Best Fitness Tracker for Cycling

Health enthusiasts nowadays are hard pressed in choosing the activity tracker that would suit their needs due to the dozens of trackers available in the market today. This happens despite the fact that all of these trackers based on the same core technology.

The reason may lie on how the personality of each product present to their customers coupled with its function, design and of course, marketing. Brands reach out to various target audiences such as athletes, fitness buffs and to the everyday people who would like to lose weight.

The truth of the matter is that not every tracker is for everybody. This leads us to ask, what is the perfect tracker to suit my needs? What if I’m focusing on improving myself in a given sport like cycling? 

Here are some things that should be considered when choosing an activity tracker:

• Cyclist Fitness Tracker Buying Guide
• Here are different trackers according to their form.

Cyclist Fitness Tracker Buying Guide:

The activity it will track:

If your primary activity is cycling, take note of trackers that capture the specific data related to your cycling performance or else, you may not get full credit for your workout minutes and burned calories.

The compatibility of the technology being used to your lifestyle:

First off, some people find the setup and functions of these gadgets intimidating. Navigating through each function may need some getting used to but with a little practice, it will be just another part of their daily routine. After setting up the tracker, the big question is, how are you going to keep it charged? 

Some trackers use disposable watch batteries that need to be replaced after a couple of months and one big disadvantage for this is the cumbersome task of removing those tiny batteries and finding their replacement in the market. 

Others have internal batteries that need to be recharged after 5 to 7 days of use. This really appears to be no big deal but the idea of adding another device to your daily charging routine, could be annoying.

The organization of data and access point:

Finally, after completing your activity and tracking, where and how can this data be accessed? Most trackers send their data to computers or handheld devices and the communication process between these gadgets may require other connectors or peripherals. To computers, trackers may need a USB connection or wireless connection to upload the data gathered. Often, trackers are capable in linking directly to smartphones and transferring the data on the fly. 

As simple as it may seem, there is still the need to have the right connection to be considered especially if it would be via Bluetooth. This challenge is coupled by the demand being placed on the smartphone which will manifest through the battery depletion. This can be easily remedied by more frequent recharging cycles of your smartphone.

Choice of where it will be worn:

Trackers nowadays vary in shape, size and form. These factors influence the method on how you will wear it or attach it to your gear. Depending on your preference, make sure that you are comfortable with the tracker you choose so that it wouldn’t be an obstruction to your activity. There are trackers that are meant to be seen and appear in different colors. 

Of course you can choose to hide them under your clothes but it defeats the purpose of their design. If you are the type of person that prefer to hide them, then you can choose clip-on trackers so you can place them on your belt or undergarment.

Here are different trackers according to their form:

Bands:

These are the most common type of trackers in the market today. Generally unobtrusive, they are worn around your wrist and come in a variety of color which you can pair with your wardrobe and mood. Mostly are made of rubberized material which makes them water resistant and comfortable to wear. They are discreet and sometimes have a very small display which shows specific tracking details.

Watches:

These trackers have a larger form factor compared to bands since they also give you the time along with other important tracking metrics related to your fitness. Some can also show text messages and other related notifications on their watch face.

Clothes:

Fitness tracking companies have taken the step of weaving the fitness tracking sensors onto the fabric that you will wear during workouts. This is really a revolutionary approach and it can track a greater number of things such as depth and frequency of breaths, perspiration and skin temperature with can be difficult if not impossible to capture with a band or clip-on device.

Headphones:

Many people wear headphones while doing their workouts and idea of integrating fitness tracking is a welcome innovation. These “hearables” suggest that they will keep track of heart rate and breathing in addition to the other fitness metrics.

Others:

These trackers are a mixture of different types which cannot be categorized under bands, watches or shirts. Some can be clipped on your clothes, wrapped around your body or mounted to your gear. These are sometimes intended for specific workouts like count the number of repetitions you have made while lifting weights or give the speed you are travelling.

Now that you know what are the different types and selected the features you are looking for in a fitness tracker, here are some of the best trackers to choose from which would be best for cycling.