# Apple Watch 4 for riding



## Gdesch (Jul 12, 2015)

How do people like their Apple Watch for riding? Thinking of getting one with cellular connectivity so I can leave my phone at home when I am going for a ride. 

Does strava work well on the Apple Watch? How about the heart rate monitor? 

My assumption would be to use only the watch when I am doing small to moderate rides on known trails but still bring my phone when I am exploring new places so I can access Trailforks. Also would bring the phone on big days as backup. 

I ride mainly in the PNW If that makes any difference. 

Thought?


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## Cuyuna (May 14, 2017)

Gdesch said:


> How do people like their Apple Watch for riding? Thinking of getting one with cellular connectivity so I can leave my phone at home when I am going for a ride.
> 
> Does strava work well on the Apple Watch? How about the heart rate monitor?
> 
> ...


I use Cyclemeter. It works fine. Uploads to Strava, all that stuff. I continue to wear a chest strap. I haven't really worked much at comparing the watch's built-in HRM to the ANT+ HRM on my Trip 300 computer so I don't know how accurate the watch is while working out. It seems to do OK. It does have a fall sensor.


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## j102 (Jan 14, 2018)

I have an Apple Watch 3, and I use it on all my rides. 
GPS works great, uploads to Strava with no problem, HR monitor works fine, and shows the current speed. I also use it for walking, running and gym work.
It’s a great choice.


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## offroadcmpr (Apr 21, 2012)

I use a Apple Watch, series 2 I believe. It works well enough. I usually put my phone in my bag, and start and stop Strava on the watch itself. I haven’t had any issues with it uploading to strava. Heart rate also uploads to Strava just fine too. 
You actually don’t need LTE to do watch only. Just start Strava on your watch, and when you finish it will upload your results when it pairs back up with your phone. I do that for runs. On rides I prefer having my phone for emergencies though. This doesn’t work on the earlier iterations that didn’t have a built in GPS. 

I’m not sure how accurate the wrist HR detector is though. I’ve had periods where it will say I’ve had the same HR for 20 minutes straight. There is no way I am that consistent. 

If you are the type of person who likes to have a map, speed, distance, and so on always visible then it probably isn’t for you. But if you usually start Strava and then never look at your phone again until you finish the ride, then the watch is a bit handy.


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## abaughman (Aug 25, 2018)

I got the Apple Watch 4 for the fall alert for when I am ridding alone. Just Incase I was to hurt myself bad enough to not be able to call help. Was a bit disappointed that the Strava for the watch don’t let you use the beacon feature or the live segments. So I usually still run my phone for the beacon and the Strava in the watch for the heart rate. The heart rate seems to work well. Battery life could be better. I just have the GPS version.


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## jjc155 (Aug 9, 2011)

offroadcmpr said:


> I use a Apple Watch, series 2 I believe. It works well enough. I usually put my phone in my bag, and start and stop Strava on the watch itself. I haven't had any issues with it uploading to strava. Heart rate also uploads to Strava just fine too.
> You actually don't need LTE to do watch only. Just start Strava on your watch, and when you finish it will upload your results when it pairs back up with your phone. I do that for runs. On rides I prefer having my phone for emergencies though. This doesn't work on the earlier iterations that didn't have a built in GPS.
> 
> I'm not sure how accurate the wrist HR detector is though. I've had periods where it will say I've had the same HR for 20 minutes straight. There is no way I am that consistent.
> ...


thats good to know. I have not used Strava on my watch yet. 99% of the trails I ride I know well or are well marked so I dont need a map up while riding. Always take my phone for emergencies but would be nice to save from battery while on longer rides.

J-


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## Impetus (Aug 10, 2014)

I use a series 2 watch as well. I would echo the above posts regarding functionality and accuracy, my HR seems accurate enough. 
I really really like using my watch for riding.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

jjc155 said:


> thats good to know. I have not used Strava on my watch yet. 99% of the trails I ride I know well or are well marked so I dont need a map up while riding. Always take my phone for emergencies but would be nice to save from battery while on longer rides.
> 
> J-


Strava is mostly not for navigating, anyway.


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## jjc155 (Aug 9, 2011)

Harold said:


> Strava is mostly not for navigating, anyway.


right, just didn't know you could run Starva on the apple watch as a standalone. When I ride unfamiliar trails I use Trailforks and/or MTBProject.

J-


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## lunacity360 (Dec 7, 2018)

Best piece of tech I’ve ever had. I put it on as soon as I wake up every day, and even with a hour and a half ride using strava some days, the battery never goes below half. I have cellular too, and it’s such a relief being able to leave my $1500 iphone at home or in the car, and my wife still being able to contact me. Strava on it works amazing, haven’t had one issue except maybe the anxiety that my ride is lost during the sync back with my phone, but it’s never failed, just sometimes you gotta wait 5 min for it to do it’s thing. Hrm accurate when compared to my friends garmin, and the ecg, fall detection, AirPod music streaming, and awesome band selection all just icing on the cake after that.


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## offroadcmpr (Apr 21, 2012)

lunacity360 said:


> AirPod music streaming,


Many people don't realize that the watch has a small amount of storage space. The newest model has 16GB, Series 2 only had 4GB. But that's still plenty for a workout playlist. And you connect your bluetooth headphones directly to the watch. It's not something I would use for riding, but it works great for running. Leave my phone at home, start strava, start music, and then go on a run. No wires, nothing in my pockets, but I still get music and everything gets tracked and synced when I get back.


