any suggestions?

EKE_38BPM

That is some spec sheet/wish list.

When I was in the market for a cheap, durable digital watch I would have been happy with one which displayed the date in the dd/mm/yy format rather than the stupid American mm/dd/yy format.
I remember my brother's first digital watch (back in the days of four TV channels and white dog poo) which could change from one format to the other.
Progress? Yeah right!

tgotb

EKE_38BPM wrote:

That is some spec sheet/wish list.

When I was in the market for a cheap, durable digital watch I would have been happy with one which displayed the date in the dd/mm/yy format rather than the stupid American mm/dd/yy format.
I remember my brother's first digital watch (back in the days of four TV channels and white dog poo) which could change from one format to the other.
Progress? Yeah right!

You're betraying your youth there! Back in the days when everyone hired their TVs from Radio Rentals rather than buying them in the supermarket and there were only *three* channels, a friend of mine had a digital watch with an LED display, with a button you had to press to get the LEDs to light up...

It did occur to me that the requirements could be met with my existing Garmin 800 and a roll of duct tape...

pblakeney

Why not simply get a second bar mount for the 800?

rower63

PBlakeney wrote:

Why not simply get a second bar mount for the 800?

My recommendation too. Just practise getting used to untwisting from one bike and re-twisting onto the new bike over and over so it becomes 2nd nature and you don't forget, rather like unclipping pedals.

meanredspider

I'd just read the DC Rainmaker reviews. He's a fantastic reviewer and a triathlete.

tgotb

PBlakeney wrote:

Why not simply get a second bar mount for the 800?

Because I'll be swapping bikes at running speed, potentially as frequently as once every 5 minutes, sort of like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eCl1rKlEJo

meanredspider wrote:

I'd just read the DC Rainmaker reviews. He's a fantastic reviewer and a triathlete.

Very good thinking, will do!

pblakeney

TGOTB wrote:

Because I'll be swapping bikes at running speed, potentially as frequently as once every 5 minutes, sort of like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eCl1rKlEJo

Ah. I thought it was different bikes for different routes or conditions, not during a race.
Carry on.

asprilla

I have a Garmin 310XT for triceratopsing.

It comes as a standard watch with all the features you want and you can use a quick release wrist strap to alternate between wrist and bike mount if you wish.

They are quite old now so you might get a bargain.

mitchell_inman

I have a Garmin Forerunner 220 (HR version), and it has quite a few things on your wish list including ANT+, easy to read, multiple display of different info.

Doesn't do the auto start/stop thing as far as I know.

Only used it for running so far, but it works well.

+1 for the DC rainmaker reviews.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Suunto Ambit 2S.

Doesn't have the "start when you start moving" feature - I am fairly sure - but otherwise ticks your boxes. And it looks like a watch. And the "race" screens are user configurable.

EKE_38BPM

TGOTB wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

That is some spec sheet/wish list.

When I was in the market for a cheap, durable digital watch I would have been happy with one which displayed the date in the dd/mm/yy format rather than the stupid American mm/dd/yy format.
I remember my brother's first digital watch (back in the days of four TV channels and white dog poo) which could change from one format to the other.
Progress? Yeah right!

You're betraying your youth there! Back in the days when everyone hired their TVs from Radio Rentals rather than buying them in the supermarket and there were only *three* channels, a friend of mine had a digital watch with an LED display, with a button you had to press to get the LEDs to light up...

It did occur to me that the requirements could be met with my existing Garmin 800 and a roll of duct tape...

I meant three TV channels, not four.
I bought a LED watch for a mate last year. Binary! The time is displayed as a series of dots!

itboffin

or you could just adhere to the rule in particular #42

oh and pick a sport and stick to it ................................. :roll:

THAT WOULD BE CYCLING

tgotb

itboffin wrote:

or you could just adhere to the rule in particular #42

oh and pick a sport and stick to it ................................. :roll:

THAT WOULD BE CYCLING

Here's the thing... When it gets really sticky, you can race with one bike but you end up having to run certain bits of the course in order to avoid terminally clogging up the bike. Or you can ride the whole course, but you may have to change bikes as often as twice a lap as the bike gets clogged up. So it's all part of a strategy to minimise the running...

