There are currently some great cycling watches on the market right now.
We’ve come to expect that all our devices deliver data – tracking your exercise progress is the new standard. However, it’s not just athletes who want to analyse their fitness data. Beginners want to track their information because it allows them to set goals and improve.
When it comes to cycling, most people start off by downloading Strava. This is a great app for measuring distance, speed and personal best records. But apps like this run constantly during your session and are a big drain on a phone’s battery. Many don’t give you the opportunity to monitor your heart rate, so cyclists have started looking toward wearable tech as an alternative to phone apps.
Here are awesome suggestions of cycling watches for those who have gotten into cycling recently and found a love for it, or the more advanced rider.
1. Fitbit Sense
Fitbit’s fitness trackers revolutionised the world of everyday activity monitoring, and the company has continued to improve their devices, making them more sophisticated and appealing to riders seeking sport-specific capabilities.
The Versa 3 boasts more than 20 sport modes (including biking) and onboard GPS (as opposed to prior Fitbits that relied on smartphone GPS), and cardiac fitness monitoring owing to its wrist-based heart rate sensor. There’s also sleep tracking, as well as step counts and calorie expenditure.
Fitbit Pay and music streaming are also featured.
Now that Google owns Fitbit, the Versa 3 is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, allowing you to control your smart devices with your voice.
Finally, the battery life is remarkable, and the charging time is minimal.
Compare prices and choose your favorite supplier from this list:
| Product | Supplier | |||
| Fitbit Sense 2 | Amazon | View offer | ||
| Fitbit Sense 2 | eBay | View offer | ||
| Fitbit Sense 2 | Fitbit | View offer | ||
| Fitbit Sense | Target | View offer |
2. Fitbit Versa 3
Fitbit is the go-to name for those getting into fitness. The Fitbit Versa 3 is an outstanding wearable with inbuilt GPS and some design changes. It’s more of a fitness tracker than a smartwatch, like its predecessor. Great battery life, a better display than before, and a slew of fitness stats make this an appealing and cheap Apple Watch competitor.
It boasts a reasonable price tag and a long list of fitness monitoring features, including a SpO2 sensor that measures blood oxygen levels overnight.
Instead of a physical button like the Versa 2, the Versa 3 now features an indent on the left of the case that looks like the Fitbit Charge 3’s inductive button. With the exception of stress management and enhanced cardiac monitoring, the Versa 3 is a lovely wearable that can do a lot of what the Fitbit Sense does. That means it’s less costly than the Sense, but somewhat more so than the Versa 2. However, the somewhat higher launch price is more than justified by built-in GPS, a bigger 1.58-inch AMOLED display (the same as the Sense), and a SpO2 sensor.
As you’d expect from a Fitbit gadget, performance is great. The battery life is about 6 days. The GPS isn’t as precise as it is on some of the other bands we’ve looked at, but for the typical user, that won’t be an issue. The heart rate monitor on the Versa 2 is more accurate.
Alexa and Google Assistant are also on hand to assist you in managing your smart home and answering queries.
3. Polar Vantage V2
The Polar Vantage V2 seems to be an unapologetically sporty fitness watch that’s so light (51g) and easy to wear that you’ll forget it’s there. The battery life is outstanding (up to 40 hours with GPS and seven days without). In fact, you may wind up with a dead battery since charging it is never a part of your daily routine. The Vantage V2 connects with BLE-compatible sensors, such as power metres, in addition to external heart rate straps, which is common fare at this point.
The watch is easy to use, the controls are straightforward, and the app guides you through the setting process. It syncs training data with third-party sites like Strava and Training Peaks, and it has sleep, recovery, and stress monitoring that matches the Whoop Strap. Our sample’s battery life hasn’t deteriorated after three months of usage. When compared to wearing a chest strap, the optical heart rate sensor seems to be less prone to erroneous readings than comparable watches.
4. Polar Grit X
Polar’s Grit X, which is priced in the midpoint of the market, will appeal to outdoor enthusiasts because to its adventure-specific features. One of its most striking ones is the ability to separate your uphill and downhill efforts via the Hill Splitter function, which is excellent for adventuring in remote parts of the world.
Whenever the gradient changes, automated splits are generated, so you won’t have to remember to push any buttons at the bottom of the climb to monitor your progress. Its ability to deliver reminders as to when you should eat and drink, depending on the data it collects. The watch’s capacity to alert the wearer of impending weather fronts is also extremely helpful.
When used in conjunction with the route-planning tool Komoot, it will also offer turn-by-turn directions. And, though you won’t receive a map on your wrist, merely a compass and breadcrumb trail, it’s still a great feature — provided, of course, that you have the required membership.
