Dedicated GPS vs iPhone vs Smartwatch?

I use a Garmin Forerunner 310 for tracking my rides and runs.  I bought an adapter for the strap, so I use it on my wrist when running, but it twists out and can go on a normal Garmin mount on the bike. This means it sits even prouder on your wrist than it would without the mount (it's quite thick) but that doesn't bother me. It is an old looking thing, but it does what I want it to and it is a lot less than a 510 or any of the other dedicated Garmin cycle computers.

It lasts about a week between charges, wihch includes 2 or 3 45 minute runs, an hour bike ride in the week and a 4 hour ride at the weekend.  

As others have said, a phone + app will let you record your rides and review them after, but you cannot really use it on the bike and expect it to survive.  I've dropped my Garmin a few times and it still keeps working, we all know it doesn't take much of an impact to break your phone.  And if you get into a situation where you need to call for help, it's good to know you haven't run the phone battery down too low whilst recording.

My Garmin has several functions that I like that may not be available with other bike computers or phone apps.  It has a virtual partner, so you can set a route and an average speed and the screen shows you whether you are ahead or behind on pace.  You can do this either at the planning stage, or you can convert a ride or run you have already done to have the virtual partner ready next time you try it.  You can also program workouts to it, so you would have a 10 minute warm up, followed by 3 mins in zone 4, a 1 minute recovery, and then 4 repeats of that.  I find it hard to do interval sessions without the watch telling me when the intervals start and finish out on the road, there's so much else to think about and when you are pushing yourself, simple sums and looking at screens are too difficult.  If you're knackered from a busy day the day before, you can set an alarm if you get out of z2, to try to keep you at a low effort level.

It does bread crumb navigation, which is ok out in the country when the junctions are spaced out, but in built up areas it isn't always easy to see which turn you are meant to take.  But you get audible warnings too.

And this is without live segments, which higher end Garmins do.

When it dies on me, I'll have a good look at the Wahoo Bolt, and maybe some of the other rival products.  Cateye and Lezyne make simpler, cheaper bike computers which will do what the phone app do.

I've got a smart watch coming (some kind of Amazfit, never heard of them but they got good reviews) as a present soon, will be interesting to see how it stacks up to the garmin.

Yeah, what AKH said.

I presume you mean a Garmin Fenix, not Felix (unless its just for walking! ) Which itteration is it? I have a Fenix 3 (second hand ebay), and it is by no means outdated - in fact I am still trying to utilise it to it's fullest potential. Yes, there is a newer version, but this doesn't render the 3 obsolete.

If you simply want to track your rides, just use Strava on your phone to record the journey, and pop it in your back pocket. It will give you basic stats such as distance, average speed and elevation at the end of the ride.

If it's something that you need to be able to see, you can try and strap the Fenix to the bars if it's difficult to see when riding (I know mine is when on my wrist, especially with gloves on). My dedicated cycle computer, a Garmin Edge 25, is very small, and probably has the same size screen as a watch. I have had it years, and it suits me fine for the stats I want, plus it does have the ability to plot a route to follow (a basic 'breadcrumb' point-and-follow type thing) which I have probably used about 10 times in the past 3 years.

If you want a dedicated cycle computer, then of course you run the risk of another model coming along in the next 12-18 months, but that doesn't mean you have to upgrade each time. It's the same with all tech these days - upgraded each year and the new one is all bells-and-whistles. I am still on an IPhone 5, and thats done me fine for about 5 years. It still works.

Just ignore the marketing hype, get one that does the job and use it until it falls apart!

If you just want to record the route and distance a phone app is probably fine. Loads of free ones out there. If you want to connect cycling sensors and view data whilst riding, a dedicated GPS is definitely the best overall solution in my opinion.

Phones are too large and too expensive to risk sticking to the bars. You better be sure the mount is secure. I certainly wouldn’t want to be without my phone if it came off. A dedicated GPS will have a built in mount and be much more secure.

I’ve never considered a watch, the screens are too small and it’s not as convenient as looking at a device mounted on the bars. It might make more sense if you also do other sports where the watch can be used, but I don’t see the advantage for solely bike use.

Not sure why you’re worried about it becoming outdated. Most tech is on a 12-24 month cycle, so anything you buy won't be the current model for long. The device won’t become any less capable than it was when you bought it though (battery deterioration aside), if it meets your needs you don't have to rush out and replace it. I’ve been using a Garmin 520 for years and it does everything I need. I won’t replace it until it breaks.