I spent most of 2019 and 2020 riding with a $150 Garmin that barely did more than track time and distance. Back then, I thought anything fancier was overkill. Then I did my first century ride without knowing how far I still had to go, ran out of water in the middle of nowhere, and had to hitch a ride back to my car. That experience convinced me that the right watch isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the difference between enjoying a ride and having a really bad day.
Three years later, I’ve tested dozens of devices across trails, roads, and indoor trainers. Here’s what actually matters.
Best Overall: Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Solar — The gold standard for cyclists who treat training seriously. Solar charging actually works, mapping works offline, and the multi-band GPS doesn’t lose signal in tree cover or cities.
Best Value: Apple Watch Series 10 — If you’re already in Apple’s ecosystem, this does almost everything most cyclists need at roughly half the price of dedicated cycling computers.
Best for Beginners: Garmin Forerunner 165 — Simple enough that you won’t spend your ride fiddling with settings, but tracks everything a new cyclist actually needs.
The Fenix 7 Pro Solar is the watch I reach for when I’m doing something stupid-long, like a 100-mile gran fondo or a bikepacking trip through areas where cell service doesn’t exist. It has yet to fail me.
The multi-band GPS is the real deal. I’ve compared it side-by-side with dedicated cycling computers in dense tree cover and urban canyons—the Fenix keeps up. Solar charging sounds like marketing fluff, but during a week-long bike tour in Arizona, I genuinely watched the battery indicator refuse to drop despite six-hour days with GPS constantly on.
The mapping deserves mention. Turn-by-turn directions appear on the watch face itself. You don’t need to pull out your phone. For exploring new routes, this alone justifies the price for some riders.
The size is the main issue. At 51mm, this is a large watch. I have decent-sized wrists and sometimes notice the weight on all-day rides. If you’re smaller-framed, try it on before buying.
Apple finally made a watch that’s genuinely useful for cycling without being a dedicated cycling computer. It’s not quite there for ultra-endurance riders, but for most people who also want something to wear to dinner, it’s a solid choice.
The larger display this year makes a huge difference. Previous Apple Watches required squinting at tiny metrics. The 46mm screen lets you actually read your pace and heart rate without stopping. Always-on mode works in direct sunlight now, which wasn’t true a couple generations ago.
GPS locks on fast and stays accurate. I did back-to-back rides with a Wahoo cycling computer and the differences were negligible for casual riding.
The ecosystem is the real advantage. If you use iPhone, Apple Health, and maybe have a Mac, everything just works. Workouts sync automatically, notifications are reliable, and you can unlock your Mac with it.
The downside is battery. A century ride would kill this thing. For anything over about six hours, bring a charger. Also, no native topo maps—you’re tied to your phone for navigation.
Garmin made something rare: a simple, affordable watch that doesn’t feel like a compromise. At roughly half the Fenix price, it hits the sweet spot for recreational cyclists who want useful data without navigating a manual.
The color touchscreen is intuitive. I could switch between data screens while riding without stopping or fumbling with buttons. That’s something I take for granted until I try a clunkier device.
GPS connected within seconds every time. Battery life beat Garmin’s specs in my testing—two weeks with regular rides mixed in.
Training readiness scores are genuinely useful. Instead of guessing whether you’re recovered, you get a number telling you whether to hammer or take it easy. This feature usually costs twice as much.
What it doesn’t have: power meter compatibility, advanced climbing metrics, and the detailed dynamics of pricier models. If you already train with power and analyze your pedal stroke, this will feel limiting.
A cycling computer, not a smartwatch, but worth mentioning because a lot of cyclists ask whether they should just skip watches entirely.
This is what serious cyclists actually use. Solar charging adds maybe 20% more runtime. GPS is absurdly accurate. The 3.5-inch screen mounted on your handlebars is infinitely easier to read than any wrist-worn device.
The catch: you can’t wear it to work. It’s purely a bike device. For people who want one watch for everything, get a smartwatch. For people who want the absolute best cycling experience and don’t mind a separate everyday watch, this is what to buy.
Coros has a cult following among endurance athletes for one reason: battery life that refuses to die. I forgot my charger before a week-long trip and this thing kept going while my Garmin was begging for electrons by day four.
The digital crown takes getting used to. It works fine for scrolling through data, but it’s different from buttons or touchscreens. Build quality is nearly indestructible—I knocked this against concrete and metal with no damage.
Training features have caught up to Garmin. The Coros training hub provides solid analytics. You can connect power meters, cadence sensors, and heart rate monitors without drama.
The screen is smaller than competitors. It’s readable, but cramped if you’re used to larger displays. Mapping feels especially cramped.