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## woodway (Dec 27, 2005)

I have an Apple Watch 4, use it almost every day for my rides.

I still run my Garmin 520 on the bars because I like to look at a few ride stats, so I have compared the distance and elevation between the two and they are always very close.

HR function seems to work great. Looking over the heart rate data, it seems pretty accurate to me.


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## Battery (May 7, 2016)

I used to ride with the Apple Watch 3 and it wasn't my thing. I don't like stuff around my wrists when I ride (or do anything). Plus I wasn't a fan of the heart rate monitor while I rode. It was not completely accurate and when it linked to Strava, it would not register my stats correctly. A chest strap heart rate monitor was my best bet. 

Granted the Apple Watch 4 may have improved greatly over the 3 in some of these categories. Based on these comments, it seems to work a lot better than the 3!


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## JDHutch (Sep 29, 2017)

I have a Garmin Fenix and my wife has the Apple Watch 4 series and without a doubt the Apple Watch is 1000x better. I guess I like the Garmin because its rugged and maybe has better GPS for Strava but when I'm not on the trail I use it to check the time and maybe preview texts and calls. Her watch does everything AND its cheaper. I couldn't honestly recommend getting a Garmin over an Apple Watch unless I guess someone told me the Apple was super fragile and shouldn't be on a trail.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

JDHutch said:


> I couldn't honestly recommend getting a Garmin over an Apple Watch unless I guess someone told me the Apple was super fragile and shouldn't be on a trail.


it IS less rugged than your fenix.


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## lunacity360 (Dec 7, 2018)

I have beat the crap out of my Apple Watch 4 riding with it. I’ve nailed it on trees and stuff, wiped out with it, and it doesnt have a scratch on it yet *knock on wood*. I’m sure a well placed rock strike will change that, but what screen wouldn’t.


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## Cuyuna (May 14, 2017)

JDHutch said:


> I have a Garmin Fenix and my wife has the Apple Watch 4 series and without a doubt the Apple Watch is 1000x better. I guess I like the Garmin because its rugged and maybe has better GPS for Strava but when I'm not on the trail I use it to check the time and maybe preview texts and calls. Her watch does everything AND its cheaper. I couldn't honestly recommend getting a Garmin over an Apple Watch unless I guess someone told me the Apple was super fragile and shouldn't be on a trail.


I haven't had my Apple Watch 4 very long, but I've had the original Apple Watch series 1 since the thing was released. It has been utterly reliable. I wore it daily, including mountain biking, dirt biking, 4-wheeling, etc...absolutely no issues. Not a scratch on it, still functions perfectly. I've no idea how rugged the Fenix is, but my Apple Watch has been rugged enough for me, certainly rugged enough to not make me choose ruggedness over functionality and go with a device that doesn't work as well, has limited functionality, and an obscure and user-unfriendly interface just like every other Garmin device ever made.


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## NordieBoy (Sep 26, 2004)

How often do you have to charge an Apple Watch 4?


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## Cuyuna (May 14, 2017)

NordieBoy said:


> How often do you have to charge an Apple Watch 4?


Mine easily goes 18 hours. I go to work at 5:30 am, usually put the thing in the charger about 10pm and it typically has about 30% battery charge left. I suppose it will be less if I'm using it as a cell phone. I haven't noticed that it's affected much by running GPS type apps like TrailForks, Strava, Cyclemeter, nor does the batter life appear to be affected much by heart rate monitoring.


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## Pedalon2018 (Apr 24, 2018)

I have had Apple Watches from the second model release. Use the 3 now the 4. I continue to use Garmin 1000 and 1030. For me the watch has three useful feature. 1. Cellular connectivity 2. Tells accurate time 3. Great music player especially with Air Pods. I have 400 songs on the watch and access to 40 million tunes when you have cell service. The HR readout is usually close to the Garmin and a chest strap but not always. Not positive why that is. The Garmin gives me so much detail on my metrics with easy to read data, the watch cannot compete. Great piece of gear for what it is. But having all the music you want on your wrist with wireless headphones is the real reason I own one. Cell service is awesome too but still cannot match the phone’s range for the most part. All in all, a very useful product.


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## NordieBoy (Sep 26, 2004)

Well, that's one plus for the Garmin's 
The Fenix 5 & 935 get about 24hr with the GPS and HRM in use. About 2 weeks as a watch with notifications and wrist HRM on 24/7.

If you're already invested in the Apple ecosystem however, the Watch 4 isn't a terrible hardship to put up with. Looking good helps too 

My ideal would be a Garmin 935 + touch screen with Samsung's Tizen OS.


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## Cuyuna (May 14, 2017)

NordieBoy said:


> Well, that's one plus for the Garmin's
> The Fenix 5 & 935 get about 24hr with the GPS and HRM in use. About 2 weeks as a watch with notifications and wrist HRM on 24/7.
> 
> If you're already invested in the Apple ecosystem however, the Watch 4 isn't a terrible hardship to put up with. Looking good helps too
> ...


Well, if you don't have an iPhone then the Apple Watch is completely pointless. It is indeed designed as part of the Apple infrastructure. If you don't need/want the much broader-based app library and the extensive non-workout capabilities, and instead just want a workout watch with GPS then the Fenix line will likely be fine if you're OK with the notoriously lame Garmin software. I do note that the Forerunner 935 is only slightly less expensive than an Apple watch.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Cuyuna said:


> a device that doesn't work as well, has limited functionality, and an obscure and user-unfriendly interface just like every other Garmin device ever made.


waaaahhhhh

typical apple fanboi. If you think Garmin interfaces are obscure and user-unfriendly, you've got a lot to learn. In the case of Garmin devices, your "limited functionality" means that the device excels at specific tasks. Of course it's limited. It's not trying to do everything like apple does.

