thedoc46

I walked into an Apple store this morning and checked it out.. I did also need a new watch, so i went ahead and pre-ordered one. Looking forward to seeing what can be done with regards to cycling.

mrl72

On the fence about it at the moment. I too went into the store but they only had the 38mm on demo and the thing was tiny, way too small for my eyes to concentrate on while out and about. I bought the Wahoo Tickr while at the store and that has been working great, but the watch certainly has my attention. I just don't think I can commit to one until they either have GPS built in or a longer battery. V2 maybe?

walked

I did; but almost exclusively for long rides and being able to see if my wife texts me with an emergency and/or be able to quickly send her my location at a stop. We'll see how it does for that purpose.

Seattle Forrest

No.

It has no GPS, uses the one in your phone. That's fine, but not at the price Apple wants for it. The watch has to be tethered constantly to your phone or it isn't useful for much beyond telling time. Has to be charged at least every day, making it unsuitable for sports use. It's basically a very expensive second screen for your phone.

keyven

Sorry, it seems people are trying too hard to find a use for something they really don't need. Something that looks pretty but is most definitely overpriced.

You could have multiple devices that simply work better, are cheaper in total and have far better battery life. They should also work fine over several years while you'll likely see the Apple watch's efficiency deteriorate by the time the 2016 version is released - their programmers will prioritize the new watch over the old one. To be fair, the last point is not something unique to Apple - my Pebble watch started to noticeably drop in battery life and stability soon after the new version was announced and a slew of updates were done.

msr13

I think the Apple Watch is going to be fantastic-- just maybe not in this first version. Consumer Reports just came out with its review and said the heart monitor works as well as a strap. So, I think it has a lot of potential, I struggle to find a reason to get one now and I am a big Apple product fan.

JohnJ80

The 24 hr battery life and the limited water resistance compared to my other watches are both deal breakers individually. I'm interested but I'll wait for v2.0. I jumped into the iPhone at the 3G which was v2.0 of the iPhone.

I hate chest hr monitors and had been looking for a wrist one so Apple's version has my interest for that. Otherwise, I don't see it offering me much for cycling since I use my iPhone with a RFLKT for my bike computer - I don't need or want a bike computer on my wrist.

J.

bbbean 

I'm all for people enjoying whatever gadgets they want to, but my Garmin is already in the ideal spot to see relevant info, and if I'm going to have to take a hand off the bars to see a phone call or text message, why not just reach into my jersey pocket and pull out my iPhone?

Looks like a fun toy, but one that I'll live without for now.

BB

ItsJustMe

I'm actually more interested in the new Pebble watch.

Seattle Forrest

But that's only when it's on your wrist, where you can't see your current speed or ride time. Put it on the handlebars where the info can be seen, and you don't have a heart rate monitor anymore.

msr13

Yep. I totally agree with you. It's one of the reasons I'll hold off until I see other reasons to get one.

Tinacha2

If anyone does try one, please post how it's working and what apps you are using. I'm thinking of getting one - I only use Runkeeper on my iPhone for now.

DjFantom

I cant comment about the iwatch as i have a samsung Galaxy s4 phone and use The samsung Gear 2 smartwatch . but about smart watches in general its just another toy/ gadget . if you can get it get it. if not you not missing much ... for me it comes in handy, often i will get texts about last minute dj gigs and have to respond quickly or it will go to someone else , i can't have my phone out at work... but can send a quick pre made template text etc.... as it pertains to Riding it has a exercise app that has cycling and also a bare bones bike computer app that mimics the basic $50 bike computers/ speedometers

i also use it in conjunction with a bluetooth Headset when im riding. i get a call i can quickly look at my wrist and see who it is , then answer via the watch or bluetooth headset . im assuming the i watch will have the same functions .... it has navigation apps too, but the work from the phone and transmits the turn by turn directions to the watch ... its more useful for walking somewhere tho when you are lost and dont want to look like you arestaring at your phone looking around

Dont get a iwatch specifically for cycling, but if you need a watch in general like i did why not get a smart watch... a good regular watch will cost you a couple hundred in the least anyway

irishtexmex

As I am very much a denizen of the Android world I can't comment on the Apple Watch itself, but I will say that I absolutely love my Moto360. It works great in the office, great on the bike, and I can only assume the Apple iWatch would similarly work great too.

