Best Wearable Fitness Trackers for Cycling

In this day and age, the market for wearable and interactive sports fitness trackers has become increasingly competitive. Smartwatches continue to surpass some of the most popular and comprehensive biking computers, offering a range of impressively high-functioning features.

Given a watch is physically strapped to your wrist rather than a computer to your handlebars, you can track exactly what’s going on with your body both on and off the bike. That said, most smartwatches function like a GPS computer, with built-in peripheral sensors that gauge power, calorie-burning, and heart rate.

If you are in the market for a new cycling fitness tracker or want to gain valuable insights about your body and fitness health, the following breakdown of the Best Fitness Trackers for Cycling should come in handy.

Apple Watch Series 6: Best overall smartwatch for cycling

As you very well know, Apple is a household name in the smartwatch game. It’s no surprise that when it comes to wearable devices, the Apple Watch Series 6 is one of the best. No matter the sport, cycling included, the Series 6 allows you to effortlessly track your sporting stats at a glance without activating the display.

Some of the most attractive and supported features of the device include an extremely accurate and FDA-approved heart-rate monitor with new blood oxygen saturation features, independent GPS tracking, in addition to music playback without having to rely on a smartphone. More than that, the Apple Watch Series 6 allows you to freely receive and answer calls with no extra cost. It’s hard to find something the apple watch can't do, with universal connectivity and a host of 3rd party app integrations like Strava, Komoot, and Cyclemeter.

 

Garmin Fenix 6 Solar: Highest functioning watch for cycling

The stylish new Garmin Fenix 6 Solar is both a solid and functional smartwatch option if you're on the market for a wearable fitness tracker. This new Garmin model includes accurate GPS tracking, optical heart rate measurement, and pulse oximetry that measures the oxygen level in your blood.

Garmin ingeniously added a solar coating to the glass face of the watch which allows the sun's rays to recharge the battery on the go. All this, plus a user-friendly interface and customizable app, make the Garmin Fenix 6 Solar a more than average choice for a wearable fitness tracker.

Fitbit Charge 4: Best fitness tracker for cycling

The new Fitbit Charge 4 is an updated version of the Fitbit Charge 3 (still available) that comes with a variety of features tailored to cycling fanatics. As the first non-smartwatch Fitbit tracker, the Charge 4 reigns over previous Fitbit models due to its integrated GPS technology that allows you to leave your phone at home while you are out riding.

The Charge 4 collects routine fitness and heart rate data, in addition to a new feature and fitness metric called Active Zone Minutes. This feature allows you to measure the intensity of their activity over a longer period of time, like a week. While the Fitbit Charge 4 may lack some bells and whistles, it’s still a phenomenal product for health-focused fitness-centered cyclists.

 

Garmin Instinct: Most durable watch

The Garmin Instinct was built to withstand just about anything. This rugged and extremely durable design makes it one of the most reliable and well-constructed watches on the market. The Garmin Instinct abides by U.S military standards for thermal, shock, and water resistance up to 100 meters. A built-in three-axis compass, barometric altimeter, and multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, Glonass, and Galileo) help navigate the most challenging and remote conditions.

The Instinct also measures your estimated heart rate, activity, and stress levels, allowing you to train with multiple preloaded activity profiles. With smart notifications (and a compatible smartphone) Garmin makes it easy to connect to the online fitness community in just a few clicks. Another major selling point for the Instinct is the Trackback feature, helping you navigate back along the same route to your starting point on a ride. All in all, the Garmin Instinct is a perfect choice for mountain bike fanatics who love the rugged outdoors.

Polar Grit X: Best value multi-sport watch

The Polar Grit X is a lightweight and remarkably durable sports watch that gives you extra-long battery life, full GPS tracking, and heart rate tracking built into a military-grade water-resistant device. The Polar Grit X offers real-time guidance and route info via Koomoot, automatically detecting inclines and declines, offering data to deliver performance metrics on your speed, distance, and altitude.

The watch itself is built with an extremely high-strength stainless steel case (with DLC coating on the black color version) and a glass fiber reinforced polymer back cover. The always-on color touch display and laminated Gorilla glass lens with an anti-fingerprint coating protected with forged stainless steel bezel with lugs. The Polar Grit X comes in a variety of colors, including black & black, silver & silver, and silver & white. On top of that, the Polar Grit X comes with a range of customizable wristband colors and materials options.

What to look for?

Of course, when it comes to wearable fitness trackers, especially in cycling, find what works best for you. Given smartwatches continue to surpass some of the most popular and comprehensive biking computers with a range of impressively high functioning features, hopefully the following list comes in handy when the time comes to pull the trigger and make a purchase. For more cycling gear tips and recommendations, visit the Thread + Spoke blog today to learn more.

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