No, Garmin isn't perfect by any stretch. But I've used devices with truly horrid interfaces. I've used devices with very poor reliability. Based on what I've used, Garmin sits somewhere in the middle. Good enough most of the time.

I'm not arguing that the Apple watch isn't perfectly suitable for some. But don't pretend it's the gold standard, either. There's frankly no such thing right now.


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## Cuyuna (May 14, 2017)

Harold said:


> waaaahhhhh
> 
> typical apple fanboi. If you think Garmin interfaces are obscure and user-unfriendly, you've got a lot to learn. In the case of Garmin devices, your "limited functionality" means that the device excels at specific tasks. Of course it's limited. It's not trying to do everything like apple does.
> 
> ...


waaahh! Typical Apple hater.

I don't pretend the Apple watch is the gold standard for workout watches by any stretch. It's not designed as a workout watch and that is far from the reason I have it. It, in conjunction with the iPhone, does meet my workout device and my navigation needs but its value to me is not as a workout device. I do have a Garmin Edge Explore 1000, really tried to like it, but Garmin software is still a piece of crap. I've been using Garmin GPS units for a couple of decades. I'm very well aware of what a piece of crap their software is and should have known better. If you think they're in the middle of the pack, you don't have as much experience as you claim.

The OP had a relatively narrow range of expectations and asked if the Apple Watch 4 would work for him. It will (if he has an iPhone) and it will meet those needs, and much more, far more effectively and intuitively than any Garmin.


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## Pedalon2018 (Apr 24, 2018)

Garmin software can be a pain but once you set it up, you only need to digest all the data it provides. They now can control your lights, provide radar read outs, power meter screen, oxygen blood data, weather, texts and info on issues calls and on and on and on. Of course all the other stuff like GPS, turn by turn directions, speed, HR, cadence, calories, time, date, temp, sun up, sun set, grade, and on and on and on. Not much else can compete with the upper lines of Garmin. Some but not many. Like Di2, a pain to set up but then you just use it.


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## Smokee300 (Jul 8, 2014)

This is all good info. I've been going back and forth between the Apple Watch 4 and the fenix. I have apple everything else(phone, laptop, ipad) But im still shallow enough to be hung up on how unattractive the apple watch is, bot compared to the Fenix, and to all of the other apple devices. As I mentioned, I'm shallow.


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## Cuyuna (May 14, 2017)

Smokee300 said:


> This is all good info. I've been going back and forth between the Apple Watch 4 and the fenix. I have apple everything else(phone, laptop, ipad) But im still shallow enough to be hung up on how unattractive the apple watch is, bot compared to the Fenix, and to all of the other apple devices. As I mentioned, I'm shallow.


Yeah, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I'm not a huge fan of the design elements of the Apple Watch....more of a Rolex guy when it comes to watch-as-jewelry. I find the Fenix more attractive, but for a data watch I am more inclined to prefer function over form.

(not an absolutist on this..."function" is a term relative to the needs of the particular individual so the buyer gets to define the meaning). At about the same price as an Apple Watch, some may prefer the function and/or appearance of the Fenix.


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## Pedalon2018 (Apr 24, 2018)

Cuyuna said:


> Yeah, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I'm not a huge fan of the design elements of the Apple Watch....more of a Rolex guy when it comes to watch-as-jewelry. I find the Fenix more attractive, but for a data watch I am more inclined to prefer function over form.
> 
> (not an absolutist on this..."function" is a term relative to the needs of the particular individual so the buyer gets to define the meaning). At about the same price as an Apple Watch, some may prefer the function and/or appearance of the Fenix.


I love my Submariner and nothing else feels better on my wrist. Just wished it keep close to the correct time. Also wish the every five year maintanance did not cost close to a USD grand. My Apple Watch keeps exact time and it drives my music out on the long lonely trail.


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## Cuyuna (May 14, 2017)

Pedalon2018 said:


> I love my Submariner and nothing else feels better on my wrist. Just wished it keep close to the correct time. Also wish the every five year maintanance did not cost close to a USD grand. My Apple Watch keeps exact time and it drives my music out on the long lonely trail.


I've had a Submariner since 1972. It was my every day watch for more than 20 years until I replaced it with a Daytona. It always kept very accurate time. I spared it nothing...treated it like a rented mule, not knowing better. It came as a big surprise to me when I discovered a couple of years ago that as a 1680 red-letter Sub with Mark IV face, it's a collector's item with a value more than about 20x its original cost.


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## Pedalon2018 (Apr 24, 2018)

That’s why I stopped wearing mine. Worth too much. After a huge fireworks display, a couple of sumbags tried to make me give it to them. One had a knife but I had a Kimber 45 CDP II Ultra. After pulling the weapon and clicked the safety off, they started running and probably still are. Number one reason to wear an Apple product. Oh, I do love the Daytona. There used to be about 1.5 year wait time. A real nice piece.


