Best Fitness Tracker for Cyclists: Biking Wearables to Track Your Exercise and Recovery

Without Basemap

Best Cycling Fitness Trackers With Base Maps

A preinstalled base map details major highways, cities, railroads, major waterways, and lakes. The manufacturer preinstalls it and stores it locally on the fitness tracker.

With the base map, you can view your current location relative to surrounding geography when cycling, plan routes, and adjust your path on the go. This can be handy when cycling in an unfamiliar area or on off-road trails.

1. The Best Fitness Tracker for Cyclists Overall: Garmin Epix 2

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Specifications:

• In-built GPS: Yes
• Screen size: 1.3”/ 33mm
• Screen type: AMOLED
• Weight: 71g (with sapphire glass)
• Control: Touchscreen and buttons
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, ANT
• App: Yes
• On board HRM: Yes

The Garmin Epix 2 is our number one fitness tracker for cyclists thanks to its biking-friendly features that display in a more colorful AMOLED touchscreen. While it doesn’t offer an option for solar charging, you’ll get a good battery life of around six days when GPS tracks your cycling activities.

Its features mimic those of the best cycling computers. You can link the Epix 2 to a power meter and other devices and use it for navigation using the built-in GPS and map base. Besides, you get an onboard heart rate monitor and pulse oximeter that works well.

If you watch Epix 2 24/7, you’ll get all of Garming’s health statistics, such as heart rate variability, sleep quality, and recovery time.

Reasons to Buy

• Long battery life
• Immersive touchscreen
• Suitable for multiple sports
• Accurate GPS tracking

Reasons to Avoid

• Pricey
• No solar-charging capabilities

2. Best Cycling Fitness Tracker for GPS and Mapping: Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar

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Specifications:

• In-built GPS: Yes
• Screen size: 1.3”/33.5mm
• Screen type: Color
• Weight: 53g
• Control: Touchscreen and buttons
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, ANT
• App: Yes
• On board HRM: Yes

This is the best fitness tracker for tracking your GPS and mapping because of its 33.5mm circumference display, which makes it easy to follow. You can zoom in on the maps, which display bridleways and splits in the route for easy navigation. 

But mapping and GPS tracking is just a fraction of what you’ll get. The Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar is feature-rich, making it more than just a cycling tracker or GPS unit. 

The smartwatch measures a lot of data to give you feedback on your training readiness, stress levels, and recovery. It is possible because it has two light diodes on the back of the watch that track heart rate and heart rate variability. Consequently, it can tell your performance ability and then track progression and recovery as required.

Reasons to Buy

• Clear mapping
• Impressive battery life
• Quick Navigation screen you need
• Automatically searches for GPS signals when you select outdoor biking

Reasons to Avoid

• Requires you to wear it 24/7 for accurate diagnostics
• Don’t always automatically connect with a smartphone

3. Best All-in-One Sports Watch: Apple Watch Ultra

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Specifications:

• In-built GPS: Yes
• Screen size: 1.92’’/49mm
• Screen type: OLED
• Weight: 61g
• Control: Touchscreen and buttons
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular
• App: Yes
• On board HRM: Yes

The Apple Watch Ultra is Apple’s most advanced band-style fitness tracker for cyclists. It’s packed with more features for all sports, making it our top pick if you’re looking for a tracker to suit all different sports and workout types.

Its built-in HRM works almost the same as the chest strap, and its GPS trace matches a cycling computer’s. You also get HRV tracking, a thermometer to measure body temperatures, a pulse oximeter, and an ECG that can help with sleep tracking.

The only problem is that the battery life of around 36 hours isn’t that good compared to the top fitness trackers for cycling. Besides, it requires pairing with an iPhone to take advantage of its complete feature set, which can limit Android users. However, it allows cellular connectivity, allowing you to use the phone without an iPhone for mapping, messaging, and calls if you buy a SIM card. 

