This article showcases our top picks for the
Best Cycling and Running Watch. We reached out to industry leaders and experts who have contributed the suggestions within this article (they have been credited for their contributions below). We are keen to hear your feedback on all of our content and our comment section is a moderated space to express your thoughts and feelings related (or not) to this article
This list is in no particular order.This product was recommended by Sergii Pershyn from Snow Hill Advisors
I have used it daily for running for about a year and am in love with it. It is so lightweight that I hardly notice it while running. The battery lasts weeks even though I use the GPS function often. And compared to other sports watches, Pace 2 is able to find the GPS signal really fast.
This product was recommended by Jesse Feder from Strength Warehouse
The Garmin Forerunner 945 is something I recommend to all of my runner, cycler, and triathlon clients. It has an astounding 2 weeks of battery life in smartwatch mode or 10 hour battery life if you are using both the GPS and music. It can track activity for not just running but for cycling, swimming, elliptical, stair stepper and more. It gives you an in depth look at your training intensity, cadence, speed, distance, and recovery. It even comes with workout recommendations. Even though it is up there in price, I think it is the best watch when it comes to running and cycling..com
This product was recommended by Fred Hoffman from The True Wilderness
The Garmin Forerunner 935 is a top-of-the-line GPS watch for runners and triathletes. It has all the features you could possibly want in a running watch, including heart rate monitoring, pace tracking, distance measurement, and more. It also has some great features for triathletes, such as swimming stroke detection and support for multiple bike profiles. The only downside is that it’s relatively expensive, but if you’re serious about running or triathlon training, it’s well worth the price.
This product was recommended by Steven Walker from Spylix
Wahoo’s first GPS Watch, the ELEMNT Rival, is geared firmly at the triathlon community. Its standout feature is the touchless transition mode, which automatically switches between sports modes on your watch as you race. The integrated hardware, such as the optical heart rate sensor, is comparable to most other watches in this price range. It connects to a chest HR band and on-bike power meters using Bluetooth and ANT+.. It’s also really simple to set up if you already own a Wahoo computer.
This product was recommended by Steven Walker from Spylix
With three preset power management modes, this feature-rich watch offers an incredible battery life. Performance mode has the most precise GPS but consumes the most battery power. Nonetheless, the watch lasted longer than the 25 hours claimed by Suunto. For a reported 120 hours, Ultra mode dims the screen, disables features like wrist-based heart rate and Bluetooth, and sacrifices some GPS accuracy to power workouts. It provides real-time notifications on remaining battery life, allowing us to switch modes on the fly to avoid running out of battery before reaching the end of long journeys.
This product was recommended by Steven Walker from Spylix
Garmin’s 735XT has more bike-specific functionality than other modern GPS watches due to its multisport heritage. You can use Shimano Di2 buttons to control it, and it comes with GPS navigation and Strava live segments (the map is a little thin by today’s standards, but it works). It will also connect to ANT+ sensors and capture data from the power meter. Triathletes will like the multisport mode, which allows them to switch activities with a simple click of the lap button.
This product was recommended by Phillip Villegas from Three Pedal Mafia
Push your limits with the Polar Vantage M, a multisport GPS watch for anyone who enjoys breaking records. This compact and light training buddy gives you all the information you need to improve your performance in all of your favourite sports. Polar Vantage M uses Polar Precision Prime sensor fusion technology to correctly monitor your heart rate from the wrist, even when the going gets difficult. With the help of a tailored, adjustable running plan, you can track how your running performance is improving.
This product was recommended by Steve Anderson from Junk-Yard-Near-Me
This GPS Multisport Watch is designed for athletes who want to record training and race day data. When it’s time to toe the line, a wrist-based heart rate allows you to run more freely. Add a chest strap and train your heart for advanced running dynamics and other precise measurements. It includes a Starve score and activity profiles for running, cycling, swimming, and other sports.
This product was recommended by Steve Anderson from Junk-Yard-Near-Me
The Vantage V is a multisport fitness tracker and activity tracker in one and a waterproof watch and heart rate monitor. This is the ultimate sports watch for the most extreme athletes, designed for tough environments and hundreds of activities. The Polar Vantage V Multisport Watch can provide up to 40 hours of training time with GPS enabled.
This product was recommended by Steve Anderson from Junk-Yard-Near-Me
The wrist heart rate monitor (hrm) has been upgraded, and the GPS accuracy and battery life. Suunto 9 is a sports watch featuring 80 sports modes, including running, hiking, cycling, swimming, triathlon, trekking, fitness, and climbing, for adventurers, men and women who live an active outdoor lifestyle. The waterproof multisport watch features a silicone strap and a digital touchscreen. The Suunto 9 watch incorporates a 24/7 recovery tracker, route navigation, and sleep tracking.