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## Cuyuna (May 14, 2017)

Pedalon2018 said:


> That's why I stopped wearing mine. Worth too much. After a huge fireworks display, a couple of sumbags tried to make me give it to them. One had a knife but I had a Kimber 45 CDP II Ultra. After pulling the weapon and clicked the safety off, they started running and probably still are. *Number one reason to wear an Apple product*. Oh, I do love the Daytona. There used to be about 1.5 year wait time. A real nice piece.


And a good reason to wear a Kimber.


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## homey (May 24, 2004)

Hopefully someone can answer this question... I currently own and use an Apple Watch 3 for recording my rides using strava. I have a major issue with it that I’m hoping the new Apple Watch 4 will fix. The battery life on my Apple Watch 3 is dismal and doesn’t last much longer than 3 hours when using strava. During a normal day it is fine and has plenty of battery life left by the time I take it off at night, but strava sucks the life out of it. 

Does anyone have any experience with the series 3 versus the series 4 regarding battery life while using strava? Is it any better?


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## JDHutch (Sep 29, 2017)

Can’t answer that but I know Apple has a program to replace batteries on iPhones...maybe they do the same with the watches?


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## Pedalon2018 (Apr 24, 2018)

homey said:


> Hopefully someone can answer this question... I currently own and use an Apple Watch 3 for recording my rides using strava. I have a major issue with it that I'm hoping the new Apple Watch 4 will fix. The battery life on my Apple Watch 3 is dismal and doesn't last much longer than 3 hours when using strava. During a normal day it is fine and has plenty of battery life left by the time I take it off at night, but strava sucks the life out of it.
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with the series 3 versus the series 4 regarding battery life while using strava? Is it any better?


Not much. The GPS in the watch sucks the battery hard. I only use the watch for music, cell coverage and time/temp. Garmin 1030 does the rest. The battery is not defective, only small.


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## j102 (Jan 14, 2018)

homey said:


> Hopefully someone can answer this question... I currently own and use an Apple Watch 3 for recording my rides using strava. I have a major issue with it that I'm hoping the new Apple Watch 4 will fix. The battery life on my Apple Watch 3 is dismal and doesn't last much longer than 3 hours when using strava. During a normal day it is fine and has plenty of battery life left by the time I take it off at night, but strava sucks the life out of it.
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with the series 3 versus the series 4 regarding battery life while using strava? Is it any better?


Perhaps the battery is bad. I use my Apple Watch 3 (Strava/GPS) for my rides, longer than 3 hours rides, and I still get home with more than 50-60% battery left.


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## Pedalon2018 (Apr 24, 2018)

When I first received my 3, I used it for to check out the accuracy of the watch comparing the data to the Garmin. Sometimes it matched up OK and other times the HR was way off. The speed was good but what I quickly discovered that using GMS and other metic tracking consumed a ton of battery. I often had less than 25% of battery after a moderate ride. I continue to use my Garmin cause there is no reason not to. Music via Air Pods and watch is like magic. My primary use of the watch. Cell capability tops it off for me. Phone stays hone but Garmin on board.


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## sptimmy43 (Jul 27, 2018)

homey said:


> Hopefully someone can answer this question... I currently own and use an Apple Watch 3 for recording my rides using strava. I have a major issue with it that I'm hoping the new Apple Watch 4 will fix. The battery life on my Apple Watch 3 is dismal and doesn't last much longer than 3 hours when using strava. During a normal day it is fine and has plenty of battery life left by the time I take it off at night, but strava sucks the life out of it.
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with the series 3 versus the series 4 regarding battery life while using strava? Is it any better?


I think something is wrong with your watch/battery. I use the 3 with Strava for all my rides and I never even come close to using more than 50% battery by the time I put it back on the charger before bed.


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## sptimmy43 (Jul 27, 2018)

For those who are in the Apple ecosystem and use the watch to record rides I would suggest trying out the workoutdoors app. It records rides, has offline maps, can load GPX files, uploads to strava, and is very customize-able. I was hesitant to drop $4.99 on the app just to try it but I am really glad I did. This is a really great solution if you don't want a dedicated computer on the bars.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

I had Series 4 and have Series 4 LTE.

There are reasons to have a sports specialty device such as Garmin Suunto products (there are more) but the Apple Watch is overall just a super product. You have utility, reliability, super display, function with other devices and app choices. My associates who do endurance competition still rely on other devices. For basic few hours or a day of exercise the Apple Watch with or without phone is tremendous.

The Abvio apps have been updated to import Apple Health data so you can use the native sports app in your watch and import to Cyclemeter later if for an example you use that to measure MTB separate from all cycling.

Series 4 display is tremendous whether the quality or quantity - by quantity, some faces have more data fields, and no matter what it has more pixels. Series 4 is great freedom from my phone because my job is a near constant on call status. There were no surprises here when the Wall St. Journal had some stats on the sales and market share. It's just a tremendous product.

On reliability, my Series 2 held up to bangs, knocks, trail building and salt water snorkeling. My wife did crack screens with some hits but there are cheap and easy to put on protection.


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## Pedalon2018 (Apr 24, 2018)

bitflogger said:


> I had Series 4 and have Series 4 LTE.
> 
> There are reasons to have a sports specialty device such as Garmin Suunto products (there are more) but the Apple Watch is overall just a super product. You have utility, reliability, super display, function with other devices and app choices. My associates who do endurance competition still rely on other devices. For basic few hours or a day of exercise the Apple Watch with or without phone is tremendous.
> 
> ...