Reasons to Buy

• The large screen is excellent for mapping cycling routes
• Precise GPS for navigating cycling routes even in challenging environments
• Cellular connectivity allows you to stay connected without the need to carry a phone
• Fall detection and emergency SOS allow quick access to help in case of emergency

Reasons to Avoid

• Expensive
• Full functionality requires you to link the iPhone

4. Best Value, All-Round  Cycling Smartwatch: Garmin Forerunner 945

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Specifications:

• In-built GPS: Yes
• Screen size: 1.2”/30.4mm
• Screen type: Color
• Weight: 50g
• Control: Buttons
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, ANT+/BLE
• App: Yes
• On board HRM: Yes

The Garmin Forerunner 945 is just edging out the Forerunner 955 in the race of the best smartwatches for fitness tracking. It is perhaps the best all-around cycling smartwatch, with features that allow you to track any sport.

As for cycling-specific features, you can pair it with peripherals sensors via Bluetooth or ANT+, utilize full-color mapping, access sophisticated navigation with turn-by-turn directions, and sync your music from selected streaming services. It also has Garmin Pay, which can help you pay for post-ride coffee without needing your smartphone or wallet.

Tap into Garmin Connect for comprehensive cycling, workout, sleep, and general life tracking. You can utilize the adaptive training plans if you need guidance or feedback for future workouts. If you’re a user of a colder climate, you’ll likely appreciate the lack of a touchscreen, and buttons are convenient to use when wearing gloves.

Reasons to Buy

• A catalog of features for multiple sports
• Full-color mapping 
• Adaptive training plans
• Contactless Garmin Pay

Reasons to Avoid

• Doesn’t have a touchscreen
• So much functionality that you might not utilize its full potential

5. Best Cycling Smartwatch for Functionality: Garmin Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar

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Specifications:

• In-built GPS: Yes
• Screen size: 30.4mm / 33.0mm /35.6mm
• Screen type: Color touchscreen
• Weight: 58g – 85g
• Control: Buttons/touchscreen
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, ANT+, BLE
• App:  Yes
• On board HRM: Yes

The Garmin Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar packs a lot of functionality into a watch-sized timepiece. It includes GPS tracking, Bluetooth, ANT+, WiFi connectivity, pulse oximetry (to measure oxygen levels in blood), and optical heart rate measurement. 

All these features are battery-draining. That’s why Garmin has added a solar coating on the glass face of this smartwatch to use solar energy to boost the battery, offering you up to 5 days of GPS tracking and five weeks in smartwatch mode.

Functionalities include base maps, navigation, and onboard music.

Reasons to Buy

• Lots of functionality for fitness and sports tracking
• Impressive battery life
• Intuitive mobile app and computer ecosystem
• Basemaps

Reasons to Avoid

• Larger size for a small wrist

6. Best Adventure Proof Smartwatch: Coros Vertex 2

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Specifications:

• In-built GPS: Yes
• Screen size:  1.4”
• Screen type: Color
• Weight: 89g
• Control: Touchscreen and button
• Connectivity: Bluetooth
• App: Yes
• On board HRM: Yes

Coros Vertex 2 is built for adventure, thanks to the combination of rugged design, advanced features, and long-lasting battery life. The tracker comes with 32GB memory, allowing for the storage of maps and music – over 10,000 songs, in fact. The maps have two options: topographic and landscape.

The topographic map shows your geographic position and elevation for both natural and man-made features, while the landscape shows street information and some natural features. Test results show that landscape maps are apt for cycling, while the extra details in the topographic option are suitable if you’re running on off-road routes.

The Coros app allow you to upload and update routes. Once loaded, the map page is nice and responsive.

But perhaps what makes this fitness tracker a great companion during an adventure is its battery life. On average, the battery can lose 3% of charge per day, whether you’re using it for cycling, running, or swimming. In other words, it’s among the watches that only require charging once a month.

