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These look awesome! I am just getting into cycling but have yet to invest in a bike computer. Currently use the Apple Watch to track everything. Do you know If

These look awesome! I am just getting into cycling but have yet to invest in a bike computer. Currently use the Apple Watch to track everything. Do you know If you can speed/distance/heart rate from the Apple Watch? If so, it would be an instant purchase.

davidw 5y ago
The Wahoo Elemnt is a very nice bike computer. Has all the functionality you need, including nice maps, plus a long battery life.
- alphakilo 5y ago
  I'd take the Hammerhead Karoo 2 over the Elemnt or Bolt :) More consistent updates, built on android (sideloading for apps!), and upward trajectory
  - TrueGeek 5y ago
    I’m partial to the Wahoo since they’re in Atlanta and I’ve got to root for the home team. My biggest gripe with the Karoo is that since it’s running a full Android OS the UI should be gorgeous and it’s just... not. They didn’t even modify the title bar. It just shows the time and battery like any old Android phone. I’d love to see them hire a brilliant UX team and just really polish it.
wiredfool 5y ago
The watch can do it, but you’ll get better gps on the phone. I’m using Cyclemeter, generally pretty happy with it. It will work with on the watch, or on the phone using the watch for HRM. It’s not really useful for checking while riding though, it’s more along the lines of a data logger. Might be a bit different with a mount for the phone, but I avoid having visible elevtronics while riding.
- ladberg 5y ago
  I believe if the phone is in range the watch will use the phone's GPS. I record all my rides on my watch but my phone is always on my handlebars or in a backpack and I'm pretty sure it uses it.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- mbreese 5y ago
  Careful though - the phone GPS can be significantly worse than a watch. I don’t cycle, but run a lot (I average ~135 miles a month). Anytime I’m on a long run where I care to know what my actual distance or path was (like a marathon), I have to turn off the Bluetooth connection between my phone and watch. If I don’t, then the GPS in my phone is used. That GPS signal is susceptible to fluctuations based upon which tower is “visible” (A-GPS). I’ve had it happen where I go through tunnel and the phones GPS thinks I’ve magically run a mile in the opposite direction. Some of my Strava traces look like they are all scribbles. I’ve had this happen with multiple phones over the years. Also, over the course of a marathon, with my phone GPS, the distance has been up to a mile off. For my last marathon, my watch (w/o Bluetooth on) was only 0.1 miles off. I’m not sure how much of a problem this is for cycling, given the differences in speed and distance, but for running, it can be quite the problem. Note: I have the cellular Apple Watch, but I don’t think it uses A-GPS.
  - wiredfool 5y ago
    I’ve got a series 6 non-cell watch, and a 6s plus. (And an iPad mini 2 with cell) The phone and iPad will generally show the path I take relatively accurately, including side of the road, and In some cases lane positioning. The few times I’ve used the watch on its own(for walks), it’s been significantly worse, with paths going off through nearby houses. Either the frequency of locations is lower, or the accuracy is worse. I probably wouldn’t get another watch after living with one for a few months. The heart rate is interesting, the apple pay is nice but not that much better than the phone, and sleep tracking is iffy. This may change if I can get good haptic way finding working, but that’s going to be a Project.
KennyBlanken 5y ago
As a very experienced cyclist, thinking back to when I was getting started, my advice is to not worry about something like this. None of the data the glasses display, except for power, are of any real value to the degree that you need to see them constantly. Heartrate is pretty worthless, and I actually often make a point of NOT looking at distance, like on a longer ride - it can make the ride feel like it's dragging out. Especially with an out-in-front computer mount which are very common these days, glancing down at your bike computer really isn't much of a hassle at all. Consider spending money on things that will make you more likely to ride, such as clothing for different weather conditions - or if by cycling you mean "for transportation", things that will increase the utility of your bike. If you want really good mapping and routing, check out the Hammerhead Karoo head units, which run Android. Top-notch routing. The garmins are...OK. Garmin's definitely been far too cozy (little serious competition.)
- harshaw 5y ago
  Power data is most useful when you are training for specific zones or as check when you are going to hard/easy. Of course, this requires a ant+ power meter but these are getting cheaper these days. Probably the best upgrade is a lower end pedal based power meter. Heart rate, again, I find more useful for training, but in some cases can indicate fatigue that you may not actually feel in the moment.
- earleybird 5y ago
  It's been a while since riding regularly but I would ride to my heartrate and the kms & time disappeared from focus.
- nradov 5y ago
  I find heart rate extremely useful for training and racing. It lets me see whether I'm above or below my sustainable threshold.
- petethepig 5y ago
  I am an unexperienced cyclist, got into it when covid started, and I'm having an opposite experience — I've loved getting new sensors and geeking out on metrics and seeing how they all interact with each other. It motivated me to go out more for sure. Getting a heart rate sensor actually helped me to climb more efficiently — when I first got it I noticed that I was going too hard and my heart rate would go too high and I would have to stop and rest. Now I know that if I just keep my heart rate below a certain number I can go non stop for a much longer time. RE Garmin — my first computer was a xoss g+, which was pretty good. And I recently switched to garmin edge 530 because I'm planning to get a power meter soon and I have to say I'm not a big fan — screen quality and navigation are kinda crapy for the amount of money they ask for it.

