Sport/Cycling Watches: Why you bought the one you did?

[Always-Learnin]

I am interested in getting a new watch but there are so many to choose from I’m somewhat overwhelmed and fearful of overspending and/or getting something I don’t really need. I have an iPhone 15 pro max ultra and Garmin 1050 Solar currently so I could go Apple or Garmin or…? I have developed a heart condition so health features are a consideration. I’m open to any ideas, comments, and direction. Thanks for your participation.

 

[cpml123]

I am interested in getting a new watch but there are so many to choose from I’m somewhat overwhelmed and fearful of overspending and/or getting something I don’t really need. I have an iPhone 15 pro max ultra and Garmin 1050 Solar currently so I could go Apple or Garmin or…? I have developed a heart condition so health features are a consideration. I’m open to any ideas, comments, and direction. Thanks for your participation.

I am glad you are asking for people's experience! I wish I had thought of it. I bought a white Garmin Venu 3 a few months back. So far it's been mostly good. It's more of a daily dress watch than a sports watch. I use it to track heart rate, sleep, etc. Battery life is good at around 12 days.

it has many sports function but I haven't tried any. For biking I realized I would rather look at the computer than my watch. And I hate running. That's why I bike.

It does have a function of broadcasting heart rate which I thought I was going to use instead of my heart rate monitor when I bike. However, after doing side by side comparison when I biked on Trainerroad, I realized that it's not accurate at high heat rate >125ish, probably because it's on the wrist and there is too much bouncing.

That's my 2 cents on Venu 3.

 

[Damien]

Don't buy Apple Watch (owner here). Battery life is a joke. Garmin is much more reliable choice.

 

[Flying Dutchman]

I'm now on my 3rd Forerunner (Garmin) as I have literally worn them out (started with a 45, then the 235 and now the 245). Am very happy with them, good and reliable connection with phone (Android), good battery life (depending how much GPS you use) and more functionality than I actually use. However I have personally not looked into specific heart monitoring, I believe the latest versions also do heart variance but in your situation I would certainly look around for those kinds of functions and not limit to Garmin and Apple.

 

[CruzRider]

I used to own an Apple Watch too when I was riding DF. I can’t wear a watch now since I have carpal tunnel.

Pros:
1. Great health tracking features. My doctor thought the watch was accurate enough and didn’t need to take my HR again.
2. Great integration with the phone.
3. Could take phone calls if urgent
4. Good way to supplement the wahoo head unit. Weather data etc.
5. Has better cycling integration now - power meters, etc.
6. Felt comfortable enough to ditch the phone on occasion and just ride with the watch (mine had cellular)
7. Very easy (but not necessarily advanced) tracking of all Types of activities.
8. So many general purpose things you can do with all its Apps

Cons:
1.Not a replacement for the wahoo head unit. Too much functionality missing: Radar, Strava Integeation, Segments, etc.
3. Inconvenient to look at my wrist all the time
4. No HR broadcast. Still had to wear a separate HR strap.
5. Battery life meant I had to charge each night. Not a big deal since I was not wearing it at night anyway.
6. Bad activities integration. I was still using Strava for that.

If I could wear a watch, I would get an Apple Watch again. Not as a replacement for my Wahoo, but complementary to it. Also would keep my Strava. I would also use Apple Watch as a tracker for my gym and walks.

 

[MNBentRider]

I've had an Apple Watch for years, and am a big fan of it. Battery life can be an issue, but you can gain a lot by turning off the always on display, and also by restricting notifications. I can also recommend the WorkOutDoors app, which gives you a lot of customization choice so that you can show the statistics that you are interested in while riding.

I've also appreciated the Footpath App for creating routes (including trails) that can be sent to my watch with turn-by-turn directions. That was a nice feature before I got my bike computer; now I send those directions to the bike computer instead, which is easier than constantly looking at my watch. But it was nice to have.

I mainly track distance, time on the bike, and active calories burned, and not much else, so I can't really speak to other features. I will say that when I've crashed on the bike, I've appreciated the fall detection asking me if I was alright as I do a lot of solo rides. Knowing that if I crash and am unresponsive it can notify family and call 911 gives me some peace of mind.

 

[IyhelM]

Depending on your wrist size, some watches might not give you an accurate heart monitoring while riding; I reckon it is less of a problem on recumbents than on uprights but look for specific feedback before buying.
Me I’m quite happy with my 6 years old Applewatch but for long rides I use a Garmin Edge with a chest band.

 

[Bo6]

I use a Garmin forerunner 955 and have worn out a couple of earlier models. Don't use all functions and use a handlebar mount on the bike. Also use it for cross-country skiing. Good battery life and reasonable data presentation on Garmin connect.

 

[kizarmynot]

I use a Garmin Instinct 2X Solar. Battery life is about 40 days, and the solar helps extend that. Standard health tracking, as well as HR transmittal to head unit. Also can record rides when a head unit is not used (like commuting). It does a lot more that I haven't played with yet.
Very satisfied with the purchase.