Reasons to Buy

• Long battery life
• Large memory
• Clear maps and navigation
• Continuous firmware updates

Reasons to Avoid

• Slightly bulkier
• No solar charging

7. The Best Cycling Computer for Race Day: Garmin Edge 1040 Solar

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Specifications:

• In-built GPS: Yes
• Screen size: 3.5 inches
• Screen type: Color touchscreen
• Weight: 133 grams
• Control: Buttons and touchscreen
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth ANT+, and USB C
• App: Yes
• On board HRM: No

The ability to recharge the Edge 1040 Solar using the sun, high GPS accuracy, large, easy-to-read display, cycling-specific metric, and turn-by-turn navigation make this fitness tracker appealing for cyclists. According to Garmin, solar charging extends battery life up to 42 minutes per hour in the battery-saver mode, giving you up to 45 hours of battery life even in demanding use cases and up to 100 hours in battery-saver mode.

You’ll get a revamped user interface that’s far easier to navigate than other Garmin models. The home page features customizable data fields so you can readily scroll through your recent training schedule, recent activity history, weather forecast, and recovery time.

Unlike other fitness trackers, you’ll get a feature to guide your pacing strategy for your chosen route to help you best manage your efforts. However, all these technologies don’t come cheap, but if you’re after a cycling computer for the racing day, you’re unlikely to be disappointed.

Reasons to Buy

• Solar recharging
• Great GPS accuracy
• Smart pacing features
• Intuitive user experience

Reasons to Avoid

• Pricey
• Requires a power meter to get the most out of i

Without Base Maps

If you’re a cyclist who prioritizes performance tracking over detailed navigation, choosing a fitness tracker without base maps can be ideal. These devices focus on delivering accurate cycling metrics, long battery life, and robust GPS tracking.

If you prefer simplicity combined with advanced fitness features, these fitness trackers can provide basic fitness tracking capabilities.

1. Best Fitness Tracker for Voice Commands: Garmin Venu 2 Plus

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Specifications:

• In-built GPS: Yes
• Screen size:  33.0mm
• Screen type: Color AMOLED touchscreen
• Weight: 51g
• Control: Button, touchscreen, and voice
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, ANT+, BLE
• App: Yes
• On board HRM: Yes

The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is a smartwatch with one of the best screens on a wearable, with its bright AMOLED display, which outshines many smartwatches and cycling computers. You can set it to be always on or to light up when you move your wrist to see the face. You can also choose from different case and strap options.

For control, you’ll have three buttons, a touchscreen, and a voice command option that’s actioned via your smartphone app. There are several functionalities that track your cycling and other sports, and you can view metrics as you exercise. You can pair this tracker with cycling peripherals such as a heart rate monitor for cycling, a power meter, and the Garmin Varia radar or light.

What’s more impressive is the battery life, which can go up to 7 days between charges when the GPS is recording. It also has a fast charge option, making it suitable for cyclists on the go. You can fully recharge it during a short break, giving you the battery life to last through the next activity.

Reasons to Buy

• Accesses phone’s voice assistant
• Fast recharge
• Long battery life
• Ability to make and receive calls

Reasons to Avoid

• Only one size
• No wireless charging

2. Best for Heart Rate Monitor Precision: Coros Apex 2 Pro

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Specifications:

• In-built GPS: Yes
• Screen size: 33mm
• Screen type: Color
• Weight: 66g
• Control: Touchscreen and button
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, BLE
• App: Yes
• On board HRM: Yes

The standout feature of the Coros Apex 2 Pro is its five LED heart rate measurement system, which measures well against the chest strap. This smartwatch can measure heart rate accurately from the wrist. It’s quick to set up and links easily to the companion app and Strava.

You have a huge number of customization options that you can control from the app. Besides, you can profile different activities, including cycling, running, swimming, hiking, climbing, and even yoga. During these activities, the Coros will track your heart rate variability and sleep.

While you can follow a GPX trace,  you won’t get turn-by-turn directions as you would with most fitness trackers for cyclists. The battery life is also great.  The smartwatch maker claims its smartwatch can go 30 days per charge with 75 hours of GPS tracking.

Reasons to Buy

• Impressive battery life
• Accurate wrist-based heart rate monitor
• Easy to use and customize
• Rugged and durable design to withstand tough conditions

Reasons to Avoid

3. Best Cycling Fitness Tracker for Budget Users: Garmin Forerunner 255

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Specifications:

• In-built GPS: Yes
• Screen size: 1.3 inches
• Screen type: Transflective memory-in-pixel LCD
• Weight: 49g
• Control: Buttons
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, ANT+
• App: Yes
• On board HRM: Yes

While the Forerunner 255 was first launched in 2022, its functionality is almost similar to its bigger brothers, the Garmin Forerunner 955, Fenix 7, and Garmin Epix 2.