You can access apps on the screen but mostly they are useless due to small screen size. Many app builders have left the Apple Watch scene for greener pastures. The watch does three tasks very well. Holds 350 music tracks and access to 40 million if you are in cell coverage. So with just Air Pods (or some other brand wireless phones) and your watch, you have a near bottomless pit of music all without out your phone. It also works in providing you a cell phone while your phone charges safely at home. Lastly, if you pick the proper watch face, one glance gives you time, date, weather /temp, sun up/down time and direct access to your music with one tap. Using a Garmin 1030, I need nothing in the fitness arena while riding. So the emergency calling and man down features are very nice. Beyond that, meh....but it does the things I like better than any other devise imho.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

sptimmy43 said:


> For those who are in the Apple ecosystem and use the watch to record rides I would suggest trying out the workoutdoors app. It records rides, has offline maps, can load GPX files, uploads to strava, and is very customize-able. I was hesitant to drop $4.99 on the app just to try it but I am really glad I did. This is a really great solution if you don't want a dedicated computer on the bars.


How is battery life with that feature set and ability to run without the phone? Does it have separate MTB vs cycling choice like Cyclemeter?

Thank you.


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## sptimmy43 (Jul 27, 2018)

Battery life is great. I did a 3 hour ride this morning and still had 77% remaining when I finished. The Workoutdoors app doesn't have separate MTB vs road cycling modes. 

The only thing I have noticed now after a couple months of use is that the Workoutdoors app consistently comes up short on mileage compared to Strava. This comparison is between both apps running on the watch, not the phone. If you export the ride to Strava this is mitigated somewhat as Strava seems to correct the data somehow. On my ride this morning I recorded 18.9 miles whereas another guy with whom I was riding recorded 20.0 miles on his Garmin cycle computer (not sure which exact model). I have yet to determine if this is an issue with the watch or with the Workoutdoors app but at this point I am leaning towards the app as being the issue.


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## sptimmy43 (Jul 27, 2018)

sptimmy43 said:


> Battery life is great. I did a 3 hour ride this morning and still had 77% remaining when I finished. The Workoutdoors app doesn't have separate MTB vs road cycling modes.
> 
> The only thing I have noticed now after a couple months of use is that the Workoutdoors app consistently comes up short on mileage compared to Strava. This comparison is between both apps running on the watch, not the phone. If you export the ride to Strava this is mitigated somewhat as Strava seems to correct the data somehow. On my ride this morning I recorded 18.9 miles whereas another guy with whom I was riding recorded 20.0 miles on his Garmin cycle computer (not sure which exact model). I have yet to determine if this is an issue with the watch or with the Workoutdoors app but at this point I am leaning towards the app as being the issue.


I want to follow up on this. I contacted Ian with WorkOutDoors and even sent him a log of today's ride. He actually thinks there was some issue between watch/phone or something along those lines. I reset both and we will see how it goes on my next ride. I must say customer service for that app is outstanding.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

sptimmy43 said:


> Battery life is great. I did a 3 hour ride this morning and still had 77% remaining when I finished. The Workoutdoors app doesn't have separate MTB vs road cycling modes.
> 
> The only thing I have noticed now after a couple months of use is that the Workoutdoors app consistently comes up short on mileage compared to Strava. This comparison is between both apps running on the watch, not the phone. If you export the ride to Strava this is mitigated somewhat as Strava seems to correct the data somehow. On my ride this morning I recorded 18.9 miles whereas another guy with whom I was riding recorded 20.0 miles on his Garmin cycle computer (not sure which exact model). I have yet to determine if this is an issue with the watch or with the Workoutdoors app but at this point I am leaning towards the app as being the issue.


I've wondered if Strava adjusts routes with data they old server side.


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## sptimmy43 (Jul 27, 2018)

bitflogger said:


> I've wondered if Strava adjusts routes with data they old server side.


That's the best I can figure. Also, I learned though dealing with the developer of the WorkOutDoors app, Ian, that if your watch is connected to your phone it will use the phone for GPS location data. There is no way to prevent that aside from turning bluetooth off on your phone.

I highly recommend the WorkOutDoors app. Customer support is absolutely fantastic. While it may not be the best solution all the time it offers a map/route solution for the Apple Watch and syncs to Strava after an activity is complete. That's a win in my book.


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## FreeZ (Mar 24, 2010)

Looking forward to get some more info about AW4 and cycling. Just bought AW4 and still learning to use it. Have been using Strava and now installed ViewRanger. Can those be used same time? Strava recording background and viewing topo maps from ViewRanger?


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## 3034 (Apr 12, 2006)

No one has mentioned that ONLY apple music will allow watch only cellular streaming. Spotify still needs the phone nearby 
Hardware selling software.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

3034 said:


> No one has mentioned that ONLY apple music will allow watch only cellular streaming. Spotify still needs the phone nearby
> Hardware selling software.


That works both ways. Some have moved to the Apple Watch for reasons such as Office 365 notifications or the overall capabilities a specialized sports watch doesn't offer.

Our family tried a few music services before doing Apple's family plan. No one seems to be suffering for it. At times I think Apple robots might not be the best at creating playlists but the catalog and reliability are great.

Streaming would be more important here for a run or walk in the neighborhood more than for a bike ride.


