Training with GPS is almost considered standard practice these days and it is becoming an ever more competitive market with the number of new products hitting stores on a regular basis. And for anyone who follows this blog, you will know that on the bike my preferred method of data collection is via the use of my Bryton Rider 50T. I did a pretty in-depth review of this computer when I first received it through the then distributor, Next Destination that came in very handy for them and is to this date still my most viewed blog but I've put a bit of time into this review so here is my best bet at topping that!
Up until a few months ago I had been relying on my trusty Garmin Forerunner 305 for collecting any data on my running sessions but our relationship came to an abrupt end when it decided on its own accord to shut down permanently. At first I thought it was an untimely end but after getting in contact with the new distributors of Bryton GPS Computers in Australia
The first thing I noticed about the Cardio 35 even before I had the chance to take it out of the box was its size. It is much more similar in size to that of any normal sports watch instead of the normally chunky GPS watches available. Just like all of the GPS watches available, the features list seems to go on forever and this was perhaps what brought about my initial downfall as I immediately disregarded the instruction booklet, instead preferring to, like my running; go by feel. This is probably the reason why it has taken me a lot longer than expected to get this review up and running and after taking the time to look through the instruction booklet I now have lots to share in terms of my thoughts on the watch and also some fantastic data files that I have been able to collect and store on the Bryton Connect page
The watch is actually surprisingly simple to use once you’ve got around to having a quick look through the instructions. It is a matter of pressing one button before you can be off and running or cycling for that matter and with the unit seemingly picking up a GPS signal straight away there is no waiting around for the unit to catch up. In fact not only can this watch be used for either running or cycling, it is waterproof so can be worn for an entire triathlon if race data is of importance to you. The other benefit of this watch is its battery life of up to 30 days and combining this with its size there is no reason why you couldn’t wear this as an everyday sports watch.
Out training there is the limiting factor that you are limited to only one data screen instead of having the option of up to four with the Garmin but it is only a matter of pressing one button to scroll through time of day, time, distance, calories, average pace and current pace and whenever you press the lap button you are given a brief summary of the average pace and time of that particular lap. I haven’t really had much reason to complain about only having one data screen except during some sessions where we will run for a particular period of time at a specific pace and I can find myself scrolling through all the data fields to keep tabs on these two. The single data screen can be advantageous though as unlike the Garmin that seems to squash so much data on to one screen that you can spend so much time trying to work out what you are looking at, the Bryton is so easy to read and with a quick glance I know exactly what I need to.
The addition of a bike mount can quickly transform this watch into a perfect cycling computer and although I prefer to wear it on my wrist when I do use it riding because I have the Bryton Rider 50T on my bike all the time it could be the perfect bike-run watch for triathletes. The heart rate monitor and cadence sensor can either be included with the watch or added later as accessories only add to the already long list of data that you can collect and review.
The data that I have already been able to collect from this watch has been great and as my coach said, if you take the time to look through any one of the data files you are bound to find something of use. My favourite feature would have to be the stride rate. And while I am not going to even try and explain or work out how it calculates this it is so cool! I’ve changed my running style dramatically over the years to decrease my stride length and increase my stride rate and now that I can look back over this data in all of my runs is really interesting to compare what it is when I’m going fast or slow and how it compares as I tire.
With all this available data I could be at the computer for days looking at all the intricate details but instead I am out there pounding the pavement creating the data files. Instead I will have to leave that up to anyone interested in looking through Bryton Sport and Bryton Bridge and will wrap up my review by saying that the Bryton Cardio 35 is definitely worth serious consideration if anyone is in the market for a new GPS watch. This watch has a lot going for it and with Bryton making significant inroads into the ever competitive world of sports performance GPS products I am proud to be able to continue working with these guys into the future.
1 comments:
Hi Nicolas - thanks for the comprehensive review. Does this watch come with distance/ time interval training capabilities (e.g. 10x 1km with 30 sec rests)? If so, do you need any of the optional extras/ sensors to enable this? Thanks.
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