Gear News

Apple Watch: the key features for cyclists

Heart rate, GPS, apps, activity tracking and more - but how much use will the Apple Watch be to riders?

The future or a fad?

The Apple Watch Sport has an anodised aluminium case, strengthened glass face and fluoroelastomer strap
The optical sensor sits on the back of the watch and monitors heart rate at the wrist
Strava have already developed a fully tailored version of their app for the Apple Watch
You won't be able to use GPS on the Apple Watch without one of these in your pocket
The Apple Watch's activity tracking features aren't necessarily aimed at the serious athlete
The Apple Watch will talk to other devices via Bluetooth
It's early days for the Apple Watch - but it's one to keep an eye on

The future or a fad?

Apple have revealed further details of the Apple Watch, which will be officially launched on Friday April 24 – but what does it mean for cyclists.

There are three versions in the initial line-up: the Watch, the Watch Sport and the Watch Edition. The Watch Sport has an anodised aluminium case, said to be 30 per cent lighter than the other two watches, and a strengthened Ion-X glass face, as well as a fluoroelastomer strap (available in a number of colours) which is designed to be comfortable next to the skin. It will be available in two screen sizes, 38mm and 42mm, and will cost £299 or £339 respectively.

It’s a super slick looking device that’s very obviously Apple from a design perspective, but, aside from the Watch’s day-to-day features, how much use will it be to riders? Here’s an overview of some of the key features for cyclists…