Strava for apple watch

[geordanh]

Tried skate skiing this year and got super, super into it. What a seriously awesome sport.

Anyhow, new sport = being able to justify buying lots of new equipment. Never wear a watch normally, but now I want one to be able to see heart rate etc while I'm skiing. Would also be handy to send quick texts (while skiing or cycling) instead of stopping to pull the phone out of it's bag all the time.

Questions for apple watch owners:

- Is the strava app for apple watch any good? Can you pick from multiple activities or is it just running/biking? I could always switch the activity from running to skiing after the fact but that gets a bit annoying.

- Say I want to get a quick ride in after work and I don't have my garmin, can the apple watch/strava sync up with a bluetooth power meter to display/collect cadence and power data? I guess I could do this with my phone but I hate having those massive phone holders on my bars.

It may be smarter to just get a garmin watch. But I like the idea of being to respond to texts from a watch if I'm going to buy one and I don't think any of the garmins let you do that.

Curious for your guys' thoughts!

[tylercheung]

I use it, but it is limited to "run" and "ride". that being said, i use "run" for runs, walks, hikes, and travel-logging...


Power - there is some sort of fancy "power zone" analysis and "suffer score" that I think is some sort of computed number based on speed and HR, but I haven't looked into it. I just look at what my average split per mile is.

I would say it is good for timing and GPS; it will also compared you to other runners/riders who have used the same route. The V2.0 of apple watch doesn't need a phone for that.

It does support bluetooth HR meters, but someone who has used it w/ more cycling specific stuff can comment more about cadence meters and stuff.

Sorry....not that sophisticated a user!

Edit: in the Strava app settings there is a button for cadence meters so looks like there's a mechanism for that somehow

[macaroon]

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/s...-2015042797777

[geordanh]

Originally Posted by tylercheung

I use it, but it is limited to "run" and "ride". that being said, i use "run" for runs, walks, hikes, and travel-logging...


Power - there is some sort of fancy "power zone" analysis and "suffer score" that I think is some sort of computed number based on speed and HR, but I haven't looked into it. I just look at what my average split per mile is.

I would say it is good for timing and GPS; it will also compared you to other runners/riders who have used the same route. The V2.0 of apple watch doesn't need a phone for that.

It does support bluetooth HR meters, but someone who has used it w/ more cycling specific stuff can comment more about cadence meters and stuff.

Sorry....not that sophisticated a user!

Edit: in the Strava app settings there is a button for cadence meters so looks like there's a mechanism for that somehow

Sweet, thanks for the feedback.

I know these smart watches are lame for general use, but using while training seems like they'd be legit useful.

[hummus_aquinas]

I recently bought a Garmin Vivosmart hr+ and I think it's great! I bought it to replace a failing Edge 500 and chose this particular fitness tracker. I don't need any smart watch features like texting or media, just strava access; I chose the most entry level GPS, wrist heart rate, bluetooth-enabled model. The smaller form factor works well for me. While riding it was light and unobtrusive, disappearing into my wrist at times. I think it's $200.00 retail and I won't feel as gutted if slam it on a ride, with the Fenix models not so much!

[benb]

Yah if you really want to do this go get a Garmin watch. They are way beyond what the Apple Watch & Android watches can do, and they can keep their screen on all the time and you can actually see the screen outside. Battery life is way way better too.

I sold my Fenix 3 to someone here.. still on the fence about buying a Fenix 5 to replace it. I'm not really that into wearing a watch anymore and running is the killer feature IMO of the watches. If all I'm doing is biking I'm not sure I need it as I have an Edge unit and those are superior for biking. I do really miss it sometimes though, the Garmin are pretty useful for swimming too.

The one thing the Apple Watch has going for it now shockingly is they aren't that expensive compared to some of the other options. Amazing.

[EPIC! Stratton]

Originally Posted by benb

Yah if you really want to do this go get a Garmin watch. They are way beyond what the Apple Watch & Android watches can do, and they can keep their screen on all the time and you can actually see the screen outside. Battery life is way way better too.

I sold my Fenix 3 to someone here.. still on the fence about buying a Fenix 5 to replace it. I'm not really that into wearing a watch anymore and running is the killer feature IMO of the watches. If all I'm doing is biking I'm not sure I need it as I have an Edge unit and those are superior for biking. I do really miss it sometimes though, the Garmin are pretty useful for swimming too.

The one thing the Apple Watch has going for it now shockingly is they aren't that expensive compared to some of the other options. Amazing.

Interesting. My wife complains that her Garmin watch takes forever to locate satellites during a running race (assuming she doesn't start and pause the watch way prior to getting to the starting line). Saw this as a potential plus for Strava w/ Apple watch as I use Strava on my phone and it finds me much quicker than my Edge 520 typically.

[geordanh]

Originally Posted by benb

Yah if you really want to do this go get a Garmin watch. They are way beyond what the Apple Watch & Android watches can do, and they can keep their screen on all the time and you can actually see the screen outside. Battery life is way way better too.

I sold my Fenix 3 to someone here.. still on the fence about buying a Fenix 5 to replace it. I'm not really that into wearing a watch anymore and running is the killer feature IMO of the watches. If all I'm doing is biking I'm not sure I need it as I have an Edge unit and those are superior for biking. I do really miss it sometimes though, the Garmin are pretty useful for swimming too.

The one thing the Apple Watch has going for it now shockingly is they aren't that expensive compared to some of the other options. Amazing.

Thanks for the great tips!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[benb]

Originally Posted by EPIC! Stratton

Interesting. My wife complains that her Garmin watch takes forever to locate satellites during a running race (assuming she doesn't start and pause the watch way prior to getting to the starting line). Saw this as a potential plus for Strava w/ Apple watch as I use Strava on my phone and it finds me much quicker than my Edge 520 typically.

That's a model specific issue. My Fenix 3 was lightning quick to acquire GPS and my Edge 1000 even more so. My Edge 1000 will get a GPS lock in my basement riding on the trainer.. it's got an excellent antenna design AFAICT.

You can't really "test" with the Edge devices cause they don't have the same feature set but I would say my Fenix 3 did not have the accuracy of my old eTrex Vista HCx.. the Vista HCx was astonishingly accurate and precise, the watches can't do that. For example with the eTrex you could plug in the coordinates of a geocache and it would put you within 10ft of the coordinate, the Fenix 3 could only get you within 1/10th of a mile.

That kind of accuracy and use case is hardly needed for sports uses though, that's why they sell whole other families of devices.

Despite me downplaying the Apple watch I actually went and tried them on again this week, they still have some real plusses, for all of the non-sports stuff they are really nice, and they are a very comfortable/elegant design compared to the Garmins. My biggest thing I miss with the watch is some of the activity tracking stuff like the watch reminding you to stand up and walk around if you are working at a desk. The Garmins do that great, but so does the Apple watch, and the Apple watch is now available for hundreds less than something like a Fenix 5 HR. (And the series 2 improves on a lot of the weak points of the apple watch) The UI on the Fenix devices is very easy to understand though, the Apple watch to me seems like it would take some time to learn, it's pretty complicated.