This product was recommended by Mike Baldicana from Kostex Garage Repair
This is one of the best cycling and running watches with a classic watch design made to last built with both military-grade durability7 and water resistance. This Galaxy Watch can track cycling activities, stay hydrated and track calories burned and consumed. This is an all in one watch that features a time display, heart rate monitor, sleep monitor, GPS, text messaging, fitness and calorie tracker.
This product was recommended by Shane Paarman from Awesome Stuff 365
The reason I’m recommending this particular watch is that a friend gifted it to me a while ago after I said I was going to start cycling and running as part of my workout routine. My friend uses this same watch for their triathlon training, so it’s ideal for tracking not only running and cycling but also swimming and plenty of other physical activities. It has all sorts of features (that I still need to make the most off), and it also seems to be incredibly reliable and accurate!
This product was recommended by Maria Saenz from FastTitleLoans
You can get this pocket-friendly activity tracker cum watch from Amazon and keep track of everything you’re going. It’s available in many colors and is packed with features such as distance covered, calories burned, body temperature, heartbeat rate, steps, and many more. Data related to more than 20 types of exercises easily. What excited me the most about this watch is that it comes with 10 days of battery life. So, you don’t have to bother with charging again and again.
This product was recommended by Bianca Trembley from The Best Calgary
It is the best minimalist tri-sport GPS watch. the Elemnt Rival can automatically detect which leg of the race you’re on. Any data captured by the watch will be sent straight to your platform of choice. Undercutting Garmin’s offering in terms of price, Wahoo bills the Elemnt Rival as being ‘radically simplified’. Meaning it’s worth digging into the spec list to see if your needs are covered, otherwise, it promises easy operation along with the arrival of another big player into the wearables market.
This product was recommended by Bianca Trembley from The Best Calgary
Garmin is the king of the cycling GPS computer. The list of features on the Fenix is seemingly endless, from basic heart rate tracking to oxygen spirometry (whatever that is), safety beacon feature, mapping and ANT+ and Bluetooth compatibility with a near-infinite variety of components, including power metres. Using the GPS+GLONASS tracking systems that Garmin uses in all its computer ranges, you can be sure that all your rides will be tracked with startling accuracy.
This product was recommended by David Murphy from DropGuys
The Garmin Smartwatch is the perfect accessory for cycling or running, as it is water resistant and made from stainless steel which makes it a very tough watch. It can withstand a lot of sweat, rain and heat and still be in great condition. This watch is perfect for cycling and running as it has programs installed that will track your distances and monitor your health at the same time. This watch also has a screen that is not affected by the sun, so you will be able to see it under any conditions. It also has touch features so you can change a song or the display easily without needing your phone in your hand. It has bluetooth connectivity, and combined with the app, this watch will allow you to compete with other people who also have it. You can track your own success and the progress of other people which is a great motivator when running or cycling. This is a must have for any outdoor enthusiast.
This product was recommended by Emma Gordon from USSalvageYards
Running gets less boring with this watch because of its features, it’s ability to play music and the GPS is topnotch and the multi screen it’s wired with will allow one to switch between different data screens that offer the basics (time, distance, pace, speed), and access screens that dive into metrics for the data hungry and performance driven athletes out there like heart rate, elevation/grade, heading, and even a full map. Its navigation with map makes traversing new areas possible and easy.
This product was recommended by Mimi Paul from Starkflow
I am truly impressed with this watch. I cannot emphasize enough how comfortable and light this watch is. It has responsive menus and screen visibility is exceptional. Provides accurate ABC sensors and tracking. The battery life is great. Worth the investment.
This product was recommended by Theola Tinny from VinPit
Being a runner, one smartwatch I swear by is GARMIN FORERUNNER 945. It’s a GPS enabled smartwatch that allows you to track your distance, speed, and time. It is also water-resistant up to 100 meters so you can track your runs even if it’s raining. It’s battery life is also great, which lasts up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode, 60 hours in ultratrac mode and 10 hours in GPS mode. It also has other features such as training for a half marathon, calorie tracker, and VO2 Max estimation, training load focus, aerobic and anaerobic training effects and recovery time. It has a comfortable silicone band that can be adjusted to fit any wrist size. One thing I like about this watch is you can download songs and even include your playlist from Spotify.