Fenix 5 not wear it and use as bike computer?

Can I use the Fenix 5 and put it at the back of my saddle bag on my bicycle?

I want to get rid of my Edge 520. (The reason being is now I can now track my bicycle, run, walk execise and vacation tracking.)

The Fenix 5 will be fed with Cadence and PRM sensor and my chest strap HRM.

0 jim_m_58 over 8 years ago

Instead of putting in your saddle bag, you could get a bike mount and put it on the handle bars. Sensor wise, I'd expect it to handle what the edge does, and maybe more. (BT HRM for sure)

0 chong67 over 8 years ago

I didnt even know they make mount like this.

I went and google and Garmin make a watch mount for bicycle too. Its $15. Not bad of a price. Will get it.

0 R_Tellis over 8 years ago

Yep, simple but effective. Allows you to see the screen more easily than on your wrist and also easy to access to the buttons.

0 2goBeyond over 8 years ago

I mean, with the quick straps and the eventual bike mount (whether that be made by Garmin of some third party) could do the job....wouldn't the 5X be better suited for use in the situation? It's going to do everything the 5 can AND has maps....which is one of the reasons people use a bike computer right?

I am with you here. For me, I don't have endless amounts of money to spend in a year. If I buy something...it better be multifunctional. I can't grab the watch, the bike comp, the chest strap, the power meter...you get the jist. Also, the cadence shouldn't be coming from the strap, I have a HRM-Tri with my F3HR and it didn't report cadence from the bike ride. They make a speed and cadence sensor separate (at most $60 bucks) and then it gave me that metric. I should warn you though if you do buy one, both sensors were really buggy for me, like report 5X the work. One 22 mile ride multiplied by 5 times. Apparently I traversed half the globe in distance in about an hour and a half (my average speed was approx 700mph...which gave me a trophy?!).

If you do use it for that, check amazon in a week to a month after release, I bet someone will be selling a quick release mount for the bike.

0 jim_m_58 over 8 years ago

I didnt even know they make mount like this.

From what I've heard, some mounts can be a bit tricky with a touch screen watch (they need a ground on the back of the watch and are all plastic, but that can be done with a bit of wire), but the garmin ones should handle it, and the f5 isn't touch screen :)

0 chong67 over 8 years ago

I mean, with the quick straps and the eventual bike mount (whether that be made by Garmin of some third party) could do the job....wouldn't the 5X be better suited for use in the situation? It's going to do everything the 5 can AND has maps....which is one of the reasons people use a bike computer right?

I am with you here. For me, I don't have endless amounts of money to spend in a year. If I buy something...it better be multifunctional. I can't grab the watch, the bike comp, the chest strap, the power meter...you get the jist. Also, the cadence shouldn't be coming from the strap, I have a HRM-Tri with my F3HR and it didn't report cadence from the bike ride. They make a speed and cadence sensor separate (at most $60 bucks) and then it gave me that metric. I should warn you though if you do buy one, both sensors were really buggy for me, like report 5X the work. One 22 mile ride multiplied by 5 times. Apparently I traversed half the globe in distance in about an hour and a half (my average speed was approx 700mph...which gave me a trophy?!).

If you do use it for that, check amazon in a week to a month after release, I bet someone will be selling a quick release mount for the bike.

I have Garmin Cadence and RPM sensor that use ANT+ and Garmin HRM strap also. That should work fine on Fenix 5 right? I am selling my Edge 520 as soon as I get this.

0 jim_m_58 over 8 years ago

I mean, with the quick straps and the eventual bike mount (whether that be made by Garmin of some third party) could do the job....wouldn't the 5X be better suited for use in the situation? It's going to do everything the 5 can AND has maps....which is one of the reasons people use a bike computer right?

My first reaction, is "it depends on your eyesight" One of the things with the edge devices is a larger screen. A bit easier to see a 4 field DF layout, or a map. So when riding, does the display on the f5x work for you with a map.

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

what some are going to do (myself included) is record my cycling on BOTH the fenix 5S & my Edge 820. the Edge 820 will be removed from my Garmin Connect account so it will primarily be the Fenix 5 giving the rides to Garmin Connect and all my fitness activities from running to biking to swimming will be in one place, one device, and things like the new "Training Load" feature of the Fenix will be accurate since it has all the data. Then why the 820? Simple the screen and form factor. I will still use it as the device I actually look at riding the bike (maps etc.) and I will record the rides in case for any reason the data from the Fenix isn't tracked correctly or it drops signal from my power meter etc. It would then be a simple thing to manually upload the training file from the 820 to my Garmin Connect account if the Fenix one is bad, but most of the time I imagine the 820 will just be a visual head unit of what I'm doing on a ride and can share the real time data coming from the bike sensors and my HR strap during the ride.

0 2goBeyond over 8 years ago

My first reaction, is "it depends on your eyesight" One of the things with the edge devices is a larger screen. A bit easier to see a 4 field DF layout, or a map. So when riding, does the display on the f5x work for you with a map.

You know, I will admit that I didn't think about visuals in my first comment. I don't have issues so it could work this way for me if I went that route. My reasoning was more in line with more for your money since the 5 and 5X cost the same (well the 5 with the glass at least). Same cost, but one has the maps. Even if you didn't have the watch mounted, having the option (if it actually works) in the watch could be helpful. But yea, if your eyesight is poor, perhaps mounting it is not wise, maps or no. Though, to be fair the watch has upped the pixel count and colors, so it should be more vibrant and defined now.

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

I'm also planning to use the Fenix 5 as a bike computer. I'm currently using my phone which is attached on the stem with a Quad Lock mount. I also have a Wahoo Cadence sensors which can broadcast in ANT+ and Bluetooth.

My question my be oblivious and similar to OP however I'm wondering if I could use the Fenix5 to track Distance, speed, elevation, GPS and Heartbeat (I'll keep it on my wrist) along side the Wahoo Cadence sensor so this way I could completely get rid of my phone altogether and have complete metrics of my bike rides?

Thanks for help!