Apple Watch vs Garmin Edge devices
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Completely agree with the Apple analogy and the suggestion that any smart phone is going to be a substitute for a dedicated device. I also don't see the logic behind only buying what you need. If that were the case most of us would be riding around on cheapo Halford's specials with 2300 gearing instead of full carbon exotica with top end groupsets and wheels. I've got a £50k VW Touareg sitting in the garage but use the wife's little £11k Mazda 2 more often than not simply because it's easier to use in city traffic. It doesn't mean the Treg is a waste of money because on the occasions that it does get used, such as long journeys and carting bikes, gear and riders to events, it is invaluable. If you can afford it and want it, buy it.I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.0
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Saw the apple watch on BBC clic this morning and thought it looked really good.
As a sidekick to a phone I think watches could be fun/useful, but its not an alternative to a Garmin IMO.
The other problem to a smart watch (apart from it probably being a pants fit) is that you then cannot wear a real one
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DesWeller wrote:Surprised no-one's come up with a pair of sunnies with an integrated HUD.
Google 'Recon Instruments', although hold off on buying for a while. The only company anywhere near producing a functioning HUD near the eyes is a company called Reevu based in Tyne & Wear, and they're making motorcycle helmets.
Google 'google glasses motorcycle' for an outline of the problems people face using them for HUD type uses.0 -
It is unthinkable to ride without a phone on me for a vast number of reasons. First, you need the gps to track the ride. Second, you need it to call for help if you crash. Third - just for navigation in unknown areas.No GPS in the watch, which means you will need a phone with you. At least the Garmin devices can work without a phone, though arguably they're better with.0 -
I considered an iWatch for quite some time. (I already carry an iPhone in my pocket anyway).
I then went out for a normal cycle and tested how practical looking at the watch would be.
It wasn't.
I got a Gamin 25.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
I can't imagine how I used to get home with my brother when I was about 12 and he was 14, and we went out for day-long rides with just a map, a puncture repair kit, and a 2p piece.It is unthinkable to ride without a phone on me for a vast number of reasons. First, you need the gps to track the ride. Second, you need it to call for help if you crash. Third - just for navigation in unknown areas.0 -
Try it now.
I can't imagine how I used to get home with my brother when I was about 12 and he was 14, and we went out for day-long rides with just a map, a puncture repair kit, and a 2p piece.It is unthinkable to ride without a phone on me for a vast number of reasons. First, you need the gps to track the ride. Second, you need it to call for help if you crash. Third - just for navigation in unknown areas.
There are no public telephones left.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
I'd probably do what I do when I run out of water - I'd ask someone.
Try it now.
I can't imagine how I used to get home with my brother when I was about 12 and he was 14, and we went out for day-long rides with just a map, a puncture repair kit, and a 2p piece.It is unthinkable to ride without a phone on me for a vast number of reasons. First, you need the gps to track the ride. Second, you need it to call for help if you crash. Third - just for navigation in unknown areas.
There are no public telephones left.
Yes, I do carry a phone (normally) as it makes it easier, in extremis. But 'unthinkable'? I'll admit to trying to resist the notion that we've got to be tied to an electronic gizmo to make riding a bike anywhere (or just going somewhere) thinkable. We managed to survive before the advent of mobile phones. I think I'll not find it too hard to resist the temptation of an Apple Watch, which seems to want to be all things to all people, but ends up being a little bit rubbish at everything, from what I read.0 -
I have the Apple Watch. It's great for tracking walking workouts but isn't so great for cycling.
The screen of the Apple Watch isn't always on. You have to raise your wrist to get it to turn on so you can see your progress. The inbuilt Activity workout app doesn't show everything on one screen, you have to swipe left to right to see different things. I haven't tried any 3rd party apps on the watch yet.
Another thing I noticed, if I wear my watch normally I find sometimes it doesn't track the whole cycling workout. I could only put it down to the edge of my glove pressing the buttons and pausing the workout somehow. I'd also have a hundred watch screen screenshots on my iPhone. I now wear my watch under my wrist when cycling but the raise wrist to see the screen action doesn't work very well that way.
The only other (iPhone) app I've used was Map My Ride and I ran it at the same time as I ran the apple watch workout app (both running at once was a battery killer for the iPhone) Everything compared like for like, except calorie burn. Map My Ride stated far far more calories than the Apple Watch workout app did. However, I did some research and the MMR app detects changes in altitude to tell when you are climbing etc etc and I'm not sure if the watch is as accurate as this. This is the only thing I could think of as to why the calorie burn was a huge difference between the two.0 -
Mobile phones, and technology in general, have become more do it all.
the list of devices that have been been either killed off, or waning etc, by the mobile phone is a fairly long list.
PDA's dead
compact cameras, having sales cannibalized.
various GPS devices.
and so on.
A bike GPS will probably remain simply for hardware reasons but some folks will just us the strava/etc app, I did for a while, fine for what it did.0 -
I had a Garmin Fenix 3 watch for 6 months but sold it in the end and bought a Garmin 1000.
Never looked back. A computer is much better, it's in the right place so you don't have to take your hand off the bars to look away...pretty dangerous sometimes. Plus watches show less data.
The Apple watch will be even less helpful as the screen turns off while the garmin was always on.0 -
I currently only have the Edge 200 (no HRM function) and I'd been toying with the idea of buying another Garmin device (Vivosmart?) for the HRM capability and general fitness tracker. With the Apple Watch coming along, I bought one on Sunday past thinking it would bridge the HR gap, be a decent smart watch, and be somewhat useful on the bike.
This proved to be an ill-founded assumption. The Strava app, while admittedly in an early guise, clearly has some design issues. And the HR scanning capability of the watch doesn't feed into Strava directly, which I found odd. You have to raise your wrist to check speed/time etc, whereupon Strava seemed to assume that I'd stopped and autopaused itself, which was irritating. The watch itself seems to be simply a visibilty device for your phone, and very little else. Even with some of the alert functions of the phone (email, SMS, Strava kudos) it was hit and miss. I've no doubt that with further incarnations it will become quite useful, but I wasn't prepared to cough out £300 and sit and wait for Apple and 3rd party developers to get their act together, only for the phone to be superseded in time honoured Apple style.
Moral of the story?
The watch was returned this morning and a set of Campagnolo Zondas ordered instead.0 -
I have the Vivoactive which is great for general exercise and stuff. It connects with strava and the increasingly impressive Garmin Connect.
However I stick with my front mounted Garmin. Squinting at a watch on a quick club ride is not the best idea for all concerned.0
