Best Garmin for Cycling & Running:Any Recommendations?!

Arequipa

Happy Friday!

I am looking for a Garmin which I can use for cycling and running & also wear as a wristwatch.
I can spend 200-300 euro on it and would plan on using it for running, cycling, sportives, triathalons in Ireland and around the world.
Looking for good value,quality, reliable product which is easy to use...

I would appreciate any recommendations...

Arequipa.

ckeego

Arequipa wrote: »

Happy Friday!

I am looking for a Garmin which I can use for cycling and running & also wear as a wristwatch.
I can spend 200-300 euro on it and would plan on using it for running, cycling, sportives, triathalons in Ireland and around the world.
Looking for good value,quality, reliable product which is easy to use...

I would appreciate any recommendations...

Arequipa.

I'd be pretty certain that if you want it for BOTH cycling and running that it would need to be either a Forerunner 405 or 410.

AFAIK the 405 is not made anymore and the 410 is the update for it.

Here's a link...http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-Forerunner-Sportswatch-Heart-Monitor/dp/B0046BTK14/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1330088961&sr=1-1-catcorr

I have the 405 and I originally used it for the exact reasons you are looking for. I was one of a few dozen here that then went and bought a pricematched Garmin Edge 500 for the bike last year:)

The 405 is perfect though as it has both bike and running modes and all you need extra from what the box above contains is a small rubber bike holder for the watch (it's about 15 euro in Wheelworx or online) This just holds the watch in place on your crossbar.

Further down the road (pun non intentional) there is a cadence sensor that is also compatible with the 405/410 and it is also compatible with all ANT devices as far as I know this also includes power meters (the Edge 500 certainly is power tap compatible if you require that)

Visit the Garmin website and they have a comparator online that you can find the model that best suits. It is only in the last while that they have launched a true multisport Tri watch in the 910 XT which also measures swim data, transition times etc...They are about 390 pounds in the UK with the HRM

As you can see, even with the bike adaptor and cadence, if you use the link above it will keep you under budget. Buy it anywhere in Ireland and expect to go well over budget:mad::mad:

Best of luck and hopefully this is of some help.

triggermortis

Have you had a look at the Suunto range? I was looking at them a while ago before I got my Garmin as I didn't need the off bike functions

Plastik

I use the Edge 500 for both running and cycling. It fits the 310XT watch strap which you can buy on Amazon for about 30 quid.

mfdc

Get the Forerunner 305 and the bike mount kit for it. It's relatively cheap and does the job perfectly - I used mine running and cycling for two years until I got an Edge 500 as a gift, still use it for running. Functionally it's better than the 405 imo, bigger screen and buttons instead of a touch bezel. Looks uglier but hey...

Hmm just looking now seems they've gone up in price... I replaced mine last March for £100, but amazon want £140 for one today. Still a good choice for cycling and running imo.

Seve OB

I don't really get why people buy these things anymore when most of you already have a smart phone where you can download free apps, and even fork out a few scheckles for the pro or elite versions!

what makes them so much better than smartphones?

triggermortis

Because they work properly, battery lasts long enough, no need for a clumsy phone-holding bracket and weather proofing for phone, they're more robust if you have a spill, and cycling is 99% about style and a garmin is much more stylish than a phone stuck onto the bike

g0g

I found Forerunner 305 great for cycling and running, but if you're looking at Triathlons does that not eliminate the option of Forerunner 305/405 and Edge 500? I thought only those XRT ones were properly waterproof?

Lumen

stevieob wrote: »

I don't really get why people buy these things anymore when most of you already have a smart phone where you can download free apps, and even fork out a few scheckles for the pro or elite versions!

what makes them so much better than smartphones?

Smartphones do not support Ant+ natively, which means no HR and no power.

...although I have a Wahoo Fitness dongle on my desk I haven't played with yet.

Seve OB

triggermortis wrote: »

Because they work properly, battery lasts long enough, no need for a clumsy phone-holding bracket and weather proofing for phone, they're more robust if you have a spill, and cycling is 99% about style and a garmin is much more stylish than a phone stuck onto the bike

I use runkeeper and Cardio trainer on my phone (both free versions) and they work absolutely perfectly. I have my old Cateye trip computer set up on my bike and distances speed etc are bang on, every time. No cadence from Phone, but my Cateye gives that to me.

Fair point with the battery because some phones I've had do drain fairly quick, but having said that, I have done over 60k cycles and not had an issue with draining the battery on the phone (just make sure all bluetooth & WiFi etc are turned off)

I got a ultimate add ons bracket with weatherproof case for about €30.

Garmin = a hell of a lot of extra cash just to look stylish if you ask me!

Lumen wrote: »

Smartphones do not support Ant+ natively, which means no HR and no power.

...although I have a Wahoo Fitness dongle on my desk I haven't played with yet.

Don't know what Ant+ is, but I got a HR monitor in Lidl last week for 16.99 and it does the trick

Lumen

stevieob wrote: »

Fair point with the battery because some phones I've had do drain fairly quick, but having said that, I have done over 60k cycles and not had an issue with draining the battery on the phone (just make sure all bluetooth & WiFi etc are turned off)

Many cyclists would do 100k-200k in one ride on a regular basis (weekly). That's probably stretching the limits of a smartphone running GPS.

stevieob wrote: »

Don't know what Ant+ is, but I got a HR monitor in Lidl last week for 16.99 and it does the trick

Ant+ is a wireless protocol for sending cadence, HR and power data to a receiving device.

If you want all that data, a Garmin (or equivalent) is necessary. If you don't, that capability is of no use to you.

Apparently Sony Ericsson have signed up to Ant+ now.

Arequipa

Thank you for the replies: u should charge €€€ for this advice!!

Any of u tried the Garmin Forerunner 610... Mr Armstrong recently put up data on strava.com using this device?

He is currently participating in Iron Man Competitions & came 2nd in Panama...

Thanks again: appreciate your advice!

Arequipa.

TheRunningDude

Arequipa wrote: »

Thank you for the replies: u should charge €€€ for this advice!!

Any of u tried the Garmin Forerunner 610... Mr Armstrong recently put up data on strava.com using this device?

He is currently participating in Iron Man Competitions & came 2nd in Panama...

Thanks again: appreciate your advice!

Arequipa.

If the 610 is in your budget, I'd get it. I have the 410 and although I'm willing to put up with it, there is no getting away from the fact that the bezel is shlt.

copacetic

It's definitely the 610 or the 910 that are currently the 'best'. The 610 if you definitely only want running or cycling, the 910 if you want some swimming support as well.

If you can't afford them, either go for older or cheaper model garmin.

There is no comparison between a smartphone and a wrist mounted garmin, it's laughable to even compare them. Try running a marathon with an iPhone strapped to your wrist! Smartphone is maybe an option if you only want to cycle.

Arequipa

Might save for another few weeks and go for the Garmin Forerunner 610 then: looks like a nice bit of kit!

Arequipa..

ashleey

Or just don't do triathlons? They get in the way of your cycling