Smart Watch/Bands for Cycling??

tyw214

I am deciding between Fitbit Charge 2, Garmin vivosmart HR+, or the Garmin vivoactive HR...

I'd like to see cycling speed on the watch if possible... anybody have suggestion?

cougie

These things are for joe public. Just to get them a bit more active. Its not for proper exercise.

Use strava on a smart phone or buy something like a garmin watch.

pblakeney

Don't.
Put a watch on, go for a cycle and see how impractical a watch is for data display while cycling.

tyw214

cougie wrote:

These things are for joe public. Just to get them a bit more active. Its not for proper exercise.

Use strava on a smart phone or buy something like a garmin watch.

I thought the Vivoactive HR GPS is a Smartwatch..? lol at least they advertise it as so?

tyw214

PBlakeney wrote:

Don't.
Put a watch on, go for a cycle and see how impractical a watch is for data display while cycling.

I was thinking if I wanted just the speedometer, i could just strap the watch to the the handlebar?

The reason I don't want to use my phone is because i use a booklet type of case, and it's not convenient at all to pull the phone out ;x

pblakeney

tyw214 wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

Don't.
Put a watch on, go for a cycle and see how impractical a watch is for data display while cycling.

I was thinking if I wanted just the speedometer, i could just strap the watch to the the handlebar?

The reason I don't want to use my phone is because i use a booklet type of case, and it's not convenient at all to pull the phone out ;x

You could but why not simply get a purpose designed gps? I went through this when considering an iWatch. I got a Garmin 520 and spent the rest of the money elsewhere.

tyw214

PBlakeney wrote:

tyw214 wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

Don't.
Put a watch on, go for a cycle and see how impractical a watch is for data display while cycling.

I was thinking if I wanted just the speedometer, i could just strap the watch to the the handlebar?

The reason I don't want to use my phone is because i use a booklet type of case, and it's not convenient at all to pull the phone out ;x

You could but why not simply get a purpose designed gps? I went through this when considering an iWatch. I got a Garmin 520 and spent the rest of the money elsewhere.

1. I don't need something so professional like the 520 ;x
2. would like not not lug another device for my bike ride i could just wear those watch/bands after taking them off from the handlebar.

pblakeney

tyw214 wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

tyw214 wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

Don't.
Put a watch on, go for a cycle and see how impractical a watch is for data display while cycling.

I was thinking if I wanted just the speedometer, i could just strap the watch to the the handlebar?

The reason I don't want to use my phone is because i use a booklet type of case, and it's not convenient at all to pull the phone out ;x

You could but why not simply get a purpose designed gps? I went through this when considering an iWatch. I got a Garmin 520 and spent the rest of the money elsewhere.

1. I don't need something so professional like the 520 ;x
2. would like not not lug another device for my bike ride i could just wear those watch/bands after taking them off from the handlebar.

Yeah. But you still have to carry your phone.
What else will you be using the band/watch for?

meesterbond

The idea of being able to do everything in one unit is appealing and the Garmin Vivoactive looks like it would do that... depends how much data you want from your bike really, plus if you wanted to record speed you'd need that sensor pack and a HR chest strap if you want to record HR while it's strapped to the bars... plus the adaptor to strap it there in the first place.

An Edge 20 and a Charge HR would be cheaper...

bendertherobot

The Garmin Fenix 3 will change your life.

tyw214

bendertherobot wrote:

The Garmin Fenix 3 will change your life.

hmm interesting choice... will this show cycling speed? also does it have a built-in HR monitor or is it separate?

awavey

I wouldnt get a fitbit if that was the only alternate choice because I dont trust its accuracy, it just seems one of gadgets that makes you feel good that you are exercising, but is probably hopelessly misleading.

as it seems to be very optimistic about both speed and mileage is my impression of the kind of stats feedback I get from people I know who use them, who correspondingly think they are doing great because they are hitting lots of miles and going really fast and Im just grumpy because I keep doubting they really did. but as I say to them put it on Strava or it didnt happen, but they never do.

AK_jnr

I have a Tom Tom Runner 2 GPS watch which does HR on the wrist but can also record from a chest strap.
Only £100. Granted I only use it for running but it has a bike function too. It can also record swimming as well if its something you do.

dulwichiron

I have the Garmin vivosmart HR+. I got if for cyclocross where I don't want to use my normal Garmin 1000 as I have 2 bikes when racing.

I only use it for recording the gps trace and it's done that well this season. PBlakeney is right it's not easy to use as a speedo but I don't look at data when racing cross so it doesn't matter to me.

1 thing that has surprised me is how good the HR is. Lots of reviews said it would be flakey. I've not found that and now use it instead of my HR strap. I pair it with my Garmin 1000 when on the road.

bendertherobot

tyw214 wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

The Garmin Fenix 3 will change your life.

hmm interesting choice... will this show cycling speed? also does it have a built-in HR monitor or is it separate?

https://roubaixcycling.cc/2017/01/11/garmin-fenix-3/

Yes, and then some. This one doesn't have in built, some do, mine has a strap.

bsharp77

1. I don't need something so professional like the 520 ;x
2. would like not not lug another device for my bike ride i could just wear those watch/bands after taking them off from the handlebar.