It integrates with Strava and Google Maps, and I find it extremely handy for the trifecta of:

1. Starting/Stopping/Monitoring rides with Strava
2. Navigating with Google Maps
3. Easily responding to texts from my gf or family instead of laboring with my phone

Bear in mind that all of this is from someone who works in IT and is an admitted technophile.

I won't mention anything further about the Apple iWatch, except that I happen to think my Moto360* is much better looking as a watch.




*while I have these watchbands and watchfaces, these are not my own pictures

Seattle Forrest

Does the Moto360 (or Apple Watch) support vibration alerts?

Marc40a

I pre-ordered one in the hopes that I could use Strava or perhaps another app to display my cadence from a Wahoo cadence sensor. But, alas, I cancelled the pre-order before it shipped. I need absolute confirmation that there's an app that will do what I want before I plop down the $.

To echo other posters, I, too, wish it was a bit more waterproof/shock proof.... like a tougher military spec version, or a G-shock watch. Battery life doesn't bug me too much. It's not unreasonable to me to have to charge it nightly.

Regarding, finding other uses... I can think of a ton:

How about a vibrating watch when your phone is out of range? - don't tell me you've never misplaced your phone.

How about customized text notifications when your riding? - wife says pick up milk, but I turned off notifications from everyone else.

How about a a remote start button for your GPS application, timer, ride computer, etc...?

I'm estimating that, much like the smart phone, people are going to be wondering how they got along without these things 5 years from now.

Seattle Forrest

You can't begin to imagine how annoying this is.

I have a Garmin Fenix 3 sports/gps/smart watch. It uses a BLE connection to my phone to upload activity and bio data, and to get the weather and my texts and emails. When the connection drops, it gives me a quick vibrating alert, and the same happens when it reconnects. The problem is that range isn't the only thing that will break that connection; swimming will, occasionally a shower will, body positioning will do the same (so when I'm cuddling with my girlfriend my watch begins to vibrate), as will the phone acting up or dying. It's a good idea in theory but it happens too much in practice to be useful.

JohnJ80

Maybe that's a different app?

BiciMan

I'm going to get the Microsoft Band as soon as I get a Duotrap sensor installed on my Domane. I also want to confirm the Band's Ant+ support, although I may not wait for that. This piece is what intrigues me: Microsoft Health and Band Updates Bring New Cycling App Integrations, Insights and Features

thedoc46

Thought I'd update this thread, seeing that my Apple watch was delivered a couple of days ago.

I wore it with my phone in my back pocket and it pretty much mirrored my Sigma ROX 6.0 on distance, heart rate and calories. So it was pretty accurate there.

However, without the phone close by, even though it mirrored my heart rate correctly, it was really light on the calories, like after a 30min pace of avg 20mph and final 30mph sprint, where my heart rate was avg was in the upper 160's and 190's on the sprint. After 10miles it said i'd only burnt 250 calories.... Which was almost half of what I'd really done, and half of what the exact same ride at the same pace it worked out for me the prior day. So without the phone's GPS, it really is guessing.

So if you're someone who really enjoys the stats, then really you do need to keep the phone on you as well as the watch. Which is a little cumbersome for some.

There are some videos out on youtube showing the watch being used in a swimming pool, with no ill effects, so its probably more waterproof than Apple are letting on... (something to market on their next version, would be my guess)

But other than that, its a fun enough gadget. Very light and doesn't get in the way.

Seattle Forrest

Why would GPS have such a big (or any) effect on your energy expenditure when it's got your heart rate?

What happens when people ride indoors, on a trainer?

thedoc46

I went on an stationary elliptical today at the gym, which doesn't use GPS, it has no idea on what level you're using, so guesses by the HR. However compared to the machines estimated calories burned, the watch also sells you short. By a lot !! They'll probably fix in an update would be my guess.

It has to be with the phone it knows you're going faster, and approximates your speed and HR and not just unfit fatty with a heart beating like a drum.

Juha

Just curious, what are you using as reference ("...what I'd really done...")? All the wearable gadgets make a bunch of wild guesses when it comes to measuring calories. AFAIK, one only gets truly reliable results is in lab conditions.

--J

thedoc46

Of course, all gadgets only make best guesses. I am using experience of all the various gadgets i've used for the past 20yrs, along with my Sigma ROX 6.0, which fell exactly inline with the Apple Watch once GPS was active. I'd say comparing that with the amount of effort i've familiarized myself with, that'll be the one I'm going with.

Seattle Forrest

You're going faster because of a tailwind, or because you're pedaling harder?