rbrides

I like riding with my Apple Watch because I can make phone calls with it in emergencies or when necessary and I don't have to carry my iPhone. Battery life is too short for Multiday bikepacking trips, and, in my opinion, it does a poor job with apps/syncing/other functions. Those are big shortcomings for my cycling needs. None of the "fitness" watches that I found have phone capabilities. Garmin Inreach and the new Motorola Defy look good for REAL emergencies but seem costly and no actual phone capabilities.

Is there a phone/wristwatch anyone has used that they really like? Is there an alternative to Apple Watch?

cuevélo

The Garmin Venu 2 can be used to place a call through your phone, but you have to carry it. I think it also has better battery life than Apple watches, but not nearly as good as a more specific sport watch. I don't think there's a silver bullet out there that combines the best qualities of every watch.

Leamdav

Honestly, the best thing I got to replace the apple watch/phone tracking for bike rides, was getting a Wahoo Bike Computer. I got the Bolt v1 used on ebay. Battery life is great, and the data collection is so much better. I connected teh wahoo app to apple health so i still get the tracking, through strava, to apple fitness, if you are concerned with that.

njkayaker

With multiday battery life and making phone calls?

No.

(Apple watch would already have multiday battery life if it was possible.)

Calsun

I have a nylon pouch that attaches with Velcro straps and hangs below the top tube of the bike. It adds less than 7 ounces to the bike or a lot less than a water bottle. The Garmin watches can vibrate to alert you to a call on your phone and for me that is good enough.

Garmin fitness watches can carry a charge for anywhere from 2 days to 4 weeks depending on how many features are turned on and the size of the watch (larger watches have larger batteries).

mschwett 

Apple Watch ultra plus a small battery in your bag or pocket?

Polaris OBark

Check out the Garmin Venu 2+ It will work with your iPhone and do what you want.

njkayaker

He doesn't want to carry his phone.

Polaris OBark

Motorola Satellite link.

njkayaker

He rejected that option.

========================

It looks like he wants a watch with more features than the Apple watch (which "does a poor job with apps/syncing/other functions") along with a longer battery life and does not want to carry his phone.

What he wants is an iPhone on his wrist with longer battery life. If Apple (or anybody) could do that, they would have.

What he wants is not available.

mschwett 

i always chuckle at the anti-apple/etc vibe that suggests that somehow someway there is fundamentally better tech available than that which big tech literally spends a ton of dollars to develop. apple spent $100 billion in r+d over five years, wearables are around 10% of their revenue, it’s reasonable to guess they spent $10b developing the apple watch over that time. probably more than the entire cycling industry 😂

it’s safe to say a watch which runs apps, acts as a cell phone by itself, but has a week of battery life is not possible with current technology.

the OP would probably be best served by an ultra or dedicated fitness watch with a medium sized eftevrsl battery in their bag or pocket.

njkayaker

If any such device existed, it seems it would be at least as well-known as the Apple watch. That is, it’s odd to be asking about it here.

I don’t think it’s “anti-Apple” since he has an iPhone and an Apple watch.

He rejected this option.

The issues with the Apple Watch isn’t just battery life: “it does a poor job with apps/syncing/other functions”. The Ultra won’t be any different.

Some of the people responding to this thread don’t seem to realize this obvious thing. Some of them didn’t seem to read what he wrote (and suggested things he rejected).

Polaris OBark

In the future, I'll be sure to check in with you before making the mistake of offering a potentially helpful suggestion.

It is delightful to have so many self-appointed gate-keepers on BikeForums to help maintain this ultra-high level of dispassionate, informed discourse.

njkayaker

No, you really only have to read the post you replied to.

Since he rejected what you suggested, it wasn’t helpful (not even “potentially”).

You ain’t contributing “ultra-high level of dispassionate, informed discourse” if you ignore what you are replying to. This is a basic thing to screw up and you managed to do it twice!

rbrides

Thanks all for your time and energy to respond and contribute. The ultimate for me would be the convience of a wrist-wearable phone with 5-7 day battery life. As has been stated already, that does not exist. For my standard group rides and day trips in the future I'll just keep using my Apple Watch so I can make calls/text if an emergency arises. For my future week-long deep woods bikepacking trips, I am going to test the Motorola Defy. Since cellular service is usually not available in those remote areas for any phone, the satellite texting and SOS feature should work. I'll have to take my iPhone which is not ideal but it is what it is.

Polaris OBark

Sorry, I got side-tracked somehow. I just got the Motorola defy (thread here describing first impressions). Briefly, you can use it in a very limited capacity even if your phone is at home or dead. In addition to the SOS button, you can pre-set the "check in" button to send one of a variety of messages to pre-selected recipients. So if all you need is to send a message that says "i'm ok" or "I need to be picked up", along with your coordinates (longitude and latitude), then this will be sufficient, and you can leave your phone at home. I just tested this functionality yesterday, and it works great (even in a place that has sketchy satellite service -- a redwood tree-lined canyon).

I got mine at REI. In two days, they are having some sort of sale for members that would effectively knock off $20 from the price.

Best of luck!

Polaris OBark

You really have a bizarre ability to misinterpret everything. I guess sarcasm is a bit too complex for you?

I'll type slowly, so you might have a better chance of grasping this: Internet discussion forums facilitate discussion, which typically involves a bit of back-and-forth interaction to understand the intent of the initial question, etc. That is why it is called a discussion. Sometimes discussions deviate from the initial topic. Sometimes people make suggestions that aren't based on correct assumptions. That is the nature of a discussion. In general, discussions don't require the intervention of self-appointed, sanctimonious forum police.

The OP is perfectly capable of managing the discussion and does not require your constant intervention.

Get it?

Welcome (back) to my iggy list.

njkayaker

Yes, the OP is likely quite clear you ignored what he wrote.

Why do you think I care about your ignore list?

Troul 

I've considered the Garmin Venu 2, but I'm not entirely sure what would make going with the music edition other than the obvious, beneficial to pick it?

rbrides

I didn't notice in the product description that it would send a variety of (pre-created) messages without the phone. That is a real positive for me, thanks.

njkayaker

Sounds like the product doesn't work that well.

Read about his interesting experience here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/electroni...lite-link.html

Polaris OBark

You have to choose one in advance.

However, I am having a great deal of trouble getting mine to work properly with the "check in" button. It worked once today, and then failed 3 more times. It undermines my confidence that the "SOS" button will work when/if I should ever need it. There is a firmware update, but I cannot get that to complete either. They just rolled this out 12 days ago, so hopefully they will get some of these glitches sorted. But it does have promise.

Polaris OBark

When I suggested that (the Plus version), I misunderstood what the OP was asking for.

njkayaker

This is stupid. So, you are not allowing me to do what you say is allowed. You aren’t making any sense here!

Nothing I said was out of the scope of what you say is “the nature of a discussion”.

Yet, here you are!

Anyway, you didn't read what the OP wrote. It's not entirely believable that you didn't understand it (it wasn't "complex").

Calsun

The latest iphone 14 models have satelitte communications for use in an emergency to send out texts for help.

When I ride I take an iphone but leave it turned off. I do not want to interrupt my ride to answer a phone call that can wait until I am back in my car or at the house.