Buyers Guide For The Best Bike Computers For Triathletes In 2021
With the evolution in technology, best bike computers are highly equipped and compact. They have been implementing wireless technology and smart sensors to give the rider the best experience. Serious about biking exercise then you are in the right place.
IN A HURRY? HERE’S OUR TOP PICKS…
- Performance GPS cycling computer with mapping and touchscreen
- Dynamic performance monitoring provides insights on your VO2 max, recovery, training load focus, heat and altitude acclimation, nutrition, hydration and more when paired with compatible sensors
- Cycling safety features include bike alarm, group messaging and tracking, compatibility with Variant rearview radar and lights so you can see and be seen (when paired with your compatible smartphone)
- Includes routable Garmin Cycle Map with popularity routing - helps you ride like a local - plus on-device route creation and off-course recalculation; mountain biking model has integrated Trail forks...
- Customize with free apps, widgets and data fields from the Connect IQ Store. Sensor compatibility - ANT Plus, BLE
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- High-resolution touchscreen display - lightweight and compact with 2.3-Inch high-resolution capacitive touch display that works with gloves and when wet
- Group track - keep in touch with other riders in your pack with Group track: you can see where your fellow riders are -offering peace of mind and enhanced situational awareness
- Performance features - includes Vo2, recovery advisor, Strava live segments, performance condition, stress score, advanced Cycling dynamics, FTP and watts/kg tracking
- Connect IQ - download free custom apps and data fields. Compatible with varia smart bike lights and rearview Radar
- Battery life - new extended battery life for longer, more adventurous rides. Up to 15 hours; battery save mode will extend battery life up to 50% while still tracking the detail of your ride
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Cyclo 315hc includes a heart rate monitor and speed/cadence sensor. Rugged and water resistant (IPX-7) to take on any terrain; all have a user-friendly interface in a 3" color swipe anywhere...
- Works with over 130 ANT+ sensors and also records/reads shifting information from Di2 electronic shifting systems with a Di2 Wireless Unit and D-Fly. Info displayed by gear position, number or...
- Complete USA road network for audible and turn by turn navigation and Open Street Maps (OSM) crowd source trail data displaying cycle lanes, cycle tracks and bike shop POIs. Discover new cycle routes...
- Custom cycling profiles (up to 6) can be created to show routes specifically designed for your riding equipment, style and sensors attached. For mountain biking profiles the routes suggested will even...
- Input distance or time and Cyclo will provide up to 3 routes for a rider to select. Each route shows elevation gain and difficulty. In a new city or just want to try something new Cyclo's Surprise Me...
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- All your favorite stats: Check your current, max, and average speed, total distance, two trip distances, elapsed time, clock, and stopwatch.
- Save your miles: With the option to manually set the odometer after a battery change, you don't have to lose those hard-earned miles.
- All day, all night: With an LED backlit display, your ride doesn't have to end when the sun sets.
- Stay in the zone: Don't let a dead battery distract you. CatEye's indicator light lets you know when the battery is running low.
- Auto start/stop: Caught at a red light? Grabbing coffee? Don't sweat the small stops. Your CatEye computer knows when you've stopped and stops counting time and averaging speed.
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Introduction
Bike computers are used for analyzing speed, distance, time, elevation like core functionalities with cutting-edge features like incident detection, pairing smartphone with the bike computer, integrated coaching to enhance its productivity.
Here we have come up with the six best bike computers after extensive research which will help you in navigating, tracking your fitness or simply a helpful tool to track down your activities.
1) Garmin Edge 830
Garmin Edge 830 is the newest advancement of the 800 series which comes with a vivid touch screen along with user-friendly buttons.
The interface is spontaneous, simple to use and efficient.This is one of the best GPS bike computers and supports mountain biking, trailing as well as off-roading.
It helps you keep a note of display speed, distance, elevation and last but not the least time. It is lightweight and small along with a small screen size still a competitive one.
Key Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Colourful touchscreen
- Tactile buttons for stress-free usage
- Well-organized interface
- Turn-by-turn navigation
- Connect IQ store
Cons
- Expensive
- Not water-resistant
Conclusion
Garmin Edge 830 comes up with impressive features and useful technology that you would wish for in a bike computer.
It offers easy and understandable maps and navigation to ease your routing. The displays are quite simple to read on the go and it is a great buy for sure.
2) Garmin Edge 820
For a bike computer, you can count on most of the Garmin products because of their outstanding performance and innovative features.
Garmin Edge 820 is one of the best bike computers that are compact and lightweight as well.
The miniature bike computer features a 2.3” capacitive touchscreen which is quite enjoyable to use.
The Group track feature of this bike computer helps you to be safe and ride along with your fellow rider without missing the right track.
Using the feature, you can also customize the training pages according to your suitability.
Garmin Edge 820 also features VO2 max, Strava live segments, and superior cycling dynamics2.
It is also best in computing your heart rate and cadence. For better performance and to make most out of it connect the bike computer with ANT+ sensors and ANT+ power.
Key Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Auto-lap
- Lightweight
- Excellent battery life
- Better performance
Cons
- Expensive
- Not user-friendly
Conclusion
Garmin Edge 820 is a compact yet efficient bike computer that features innovative technologies like advanced performance monitoring, turn-by-turn navigation and last but not the least group track feature.
The in-built incident detection and other awareness accessories make it stand out from the rest.
However, its navigation system and frustrating touch screen are some of the drawbacks.
3) Hammerhead Karoo
Hammerhead is a neophyte in the bike computer category but has gained fame because of its compact and easily readable feature.
Hammerhead Karoo houses a stunning visual display along with a high resolution screen size of 3.5” screen.
