ELECTRONIC TRACKING
Whether its on your wrist or on your bars, triathletes love to keep track of their training and racing, which is why GPS watches and bike computers have become an integral part of our triathlon gear list.
Bike Computers
Bontrager RideTime Elite Cycling Computer
$90 If you like to use your watch to track all your data, but also like being able to see some basic info without having to look at your wrist while you’re on the bike, the RideTime Elite offers ANT+ connection for easy connection for speed, cadence and power data. Easy to set up, there’s a one-button interface to keep things simple.
Garmin Edge 1030 Plus
$840 With a large 3.5-inch responsive touch screen that works even if you’re riding in the rain or wearing gloves, you can either track lots of data or enjoy some large maps on the big screen. You get real-time data insights, including VO2 max, recovery time, training load and other info, while the ClimbPro feature can even let you know how much distance and ascent is left on a climb. There’s up to 24 hours of battery life while using GPS and multiple paired sensors.
Wahoo Elemnt Roam
$380 With a colour 2.7-inch display, it’s easy to see your routes and data on the Elemnt Roam. The ambient light sensor adjusts the backlight and LED lights automatically based on the lighting conditions so you’ll be able to see your data whether you’re in a dim basement or bright sunlight. On-device navigation means you can roam with confidence that you’ll always be able to get home. The Roam offers 17 hours of battery life.
Watches Apple Watch Series 6
STARTING AT $529 The last two iterations of the Apple Watch have seen it become a viable option for serious triathletes to track their training. This tiny powerhouse can make calls or send texts even without your phone (if you sign up for cellular data), while the GPS and HR sensors make it easy to track all your workouts. Serious triathletes will blow through the daily health challenges, but will still love the reminders to stand and move, and the ability to even test your blood oxygen levels.
Garmin Forerunner 745
$700 Offering so many of the features you’ll find in Garmin’s flagship 945, the 745 saves you some money with very few compromises. In addition to being a powerhouse training tool, it provides lots of health data, including how you’re sleeping and acclimatizing to altitude thanks to the Pulse Ox sensor. There are more than a few smartwatch features, too – you can get text, e-mail, social media and other notifications from your phone, and even store up to 500 songs and use Garmin Pay.
Polar Vantage V2
$690, $760 WITH POLAR H10 HR MONITOR STRAP The latest flagship multisport watch from Polar features a stylish, full-aluminum case and lots of sensors to monitor all your training and personal health metrics on your training, recovery and sleep. Weighing just 52 g, the Vantage V2 manages an impressive 40 hours of continuous training measurement. Running power is measured directly from your wrist and it can even tell you when to eat and drink during workouts.
Wahoo Elemnt Rival
$579 Adding a level of simplicity to functionality and set up to the sports watch world, the stylish looking Rival has a ceramic bezel and features an optical heart rate monitor sensor. Waterproof to 5 atmospheres, it also offers Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, and has a barometric altimeter. The ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the backlight for easy viewing, and the battery will get you through 24 hours of continuous GPS mode tracking.—KM