More practically, the Grit X has all of the standard sports watch capabilities, such as heart rate tracking, GPS, Bluetooth connectivity with a power metre, and the ability to lead you through daily exercises. There’s lot of cycling-specific functionality here, but older sensors won’t work because there’s no ANT+ connection. Other minor connection drawbacks include the absence of several smartwatch functionality, such as contactless payments and Spotify track skipping.
A long-lasting battery powers the Grit X. In training mode with GPS and wrist-based heart rate, the battery life may be prolonged up to seven days using one of the several power saving modes available.
The complete system is bundled up in a very sturdy and waterproof casing, with a medium-sized 1.2-inch screen and weighs just 64g.
5. Garmin Forerunner 920XT
More expensive, granted, but this watch is fantastic for cyclists. The Garmin Forerunner 920XT is a watch recommended for those who are graduating from the beginner cyclist level and going into the semi-pro stage. It offers a coach that stays close to you all the time.
This cycling watch not only helps with your cycling proficiency but will also monitor your sleep and step count. It has a GPS function that will allow you to compare your ride with friends’ and anyone else on the internet. If you want the addition of a heart rate monitor, it’s there.
The 920XT can be a powerful cycling companion if you have the budget to further invest in the ANT+ power meter and/or a speed sensor.
The reason it’s great for those really getting into their sport is the advanced features like VO2 maximum, which learns as you use it. It tells you how much your fitness is improving and over time becomes more accurate about your unique abilities. By the time it’s learnt this about you, it can predict race times and set a realistic target based on where your training is at. Something a pro might be able to do for themselves, and it’ll help you learn how.
6. Garmin Fenix 6 Series
The Fenix 6 Pro is Garmin’s current release encompassing the most recent Elevate heart rate sensor. This is great for fitness tracking enthusiasts. Utilise the Body Battery, which monitors your energy levels. Advanced sleep and stress tracking are also incredibly useful. Use the constant heart rate monitor to get a great snapshot of your current fitness level.
The Fenix 6 Pro is, without doubt, one of the leading multisport smartwatches on the market at the moment. It comes with adventure tracking as well as more general performance. There’s a great GPS mapping capability that will cover you for any outdoor activity you might want to engage in.
The battery life is decent for an adventure watch, offering 36 hours in GPS mode, and a whopping 336 hours without using the bells and whistles. Those being a barometer, thermometer, accelerometer, pedometer and gyroscope.
It comes with 32GB onboard storage and you can use it with your favourite music apps like Spotify and Deezer.
The only variation between the 6 and 6 Pro is that the crown is constructed of titanium, resulting in a somewhat lighter watch. The Pro Solar model is identical to the Pro and Sapphire variants in terms of functionality. However, the Pro Solar is the only model featuring Solar Power Glass, which can harness solar energy to increase battery life.
It’s 47mm by 47mm with a thickness of 1.47cm. The case is made of carbon with Gorilla Glass (protecting the 260 x 260-pixel display), which is great for resisting bumps and scrapes. It’s also waterproof with a 10ATM rating.
| Garmin Product | Supplier | |
| Fenix 7 | Amazon | View Offer |
| Fenix 7 | eBay | View Offer |
| Fenix 7 | Garmin | View Offer |
| Fenix 7 | Target | View Offer |
7. Garmin Enduro
With Power Glass solar charging, Garmin’s new premium multisport watch can last up to 80 hours in GPS mode and 65 days in smartwatch mode.
If you’re going cycling for the day or camping in the wilderness for a few, the Enduro is ideal.
Of course, at this price, you’d expect a lot of functionality, but the Fenix 6 range does offer a little more, particularly in terms of mapping. There is also no offline music storage. Although the button arrangement is identical to that of the Fenix 6, the Enduro offers extra trail running functions inherited from the Garmin Forerunner.
The build quality is excellent, and it appears to be as tough as the name implies.
8. Garmin Forerunner 945
The Forerunner 945 incorporates bit from the Fenix 5 Plus and replaces the metal bezel with plastic, as well as adding a few extras like internal music storage and contactless payments.
It has Bluetooth ANT+ and WiFi connectivity works with a variety of sensors, including power metres, can connect to multiple satellite location networks, and even Garmin’s ClimbPro, altitude, and heat acclimation features. Which were first introduced with the Edge 530 and 830 cycling computers.
The watch has a battery life of 36 hours in ultra-track mode, and it has an Elevate optical HR sensor with Pulse Ox data – and it’s a lot less expensive than the Fenix smartwatches.
