Apple Watch for cycling

[perkedel]

Looking at Apple website for the watch, it says here: "During a dedicated cardio workout, the Workout app built into Apple Watch shows real-time stats like elapsed time, distance, calories, pace, and speed for a variety of the most popular activities, including running, using the elliptical, and cycling — indoors or out".

I'm interested in the cycling portion. How does it know? I'm currently using Garmin vivosmart which doesn't take account of cycling as part of activity. Was there details that I may missed from the keynote ?

 

[jabingla2810]

Looking at Apple website for the watch, it says here: "During a dedicated cardio workout, the Workout app built into Apple Watch shows real-time stats like elapsed time, distance, calories, pace, and speed for a variety of the most popular activities, including running, using the elliptical, and cycling — indoors or out".

I'm interested in the cycling portion. How does it know? I'm currently using Garmin vivosmart which doesn't take account of cycling as part of activity. Was there details that I may missed from the keynote ?

I think you'll have to manually tell it your cycling.

I can't see any other way.

Perhaps an iPhone in your pocket could figure out you are cycling?

Maybe, but I don't think it could do so with much accuracy.

 

[KauaiBruce]

I believe I have seen cycling as a choice in the fitness app. I have not yet seen rowing but hope it is there. Right now I get no credit for rowing on the iPhone because that is the one gym machine where I do not it in my pocket because I am using the kindle app to read. The watch should easily see the rowing movement anyway.

 

[MH01]

The watch will be able to work out you heart rate, and the iPhone will do the rest in regards to speed and gps functionality . In the gym it will work out most of the stats from your heart rate, just like the machines in the gym do.

What functionality are you after in therms of cycling?

 

[rhyme]

Apps such as Moves can figure out that you are cycling from your speed and pattern of movement. No reason the watch couldn't do the same. Advanced fitness trackers can also work out what sort of activity you are engaging in, using hueristic models and the pattern of info from various sensors.

 

[Vundu]

The Sony smartband can tell when you start cycling from the movement but was only about 60% accurate for me.

Hopefully the apple watch will be better but I would rather the option from the fitness app to tell the watch when I start and finish my ride.

 

[perkedel]

What functionality are you after in therms of cycling?

I could use the gps and speed data plus the heart rate. I have a bike computer that's useful for mileage/speed.
It would be great if this is counted towards the daily activity, since I bike at least an hour a day and more on weekends.

I may need to tell the watch 'hey, I'm going cycling' since one's wrists don't move a lot when on a handle bar.

 

[ipodlover77]

This is the ONLY reason why I want the apple watch. Turn by turn directions on my wrist would be a god send.

But at the same time, I just don't like the fact that I need the phone to actually rely on the GPS.

BUT AT THE SAME SAME TIME. Everywhere I would bike, I would most likely need to take my phone in case of emergencies so I guess the first "at the same time" is really a moot point.

But at the same same same time, it makes me wonder if I should just buy a Garmin 800 instead of the apple watch.

 

[OllyW]

I believe I have seen cycling as a choice in the fitness app.

Yes, cycling is definitely one of the fitness options.

 

[Nismo73]

Going to be curious to see how it compares to my Garmin 500 with heart strap to the Apple watch and iPhone and how it computes calories burned.

 

[dejo]

I most interested to learn how much more "coaching" is offered with the recently-announced Strava Apple Watch app.

 

[rhyme]

Going to be curious to see how it compares to my Garmin 500 with heart strap to the Apple watch and iPhone and how it computes calories burned.

I'm expecting it will be more accurate than heartstrap monitors. You can get apps for your phone that measure your heart rate using the flash and camera on your phone, and I find the results are almost identical to the results from a medical-grade blood pressure and heart rate monitor. My experience with chest strap monitors is that they only work well once you have got up a good sweat and fast pulse, even if you pre-moisten them before putting them on.

 

[Runt888]

I'm expecting it will be more accurate than heartstrap monitors. You can get apps for your phone that measure your heart rate using the flash and camera on your phone, and I find the results are almost identical to the results from a medical-grade blood pressure and heart rate monitor. My experience with chest strap monitors is that they only work well once you have got up a good sweat and fast pulse, even if you pre-moisten them before putting them on.

I don't have any experience with heart rate monitors of any kind, but this pretty much directly contradicts what others on this forum are saying. I'm very interested to read reviews when the embargo is lifted - hopefully some people are doing some in-depth testing of the watch as a fitness tracker.

 

[Julien]

...if you pre-moisten them before putting them on.

Use Electrolyte Gel, Glycerin or mild liquid soap instead. I have been using straps for almost 15 years 5x a week (many brands too).

 

[Totalkharnage]

I believe I have seen cycling as a choice in the fitness app. I have not yet seen rowing but hope it is there. Right now I get no credit for rowing on the iPhone because that is the one gym machine where I do not it in my pocket because I am using the kindle app to read. The watch should easily see the rowing movement anyway.

Rowing was definitely in the workout app too that Tim Cook showed during the keynote.

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

The iPod nano already has all of these options and estimates calories when you have a chest strap paired.

I think the watch is sort of a forced option for cycling. You won't get much out of it and you will need your phone anyway. Might as well just get a nice handlebar clamp for your phone.