Thanks for all the advice guys. 310XT seems to be the front-runner at the moment (and DC Rainmaker rates it). Just need to find half an hour to go through the review...

spasypaddy

if you can justify the expense id recommend the 910xt...

the 310xt is absolutely massive in comparison.

MonkeyMonster

Seems a bit of a cheat to have 2nd or 3rd bikes to be cleaned per lap... Massive swayer for people who can afford it..

tgotb

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Seems a bit of a cheat to have 2nd or 3rd bikes to be cleaned per lap... Massive swayer for people who can afford it..

Them's the rules....

It's actually not that bad; at local league level pit bikes are few and far between, and I can't remember a single race last season where having one would have made a material difference. It's only really in the National Trophy Series and National Champs that the use of pit bikes is widespread, and if you're competing at that level an extra bike is a fairly small part of the overall cost of competing. Bear in mind that the bikes are fairly simple and your pit bike may very well also be your commuting bike; plenty of club runners and sportivists will spend more on one bike than your average crosser does on two...

rower63

TGOTB wrote:

It did occur to me that the requirements could be met with my existing Garmin 800 and a roll of duct tape...

I've done exactly that, for the Engadin Ski Marathon a XC ski race in Switzerland, I taped a Garmin eTrex to my wrist with duct tape. 3/4 the way through it was hanging off, tape all soaked off with sweat, I eventually had to chuck it down the back of my top.

rower63

just mentioned this to someone even more geeky than I am, and he recommends, in fact is currently wearing, the Garmin Fenix2, which he opted for over the 910xt. He's a triathlete.

Just in case you thought you'd made up your mind

tgotb

rower63 wrote:

just mentioned this to someone even more geeky than I am, and he recommends, in fact is currently wearing, the Garmin Fenix2, which he opted for over the 910xt. He's a triathlete.

Just in case you thought you'd made up your mind

Thanks (not really!)

Head says get the 310XT; does exactly what I need, and cheapest by far. Heart says get the Fenix2 (less bulky, looks like a watch, can be used like a watch) but nearly 3 times the cost. 910xt pretty much half way between (both in terms of desirability and cost). If I want to go faster I'll be better off spending the difference on tyres, but the Fenix2 does look very good.

Hmmm...

asprilla

The 310XT is much easier to operate wearing full finger gloves.

tgotb

Asprilla wrote:

The 310XT is much easier to operate wearing full finger gloves.

That's a factor; don't race in full finger gloves that often, but do generally wear them to warm up...

jimmypippa

Ultrasport navrun 500 does most of that except for the start on moving, but you can get a gps fix then pres the start button.

It is cheaper still
review:
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/gea ... 90.html#no

rower63

TGOTB wrote:

rower63 wrote:

just mentioned this to someone even more geeky than I am, and he recommends, in fact is currently wearing, the Garmin Fenix2, which he opted for over the 910xt. He's a triathlete.
Just in case you thought you'd made up your mind

Thanks (not really!)
Head says get the 310XT; does exactly what I need, and cheapest by far. Heart says get the Fenix2 (less bulky, looks like a watch, can be used like a watch) but nearly 3 times the cost. 910xt pretty much half way between (both in terms of desirability and cost). If I want to go faster I'll be better off spending the difference on tyres, but the Fenix2 does look very good.
Hmmm...

Well? What did you go for in the end?

tgotb

rower63 wrote:

Well? What did you go for in the end?

310XT and a bunch of tyres. Haven't tried it in anger yet, but seems to tick all the boxes...

timothyw

Buy one of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-Quick-Re ... B0009PUJV6

Attach your garmin 800 to it.

Spend savings on beer.

graham.

TGOTB wrote:

but seems to tick all the boxes...

"Tick", gedit gedit...you know"Tick" as in "Tick Tock"!
Oh never mind!