9. Suunto 7
The Suunto 7 is suitable for wearing daily. It’s also a loyal friend for adventures. If you’re into doing sports every single day, this is the perfect watch for you. It offers over 70 sport modes, a heart rate monitor and GPS mode. It gives the user a unique sports experience. It’ll accurately analyse all your training.
It works on Wear OS and so it’ll deliver your important notifications without being connected to your smartphone.
It’s a great unisex watch with many custom options. There are a lot of handy options for both sports and daily use. You can, of course, also use your favourite apps with it, too. It comes with smartwatch features which are mostly compatible with Android (being a Wear OS device). These include contactless payment.
You can enjoy convenient access to offline outdoor maps that work with Strava and Endomondo.
As for the design, it’s robust. It’s 50mm x 50mm x 15.3mm and made of steel with a silicon strap. It has a high-res touchscreen which is protected by scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass. The battery life lasts up to 48 hours in smartwatch mode or 12 hours in GPS mode. It has a 50ATM water-resistance rating.
10. Suunto 9 Baro
The 9 Baro from Suunto is a high-end touchscreen wearable with barometric pressure reading.
This Finnish device packs a lot of features into a little package that’s easy to use. This will deliver as much information as you will ever need to track your activity and fitness and non-exercise actions as you go about your day. The Suunto 9 Baro is suitable for, of course, cycling. But also running, swimming, trekking, and mountaineering, with more than 80 sport profiles to choose from.
Suunto’s battery management technology is amazing. In fact, users are consistently impressed with the battery life if they’re using it for a variety of activity tracking 24/7 wear (including sleep monitoring). In fact, you can expect to wait at least 7 days before even considering charging.
Don’t forget the Suunto 9 Peak is available for order now.
11. Coros Apex
The Coros Apex is a premium sports watch with a data-driven design. Do you want to improve your cadence? Do you want to know how much training you’ll be doing this week? Everything you need is there at your fingertips.
This multi-sports watch has a basic, clever appearance that conceals a multitude of functions that assist runners, bikers, swimmers, and other athletes monitor their performance and improve. It’s packed with smart features that make life simpler in the water or on the mountains, and it comes with a fantastic companion app for analysing data later.
The Apex isn’t meant to compete for wrist real estate with an Apple Watch or a Samsung Galaxy Watch; it’s a watch made for running, cycling, and swimming. There are no payment options, Spotify integration, or third-party applications available.
Spec
There are two sizes to choose from, each with a little different pricing. The 42mm model is much less expensive than the 46mm variant. Both are expensive for a sports watch, but much less so than Garmin’s top-of-the-line Fenix line.
The Coros Apex has a colour LCD screen with durable sapphire glass, regardless of whatever model you choose. As you’d anticipate from a multi-sport watch, the band is silicone with a quick-release clasp.
To guarantee the greatest possible coverage throughout the globe, GPS, GLONASS, and BDS are used for navigation, together with a compass, gyroscope, altimeter, and accelerometer for precise activity monitoring. The watch has an optical heart rate sensor on the rear that monitors your pulse during the day, but no ECG.
The watch is water-resistant to a depth of 100 metres, making it ideal for swimming in both pools and open water. It comes with a little package of rubber plugs to cover the charging socket, which is a nice touch (presumably in case you lose one). This is an odd option since we’d expect the water/dust cover to be connected to the watch in some way.
Coros predicts that the battery will last 25 hours in full GPS mode and 24 days when used casually. We put the watch through its paces over many weeks, including daily runs, and only had to charge it once.
12. Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE
The Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE is very close to the Forerunner 945. Except it has a smaller case width and comes with the latest version of Garmin Elevate heart rate sensor as well as LTE cellular connection. It’s also cheaper at launch than the 945. But the LTE is the device’s main emphasis, and it works well for ensuring the safety and awareness of your friends and family when you walk outdoors to engage in an activity.
The integrated LTE cellular connection is the most significant new feature, allowing runners who want to cycle with a smartphone. Garmin watches gained onboard music and Garmin Pay over time, but reaching someone in an emergency still necessitated bringing your smartphone with you while out for a run, hike, bike ride, stroll, or other outdoor activity. The new Forerunner 945 LTE may be used to transmit critical information to local emergency services, or data directly to family and friends so they can track your activities or react to an incident detection event.
Summary
When getting into a sport it’s a good idea to start off at the budget end when you’re buying accessories. Cyclists have specific data requirements and beginners need to start slowly to avoid being overwhelmed. This list provides progressive recommendations from the Fitbit, working up to a Garmin or Polar. All the watches mentioned cater to the needs of a cyclist, but allow the user time to grow into their sport, to train and learn.
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Last Updated on February 3, 2022
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