The Garmin Forerunner 210 is a GPS-enabled watch that lets you track rides without the need to strap a bulky head unit to your bars or the use of an expensive smartphone.
Although primarily designed for running, this unobtrusive little Garmin unit will do a great job of keeping tabs on things such as your change in elevation, mapping trails, time and average speeds, when you connect to Garmin Connect after a ride. Getting it set up is straightforward, thanks to the simple prompts from the watch. Locating satellite signal had varied success – it ranged from a matter of seconds to a couple of minutes at times.
Once connected, though, the Forerunner 210 does a good job of displaying time, distance and instant pace or speed reasonably accurately. If you’re keen on your training, there’s also a heart rate monitor strap and you can program in interval training sessions.
We like the simplicity, plus the fact it can’t get wrenched off the bars. As it’s worn as a watch it’s hard to forget on the way out the door too. Battery life is good. We recorded 7.5 hours riding before it needed recharging.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
