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GPS Watch reccomendations for cycling and running

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GPS Watch reccomendations for cycling and running

Old 11-16-19, 01:47 PM
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johntrev
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GPS Watch reccomendations for cycling and running

I'm retiring my ancient (10+ years old) Garmin Forerunner 305, and looking for a new GPS unit that will work for both running and cycling. I have a cyclocomputer, and again, want this for running too (and to use on multiple bikes), so probably looking for a watch, not something bar-mounted. Primary interest is in something that is simple/ doesn't include a bunch of features in which I'm not interested/ don't want to pay for, and something that connects easily to Strava, where I log my rides/runs. Must also have auto pause/restart for when stopping at stop lights on bike. Don't need/ want sleep tracking, step-counting, HR monitor, music storage, etc. Am intrigued by the $70 Amazfit Bip (long battery life, modest cost, simplicity, ability to use as a regular watch), but it looks like the auto-pause feature only stops the unit but doesn't restart it, and that the ability to upload to Strava is questionable or iffy (only works and maybe not all the time with apps MiFit or AmazTools).

Considering the Garmin Forerunner 235 (about $210), but it has many more features than I want/need, or maybe the Forerunner 35 (about $120, but it only has storage room for a max of 7 activities).

Ideas, recommendations, please?
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Old 11-17-19, 09:11 AM
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Seattle Forrest
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I love my Garmin watch. Mine clearly isn't something you'd be interested in, but if you're going to use it for running I wouldn't get anything other than a Garmin.
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Old 11-17-19, 11:30 PM
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Thanks, Seattle Forrest. Which Garmin are you using? Do you wear it for both running and cycling? What features are valuable to you to which I should open my eyes?
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Old 11-18-19, 12:53 PM
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Seattle Forrest
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Spending money is fun when it's other people's, but I don't want to sell you on a more expensive watch than you need. But I'll answer some questions.

I'm using a Fenix 6X. The only reason it was a compelling upgrade for me vs older watches is that I've been doing stupidly long hikes. I started up a trail at 3 am, did some peakbagging, finished at 5 am the following day, I wasn't able to keep my previous watch charged the whole time.

I trail run occasionally, my other main sport is cross country skiing. Use it for both, appreciate the map with trails. Cell reception is spotty in the mountains, and it's hard/dangerous to pull a phone out while running or skiing. The running dynamics aren't useful to me when I run (I'm not very good at it) but the "stride length" metric is useful on skis. I use it with a power meter on the bike, and sometimes I use the feature where it generates a round trip route and gives you turn by turn back to your car, because wildfires are common here, with a lot of smoke, and there are times when my plan for the day to ride in a scenic place isn't going to work. I also use it for swimming, I don't swim for exercise, I do it recreationally in lakes, and enjoy seeing a map afterwards. Helps me remember which lakes were good swimming and which weren't next time summer rolls around.

I would probably be looking at the Forerunner 35 or 235. I find the auto lap by mile useful for pace, and you can set it up to also tell you every time you've covered 5k. I have a bunch of friends who run, much more seriously than me, every one of them uses a Garmin watch, a bunch of different models. One lady told me the breadcrumb trail is great because she doesn't have to think.
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Old 11-19-19, 11:23 AM
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Thanks for the fleshed out reply. It seems many functions/features of GPS units are bells and whistles of questionable value, so it's helpful to know what features others actually find useful. Fenix 6 looks like a lot of watch, yet I can see with your 24hour+ demands, that battery life is critical.

I'm trying to figure how helpful some mapping/ navigation features would be to me, even though I'm typically running or cycling on familiar routes.

Though I said I'm uninterested in counting steps, HR, etc., I'm tempted by the Garmin Vivoactive 3, well regarded and now at $150, about $100 off. https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-v%C3%A...s%2C197&sr=8-3
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Old 11-19-19, 01:27 PM
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Personally I don't think mapping is very important at all on familiar routes. If you have a smart phone, you already have detailed maps and a much much better screen. If you're going to be in terra incognita all the time, it can make sense to pay extra for instant access to a map without having to pull your phone out, but...

