Jump to content

Garmin Watch and bike pc ?


Geared

Recommended Posts

Hi All,

 

Newbie here, starting in mountain biking to get my hands dirty, but my ultimate goal is triathlons and some mountain biking. 

 

busy building all my gear as I go along, and I want to use up my medical aid benefits before end year. hence a sense of urgency, on gear that probably could wait a few months. 

 

I get quite the discount on Garmin and I am looking at getting the Fenix 6x or 945 and a Garmin 530 or 830 bundle. 

 

I will be adding the Garmin swim and triathlon strap to the mix. so I am hoping that covers all my straps and sensors (cadence and power) 

 

I am only considering these because of the big discount I am getting, otherwise would have looked at more budget friendly options. 

 

would it be beneficial to have both (watch and onboard) and which would you choose between both options for bike and wrist. 

 

being new this is all very overwhelming, on whats needed and whats a nice to have, I am also the buy once cry once person, so if its a future need that I can afford now, I get the one that will suit me as well down the line as I gather experience. I just don't want to buy and cry unnecessarily. 

 

I have been scouring the web, and reading dcrainmaker, and watching the YouTube videos, but I find some personal experience, from experienced people to be incredibly helpful in waiting through the technical mumbo jumbo I don't yet fully understand. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 47
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Look, if you got the zar to spend then spend it all. But had you said you can only choose one of these options and seeing that you want to do triathlons then the watch is the winner. 

 

Watch ....

 

and do your homework on LONG battery life !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ideally you want the watch for tri and the edge for mtb. A watch for mtb is not ideal but it works. It is also better than no watch for tri, you can't really do a tri with the edge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you wanting both, for me it would be the 945 watch and the 530.

 

I have the 945 and the 520.  For training swimming and running I use the 945.  Cycling the 520.  

 

If doing triathlon races, obviously use the 945 in triathlon mode, I also have the 520 for the cycle leg as is easier to see when on my tri-bars right in front of my face.

 

Both the F6 and 945 will have sufficient battery life for a full Ironman distance

 

At end of the day, all that you have listed will be suitable and useful.  So pick the combination you prefer 

Edited by shaper
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you wanting both, for me it would be the 945 watch and the 530.

 

I have the 945 and the 520.  For training swimming and running I use the 945.  Cycling the 520.  

 

If doing triathlon races, obviously use the 945 in triathlon mode, I also have the 520 for the cycle leg as is easier to see when on my tri-bars right in front of my face.

 

Both the F6 and 945 will have sufficient battery life for a full Ironman distance

 

At end of the day, all that you have listed will be suitable and useful.  So pick the combination you prefer 

Off topic question. When you do the bike leg, when do you switch on the edge? Also do you leave it on the bike in the sun while swimming? When I did duathlons I did something similar to you but found that sometimes switching on my edge in transition took time(locating signal etc) and I also hated the fact that it got so hot in the sun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thank you, those replies have answered a few questions and have been very helpful, and long wheel base, you just asked what I was thinking, can you switch between devices during an event like you described. I was wondering if it was possible. 

 

the 945 530 combo will save even more cash for better use on next purchase of an indoor trainer. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thank you, those replies have answered a few questions and have been very helpful, and long wheel base, you just asked what I was thinking, can you switch between devices during an event like you described. I was wondering if it was possible. 

 

the 945 530 combo will save even more cash for better use on next purchase of an indoor trainer. 

I personally would take the 530 over the 830. I have the 520 and I love it. I think for what you want, the 830 would be a waste.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've got the 945 and 530. (and I've still got a 935 and 820 lying around that I upgraded from)

 

If you are going to be doing triathlons, I would highly recommend getting the 945 tri-bundle because it comes with two heart rate straps (HRM-Tri and HRM-Swim) as well as a quick-release wrist and handlebar mount for the watch so you can pop it off your wrist and onto the handlebars for the bike leg then back onto your wrist for the run. And it only takes like 2 seconds to do.

 

For mountain biking the bigger screen of the Edge is better if you want lots of data fields on the screen, or want bigger fonts or are going to be using it for navigation. Otherwise the watch will be fine for the MTBing as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

can you switch between devices during an event like you described. I was wondering if it was possible. 

 

No, you can't switch between devices. You leave the watch on your arm recording the whole thing and only turn the Edge on for the bike leg (and you can then discard the activity after). It's really just to have the bigger screen on the bike.

 

Alternatively you can set up screen mirroring so the Edge device just displays metrics that the watch is recording but for that you still need to have the watch with you.

 

I used to use the edge on my bike during triathlons but I quickly decided it wasn't worth the trouble and now I use the quick-release functionality of the watch to mount it on the handlebars of my bike during the ride and on my wrist for the rest of the race.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, you can't switch between devices. You leave the watch on your arm recording the whole thing and only turn the Edge on for the bike leg (and you can then discard the activity after). It's really just to have the bigger screen on the bike.

 

Alternatively you can set up screen mirroring so the Edge device just displays metrics that the watch is recording but for that you still need to have the watch with you.

 

I used to use the edge on my bike during triathlons but I quickly decided it wasn't worth the trouble and now I use the quick-release functionality of the watch to mount it on the handlebars of my bike during the ride and on my wrist for the rest of the race.

 

 

exactly what I was looking for, thank you, makes perfect sense. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Off topic question. When you do the bike leg, when do you switch on the edge? Also do you leave it on the bike in the sun while swimming? When I did duathlons I did something similar to you but found that sometimes switching on my edge in transition took time(locating signal etc) and I also hated the fact that it got so hot in the sun.

The Edge i keep in my transition bag T1, it is inside my helmet (inside of helmet facing up like a bowl).  As I pull my helmet out i switch it on so that it has time to get gps signal.  I finish changing putting on race belt, stuff swim stuff into bag, pick up garmin which has been on the floor between my legs where have been sitting changing and head off to the bike.

 

Many leave their garmin on the bike, not for me as there have been many times a gps unit go missing between early morning transition opening where you final prep everything and left it on the bike getting back to your bike after the swim. 

 

After the bike leg, I also grab my edge off the bike and take it with me to T2 and then leave it in the run bag with my cycling kit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

exactly what I was looking for, thank you, makes perfect sense. 

This is exactly what I do, the 945 records the whole race, the 520 is only for the bike leg as i have it in front of me and easier to read the numbers especially power when pacing the race.  On getting back to T2, I switch the 520 off and leave in in my run bag.  The 520 activity is deleted after the race, as will be duplicated with what is recorded on my 945.

 

It's a personal choice.  I like having my numbers right in front of my nose and on a bigger screen that I can see all the time, rather than having to try twist my wrist over every few seconds.  As for personal choice am also not a fan of the quick release as there have been stories of the watch coming off the quick release during the swim leg.  i also think it looks bulky on your wrist and i wear my 945 as a daily watch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a personal choice.  I like having my numbers right in front of my nose and on a bigger screen that I can see all the time, rather than having to try twist my wrist over every few seconds.  As for personal choice am also not a fan of the quick release as there have been stories of the watch coming off the quick release during the swim leg.  i also think it looks bulky on your wrist and i wear my 945 as a daily watch.

 

It is pretty bulky so I only put it on the quick-release strap for races. Use the normal strap the rest of the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout