THERE’S SO MUCH SELECTION WHEN IT COMES TO TRIATHLON TECH, BUT WHAT ARE THE BEST OPTIONS FOR YOU?
WHEN IT COMES to technology like GPS watches and bike computers, there’s a lot of variety out there. This wide array of products can present you, the buyer, with the paradox of choice, that can be both exciting and overwhelming, thanks to all the options available. Well, don’t stress too much, because we’re here to help you pick the right product for your needs.
Which tech do you need?
The first question is pretty simple: do you need a GPS watch, a bike computer or both? This decision of what to buy really comes down to your budget. If you can only afford one of these options, the GPS watch is the way to go. Many of the top watches can do the same things as bike computers, but also cover you for your other training. As any triathlete knows, you need to focus equally on the swim, bike and run, not just one of the three legs. However, if you can afford to buy both pieces of tech, you’ll certainly see the benefit of having a mounted computer during your rides to help give you live stats and navigation.
Picking the right watch
It’s time to ask yourself an important question: what do you need in your watch? There is so much packed into watches these days, and the price on your bill will depend on what features you decide you want and need. The first feature you’re probably going to wonder about is GPS capabilities. There are few things more frustrating in training than getting in from a workout, only to find that your GPS files are all off, and list your session shorter or longer than you know you went. In either case, other than the overall time that you spent in the pool, in the saddle or at the track, the file is useless and cannot help you glean any information. So, when buying a GPS watch, make sure that it’s one with trusted reviews when it comes to its GPS features.
One of the most important features of a watch that could be easy to overlook is battery life. Most watches for sale today have great batteries, with some being able to last more than a week on one charge. However, there will always be outliers, and you don’t want to find out that your watch’s battery is weak in the middle of a workout (or, even worse, during a race). Do your research before buying and make sure that whichever watch you pick has decent battery life.
There are a myriad of other features that you can get in a watch. Most will have heart rate monitors built in, and some will be able to measure your VO2 max. Others can pair with running power meters, and almost all can act as sleep monitors. It’s up to you to decide which of these features are important and which you’ll likely check out once and never look at again. Figure out what you’d like your watch to do, then find the watch that matches that description. Otherwise, you could spend way more money on a watch that has every bell and whistle known to man, only to use a few features.
Picking the right bike computer
Just like picking a watch, you’ll have to answer a simple question when buying a bike computer: what do you expect to get out of this machine? There are very basic bike computers that can tell you how long and how fast you rode. For some people, that will be enough, but others will want more.
As with the watches, the most important feature of a bike computer has to be its GPS functions. Again, make sure that the brand and specific model you buy is well-known for its GPS system so that you don’t find yourself mid-ride searching for a signal. On the topic of GPS, navigation may be important to you. Some units can guide you through your entire ride, similar to the GPS system you’d see in your car, ensuring that you’ll never get lost, no matter where you’re riding.
Next up are the computer’s cycling-specific functions. You’ll have your speed and your distance, but some computers will track elevation, cadence and power. The latter two metrics will require additional sensors, which will add to the cost of the computer. Cadence and power are two key pieces of data that can help transform your training, because, as many triathletes know, the more information, the better. Another piece of data you might want to see is heart rate, which many bike computers can track, although you’ll need to pair a chest strap or wrist sensor with the computer to get those numbers on screen during your rides.
At the end of the day, whether you’re buying a GPS watch, a bike computer or both, it all comes down to what you think you need in your tech. Figure out what metrics you want tracked in training, and do your research. The right watch and the right bike computer are both out there. Finding them is just a matter of looking in the right place.—