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?

Conclusion

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

Conclusion

Even though it clearly has a huge amount of potential, early adopters should perhaps be cautious if they’re thinking of buying the Apple Watch as their go-to device for training.

Of course, you’ll need to be already wedded to the company through owning an iPhone already, so that’ll likely be a key part of the decision of whether to take the plunge or not.

Right now, if you’re in the market for a smart watch, with a particular eye on sport, then our initial appraisal suggests there are better options on the market that’ll probably communicate better with any devices you already have on your bike.

But keep an eye on this one because Apple don’t usually take up a project without fully committing to it, and progress for the Apple Watch is likely to be fast.