No doubt it lacks mapping, but it uses the same multi-band GPS for activity tracking available for the premium Garmin watches, and it has a similar wrist-based heart-rate monitor, allowing the same health monitoring that includes heart rate variability, sleep monitoring, training stress, and oxygen volumes maximum estimates. While its heart rate monitor is relatively accurate, it isn’t as precise as a chest strap.

Since this is a mid-range fitness tracker, the Forerunner 255 lacks an AMOLED touchscreen. Instead, it has a transflective memory-in-pixel LCD screen. So, if you’re looking for a brighter display or mapping, the Forerunner 255 won’t meet the cut.

Reasons to Buy

• Lightweight
• Accurate GPS
• Effective heart rate monitor
• Offers most of Garmin’s premium sport and health functionalities for free

Reasons to Avoid

• Doesn’t support mapping
• The screen type can look a little dull

4. Best Battery Life Fitness Tracker for Cyclists: Amazfit Falcon

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Specifications:

• In-built GPS: Yes
• Screen size: 32.5mm
• Screen type: Color
• Weight: 64g
• Control: Touchscreen and buttons
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, BLE
• App: Yes
• On board HRM: Yes

The biggest selling point of Amazfit Falcon is its battery life. While the manufacturers only claim a battery life of 14 days without heavy use, some users report that 20 days is easily doable, even with using GPS tracking that drains the battery faster. This is impressive and has better performance even than the Garmin Fenix 7S with its solar panels.

Made from sapphire, titanium, and liquid silicone for the strap, you can expect to pay a premium of $499, But still, this is several dollars cheaper than alternatives from Apple, Garmin, and other brands. However, its heart rate monitor isn’t as accurate as expected, but the GPS is more precise, like those in premium smartwatches. You’ll also appreciate the sleep tracker, which is similarly good and more accurate than other smartwatches at correctly identifying wake-up and dropping-off times and nighttime restlessness.

Overall, the Amazfit Falcon is a great smartwatch for recreational athletes or those just looking to get a bit fitter, but the functionality of the watch needs some further refinement before it is practical for more performance-focused athletes.

Reasons to Buy

• Outstanding battery life
• Accurate GPS tracking
• Third-party app compatibility
• Good value for money compared to competitors

Reasons to Avoid

• Less precise heart rate tracking
• Limited navigation features

5. Best Cycling Fitness Tracker for Smart Battery Management: Coros Pace 3

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Specifications:

• In-built GPS: Yes
• Screen size: 1.2 inches
• Screen type: Memory LCD
• Weight: 30g
• Control: Button
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, ANT+
• App: Yes
• On board HRM: Yes

The Coros Pace 3 is a lightweight, multi-sport GPS watch that continues to build on Coros’ reputation for delivering high-performance fitness trackers. While it’s marketed primarily toward runners and triathletes, it offers several features that can be quite appealing to cyclists.

Firstly, you’ll get a multi-band GPS to accurately track your routes, even in challenging environments like dense urban areas or wooded trails. You also get a heart rate monitor, an impressive battery life of up to 38 hours of GPS, and 24 days on the smartwatch mode. Even if you’re planning a multi-day cycling adventure, the Pace 3 won’t run out of juice.

You store music on the Pace 3 and control the GoPro and Insta360 action camera. For the music storage, this is purely for MP3-type music storage, not streaming services. Therefore, you have to plug it into your computer and load up a bunch of music before playing it back via Bluetooth headphones. However, you won’t be able to stream music on platforms like Spotify, YouTube, or Amazon Music.