Also, if it's generally familiar routes with occasional changes, being forced to think about your surroundings is probably good for you.
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Old 11-19-19, 05:36 PM
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These are all good points; thank you.
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Old 11-23-19, 06:43 AM
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FWIW I run and bike and hike with a Forerunner 35 and find it does everything I need it to. Like you, I just want basic stats in a small unit. It does have some of the extras like sleep tracking, but I just turn that off.
I haven’t used the auto start-stop feature, so I can’t speak to how well that works, but it at least has it. The wrist-based HR monitor occasionally acts up but usually gives numbers that seem likely to be correct.
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Old 11-23-19, 07:24 PM
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There's a pretty good deal going right now on the Garmin Instinct. $199 Feature-wise it is between a Vivoactive 3 with a bunch of Fenix features added in. I have one and really like it.
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Old 11-27-19, 07:22 PM
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...Still haven't decided; I can wait a little while longer and still give my wife a helpful Christmas gift hint. I like the rugged looks of the Garmin Instinct; thanks, RGMN. I like the keeping it simple approach of the FR35, but am less fond of the rectangular Apple Watch-ish look.
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Old 12-10-19, 12:38 PM
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I'm in the market to replace my nearly 3 year old Samsung Gear Fit 2. It's battery life is barely making it through my days... Just trying to decide how MUCH watch do I need?
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Old 12-10-19, 05:57 PM
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I like my Garmin FR35. Picked it up as a refurb unit for about $75 a couple of months ago. I did not know it only held 7 activities, but it synchs with Garmin Connect (plus strava and training peaks) through my phone at the end of each activity anyway. Only thing I wish it had in hindsight is multisport activity since I will ride a bike somewhere to run, walk, or hike. Those end up as 3 activities instead.
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Old 12-10-19, 09:57 PM
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Not a recommendation, but a few considerations. I run and ride. Have foot pod, RD pod, chest HRM, cadence/speed II sensor, power meter.

1. Wrist-based HRM is now quite accurate, and, I would think, quite useful, both during an activity and to keep track your resting heart rate (will trend downwards as you get fitter and go up if you overdo it or are getting sick).
2. I've been watching the more recent Fenix line for over a year because of their fantastic autonomy -- you can easily navigate for 20h+ in normal mode, and 40h+ in ultratrac mode. This is very useful if you tour in areas where you can't easily recharge a battery bank from an outlet. I've purchased a refurbished F5 (my previous watch had died unexpectedly while swimming. Mixed blessing actually). The F5 provides breadcrumb nav. At 350$ was more than good enough for me. You can splurge and fork close to a grand on their top-of-the-line models. I sometimes wish I could, but in general am very very happy with my F5. I don't believe that you can go cheaper without losing autonomy. More affordable models offer something like 7hrs in GPS mode. They'll die on a long ride...
3. I'd invest in an (outfront) bike mount. Although you can always glance at your wrist while pedalling, it may be unsafe/impossible to switch screens or zoom in/out. I had a Garmin out front for my FR910XT. Not compatible with the F5 however. Garmin suggests a jack-of-all-trades mount. I prefer raceware's. Takes seconds to remove the band and secure the watch to the mount.
4. There are probably 3rd party apps that will automate updating to Strava and such. Garmin ecosystem is quite good, though. I'd give it a try. Simple. Seamless.
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Old 01-09-20, 11:06 AM
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Update: I ended up buying the Garmin Instinct, choosing it at $200 over the Garmin Vivoactive 3, which was around $130. It seems all these watches have far more features than you could ever make use of; in the end I chose the rugged look and build ("Built to the U.S. Military standard 810G for thermal, shock and water resistance [rated to 100m]") of the Instinct over the more refined look and cheaper cost of the Vivoactive 3 -they both would have done all that I needed. So far so good, and I am happy with the purchase, though I find the buttons and their function not as intuitive and familiar as I'd like, so it will take a while for me to get up to speed and be able to quickly scroll through screens and options. Some GPS watches have a color or color and touchscreen display (the Instinct is 1 color, no touchscreen); I guess either would be fine, but the Instinct is a huge upgrade over the 10+year old Forerunner 305 I was using (I don't mind the non-color display), and I didn't want to fuss with a touchscreen (a running friend has said heavy raindrops can activate his touchscreen).

I've yet to try any of the navigation features (but am happy to have some of these tools I will likely make use of down the road)- most of the time I'm running or riding on familiar paths. I ride 2 or 3 bikes and run, so wanted a wrist not bar mounted unit; my bikes already have cycling computers so I can quickly tell pace and distance without looking at my wrist.

My old FR305 was so big and clunky and with such limited display that it didn't really function as a watch, only as a GPS unit - something I'd take off immediately after my activity. I like that I can wear the Instinct as my regular watch, not needing to pack/ remember to pack it separately in my bag before preparing to head out. (Though this won't factor in whatever you may choose if you're shopping - everything these days works as a regular watch).
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