hnasir

Hey, trying to decide on my next bicycle investment.

Amazon has this Garmin vívoactive HR GPS Smart Watch, Regular fit - Black on sale for 140 USD. It has a HR function, and can sync with the Cadence/speed sensors for the bike which is another ~40 extra, will also give elevation etc etc.

On the flip side, the other option is a dedicated bicycle computer like the 520 or 820, which is around 300 with the cadence/speed sensor.

Any opinions on using either? Main goal is to track cycling data, progress etc, eventually training for a century!

stockae92

My issue with the Garmin is the wrist based oHR sensor. If you put it on the handle bar, you lose the HR data. If you put it on your wrist, its just hard to read.

What I have is the Fexni 3 on the handle bar, and the vivoActive HR on the wrist to broadcast the HR to my Fenix 3, so that it can collect HR data as well.

If you have to go with just one for cycling, I would do the cycling computer.

johnny99

GPS watch is fine for tracking where you have been. The GPS is probably more accurate than the GPS in your smartphone. Some of the GPS watches have a built-in altimeter, which is a great feature. The main advantage of a dedicated bicycle computer is the bigger screen is much easier to see when you are riding. You can program turn-by-turn directions into many bike computers, while the watch is again too small to do this effectively even if it is available. For casual training, you may not need to see the screen when you are riding; just download the data after the ride. It's up to you.

jfan

I use the Vivoactive HR with a handlebar mount. I have the Garmin cadence and speed sensors and a HRM chest strap. Takes about 30sec for everything to pair up, and then I'm good to go. Everything uploads flawlessly to Garmin Connect and Strava thru my smartphone. The display is smaller than a dedicated computer, but even my crappy eyes can see all the fields. One thing to consider is everything else that the watch does that the computer will not.

Seattle Forrest

I use a Fenix 5X, leave it on my wrist when I ride. I miss having a dedicated bike computer for power-based intervals, but that's really it. I value having it off the bike as well, which is probably what makes me prefer this approach overall.

gregf83 

I have a Fenix 5 that I use for running. I've used it occasionally on the bike but I like to be able to look down and not have to take my hands off the bars so much prefer a dedicated bike computer. I've seen dropouts in power sensor on the watch as well whereas I never see dropouts on the 520. The wrist HRM is a novelty but not very accurate so I wear a strap if I want to log my HR. Recommend a bike computer like a Garmin 520.

sdmc530

I have the Vivoactive HR like your looking at buying and I have the 520 Edge for my bike. I love them both but if I could only have one I would have to take the 520. Can't get all the data I would want of the watch, power, cadence, etc. But having both is a treat for sure.

The watch is pretty cool too though for walking and all the daily metrics.

motosonic

I have the Vivoactive 3 and for a while used it as my main cycling computer. Just doesn't compare well to an Actual cycling computer. I wear the watch when I ride, but I prefer using the cycling computer to track my rides.

simot

If you only ride your bike, get a dedicated bike computer. Otherwise, a watch is very useful when you want to go for a run/swim or any other sport.

Iride01 

I don't like stuff on my wrist anymore. Gave up wearing a wristwatch back when cell phones started displaying the time constantly. I only really want the recorded data from my rides and could do that with a wrist device, a bar mounted device such as edge or wahoo, or a smartphone in my bag or pocket.

However it's nice to occassionally glance down and see if I'm as good as I think I am. With a bar mount I can glance down and see my edge500 easily while 30mph plus on a downhill twisting route (slowly twisting, I'm not that good..or crazy). I don't think I could see a device on my wrist while doing that and I certainly wouldn't pull my phone out to look at it.

You can mount your wrist device on the bar and get HR strap and other sensors too, However just like all devices whether bar mount edges or wrist worn, they don't all have capability of using any and all sensors. Many don't have provisions for power sensors. Basic models many times can't use cadence and/or speed.

Phones? You didn't ask, but my 2¢ Phone belongs in my bag when cycling. I'm riding by myself frequently in places where there is sometimes not much traffic of any sort for awhile. I don't want my phone to be mounted to my bike and I wreck and it fly off somewhere not to be found when I need to call myself an ambulance. Yeah, you think of stuff like that when you get older. When young and invincible you take the risk and laugh at those that take precautions... I did, now I don't....at least not as much as I did............need I go on?

I use my edge 500 as I've done since they came out at about the same time I started back cycling for fitness. My son got a VivoactiveHR a couple years ago and used it for cycling as well as other stuff. Soon after mounted it to his bars and got an HR strap. Then recently got an Edge 820.

Consider too that the wrist devices are multi sport ....somewhat. To me any device with Multi in front of it's name is a compromise of performance and features. BUT, that does allow you to easily use if for other things like a simple walk down the trails. The Edge is a Cycling device and that is what every thing in it's programming and user interface is geared toward. though I've used it for walking trails, It's not as friendly setting up for walks.