davidw 5y ago

The Wahoo Elemnt is a very nice bike computer. Has all the functionality you need, including nice maps, plus a long battery life.

alphakilo 5y ago
I'd take the Hammerhead Karoo 2 over the Elemnt or Bolt :) More consistent updates, built on android (sideloading for apps!), and upward trajectory
- TrueGeek 5y ago
  I’m partial to the Wahoo since they’re in Atlanta and I’ve got to root for the home team. My biggest gripe with the Karoo is that since it’s running a full Android OS the UI should be gorgeous and it’s just... not. They didn’t even modify the title bar. It just shows the time and battery like any old Android phone. I’d love to see them hire a brilliant UX team and just really polish it.

wiredfool 5y ago

The watch can do it, but you’ll get better gps on the phone. I’m using Cyclemeter, generally pretty happy with it. It will work with on the watch, or on the phone using the watch for HRM. It’s not really useful for checking while riding though, it’s more along the lines of a data logger. Might be a bit different with a mount for the phone, but I avoid having visible elevtronics while riding.

ladberg 5y ago
I believe if the phone is in range the watch will use the phone's GPS. I record all my rides on my watch but my phone is always on my handlebars or in a backpack and I'm pretty sure it uses it.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
mbreese 5y ago
Careful though - the phone GPS can be significantly worse than a watch. I don’t cycle, but run a lot (I average ~135 miles a month). Anytime I’m on a long run where I care to know what my actual distance or path was (like a marathon), I have to turn off the Bluetooth connection between my phone and watch. If I don’t, then the GPS in my phone is used. That GPS signal is susceptible to fluctuations based upon which tower is “visible” (A-GPS). I’ve had it happen where I go through tunnel and the phones GPS thinks I’ve magically run a mile in the opposite direction. Some of my Strava traces look like they are all scribbles. I’ve had this happen with multiple phones over the years. Also, over the course of a marathon, with my phone GPS, the distance has been up to a mile off. For my last marathon, my watch (w/o Bluetooth on) was only 0.1 miles off. I’m not sure how much of a problem this is for cycling, given the differences in speed and distance, but for running, it can be quite the problem. Note: I have the cellular Apple Watch, but I don’t think it uses A-GPS.
- wiredfool 5y ago
  I’ve got a series 6 non-cell watch, and a 6s plus. (And an iPad mini 2 with cell) The phone and iPad will generally show the path I take relatively accurately, including side of the road, and In some cases lane positioning. The few times I’ve used the watch on its own(for walks), it’s been significantly worse, with paths going off through nearby houses. Either the frequency of locations is lower, or the accuracy is worse. I probably wouldn’t get another watch after living with one for a few months. The heart rate is interesting, the apple pay is nice but not that much better than the phone, and sleep tracking is iffy. This may change if I can get good haptic way finding working, but that’s going to be a Project.

KennyBlanken 5y ago

As a very experienced cyclist, thinking back to when I was getting started, my advice is to not worry about something like this. None of the data the glasses display, except for power, are of any real value to the degree that you need to see them constantly. Heartrate is pretty worthless, and I actually often make a point of NOT looking at distance, like on a longer ride - it can make the ride feel like it's dragging out. Especially with an out-in-front computer mount which are very common these days, glancing down at your bike computer really isn't much of a hassle at all. Consider spending money on things that will make you more likely to ride, such as clothing for different weather conditions - or if by cycling you mean "for transportation", things that will increase the utility of your bike. If you want really good mapping and routing, check out the Hammerhead Karoo head units, which run Android. Top-notch routing. The garmins are...OK. Garmin's definitely been far too cozy (little serious competition.)

harshaw 5y ago
Power data is most useful when you are training for specific zones or as check when you are going to hard/easy. Of course, this requires a ant+ power meter but these are getting cheaper these days. Probably the best upgrade is a lower end pedal based power meter. Heart rate, again, I find more useful for training, but in some cases can indicate fatigue that you may not actually feel in the moment.
earleybird 5y ago
It's been a while since riding regularly but I would ride to my heartrate and the kms & time disappeared from focus.
nradov 5y ago
I find heart rate extremely useful for training and racing. It lets me see whether I'm above or below my sustainable threshold.
petethepig 5y ago
I am an unexperienced cyclist, got into it when covid started, and I'm having an opposite experience — I've loved getting new sensors and geeking out on metrics and seeing how they all interact with each other. It motivated me to go out more for sure. Getting a heart rate sensor actually helped me to climb more efficiently — when I first got it I noticed that I was going too hard and my heart rate would go too high and I would have to stop and rest. Now I know that if I just keep my heart rate below a certain number I can go non stop for a much longer time. RE Garmin — my first computer was a xoss g+, which was pretty good. And I recently switched to garmin edge 530 because I'm planning to get a power meter soon and I have to say I'm not a big fan — screen quality and navigation are kinda crapy for the amount of money they ask for it.