With thanks for all the valuable info and the suggestions.
As and update:
I will stick to the Bolt and will not buy any sports watch right now. They just seem super expensive and compared to the price dont convince me looking at quite a lot of criticism about accuracy etc.
I have attached the Bolt to a nice little wristband which I can hook to my backpack etc or can use as a stand when rowing or doing gym workouts - this way all is readable and supports me nicely in my workouts.
Iāve just bought a Garmin Fenix 5 Plus - the idea was mainly to have maps available if I need when using my Omata outside but I also hoped it would work for outdoor workouts as well, allowing my to sell my Wahoo Elemnt. Unfortunately, even though you can push TR Outside Workouts to the Fenix 5 Plus you canāt setup power target screens as the workout fields arenāt available. Iāve been told a Garmin IQ install for the stryd running pod should add functionality but Iāve not tested and having ridden outside with the watch I donāt think I could follow a workout that well with it on my wrist. So for now the watch is just daily wear and having a map when using Omata and will continue to use Elemnt for outdoor workouts (which in my opinion is a better implementation than the Garmin method).
I can confirm my Vector 3 pedals pair perfectly though with Fenix and provide all the cycling dynamics data I currently miss with my Elemnt.
i am thinking of getting rid of my Garmin 830 I bought in the meanwhile and use my vivoactive4 as my only device.
I dont have a Powermeter, dont plan to get one
I dont need advanced metrics
I do use maps but learned to connect my phone and have me guide with one headphone via audio
for navigation on the watch there are well made IQ apps like befitter which work fine and do offer even navigation popups with underlaying crossroads maps - the Vivos touchscreen makes it easy usable
I do much more other sports than just biking as I did before (so the 830 is laying around a lot unused)
i dont do TR workouts anymore, just long Z2 rides
Garmin might be releasing new gen devices soon so I might rather pick up one of these if I do miss a dedicated bike computer eventually
A high end sports watch will ādoā everything the 830 will do. But the key advantage is that a dedicated cycle computer (especially on an out-front mount) is just so much easier to see than a watch. And I think ease of visualization matters a lot.
Yes, audio cues are generally good. But when you get to complex 5 way or offset intersections, a pop-up map is invaluable.
Yeah, there are probably cheaper head units than the 830 that deliver the features you need. But given you already have an 830, I donāt think it makes sense to get rid of it.
true points. I will test the navigation incl map popup capabilites of the watch.
Having used the edge some time it turned out that i switched off all the functions like alarms, guidance/navigation, and most datafields as well. Eventually I looked only at heartrate, timer, distance and seldomly at elevation data. After rides I did not analyse much else than pulse, calories (i know) and elevation. Navigation I use 3 out of 10 rides.
I have a 945 but never us it for Navigation as the one time I did, even going out with 100% charge, it powered down on the 3 hour mark with a flat battery, it was paired to a power meter as well mind (I do a lot of 4 - 5 hour rides and I donāt trust it for that after my experience, a watch is terrible for bike Nav anyway). Luckily at the time I was dual recording with an old Edge 800 (after my Elemnt packed up due to water damage in a shower a few week earlier.)
I only get 1.5 - 2 days battery life out of the FR945 normal, one run and one bike a day.
I went through this dance a couple of years ago and ended getting the Fenix 5X Plus (the 6 wasnt it out).
Has maps, navigation, ant+ for cycling gadgets, music (Amazon or Spotify mainly), and Garmin pay. I use the Fenix 6 quarter turn mount to attach it to the bike. No issues and works well. As far as battery life, I did a 6 hour Fondo with plenty left.
Thanks - i went for a ride this morning with the Vivoactive4 and the befitter IQ app for navigation, i left the Edge at home.
Works surprisingly well. When planned via the respective site the navigation has popup announcements of upcoming rout changes with meters left as obe indicator. That worked fine.
It also offers Radar and Light network control.
A speaker is missing on the watch so no audio signals just vibration. I might use the varia app on my phone to get audio signals by the Vario Radar.
Battery drain was about 8-10%/hour which I find ok for such device.
I will test further.
But probably it is indeed much more reasonable to keep the Edge with its undoubtful power for anything cycling and cover other workouts like running or indoor rowing with the 830 as well than to give the Edge away and try to imitate the capabilities of a bike computer with a lower level, inferior watch.