RPK79

I also run so I sprung for a Garmin Fenix 5x. I used to have a Vivoactive HR which I liked. I do use the watch to record my rides, however I also run an Edge 500 for in ride data.

jitteringjr

This confuses me. In order to get power and cadence on either to the 520 you still need a power meter device and you still need a cadence sensor to pair to the 520. The fitness trackers (at least the Fenix and vivoactive) can pair to power and cadence sensors too. So why can't you get this data on the watches? Seems to me the only difference that a 520 or bike unit will give you is information on when you are on an active segment which I can't see with my Vivoactive HR. Or is it you need to have a Fenix to pair a power meter? I only have cadence, speed and Hr that I pair to my Vivoactive so I'm not sure on the power meter part.

Seattle Forrest

There's nothing the Edge I used to own could do that my Fenix watch can't. Out of the box there's one missing feature (auto-lap by position, not by distance) but somebody made an app that fixes that.

One thing that's really nice about a watch (vs a bike computer) is that it can vibrate on your wrist when it needs to tell you something, like for example that there's a car behind you (with the radar unit). They can beep like an Edge too, but going fast down a chipseal road, or in traffic, it's easy to not hear that.

RPK79

I often don't feel the vibration when I'm riding, but I guess YMMV.

Iride01 

Your device's programming has to be written to handle those sensors. They don't put the same software on every different device. There are marketing considerations too. Not all of us want to pay for features we don't use.

But every time I re-read your statement, I'm not sure what you are asking or trying to convey. Are we talking about two specific models or generalities?

I don't think a VivoactiveHR can use power sensors. Or am I wrong about that?

sdmc530

@Iride01 Is correct. The power meter doesn't work with the Vivoactive HR. Or at least mine doesn't with Power Tap. Besides this if you are using a wrist based sensor for bike riding and you want the metrics and actually want to see them while riding the watch method would be just awful to use. Also the cadense/speed sensor that connects to the watches really SUCK. They don't always pair and drop a lot.

So if your wanting a wearable to see all the data and power meter you will have to buy the Fenix model, the high end watch levels. But for the price of that watch if I recall you can get the vivoactive HR and the 520. Fenix look so great but so darn spendy.

jitteringjr

Ok that makes a little more sense if you need to upgrade to the Fenix to see power, but but I don't see the problem with with seeing stuff while I ride. I mount my vivoactive to my handlebars using an old Polar HRM mount I still had and I pair my cadence, speed, and HR to it. My speed sensor does give me issues pairing where I have to manually connect it via the watch just to get it going, but I only use speed when I am on the trainer. Outside, I let gps take care of the speed and distance. I have not had problems with stuff dropping though once paired that is unless I walk away from the bike too far to take a leak or something like during a charity or grand fondo type of thing. Don't you use the same cadence sensor to connect to your 520 and does that have pairing/connection problems for you?

drewguy

This. If it's primarily for biking, get the bike computer. If you're using it for a whole range of things (and don't want to buy two devices) then go ahead, but recognize its functionality will be limited.

Iride01 

My edge beeps? Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that. I never could hear that beep while riding!

Seattle Forrest

Really. I miss the chime a lot but always notice the buzz. I set the watch up so the radar is the only thing that will make it vibrate when I'm on the bike, then I know a car is behind me without even looking.

I always feel it in the pool, too. But almost never skiing, with the watch over a jacket.

Seattle Forrest

I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes, it’s dark, it could be 2 am, it could be 20 minutes before I have to get up; I can’t get back to sleep until I check the time. So I need a watch. And if I’m going to wear one, it might as well be useful for more than one thing.

The wHRM isn’t very good on the bike. But it’s nice to have a chart of how your resting heart rate changes over time.

The notifications (text, call, email, calendar, etc) are really nice. I thought that was a gimmick at first, but it’s really very convenient. You can’t reply to anything, but you can get the “I’m on my way” text while you’re in the shower.

I have mine set to buzz me 30 minutes before sunset. I hike a lot too; with thick clouds and lots of trees, that’s real handy.

sdmc530

I use garmin speed/cadence bundle with the 520. But I think the cadence is now being pulled from the power meter. I didn't have paring issues I guess but when riding it would drop from the watch and reconnect and drop and reconnect for whatever reason that got really annoying. BUT I only ever used my watch for reading sensors in a situation where the 520 was not available. I forgot it on another bike or forgot to charge it.

I do really want the Fenix watch though....they are so awesome!

hnasir

Thank you so much for the opinions- I really appreciate them.

Reading about this, I might as well go with the edge 520 and bundle; its a good point if its on my wrist I can't keep looking at it while riding- there are mounts but then I would lose the HR function. I do want a HR function when I am running/biking but I could get a simpler fitbit or garmin for the HR. Also good point is the disconnecting watch/cadence stuff, so I'd rather have a dedicated model.

Have not looked into the Fenix watches, but guess I have to look into them now.

Elvo

If you buy used/refurbished, you can get both. Paid $90 for my Edge 510 and $60 for my Vivoactive HR. Works very well together. Only gripe is that telling the HR to broadcast the heart rate signal takes about 6 or 7 actions and about 3 actions to tell it to stop.

SylvainG

Have the same setup except for the speed sensor. I find the OHR sensor on the VivoActive HR lags too much for bicycle use so I too use a chest strap. I also use a handlebar mount except when the temperature drops below 5C because battery performance drops fast and the watch shuts down. Not everything pairs up flawlessly though. Sometimes my cadence sensor will refuse to pair by itself and have to manually pair it through the watch.