I don't plan to buy a cycle computer.

A watch is not a substitute if you want to view ride data like speed, distance, ride time, or other useful data like avg. spd, outside temp., weather info (wind direction and speed) etc.... Much easier to have that on a screen on a h-bar device. A phone with RWGPS can give you *some* of that if you want your phone on the h-bar. Many don't want that (like me). Having to view that data on a watch is a PITA, for one thing the screen and information is much smaller and harder to view and you need to peel back clothing layers in winter to view it. I've had 4 different Edge units and can state my Instinct watch is a poor substitute. I tend to look at the maps and you don't get that on a watch

I just wish I didn't have to hit RECORD and START. I also wish I didn't have to hit STOP and SAVE. It would be so nice if it just inferred that I'm riding and then asked me later to confirm. I believe that would be possible.

Haven't encountered a cycling computer that skips these steps, especially the save functions. Edge's can auto start, I just manually start.

Does your music database live on the watch ?, or does that stay on the phone and just get ported to the watch ?.

Let us know how it goes!

I will post. I've listed the reasons why I don't want a smart watch.

My motivations are fitness tracking and notifications. I worked as an assistant teacher last year, and my lead teacher glanced at her watch discreetly. It saved her time and allowed her to keep her focus on the classroom. I'm about to become a teacher, and I think this will be useful.

I think by definition, a smart watch is what you get in order to give you fitness and notifications.

Not sure, really. I suspect most of it is in the cloud somewhere. She would mostly be listening to Spotify and Audible, maybe some podcasts.

2 quick Google searches yielded that Apple watches can be purchased that have cell capability and that you can install a Spotify app to listen to that. That's useful to a runner. I need to check my Instinct, it has some form of music capability that I have never used. Never really needed it.

If you've got tracks in the Music app on your phone, you can copy them (well, some of them—the watch doesn't have that much capacity) to the watch for playback, but you can also run streaming music services.

Just looked it up and tried it, the watch music widget (Instinct 2 Solar) can control stop/start/pause/advance/rewind/volume on whatever music is playing, iTunes, Spotify, etc...

I made a decision suddenly. I decided to go with an Apple Watch for a few reasons. I'm already entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, and that's not entirely good but it's not entirely bad, either. I had kinda-sorta made a commitment to an app called fitbod which requires an Apple Watch. Plus I figure it would be easy to learn. Best Buy had a sale for $30 off which is not amazing but about as good as it gets for Apple products.

I've decided not to play with it or explore all the millions of possibilities. I just put it on my wrist and started wearing it. I'm in grad school and should not take on any new interests. I'll learn passively for as long as I can resist the temptation to tinker.

I've been resisting smartwatches for years, and I will see how this goes. Thanks everyone for your help. I might eventually start a new thread on my experiences.

I forgot to mention: I got a Series 10. I got the smaller size because my wrists are very thin and also because I want to minimize weight and bulk. Now that I have it, I think I chose well, and it's not too small to read.

after 10 years of tracking my "data" with my garmin watch I can say that doctors don't care about the information and the novelty has worn off, just go ride your bike and don't stress over it. it's one more gadget to remember to charge. I like information but it really doesn't matter, when this watch dies I'll buy a nice watch with no regard to wether are not it "tracks" my data. just my opinion. I had a stroke 10 years ago and thought the information would be helpful to me and doctors but they really aren't interested.

Good luck with it! Like many of us, you'll likely obsess over the data for a while. After 3 months with my Garmin, I don't analyze as much as I used to, but I still check it and find it useful

Thanks. Data obsession is my middle name. I know that after some time, I'll know how to glance at it and get an overview. I don't understand the sleep graphs yet. I'm interested in understanding and improving my sleep. I was worried that wearing the watch while sleeping would annoy me, but it doesn't.

I find the sleep information insightful. It’s helped me find patterns that show up including more closely watching caffeine intake and the impact of it. I do wonder if the band tightness impacts how well it works - Im between two different holes in the band and wishing i could get it just right.

I call my Garmin watch "The Joy Killer," because it convinced me to reduce alcohol intake, late-night snacking, and evening screen time -- all things that I enjoyed. In fact, after being a drinker for over four decades (and a 2-3 beverage per day drinker for at least the previous 5 years), I have pretty much quit consuming alcohol altogether. The results are much higher sleep scores, lower resting HR, higher HRV, shorter recovery times, and greater training readiness.

There are many systems in your body that are likely to be healthier for a longer, healthier life. I got a scare from my nephrologist (kidney doctor). My kidneys are slowing down but not failing. I already am not a drinker, so I'll stay that way. I will have a small drink every month or two, and that should be OK. I'm slowly changing my diet in response as well. Less spicy food, less sugar, etc.

We may lose some joys of those things, but if we can buy some extra health, that's another kind of joy.

Spicy food is good for you. You should eat more and not less.

https://www.healthline.com/health/fi...our-metabolism

That’s probably true for most people. My nephrologist says to cut back because of the condition of my kidneys. Thanks though.