Thinking about a smart watch for Christmas

Questions about bike hire abroad and everything light bike related. No off-topic chat please

Moderators: robbosmans, Moderator Team

joejack951
Posts: 1162
Joined: Fri Feb 18, 2005 6:50 pm
Location: Wilmington, DE
Contact:

by joejack951

EdWiser wrote:
Sat Sep 25, 2021 1:44 pm
My Apple Watch does it all and I can make calls if needed. Lastest OS added more cycling data and auto detect so you don’t even have to start the workout.
Not everyone (perhaps most) don’t concern themselves with poor weather as they simply avoid it, but for me the #1 reason to get a Garmin watch vs. an Apple Watch or simply using my phone was cold weather. Below 30F/0C my phone would turn off in the middle of activities and using a touchscreen in the rain is an exercise in frustration.

So while being able to take calls and having access to most of the features of my phone on my wrist sounded convenient, it was a non-starter for me.

nowtaps
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2021 4:05 am

by nowtaps

EdWiser wrote:
Sat Sep 25, 2021 1:44 pm
My Apple Watch does it all and I can make calls if needed. Lastest OS added more cycling data and auto detect so you don’t even have to start the workout.
I've tried both and there are two reasons why I think the Garmin is better:

1. Battery life and sleep tracking. I charge my Garmin once or twice a week while taking a shower and it has enough charge for at least another week. This also means it can track my HR for 24/7, and in my experience, as soon as I see my Resting HR shoots up, either I'm coming down with a cold or I got too drunk last night lol.

2. Data is easily accessible both in app, and on the web browser. This way, both the exercise data from the watch, and power data from Trainerroad/Zwift/Bike computer is all in one place. Technically, you can use Strava for this too, but Strava doesn't chart your Resting HR, your Sleep durations, and all the other watch metrics. Garmin Connect does.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



EdWiser
Posts: 188
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:50 pm

by EdWiser

Never even have to touch the Apple Watch to do things. There are hand gestures and voice. Apple Watch has sleep tracking and fast charging. Mine is used all day long form 6am to 11 pm.

cheapvega
Posts: 388
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2019 1:12 pm

by cheapvega

Update on this

So initially I had a little Fitbit Inspire 2. Cheap display, but its step and sleep reporting were great. I got a Garmin Vivoactive 4 for Christmas. So disappointing. The display was not great. The sleep and step tracking were TERRIBLE. It grossly overreported sleep, and I'm guessing used GPS to report steps because it under reported steps within small distances. I went back to a Fitbit Versa 2- much better. Same old Fitbit step + sleep accuracy with a better screen. I will just stick to my Bolt for my bike computer. Works fine

robeambro
Posts: 1829
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:21 pm

by robeambro

Sorry to derail

Was wondering, is there any smart watch that just does two things
- tells time
- tells you everything about your recovery state (think Whoop, but without paying)

mcfarton
Posts: 194
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 5:15 pm

by mcfarton

robeambro wrote:Sorry to derail

Was wondering, is there any smart watch that just does two things
- tells time
- tells you everything about your recovery state (think Whoop, but without paying)
Any decent Garmin does that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

robeambro
Posts: 1829
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:21 pm

by robeambro

mcfarton wrote:
Fri Mar 04, 2022 2:44 am
robeambro wrote:Sorry to derail

Was wondering, is there any smart watch that just does two things
- tells time
- tells you everything about your recovery state (think Whoop, but without paying)
Any decent Garmin does that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Any decent Garmin like my 735xt has only basic analytics for sleep and doesn't even pick up when I wake up in the middle of the night. Likewise, it only has RHR.

I wanted to understand what platform has the best (ie more Whoop-like) set of analytics.

Post Reply