 

[rhyme]

I don't have any experience with heart rate monitors of any kind, but this pretty much directly contradicts what others on this forum are saying. I'm very interested to read reviews when the embargo is lifted - hopefully some people are doing some in-depth testing of the watch as a fitness tracker.

I think the reason what I have said contradicts what others have said is that they will be working from the staring point that, up until now, heart rate chest straps have been the gold standard for fitness heart rate measurements. Previous wrist-strap heart rate monitors have used the same technology as chest-strap heart rate monitors (relying on conductance), but have been much less accurate because of the sub-optimal placement using this technology. If you are basing your expectations on that, you would expect any wrist-based heart rate monitor to be less accurate.

The approach taken by the Apple watch is a new technology, based on an approach that has been proven with phone apps (but obviously the phone app can't be used while you are actually exercising, unlike the watch).

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I think the watch is sort of a forced option for cycling. You won't get much out of it and you will need your phone anyway. Might as well just get a nice handlebar clamp for your phone.

I disagree, as the heart rate monitoring is an important missing bit of information for fitness goals and calories burnt (unless you are highly motivated and willing to wear a chest strap every time you get on your bike). The potential of the Apple Watch as a fitness monitor for those of us whose main cardio activity is cycling is actually what sold me on the Apple Watch. Most all-day fitness monitors are glorified step counters, not much good for cycling. If all you want is the time and some notifications, the Pebble Time with its colour e-ink screen and resulting long battery life is a better option (aesthetics aside).

 

[Speedman100]

Are any of you runners? How do you run with your iPhone. I'm a runner, but I never take my phone with me because there aren't really any pockets that would work and I don't want to hold the phone in my hand. But now that I'm getting the Watch and it requires iPhone for GPS, I'll need to run with my phone.

 

[rhyme]

Are any of you runners? How do you run with your iPhone. I'm a runner, but I never take my phone with me because there aren't really any pockets that would work and I don't want to hold the phone in my hand. But now that I'm getting the Watch and it requires iPhone for GPS, I'll need to run with my phone.

I've used arm bands to carry iPhones while running in the past, and you can see in the promotional videos that the marathon runner did the same. They aren't all that comfortable, but they work.

 

[The Doctor11]

Well your phone is suppose to be able to do cycling. I haven't been on a bike sense... At least September 19th. Can any one who has been on a bike see if they have any data in there? Hopefully you won't have to tell it your on a bike.

 

[perkedel]

I think the watch is sort of a forced option for cycling. You won't get much out of it and you will need your phone anyway. Might as well just get a nice handlebar clamp for your phone.

I already bring my iPhone with me in my backpack while riding, so it's not an problem for me. I did have a handlebar clamp for my iPhone 5s, but they don't seem to make the mount for the larger iPhone 6 Plus.
My garmin vivosmart can only track walking, and its data get sent off to the HealthKit, I don't get much out of it for cycling either.
What they all are missing, are the heart rate monitor.

I had Polar heart heart monitor that I used to wear while indoor cycling, but it's a bitch to put on and not exactly comfortable.

 

[rhyme]

Well your phone is suppose to be able to do cycling. I haven't been on a bike sense... At least September 19th. Can any one who has been on a bike see if they have any data in there? Hopefully you won't have to tell it your on a bike.

The Health Kit currently relies on cycling data from third-party apps such as Strava.

 

[8CoreWhore]

I'm thinking that for cycling, most will want to use a Watch companion app for the app they are already using with the iPhone.

http://www.bikeradar.com/us/gear/article/best-iphone-and-android-apps-for-cycling-35227/

If you are using a cycling specific app, naturally it will know what activity you are doing. The Apple Watch may require you telling it, just so it can have the right screen visible at the start, but otherwise, it would see your body movement style and speed is unique to cycling. But I rather have it on the right screen right away.

With a cycling specific app, you can get sensors that measure cadence, etc.

I'll use the Watch for HRM, but I'll still have my iPhone mounted to the bars as I do now. I like a big screen giving me lots of data all at once without having to change the screen.

 

[BD1]

Are any of you runners? How do you run with your iPhone. I'm a runner, but I never take my phone with me because there aren't really any pockets that would work and I don't want to hold the phone in my hand. But now that I'm getting the Watch and it requires iPhone for GPS, I'll need to run with my phone.

Checkout Flipbelt

I got tired of armbands and you don't even really notice you are wearing the flip belt.

I got one and it works well, even with the large 6+

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

I already bring my iPhone with me in my backpack while riding, so it's not an problem for me. I did have a handlebar clamp for my iPhone 5s, but they don't seem to make the mount for the larger iPhone 6 Plus.
My garmin vivosmart can only track walking, and its data get sent off to the HealthKit, I don't get much out of it for cycling either.
What they all are missing, are the heart rate monitor.

I had Polar heart heart monitor that I used to wear while indoor cycling, but it's a bitch to put on and not exactly comfortable.

For me, a watch snug on my wrist while cycling is far more uncomfortable than a chest strap. I don't know what strap you had but mine is cloth and attaches with a single hook. It's Polar's Bluetooth model. Easy and comfortable.

So, what will the watch add to your cycling experience?