[Closed] Forerunner 210 for biking

Years ago I had a 200, it was pretty crap, the 210 doesn't look like it has evolved much. Very much geared to just running.

I have had various other bar mounted garmin said since which were all better, but as I'm a multi sport person, they didn't work for me.

Fenix3 does everything, seemingly very well too. Might be a little over budget compared to the 210 though?

I have my daughter's old 210 on the desk in front of me here, it's pretty basic and has no specific cycling functionality. She now uses a Forerunner 620.
Have you considered something like the Garmin Vivoactive?

Not much chat on the 210 itself but I think as others have said it's pretty basic. I used to use my FR 220 for biking and it was alright if you're ok with having to take a hand off the bars to check your distance etc. As its a running watch I wouldnt have thought that it'd give you average speed, my 220 only gives average pace (min per mile).

My main bugbear was that when you upload to garmin connect and strava it is automatically marked as a run. You can change it on both platforms but I found that it didnt pick up the cycling segments when I did this. Its only a little point but I got bored of copying the .fit garmin file and converting it to .gpx or .tcx to manually upload it to strava (if you want to do this then gpsbabel is a great little program). So of course I used this as an excuse to buy an edge computer.

Another option if you want a watch is the tomtom multisport, I think they're a fair bit cheaper than the garmin fenix.

//edit: I hadnt realised how cheap they are going now!
[url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/tomtom-multi-sport-gps-watch/ ]http://www.wiggle.co.uk/tomtom-multi-sport-gps-watch/[/url]

it's pretty basic and has no specific cycling functionality

it does pretty much everything you need for basic stuff. It will measure your distance, and speed (you can covert the read-out so it shows speed rather than pace) and using apps like Strava or Endomondo it'll convert that to a map and show altitude gain and so on. you can get a bar mount on Amazon to keep it on your bars rather than your wrist.

Can't comment on the 210, but do use a 220 for both riding and swimming. It defaults to run when uploading, but you change it to ride/swim in strava, never misses any segments.

I've recently purchased a FR 410 for exactly this!

I road ride with an Edge 810 which is perfect but didn't want it on my MTB.

I use my FR410 for running and MTBing, Strava uploading is easy (including changing it to ride rather than run). I just change the training pages to display speed and avg speed rather than pace if I'm riding over running.

The 410 also does cadence with a sensor if that's your thing too.

The 410s come up on eBay regularly - mine was under £15!!!

Cheers guys, that's really useful. The Fenix looks pretty amazing but I reckon more than I need and well out of budget - I'd prefer to keep it under £100 (the FR210 is on SportPurtsuit at the moment which is what sparked my interest).

The Tom Tom Multisport looks like it might be perfect - and well in budget too. I'll have to do some reading.

The reviews on the DCRainmaker blog are the place to go to start research. Insanely detailed!!

I have an old Garmin 405 which I've used for running and biking, it's great, but I moved to an edge when I started riding centuries as the battery life wouldn't keep up.

I've got a fenix 3 coming in a few weeks, if you want, PM and I will send the forerunner to you if you'll cover postage and chuck some money into a charity pot

Sir HC - Member

Can't comment on the 210, but do use a 220 for both riding and swimming. It defaults to run when uploading, but you change it to ride/swim in strava, never misses any segments.

This is interesting as I like using my FR220 for mountainbiking when I dont need maps. How do you change it to a ride in strava? I've tried the android app and on the web page however mine always doesnt pick up any cycling segments.
(sorry for the hijack)

I use Garmin Connect and auto sync to Strava.

I get an android pop up when there is a new Strava activity, click on it to confirm and in the activity section just change from run to ride.... Picks up all the segments then

Thats what I do too, funny job. Will try again. ta

Thank you Bedds, that's awesome - I have sent you an email from willslater(at)gmail(dot)com.

The Forerunner 210 is rather old now. I had a 110, which is very similar. Yes, you can use it for cycling if you want. You can put a bit of pipe lagging on your bars, then strap the watch on.
It can be rather slow to find the GPS position, ie sometimes about 5 minutes or so. And maybe a bit inaccurate under trees/tall buildings.

I've now got a Forerunner 220, which is a lot nicer. Much quicker to find the GPS. Plus has Bluetooth, for connecting to my phone, and better battery life etc.

I use my 410 for riding. I like it. I had an edge touring before it and it was ok but I just endlessly stared at it thinking how on earth I have only done 2km when my legs feel like its been at least 20km all up hill. At least with a watch you have to make the effort to look!

Obviously if you are using something for maps then my point is irrelevant...

I picked up a Vivoactive back end of last year for just under £100, has multisport facilities and overall a nice watch. Bluetooth sync to mobile, message notifications (aka smart phone features etc). New model is coming on the market at the moment, so possibly some bargains to be had.

I love mine.

Don't know anything about the vivoactive but saw one in tesco yesterday reduced from £100 to £49

I've had a Vivoactive for over a year, I can't say I've used it a lot on the bike but as I have an Edge 810. When I have it paired with the HRM and speed/cadence sensor fine and seemed accurate enough. As the others have said, with the Vivoactive HR due out any time there should be some bargains around.

£49 would be an outstanding bargain, which Tesco was that smurfly13?

Basildon, Essex - but just looking online it may have been a vivofit!

Now that the 620 has been out a while, you can get a new 610 for £120 on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gps-Garmin-Forerunner-Running-Watch-Monitor/dp/B0050HKOXQ/

I endorse it for cycling.

Got a vivoactive due to forum help last week. A add on widget gives me OS grid as well. So far so good.

I think there is a new garmin vioactive with a built in heart rate monitor coming out 1st May. It's £200 but that's where my money would go.