Reasons to Buy

• Long battery life
• Lightweight watch body
• Inexpensive
• Plays music

Reasons to Avoid

• Dull and low-res screen
• Limited smartwatch usability 

6. Best Cycling Fitness Tracker for Android Users: Google Pixel Watch 2

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Specifications:

• • In-built GPS: No
  • Screen size: 18.5mm
  • Screen type: Color
  • Weight: 33.8g
  • Control: Touchscreen, Button
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth, ANT+, BLE
  • App: Yes
  • On board HRM: Yes

The Google Pixel Watch 2 is the latest iteration of Google’s entry into the wearable market, and it brings a refined design along with a suite of features aimed at fitness enthusiasts. For cyclists, the Pixel Watch 2 offers a mix of functionality, style, and integration with Google’s ecosystem, making it a compelling option for those who want a smartwatch that doubles as a fitness tracker.

Like most fitness trackers for cyclists, you’ll get an in-built GPS that provides reliable tracking of your cycling routes, distance, and speed. The GPS performance is reliable, although it may not be as precise as dedicated fitness trackers in challenging environments like dense forests or urban canyons. However, for most cycling scenarios, it delivers the data you need.

One of the standout features of the Pixel Watch 2 is its deep integration with Fitbit’s fitness ecosystem. This integration brings advanced heart rate monitoring and workout tracking to the table. Cyclists can monitor their heart rate in real time, track calories burned, and keep an eye on their overall exertion levels during rides. The heart rate sensor is one of the best on the market, offering accurate readings even during high-intensity activities.

Battery life is where the Pixel Watch 2 shows some limitations. With up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge, it’s adequate for daily use but may fall short if you want to embark on extended rides or multi-day tours. Plus, using GPS for long periods will drain the battery faster, so you might want to plan for recharging during longer adventures.

Reasons to Buy

• Low profile
• Excellemt strap system
• Automatic cycling detection
• Google pay support
• Allow sleep tracking

Reasons to Avoid

• Short battery life
• Lack of predictive training suggestions

How to Buy The Best Fitness Tracker for Cycling

If you’re unsure what features are important in a fitness tracker for cycling, our buyer’s guide will help you choose the functions that make a fitness tracker excellent for cyclists.

What Materials Make Fitness Trackers for Cyclists

Most sport activity trackers are designed to be rugged to withstand the rigors of cycling. They’re usually waterproof enough for diving, too.

The most basic unit has a plastic case and strap. If you spend more, you’ll get a metal bezel or casing, a tougher glass face, and metal straps.

If your primary aim is tracking cycling, be aware of flashy features. We have tested high-end options that are heavy and uncomfortable to wear, with sharp metal edges that dig into your wrists while holding the bars.

What Features Do Fitness Trackers Offer for Cycling?

A fitness tracker for cycling should offer various features to help you monitor performance, track routes, and optimize your training.

You should consider basic features, such as:

GPS Tracking

GPS tracking is one of the vital cycling features to look for. The basic units may rely on smartphones to track your rides. However, most options on our list have built-in GPS to help you accurately determine your location, track routes, measure speed, and calculate distance during rides.

The GPS can also measure altitude changes, providing data on how much elevation you’ve gained or lost during your ride.

Heart Rate Monitoring

Another important feature is heart rate monitoring (HRM), which can be handy if you want to optimize your training, monitor your health, and improve overall performance. Tracking your heart rate during rides gives you valuable insights into your cardiovascular fitness, fitness intensity, and recovery needs.

By understanding your heart rate data, you can customize your cycling routine to meet specific fitness goals, optimize your training load, and ensure proper recovery.

Power Meter Integration

Power meter integration is a sophisticated feature for serious cyclists. Power meters measure the amount of power that a cyclist generates while riding, offering a direct and highly accurate way to gauge performance in training intensity.

When a fitness tracker can integrate a power meter, you can measure your cycling efficiency, allowing for more targeted training and performance optimization.

Training and Performance Analytics

If you aim to optimize your training, monitor progress, and improve overall performance, you’ll appreciate training and performance analytics. Some of the metrics the tracker can measure include:

• Training stress score
• Functional threshold power
• Normalized power
• Heart rate zones
• Heart rate variability
• Resting heart rate
• Pedal cadence

Do You Need a Touchscreen

Whether or not you need a touchscreen on your fitness tracker largely depends on your preferences and how you plan to use the device. Most units have a touchscreen interface that can be very intuitive and easy to use off the bike. Touchscreens allow for interactive features, such as scrolling through data, zooming in on maps, or tapping on specific metrics for more details.

