New gear priorities, what would you choose?

I’m a recreational athlete. I like to call myself a triathlete but with the season being dead up here in the Great White North, i havent been very active in the running or swimming scene. Heck id even stopped training completely in March. After gaining 15 lbs, and starting to workout again casually outside, i looked at my personal health spending account with work and noticed an amount that’s begging to be spent!

I’m hesitant on what to get first as there are a few things i want:

Power meter (i have none)
Bike Computer (i have none)
New tracking watch (i have a garmin vivoactive HR, quite an old model)

I’d ultimately love to do outside workouts but that would require both a power meter and a bike computer, which ones i don’t know… i’m leaning towards a favero assioma uno and a Garmin 500 series bike computer… or could i get away with a cheaper bike computer? (in the end i just want to see my power, hr, speed stats)

The watch, at least a forerunner 735xt, would be in order to better track multisport activities (especially swimming, which my current one sucks at)

I’ve given up on upgrading my smart trainer (tacx vortex) as i ‘only’ use it from november to march

What would you guys go for first and what models/brands would you choose?

What’s your budget?

A decent cycling computer would probably be $200 - $300 new but you could probably find one for $150ish used (look for Wahoo Bolts or Garmin 520s).

A Stages or 4iiii left crank arm power meters generally start around $300. Anything more than that will get you marginal gains like dual power and metrics like L/R balance.

I use a Stages power meter and a dumb trainer when I’m inside and though I’m sure a new smart trainer would be nice it is 100% not necessary.

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I have a set of Garmin Vector’s and a head unit we could work something out on if you want. If you want to train well on the bike you need a power meter and a head unit or watch is a must as well to collect the data.

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Get a watch that can connect to a Powermeter. It can double as a cycling computer. Garmin makes a handlebar mount for their watches!

Either the Fenix or the Forerunner series will work. Fenix has on device navagation, Forerunner just follows a gps track.

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The Forerunner can double as a (quite small) bike computer, and is compatible with outdoor workouts so that and a cheap crank/pedal/hub based power meter would be the easiest way to achieve everything.

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Are you referring to your HSA where you contribute funds for medical expenses, etc?? That can be used on items like bike stuff???

yeah mine can be used for fitness related expenses (gym membership, personal training… i’ve used it on my kettlebells a few years ago too, supplements, etc)

we have a few “campaigns” every year that are supposed to help reinforce health(ier) habits in the workforce and for that they give you $x for each campaign that gets completed.

Ok so from the answers i’m getting here i’m getting a power meter vibe

My watch can technically get the power data from the device but i wouldn’t be able to do the outdoor workouts, but i could always setup intervals to replicate the workouts somewhat as a gap.

Now i didnt know that the forerunner was compatible with TR workouts @alexgold123 (are you talking about the newest one, the 945, or which one!?)

@mbecks2 thanks for the offer, i know the vectors arent cheap ! i’m assuming theyre the first version?

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All the ones on this list :+1:

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I’ve looked at this page with the list of compatible devices for a long time, actually bought my Forerunner 245 because of it, but I’m still a bit confused. Can I push outside workouts to my watch, assuming it’s paired to my phone and Garmin connect is working…
I read on here somewhere that made me think that all my forerunner is useful for is gathering (somewhat inaccurate) heart rate data. If I can push outside workouts to my watch I will be extremely happy.

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They are the Vector 2’s dual sided, not sure what’s cheap for you but probably looking for about $500 if I were to get rid of them.

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I true HSA or FSA under the IRS gridlines can only be used for approved medical expenses and some over the counter products which have been pre approved by the IRS. You can use those funds for exercise equipments only with a doctors note that outlines a specific medical need for the equipment.

As an example I am under treatment for low T (hypo-gonadism) and part of my medical treatment plan is routine exercise. I have doctors note explaining this with exercise recommendations (cycling being one of them) and I can use my FSA funds for bike related purchases. Each year I need a new note from my Endo and then need to submit that note to my FSA manager.

Before anyone jumps down my throat regarding low T, I don’t race, I recently stopped T injections as I didn’t like some of the side effects, and now I’m trying to manage my low T with Clomid which stimulates my body to make its own T without as many side effects…but still illegal in the eyes of UCI and WADA.

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@TRMailloux Yeah i’m in Canada! I guess i used the wrong wording, it’s more of a “Wellness/Personal Spending account” than an HSA. If we have leftovers from our benefit premiums (which never happens with me nowadays since ive got me + wife + kids on it) the extra goes towards our HSA account which can be used to top up non-insured claim amounts.

The PSA on the other hand is i guess…separate and taxable. Sorry for the miswording on my part.

@mbecks2 thats possibly decent pricing for dual sided… where are you located? (please say canada)

@TRMailloux Great explanation and what I was curious about with his account… Alas, I keep trying to justify a way to use my HSA for that new treadmill and power meter I want :joy:

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I bought my 4iiii crankarm power meter for about $260 from probikekit. And I’d suggest looking at the Suunto 9 and the Garmin 945/Fenix 6 series.

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I’m in Pittsburgh. I come to Hamilton and Toronto twice a year but right can’t cross the border.

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If you just want stats, the cheaper edge 130 could be your answer. I use it for TTs to capture track, speed, cadence, hr and power. It’s a nice wee unit compared to other edges and if you don’t need advanced mapping (it only does bread crumb) it’s my preferred unit. Other manufacturers probably do similar units.

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I own a edge 130 and I don’t recommend it. Full of bugs and the software is capped on purpose.

I agree with the majority, buy a good watch and a power meter.

Buy one of this https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000VK5BMQ?tag=duckduckgo-exp-b-uk-21&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1 and you are sorted

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I’ve just bought an edge 130 plus and I really like it. It supports outside workouts, and has everything I need in a bike computer.

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Seeing the @dcrainmaker review seem that they sorted some stuff.

But for the price (£150 at the time) you pay for the 130 I was expecting a lot better.

I guess that now that 130+ was lunched the updates for the 130 will be even more sparce.

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