Because of its large screen you can read mapping and graphs of the distance you cover easily.
The main factor of this bike computer is its front side which features Gorilla Glass screen all over along with five buttons on the sides.
It is made of titanium and aluminium body whereas the back-side is made of removable plastic.
It features an excellent resolution of 640 x 480 along with 229 pixels which is the USP of this bike computer.
In terms of battery life, it claims 15 hours run-time which is quite good taking the screen size into consideration.
You can also charge this bike computer through the Micro-USB charge port. You can charge the device on the go as well as in rainy condition as it is waterproof and comes with an IP67 rating.
It is an Android 6 OS based bike computer and you can use its sensors through Bluetooth and ANT+ for tracking heart rate and pace.
The bike computer from Hammerhead weighs around 168g and features a dimension of 98 x 72 x 28mm.
Key Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Simple and easy to use
- Excellent resolution
- Powerful
- Good for routing
- Outstanding battery life
Cons
- Bulky
- Restricted sim card functionality
Conclusion
Hammerhead Karoo is one of the versatile GPS bike computers which is an excellent blend of powerful operation, bigger screen, good battery life and dedicated GPS sensor connectivity. It may be bulky but is versatile for mountain biking and off-roading.
4) Magellan/Cyclo 315hc GPS Cycling Computer
If you are serious about biking and want to track your development every day then Magellan 315hc also known as Cyclo 315hc could be the best choice.
It is suitable for the mountain as well as road biking. This bike computer is quite large to accommodate all the data and you can see it quite comfortably.
It offers a user-friendly interface that is easy to use and quite simple to comprehend. Navigating through the menus is effortless and gives complete peace of mind.
It comes with innovative features like heart rate monitor, speed sensor and battery alert system and water-proof.
The bike computer comes with six custom profiles for its riders which you can create at the outset to view best routes and follow the same for a convenient ride.
Using the profile, you can know the condition of the roads and prepare yourself accordingly.
Key Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Simple navigation
- Easy to use
- Economic
Cons
- More suitable for mountain riding
Conclusion
Cyclo 315hc is one of the economic bike computers in this category. It features a simple navigation profile and helps you explore mountains as well as off-roading effortlessly.
You can make use of six custom profiles and ride your bike according to the situation of the road. Simply put it is the best budget bike computer.
5) Lezyne Enhanced Super GPS Cycling Computer
Lezyne Enhanced Super GPS Cycling bike Computer is one of the most high-tech GPS bike computers available.
It is a good combination of robust and weather-proof body and efficient technologies to keep you on track during a ride.
It is equipped with bluetooth to help you in calculating pace, power and heart rate. It is also a high-performing and accurate bike computer because of GPS as well as GLONASS satellite technology.
It comes with a pre-loaded altimeter for measuring elevation and a barometer as well as an accelerometer to track down your daily progress during a long-distance ride.
These instruments are also instrumental in calculating your calories and temperature during a workout session.
Lezyne enhanced super GPS bike computer is lightweight and weighs only 75 g. you can integrate this device with your smartphone and receive incoming calls, go through messages and emails easily.
For a safe riding experience, this bike computer is the best GPS computer along with maps.
Key Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Suitable for long rides
- Value for money
- God lighting capacity
- Easy to read screen
- Unique features like pre-loaded altimeter, accelerometer, and barometer
- Reliable GPS
Cons
- Complicated navigation system
- Old design
Conclusion
Lezyne Enhanced Super GPS is a value-for-money bike computer although it features an outdated design and complex navigation system.
Still, full marks to its connectivity, display size and easy to read features along with the price.
6) Cateye Padrone Smart+
If you are looking for a sleek yet convenient bike computer at an affordable price then Cateye Padrone Smart+ could be the best choice.
It is lightweight and houses sensors for speed checking, calculating heart rate and monitoring pace through Bluetooth Smart.
It features a large yet customizable backlit display which is easy to use. It is compatible with anyone who needs to own a bike computer that tracks down riding data.
The bike computer features a display with a dimension of 70 x 46 x 20 mm which is quite large and helps you to read the text easily while riding the bike.
Cateye Padrone Smart+ features a single button cell and weighs around 30g only. Its Flextight Bracket feature allows you to mount the computer on the bar and navigate easily.
The battery life of this bike computer is also quite decent for professionals with a life of 4 months.
You can connect this bike computer with your phone through the Cateye Cycling app using Bluetooth and track down texts, emails and make and receive calls right on the screen by integrating the bike computer with your smartphone.
Key Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Efficient
- Easy to use
- Large and Customizable backlit display
- Economic
- Lightweight
- Background lighting
Cons
- Battery not rechargeable
- Requires smartphone integration
Conclusion
The Cateye Padrone Smart+ is a wireless Bluetooth bike computer that features a massive screen and comes with a backlit and customizable display along with seamless Bluetooth connectivity.
It allows you to work with a speed sensor or with your smartphone.The large screen of this bike computer allows you to track down riding data conveniently and makes most of your ride without difficulty irrespective of the complexities.
You can use this day and night without affecting the juice of its efficient battery. The only thing keeping it down in the list is its incapability of recharging the battery.
My Final Verdict On The Best Bike Computers
With this review of the best bike computers we hope it will give you useful insight to choose the one adhering to your requirements and preferences.
Garmin Edge 830 is the best bike computer for exploring mountains as well as plains. Its intuitive navigation system and spontaneous as well as user-friendly interface truly hits the home run.
On the other hand, if you are on a budget or looking for a bike rider in a cavalier fashion then go for Cyclo 315hc or Cateye Padrone Smart+.
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