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There are two basic reasons for checking out the best cycling watches. Some people are general athletes and cycling is just one small piece of that. That covers those who are casual athletes and those who are more serious, but in both cases there’s a greater range of needs. It’s important to be able to track a wide range of sports without needing specialised equipment.

For other readers, cycling is really the only sport they engage in. That still covers a wide range of experience levels but it’s a narrower focus. One of the best cycling computers makes sense while riding and the best cycling watch becomes a way to add context to training as well as handle casual rides.

No matter which of those categories you fall into, modern cycling watches also handle smart watch functions. You’ll be looking for varying levels of notifications and interaction with your phone plus sensor features that go beyond strictly performance metrics. Battery life might be something to consider as well as sleep tracking, apps, and menstrual tracking.

With all of these needs in mind, I’ve spent time with a variety of options and these are the products I’m recommending for a variety of users.

The Garmin Forerunner battery lasts for ages, there’s mapping, tracking for every kind of sport, and extensive help with making your training more effective including sometimes doing less.