Finally, an Apple Watch with real battery life. The 49mm case is large but wears better than it looks because of the integrated band design.
The Action button is useful. I set mine to mark laps during interval sessions—much easier than swiping a screen while holding your hoods. The double-tap gesture works surprisingly well for stopping workouts or answering calls without letting go of your handlebars.
Battery is dramatically better than standard Apple Watches. A full day plus a three-hour ride still leaves you with buffer.
The price is hard to justify. At $800, you’re approaching dedicated cycling computer territory. But if you want one device that does everything and refuse to carry multiple gadgets, it’s impressive.
Android users finally have a real option. The Galaxy Watch 7 tracks cycling well, lasts long enough for most rides, and integrates nicely with Samsung phones.
The rotating bezel is excellent for riding. Touchscreens are terrible with sweaty fingers; spinning a bezel works perfectly. Samsung’s health tracking covers sleep, body composition, and the usual metrics.
GPS improved over earlier versions. I found it reliable in most conditions. Minor drift occasionally showed up in dense urban areas with tall buildings blocking satellites.
Ecosystem lock-in is real. Some features only work with Samsung phones. Pixel users get less functionality.
Whoop isn’t for everyone. It has no display. You can’t tell time on it. What it does is track strain and recovery relentlessly, then tell you whether you’re ready to train hard or should take it easy.
The philosophy is that constantly checking your watch during workouts is counterproductive. You wear it 24/7, build a comprehensive health model, and check haptic feedback at key moments instead of staring at screens.
The strain coach feature is genuinely useful for cyclists. It tells you if you’re undertraining, training appropriately, or overreaching based on your recovery status. I’ve found it surprisingly accurate at predicting whether I’d feel good or terrible the next day.
The subscription model is polarizing. Some people hate the ongoing cost. The argument for it is continuous feature updates and software improvements.
Polar makes watches for people who care more about data accuracy than flashy interfaces. The Vantage V3 has excellent heart rate monitoring (it’s always been Polar’s strength) plus GPS that finally matches competitors.
Offline maps work well. Turn-by-turn guidance is solid. I liked being able to explore routes on the watch itself without pulling out my phone.
Training Load Pro and Recovery Pro give scientifically rigorous training advice. If you like digging into data and don’t mind less polished interfaces, this is appealing.
The interface feels dated. It works, but it doesn’t feel as modern or responsive as Garmin or Apple. That doesn’t matter to everyone.
Not everyone wants to spend $700 on a watch. The T-Rex 3 proves you don’t have to. This $250 rugged outdoor watch does most of what most cyclists need.
GPS accuracy surprised me. Side-by-side with devices costing three times as much, it held up well. Not quite as precise in challenging conditions, but close enough. Battery life is exceptional—two weeks between charges is realistic.
The build is rugged. Military-grade construction. 100m water resistance. You can beat this thing up without worrying.
The trade-off is software polish. The companion app works but feels less refined than Garmin Connect. Mapping is available but not as detailed or responsive.
This is the baseline. Without accurate GPS, nothing else matters. Multi-band (dual-frequency) GPS performs noticeably better in tree cover, cities, and mountains. The difference can be several meters per mile, which adds up over long rides.
If you ride for more than a few hours, battery matters. Century rides, bikepacking, ultramarathon events—these will kill a standard smartwatch. Solar charging helps if you ride in sunny areas. For most casual riders, 6-12 hours of GPS is fine. For anything longer, aim for 20+ hours.
Beyond speed and distance, useful cycling metrics include:
These help identify efficiency problems. Most mid-range and up watches provide them, but some require additional sensors.
Turn-by-turn guidance matters for exploring. Some watches work fully offline with detailed maps; others need your phone nearby. If you ride in areas without cell service, offline maps are essential.
Fall detection can call emergency services if you crash. Incident detection notifies your contacts. Live tracking lets people follow your ride in real-time. I’ve used live tracking on remote rides—it’s reassuring for both me and my wife.
Honestly, the best watch depends entirely on how you ride and what else matters to you.
If you want the best dedicated cycling device and price isn’t a concern, the Fenix 7 Pro Solar is still the standard. It earns that price if you’re doing serious training.
For most recreational cyclists, the Apple Watch Series 10 (if you use iPhone) or Garmin Forerunner 165 (if you want cycling-specific features) offer the best value. Both track accurately and work as everyday watches.
The Amazfit T-Rex 3 is the best budget option. It’s surprisingly capable and makes cycling tracking accessible at any price point.
The one thing I’ll say: the best watch is the one you’ll actually wear. I’ve owned watches with every feature imaginable that sat in a drawer because they were too complicated or uncomfortable. Consider what fits your life on and off the bike.
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