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## alqpoe (Oct 30, 2015)

My wife gave me an Apple watch 4 with cellular for father's day. I've tried to research it online to see if it would work for me before opening it. Like Cuyuna said "buyer gets to define the meaning of function."
Currently, I ride with an Apple phone in my hydration pack. I was previously riding with it mounted on a Rokform mount on the stem. I typically ride Trail-AM-Enduro trails as fast as I can 90% of the time. So after a few hard falls I stopped using the Rokform. 
Options that I like about the Apple watch:
#1 Crash alert (Strava has been working on it since Aug. 2016 and still nothing)
#2 Cellular phone -In case I've fallen and can't get up
#3 Riding stats for Strava 
#4 HRM (I know it's not as good as my chest strap but it's good enough for me)
#5 I can leave my phone and chest strap behind (1/2 pound savings)
#6 I can mount my tube/tools low on my bike and carry a water bottle.
#7 Music -I prefer to listen for animals and people that might be in the way. But may be nice someday.

So my question is for you guys that ride with a watch, is it really durable for the hard riding? Many times I come back and my gloves and elbow pads are covered with mustard plant, dirt, bark, dew, ect. I know nothing will stop a direct rock hit but I'm still replacing glasses that constantly get scratched from wiping dirt/mud off. Or am I expecting too much for my riding style?


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## Pedalon2018 (Apr 24, 2018)

If you do not smash it against anything, it will be fine. The cell function and listening to music on the watch are most of what I do with mine. Apple care was only 49 USD if I recall properly. Two fixes in two years is ok with me. I have not even scratched it including the 3 model. BTW, listening to certain tracks when a bit tired can get me going back up and beyond my usual effort. Yea!


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## Pedalon2018 (Apr 24, 2018)

bitflogger said:


> That works both ways. Some have moved to the Apple Watch for reasons such as Office 365 notifications or the overall capabilities a specialized sports watch doesn't offer.
> 
> Our family tried a few music services before doing Apple's family plan. No one seems to be suffering for it. At times I think Apple robots might not be the best at creating playlists but the catalog and reliability are great.
> 
> Streaming would be more important here for a run or walk in the neighborhood more than for a bike ride.


I have about 400 tracks on my watch so no cell service or Phine needed.


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## sptimmy43 (Jul 27, 2018)

alqpoe said:


> My wife gave me an Apple watch 4 with cellular for father's day. I've tried to research it online to see if it would work for me before opening it. Like Cuyuna said "buyer gets to define the meaning of function."
> Currently, I ride with an Apple phone in my hydration pack. I was previously riding with it mounted on a Rokform mount on the stem. I typically ride Trail-AM-Enduro trails as fast as I can 90% of the time. So after a few hard falls I stopped using the Rokform.
> Options that I like about the Apple watch:
> #1 Crash alert (Strava has been working on it since Aug. 2016 and still nothing)
> ...


I have over 200 rides with an apple watch on my wrist and I have never broken mine. Yes, I have crashed several times while wearing the AW and it has survived unscathed. All the benefits you listed are right on...


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## alqpoe (Oct 30, 2015)

Thanks for the quick responses guys. I pulled the trigger and started using mine. So far I like it. I ended up getting the Apple care+ for the 2 years. I figured that would save me from buying the protective bands for $50+. I noticed the watch is very light compared to others I've worn in the past. The sport silicon band that it comes with is comfortable too. So far I don't realize it's on my wrist when I'm flying over the chunk at high speeds.


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## ahkim (May 13, 2019)

I have a Series 3 watch and am considering the Series 4 with the main reason of getting fall detection. I have a Garmin Edge 830 that has fall detection but the couple times I've fallen, it hasn't triggered. Does anyone have first hand experience with the the Series 4 detecting a fall? Does it false alarm ever?


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## hurck (Apr 26, 2012)

Yup, a 70-80cm drop to flat and my fall detection popped up. Asking me if i was ok and if it should call for help 
So it does work. I haven't crashed, so can't comment on that. But since it can detect the impact from a drop, i'm quite certain it will recognize a bad crash.


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## ATLRB (Sep 12, 2014)

ahkim said:


> I have a Series 3 watch and am considering the Series 4 with the main reason of getting fall detection. I have a Garmin Edge 830 that has fall detection but the couple times I've fallen, it hasn't triggered. Does anyone have first hand experience with the the Series 4 detecting a fall? Does it false alarm ever?


I've had a couple false alarms but surprisingly not during biking. One time I was working in the yard with a sledge hammer and don't remember what caused the other false. I haven't fallen or crashed (yet) to confirm it will work in that situation but seems as if it probably would.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

I just got a Series 3 through my healthcare provider. I used it on a ride for the first time the other day. I ran Trailforks on my phone in my pack, and used the watch solely as a heart rate monitor. I uploaded the ridelog from Trailforks to Strava when I was done. Would I gain anything by running Strava on my watch?


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## sptimmy43 (Jul 27, 2018)

ahkim said:


> I have a Series 3 watch and am considering the Series 4 with the main reason of getting fall detection. I have a Garmin Edge 830 that has fall detection but the couple times I've fallen, it hasn't triggered. Does anyone have first hand experience with the the Series 4 detecting a fall? Does it false alarm ever?


I've had 2 pretty rough crashes in which the fall detection worked. I've had 1 false alarm but that was not while riding. I think the fall detection feature works pretty well.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

alqpoe said:


> So my question is for you guys that ride with a watch, is it really durable for the hard riding? Many times I come back and my gloves and elbow pads are covered with mustard plant, dirt, bark, dew, ect. I know nothing will stop a direct rock hit but I'm still replacing glasses that constantly get scratched from wiping dirt/mud off. Or am I expecting too much for my riding style?