On the other hand, touchscreens can be awkward to operate when riding or wearing gloves. Besides, touchscreens are less effective in wet or sweaty conditions, where touch sensitivity might be compromised. 

Buttons have a more tactile feel and are much easier to use when cycling or wearing gloves. They are less susceptible to issues with wet or sweaty conditions. However, navigation is generally less intuitive and slower, requiring multiple presses or a sequence of button combinations to assess different features.

What Battery Life Can You Expect?

With high-quality fitness trackers for cyclists, you’ll benefit from advanced battery management systems designed to extend battery life between charges.

If you primarily use your fitness tracker for cyclists in basic mode, you can expect around a week of battery life. However, battery lifespan will drop a lot when you start using GPS to track your activities. Even so, many of these devices can still match the performance of leading cycling computers in terms of battery longevity.

For longer rides, look for a fitness tracker that lets you optimize battery life by adjusting settings such as GPS tracking frequency, connectivity features, or screen brightness. These adjustments can help you extend your device’s runtime significantly.

Garmin has added solar charging options to some of its fitness trackers to boost battery life. While the solar feature in the Fenix 6 didn’t make a huge difference, the Fenix 7 showed significant improvements. Additionally, the Garmin Enduro, which also supports solar charging, can last up to a year between charges in its lowest power mode and 95 days with low-power GPS tracking.

When it’s time to recharge, most fitness trackers use a USB cable, though it may have a connector specific to your device model.

Connectivity Features to Look For

When selecting a fitness tracker for cyclists, check if it’s compatible with your power meter or cadence sensors. Some trackers, especially those intended for general fitness rather than cycling, might not support external sensors.

Opt for a fitness tracker that offers Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity to easily pair with your devices. Many trackers designed specifically for cycling and multisport activities also include ANT+ connectivity, providing greater compatibility with various sensors.

Fitness trackers with optical heart rate sensors use LEDs to monitor blood flow through your capillaries. Changes in blood flow affect how the light reflects, and the tracker converts this data into a heart rate reading.

While wrist-based heart rate monitoring is common, you may get more precise results with a separate heart rate monitor strap. Wrist sensors can be less accurate due to movement and sweat.

If you have an existing heart rate monitor, make sure it’s compatible with the fitness tracker you choose. Most modern heart rate monitors transmit signals via both BLE and ANT+, ensuring they work with a wide range of devices.

Health Tracking Feature to Look For

Most fitness trackers for cyclists offer similar health tracking metrics as basic fitness trackers, including step count, calorie expenditure, and sleep patterns. These features are typically part of a broader fitness overview, which often includes personalized tips and advice to help you improve.

The latest fitness trackers designed for cycling frequently monitor your heart rate continuously throughout the day. This provides a daily record of your resting heart rate, allowing you to track trends in your fitness, gauge your fatigue levels, and detect signs of overtraining or illness. Some devices might even prompt you to rest or perform specific exercises to help you reach your goals.

Certain fitness trackers also include blood oxygen monitoring. This feature is useful for assessing adaptation to altitude, though it tends to be power-intensive and may only function when you’re stationary, often during sleep.

Some advanced models offer electrocardiogram (ECG) capabilities, which require manual initiation. While this feature can provide additional health insights, its usefulness might be limited for everyday fitness tracking.

Most fitness trackers will support Bluetooth and/or WiFi connectivity, allowing you to sync your data wirelessly with smartphone or computer apps. These apps offer in-depth health and exercise analysis, track your activity history, and connect with popular platforms like Strava and TrainingPeaks for a comprehensive training experience.

How We Choose The Best Tracker for Biking

For us to include a fitness tracker in our list of the best fitness trackers for cyclists, we explored the cycling world and examined the best units based on other cyclist recommendations, industry experts, and third-party review sites. 

We then focus on only the best in different categories.