Home Chat General Chat

Replacing my Casio 'school' watch

I'm 41 male and new to Tri. New to any sort of fitness training until the start of 2009 where I finally competed in my first 10K. Bike riding has always featured so 2010 I am targeting a duathlon (Cambridge) and more 10K. Who knows maybe a sprint-tri.

The question is I would like to replace my £9 Casio watch I used just to time how long I have been running for with something that measures how far I have run and could measure my splits(?) - e.g. 1 mile time, 2 mile time etc.

I have heard of Garmin and seen the ££££ signs which does not make sense for me to spend at my level.

Is there a sub £100 device that can deliver what I am looking for?

Thanks

Comments

  • huwdhuwd Posts: 228
    I think the suunto t3 will do distance if you buy the extra foot sensor for running or bike sensor for bike, the watch is about £100 I think but will be a bit more with the extras.

    Ive got the real basic t1 (just under £70) and its enough for me (HRM + time with splits and 3 training zones) but I cant add any of the options I mentioned above
  • longyplongyp Posts: 13
    Tri 220 Issue 242 Back Page advert! - I'll look into it
    Thanks
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    What about the Polar RD300X G1? £160
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=39894
  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    Don't spend too much - because in six months time you will realise there is a newer, better one, that you just have to have.

    Are you with stats/data? If you have a engineering bent, and love recording stuff and want to take a scientific approach to training, then something with bells/whistles/PC upload will probably what you want. HR, GPS will soon start to feature on your wish list.

    Otherwise: all the Finnish makes are good... a basic Polar/Suunto would do the job nicely.
  • I use an iPhone. It has an app for everything.
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Jack - exactly - but we still need bling As with anything here we can spend oodles or not a lot.

    For years I was quite happy with my Casio £7.99 watch (until I lost it) which had stopwatch, splits, waterproof oh yes and also told the time. A chap wot I know bought an ebay HRM watch for less than a tenner- the type where you put a thumb on a sensor, and he's had that about a year now and still wearing it at the gym.

    A basic 'brand' HRM watch can be had for under £40 and quite agree that unless you are going to log every heart beat IMHO then you either spend not a lot or go the whole hog for GPS pace/distance/HRM as in between you are paying considerably more for additional features which are just variations on what is available on a basic watch
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    If its distance you want, check your routes out on 'map my tri' or similar, measure out your routes using a bike with computer, have mile/km markers such as sign posts, lampposts etc to give you splits/pace.
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Britspin
    have mile/km markers such as sign posts, lampposts etc to give you splits/paceI
    did that with my Casio and still do that today. I know it is an extra faff for organisers but I do appreciate when Km markers are put out on races as I can correctly pace myself. Great feeling when I hit the next marker bang on the button.

    As I said IMHO a basic watch for about £20 which can do splits should suit for most purposes, HRM with user set HR zones can be had for under £40. The big leap is to the singing and dancing GPS pace/distance/HRM jobbies, I threw in the Polar as everyone seems to be Garmin mad and it seems to me that Polar has compatibility with quite a few treadmills but as ever stand to be corrected. The variations to the HRM allow downoadable files for analysis etc. to be honest I think that would do my head in.

    I have done some searches on this but there seems to be two camps; those who like their gadgets and swear by them and those who seem to stick to basics. The 'stick to basics' camp suggest that unless your HRM zones are properly calibrated you end up training to incorrect data and also that HRM data gathered during training differs from HRM data during racing i.e the only valid data is racing data. That can also be affected by interference from other racers using HRMs, weather, health etc - oh brain hurts.

    I think I will stick to my basic watch and Km markers but tech guys what is your take?
  • gingertrigingertri Posts: 277
    I've got a Time ironman triathlon solar (which was £75, but got it brand new for £35 off ebay - they upped the minimum after this :roll: ). Its got a big start stop button thats easy to use under water so you can do splits. I've got a basic Polar HR monitor that i don't really use - my body tells me when i'm at 100%! doing some 5 and 10K running races will help you suss your estimated mile per minute. So i suppose i'm kind of in the "basic" non-gadget person category, but then again £75 for a stopwatch with a big button may make me seem a bit silly!
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    Gingertri - now at Tesco for £35 http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.206-6324.aspx but no not silly. That is exactly what I like a BIG button.

    Like yourself I know when I am feeling good and also when I am feeling crap. I believe I have enough experience now to know when I am at my limit and do not need a winking watch to tell me. What would be fab would be to know my pace at any given time as I like to run according to a schedule but there again having said that pacing off Km markers is just as effective and cheaper (if they are there of course and accurately positioned).
  • longyplongyp Posts: 13
    Just checked back on this thread - thanks for all the additional feedback
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    You could try a slightly better Casio watch. Seriously. Mine cost about £30 and stores a seemingly infinite number of lap times which it saves for later analysis.
    It is more waterproof than I am and survives chlorine, salt water and my acidic sweat. It has been reliably keeping my split times in training and racing for about 5 years now...
    Do you need more?
Sign In or Register to comment.