My Series 2 and now my Series 4 held up and are holding up better than I'd have expected prior to owning them. 4 of my family members use Series 2, 3 and 4 all the time, and we've used them many times snorkeling in saltwater too. You can get clear protectors. I have one and often forget to use it.

For dirt concerns, I'm a trail builder and on occasion my work days get the watch quite dirty. I just put it in swim mode and wash it off.


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## jgrider16 (Aug 18, 2012)

I've been mostly happy with my series 4. Strava seems to work well and it shows me everything I want to know with a touch of the screen. 

It is also nice to be able to bury my phone in a pack and be able to see notifications on the watch (to know if a call is important, etc) without having to stop and dig the phone out of a pocket or pack. 

Also, on longer rides it's nice to be able to turn the phone off to save batteries for emergencies, etc and still run strava off the watch. 

I haven't had issues with battery life. It last 24-36 hours usually and I try to charge it every night. I have not done any big missions using GPS though.


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## ahkim (May 13, 2019)

Any notice their watch GPS routes differ significantly from their phone or Garmin? On my last ride, my Apple Watch 4 showed 6 miles but my Garmin and Iphone showed nearly 8 miles. Not the first time I've seen a big difference.


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## [email protected] (Sep 17, 2007)

Strava App for Mountain Biking is pretty crappy really. I’m pretty surprised! Have the developers ever been on a bike? Maybe they could have asked someone who has. The fields are ridiculously small and not the info I want. It works ok but the fields should be customizable or at bare minimum there should be an actual mountain biking option. Who can look at their watch while riding fast on the trail to see your current speed and why really?? Top speed maybe? To me Mileage, current time of day, heart rate and moving time are all I care about. Mileage should be the largest font, then time of day, and moving time a bit smaller, heart rate is fine how it is. Reading on the web seems I am not alone. Many are tired of it and are switching from Strava App to the native workout app on the watch and then downloading Health Fit on the IPhone to automatically upload the data to Strava after you finish the ride. I’m trying it next ride. I really just wish Trailforks would make an app for Apple Watch!!! 🤞. Otherwise just hoping Strava pulls their head out.


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## [email protected] (Sep 17, 2007)

So I decided to Get on Facebook and go to the Strava page and leave them a post. It doesn’t actually get “posted” but they do get it. I let them know the fields were not appropriate for actual trail riding like I stated above. Too small of font to read while riding and not the fields most want. They responded and said they would pass it on to the Community Team. Maybe if a bunch of people do the same they will actually improve the app sooner than later?? Let them know!


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## Blackies Pasture (Mar 3, 2015)

[email protected] said:


> Strava App for Mountain Biking is pretty crappy really. I'm pretty surprised! Have the developers ever been on a bike?


You may be onto something........


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## Vespasianus (Apr 9, 2008)

Do you guys wear a shield or cover on your watch? I have a series 3 and I have cracked the face twice already - without really having a clue when or where it happened. So now I use a cheap plastic cover over the whole thing which really sucks and once sweat gets between the watch and the plastic cover makes the watch un-usable. I can still use SIRI occasionally for turning on or off the exercise app. For the most part, it is OK but I don't think I would buy it again - as a watch, I find it pretty annoying - most times when I lift to check the time it stays black - drives me insane.


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## [email protected] (Sep 17, 2007)

I have broken one screen after almost 2 years and I work outside landscaping and bike twice a week. Broke it either building a dam in a creek or sliding in a natural rock slide. They offer insurance for the screen I believe.


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## [email protected] (Sep 17, 2007)

Just a follow up. I used the native Apple Watch app, Workout, on a mtb ride last weekend and it was exactly what you would expect. It was easy to read, showed distance, moving time, current time of day, and elevation gain. It was legible without squinting or trying to zoom and crap like I had been doing with the Strava App. The Health Fit App synched the activity to Strava promptly and was seamless. Only thing that would make an app better would be an option to see the map, current position, and trails on your phone if you wanted from the same app, like Trailforks. I rarely need that but it would be cool...


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## Pedalon2018 (Apr 24, 2018)

I have owned my latest watch for almost two years. For riding data, saving it and analyzing my work, Garmin 1000, 1030 or the 800 series work best. I use the watch for music, emergency calls, time and weather. The rest of it, I pass.


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## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

ahkim said:


> Any notice their watch GPS routes differ significantly from their phone or Garmin? On my last ride, my Apple Watch 4 showed 6 miles but my Garmin and Iphone showed nearly 8 miles. Not the first time I've seen a big difference.


I find the numbers vastly different from every app/device.

On a recent ride I tallied 12.8 miles on Apple Watch 3 and 11.0 miles on my Garmin 800. TrailForks recorded 13.5 miles on the same ride. Another rider in my group recording on Strava came up with 11.5 miles.


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## Pedalon2018 (Apr 24, 2018)

Bbb


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## Pedalon2018 (Apr 24, 2018)

Arebee said:


> I find the numbers vastly different from every app/device.
> 
> On a recent ride I tallied 12.8 miles on Apple Watch 3 and 11.0 miles on my Garmin 800. TrailForks recorded 13.5 miles on the same ride. Another rider in my group recording on Strava came up with 11.5 miles.


A down side to the watch is the antenna for the cell and gps is less than desired. While improvements are rumored, a cell phone and dedicated gps units receive way better than the watch. So accuracy and range are negatively impacted. Save your battery and use the watch for music, emergency cell call and time. Oh, and the watch also can control volume and track changes. All very cool.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

I'm happy with using an iPhone for tracking rides, taking photos/videos and even using for phone calls lol 

Only sort of watches I like are old analog ones.


