Having a good cycling watch can make an enormous difference in cycling, and not only because it will allow you to track your times. It gives you a wealth of data to analyze and specifically allows you to pin point what you need to improve upon.
A good cycling watch is designed to stand up to the rigors of the sport, so you don’t need to worry about straps breaking or the clock face being destroyed on harsher falls.
If you’re in the market for a new cycling watch there are a wealth of options available to you, so we thought that we would take a little time to look at some of the best on the market and explain why they deserve to be wrapped around your wrist when you go for a ride.
Best Cycling Watches
Garmin has the highest quality products on the market; however, some also come with a big price tag! The Garmin 920XT is the best cycling watch on the market and truthfully, this watch is designed for triathletes, and not just cyclists. The Garmin 920XT comes with the kitchen sink! It will track power, cadence, heart rate, speed, VAM (vertical ascension metres – vertical climbed per hour), distance, time and many more critical pieces of data useful for analyzing your ride.
For Running it will track cadence, vertical oscillation and even ground contact time along with the myriad of other useful tools that all running watches have. Basically if you can imagine it, this watch will have it!
Swimming features include (but are not limited to) distance, pace, stroke type, stroke count drill logging and rest timers.
If you are looking for a top of the line cycling watch and plan to do any swimming or running this is the watch for you!
Garmin has built a reputation as a great watch maker because of products just like this, which is a versatile cycling watch that also has features for running, swimming and even golf. The large range of features are all easily accessible from a high quality, touchscreen display, making the watch clear and very easy to understand.
Couple that with a GPS system that will help out whenever you decide to tackle a new route, with a battery life of up to 3 weeks, and you can’t go wrong. Garmin even makes data fields and other apps available for free download.
Polar RCX5 Bike Heart Rate Monitor
This highly durable watch is designed for use by cyclists, runners and triathletes, so the design really has to be up to scratch to ensure that each gets the most out of it. Luckily, that is the case, so you will be able to use this watch and the in-built heart monitor to keep track of how you are developing when you train.
This cycling watch also comes with a two-year warranty, just in case something does happen, and features a training computer with a host of features to ensure you are training at the right intensity to reach your goals.
Bryton Amis S630R Multisport GPS Watch
Slightly garish colors aside, this cycling watch offers everything that you could possibly want in a nice and neat package. With a detailed GPS system, heart rate monitor and a handy bike mount, it is perfect for practically any cyclist.
Better yet, it also comes with a weather display that lets you know what conditions you are going to be facing, plus it can be linked to any Android-based phones so that you can keep track of incoming calls.
TomTom is one of the best producers of GPS systems in the world today, so you can be assured a high level of route planning accuracy with this sturdy cycling watch. It also comes with a heart rate monitor and cadence sensor so that you can keep track of your cycling speeds at all times.
The watch itself also features a large graphical display that makes it very easy to read and interpret the data that it puts out. TomTom takes full advantage of this with their Graphical Training Partner, which helps you to train effectively and better gauge the benefits of what you are currently doing.
Advertised as a heart rate monitor, this cycling watch offers so much more than simply keeping track of your heartbeat. It also comes packed with a range of Smart Coaching features that ensure you stay on the right track when it comes to making the gains you need from your cycling training.
Furthermore, the watch is waterproof and can be used for a number of sports, for which you can create individual profiles that you can switch between as needed. It can also be combined with a range of other Polar accessories, though these usually need to be purchased separately.
The Best GPS Watch For Cycling Period
The best cycling watch period is currently the Garmin 920XT! It comes with more features than you are likely to use. If there is a cycling watch that is more sophisticated we have not come across it.
What cycling watch do you use? What is your favorite cycling watch? Let us know.
There are a number of accessories on the market today that can really help a keen cyclist to get the most out of the sport. While many of these are centered on improving efficiency and overall fitness, the usefulness of a cycling watch is often called into question. After all, what can a cycling watch offer that you can’t get from a regular watch?