1. There are loads of cheap cycling computers that will display the info you want for very little money - pick and choose the features you want within your price range

2. They are tiny - wouldn't exactly calling it lugging them around - and they can just stay on the bars - most have a quick release which will make them far easier to remove than trying to take a watch off the bars.

Much better to buy a dedicated device to do the exact job you want with no faffing around - I still use an old Garmin 800 and its one of the best bike accessories I ever bought.

bianchimoon

bendertherobot wrote:

The Garmin Fenix 3 will change your life.

As Bender says, there is no competition the Fenix 3 does it all

bianchimoon

easy to see on your wrist while cycling, or strap it to the bar. See any text messages you get while riding without stopping to check phone, press a button at the end of ride and it's saved to Garmin and strava. upload a route to it to follow for cycling or hiking and choose whatever watch face you want from the free app site

chris_bass

enough of this talk! i am currently trying not to spend money on stuff i don't really need but do really want, the fenix 3 or 5 being top of that list!

bendertherobot

I wonder if we'll see the 3 drop in price when the £500 5 arrives.........

bianchimoon

bendertherobot wrote:

I wonder if we'll see the 3 drop in price when the £500 5 arrives.........

still selling the 3 at £400 in local cotswolds outdoors - £290 at Blacks online recently.. bargain!

Tjgoodhew

I went for the Garmin Forerunner 230 recently and it would do everything you need it to do.

I commute by bike and wanted an alternative to either strava draining my phone or taking my garmin with me, but also a casual sports watch to wear during the day. Its GPS tracking seems pretty good and is more accurate than strava on my phone. It also pairs with my sensors to use as a back up for recording rides on the turbo in case my laptop dies

Got mine for £150 on wiggle

Man Of Lard

Doubtful at least at the start. Buy a 5 now and you're unlikely to see it before April.

thegreatdivide

Another vote for the Vivoactive HR GPS. Good review from DC Rainmaker as well.

I've had one for a few months now. I bought it for tracking my hiking, swimming and running and didn't want a chunky Fenix (sorry Fenix fans). I've run it in conjunction with my 810 on the bike and it's pretty damn close. It's also ANT+ so I've tested it synced up to the Garmin S/C units but not my power meter as of yet (although it'll only show power, it won't recorded the data). It'll upload to the Connect and Strava apps with no issues.

So if you don't want to buy an Edge unit I can't see a problem in buying one. It's not a FitBit.

bendertherobot

No need to apologise! I didn't want the chunky vivoactive!

thegreatdivide

bendertherobot wrote:

No need to apologise! I didn't want the chunky vivoactive!

The Vivoactive is not the Vivoactive HR GPS.

bendertherobot

I know, I couldn't be bothered typing the rest

slowbike

I wouldn't use a watch for displaying speed data whilst riding a bike ...

By all means - if you don't want a separate bike computer - get a smart watch and use that to record your activities - but if you want to do that and see speed - just get a cheap bike computer to put on your handlebars - heck, you could get one from Tesco - it'll display speed - and if you go fancy you can get a cadence feed as well - although it's probably not worth the wires - just the speed, measure off the front wheel and away you go - unless your name is Sagan - then it won't give you a speed when you're pulling wheelies down the road ... but then I guess you won't care ..

kingstongraham

Tjgoodhew wrote:

I went for the Garmin Forerunner 230 recently and it would do everything you need it to do.

I commute by bike and wanted an alternative to either strava draining my phone or taking my garmin with me, but also a casual sports watch to wear during the day. Its GPS tracking seems pretty good and is more accurate than strava on my phone. It also pairs with my sensors to use as a back up for recording rides on the turbo in case my laptop dies

Got mine for £150 on wiggle

Doesn't record power does it?

For me that's the only thing it is missing, and I wear mine pretty much all the time.

the_hundredth_idiot

bianchimoon wrote:

easy to see on your wrist while cycling, or strap it to the bar. See any text messages you get while riding without stopping to check phone, press a button at the end of ride and it's saved to Garmin and strava. upload a route to it to follow for cycling or hiking and choose whatever watch face you want from the free app site

I use a Fitbit Surge as it has GPS built in and syncs automatically to Strava at the end of the ride. You definitely can't use the Fitbit very much when actually riding, particularly this time of year when it's hidden under long-sleeve jerseys and winter gloves. I have an old Cateye Strada which I use for speed, distance and so on as I'm actually riding.

Having said that, I have just splashed out on a Garmin Edge 520 (with cadence and HR). Almost certainly over the top for what I will use it for, but what the heck ...

y33stu

Another vote for the Vivoactive HR GPS. It's the only watch I wear now. Use it to record all commutes. Before that I was recording commutes via Strava on an iPhone, which now seems tedious since having the Vivoactive. I'm generally not interested in speed or data while riding, so looking at the watch isn't really something I do often. If I'm doing a longer ride on a route I don't know I'll use the Garmin Edge 500 for the routefinder.

The Vivoactive also takes about 3 seconds to find GPS and also send ride data to Garmin connect and Strava, so I don't have to bother plugging the Garmin in, or faffing about with the iPhone in a back pocket.

The only downside to the Vivoactive is that there is no auto start/stop function, so my avg speeds appear to be way lower, but Strava fixes that when it syncs anyway. I also find the HR data to be near enough accurate. Not as accurate as the chest strap, but maybe by a few BPM at most.