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## abaughman (Aug 25, 2018)

abaughman said:


> I got the Apple Watch 4 for the fall alert for when I am ridding alone. Just Incase I was to hurt myself bad enough to not be able to call help. Was a bit disappointed that the Strava for the watch don't let you use the beacon feature or the live segments. So I usually still run my phone for the beacon and the Strava in the watch for the heart rate. The heart rate seems to work well. Battery life could be better. I just have the GPS version.


Well I crashed today, watch flew off and did not alert. I was going about 10 miles a hour to a sudden stop I would think that would of have triggered it. Unless the watch coming off some how prevented it? I escaped With a very bruised arm and leg but otherwise okay.


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## ahkim (May 13, 2019)

Posting an update, rode Park City a couple weeks ago and the trail was VERY rocky which caused my Apple Watch 4 to false alarm. Last week, I slid out and fell in the gravel parking lot and my watch triggered, as well as my Garmin Edge. I didn't fall very hard so I was impressed that it worked.


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## koubic (Sep 9, 2015)

*Apple Watch 5 GPS inaccurate*

Hi, does anyone have GPS accuracy issues when riding downhill? I've been wearing Apple Watch 5 for since fall 2019, measure all my bike rides with Strava watch app, but the GPS it's pretty inaccurate. Uphill it's fine, but downhill, when the trail gets fast and rowdy, I can be 10-300 m off. I missed some segments because of that.

I put like 10 of my last rides in a single map, you can see how inaccurate Apple Watch 5 actually is for downhill (I mean natural trail) riding.








Then I was comparing a 50km ride with my friend wearing Garmin Forerunner. Garmin was a clear winner. Never went further than like 20m (AW5 went 80m) and didn't cut a few corners here and there.. Again, uphill slow speed was fine.

Has anyone same problems? How to fix them? I'm aware of the calibration process - do a 30+ min walk in quite open space. I did a couple of longer hikes in small mountains and my uphill during ride is pretty slow, so I think it should be well calibrated.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

ALL GPS receivers are going to be less accurate when recording a track at increased speeds. It's not something that usually gets discussed, but it's something I've noticed since I started using GPSes around 20yrs ago.

The lower the quality of the GPS chip, antenna, and processing software, the more pronounced that's going to be. Hence, why the Apple Watch is less accurate on faster descents than the Garmin Forerunner.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

Harold said:


> ALL GPS receivers are going to be less accurate when recording a track at increased speeds. It's not something that usually gets discussed, but it's something I've noticed since I started using GPSes around 20yrs ago.
> 
> The lower the quality of the GPS chip, antenna, and processing software, the more pronounced that's going to be. Hence, why the Apple Watch is less accurate on faster descents than the Garmin Forerunner.


A specialty or special purpose device would be more accurate. There is nothing low quality about the Apple Watch but it's a general purpose device compared to other choices. Garmin and others make devices dedicated to one or a few jobs. They usually have a few features that top what a general purpose device will do. My Garmin unit is really good when it comes to battery life and how fast it makes a good waypoint. It's really bad compared to my Apple Watch if I want to make a phone call and still receive work related alarms while exercising.

FWIW, apps that use your watch and phone can add features and bring along a great camera and camcorder if you carry your phone and another wearable. Still not what some tools I have will do but good for how much stuff you might want to carry. Compared to a few years ago I don't really use my dedicated GPS and clinometer the way I used to. If I was serious about endurance events I'd want a device optimized for them.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

bitflogger said:


> There is nothing low quality about the Apple Watch but it's a general purpose device compared to other choices.


You completely missed what I was saying.

With a general purpose device, the manufacturer is going to skimp on some of the things that will be better on a purpose built device, sometimes out of necessity. A purpose built device like the apple watch crams a LOT of hardware into a pretty small space. Things have to give. We don't have exact details on the electronics inside, but it's very common to use "combo" chips to save space. Antenna size is likely sacrificed. This is what I mean by low quality. I'm sure the hardware is great for a compact general purpose device, but it produces lower quality data. These things have a direct effect on the quality of GPS data you're going to obtain, regardless of how the software is designed.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

Harold said:


> You completely missed what I was saying.
> 
> With a general purpose device, the manufacturer is going to skimp on some of the things that will be better on a purpose built device, sometimes out of necessity. A purpose built device like the apple watch crams a LOT of hardware into a pretty small space. Things have to give. We don't have exact details on the electronics inside, but it's very common to use "combo" chips to save space. Antenna size is likely sacrificed. This is what I mean by low quality. I'm sure the hardware is great for a compact general purpose device, but it produces lower quality data. These things have a direct effect on the quality of GPS data you're going to obtain, regardless of how the software is designed.


I did not and it seems like you did not read my saying a specialty device would be more accurate. I'm not really daft to how this stuff works. I know and use GPS personally and professionally. The Apple product quality and reliability is high but the GPS accuracy or performance is not the same as a professional or dedicated device.

With 4+ years of using different generations of the watch I also know it's a perfect or absolute yes for the OP's question. Especially with the OP stating small and moderate rides. It's at least plenty fine to be gone hours on the MTB or with ocean drift snorkeling and leave my more specialized Garmin and Suunto products home. When I do that I have other important services the Garmin and Suunto don't have.


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