Expensive watches & cycling

[Montello]

I cycle 5 days a week for about 10-12 hours total.

I have been cycling for perhaps 50 years ... I have never fallen off AND damaged the watch I was wearing.

Yet ... mostly I remove my watch and put on an old Seiko.

I sometimes ride with a nice watch just because I forget or am in a bit of a rush ... I'm wondering if I should give up bothering to change ... probably more risk of being burgled whilst I am out and the watch is in a drawer than damaging it by falling off...

What do others do?

[VinceR]

Although I cycle very little now-a-days, when I used to, I never gave a thought to which watch was on my wrist. Mind you, as virtually all my watches are divers or pilots, they're pretty tough anyhow.

I have cycled (MTB) on frozen rivers, around towns and cities, up/down mountains, as well as down ski slopes (taking care to avoid skiers, but not so much snowboarders :) ) where coming off was always guaranteed! But I never damaged any watch .. although, myself yes. Downside was as I was always clipped into my bike (an Orange Clockwork), it used to stay with me whenever I did, happily bashing some part of my anatomy, as I slid downwards.

[trident-7]

I wouldn’t even wear my cheapest watch on the bike. I’m often riding on the limit, taking risks & thrill seeking. The number of times I’ve been sat on my ar$e thinking “you idiot, why did you just do that”. For example the time I thought “wouldn’t it be great to know how fast it’s possible to get around the hairpin bend on my local cycle racing circuit?” Then increasing my speed by half a mile every lap to destruction. At least I now know that 28.5 mph is the absolute limit :-(

[Captaincook]

I damaged a nice watch while out on my bike picking up a Chinese takeaway!

I had a 10 minute wait so rather than sit there like most would, I thought I would hang outside on my bike. One squeeze too much front brake and I’m over the handlebars on the floor. I laugh now, but i managed to land the watch face down in to tarmac, ripping through my jacket and scraping the bezel.

No other damage, that was an expensive takeaway

[pinpull]

There’s always a fair amount of vibration and shocks coming through the bars, unless you have very sophisticated suspension, which I always feel are transmitted directly to the watch on your wrist.

It does concern me, so always a cheap and cheerful quartz timepiece with no moving mechanicals to get upset by that, when I’m on the bike!


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[MattMM]

I have an Apple Watch (stainless with sapphire crystal so fairly scratch resistant) on one hand for tracking workout, heart rate and Strava, and a Timex Ironman on the other set to timer for sprint intervals, works well for me.

[McBeardy]

When I used to cycle to work, I generally wore my G Shock & kept my nice watch Panerai or BB58 in a travel case in backpack. Think more the fear of falling off and damaging it, which would bug me more. Saying the one accident I did have wore my vintage Seiko Arnie & scuffed the rubber strap.

Reading about the vibrations causing issue as well.

Saying that often wear what ever watch I have on, for my 5k runs.


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[Paradiddle]

I also put on my G-shock while cycling, both for commuting and weekend rides. Wouldn't risk wearing a more expensive watch out in case of any accident. On the times that I have, the road vibrations I can feel through my hands have made me cringe a bit.

My Garmin Edge 130 is tiny so screen real estate is quite limited. Good to have a watch to tell the time.

[Montello]

I wouldn’t even wear my cheapest watch on the bike. I’m often riding on the limit, taking risks & thrill seeking. The number of times I’ve been sat on my ar$e thinking “you idiot, why did you just do that”.

Sounds like damaging your watch is the least of your problems ... take it easy ... you are not 16 anymore ...

[higham5]

There’s always a fair amount of vibration and shocks coming through the bars, unless you have very sophisticated suspension, which I always feel are transmitted directly to the watch on your wrist.

It does concern me, so always a cheap and cheerful quartz timepiece with no moving mechanicals to get upset by that, when I’m on the bike!


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This ^^^^^^^^^^^^, the roads where I cycle have a look of the Normandy landings. Potholes are still being repaired now in Oct. Once the freeze thaw comes , the current patch repairs will be out. Oh how I miss the roads in East Yorkshire just before the TDY when the would re surface large swathes.

[JP28]

When I lived in Denmark for 3 years I cycled pretty much everyday, everywhere. I wore a vintage Rolex red sub for almost the entire time. Never thought about it much then. Would probably still do even now if I was still in DK, but would not everywhere n the world.
So I guess right place, right time is what works.

[dkpw]

If you come off, you will instinctively put out your hands to break your fall and chances are a watch will take a hit.

I bent the clasp of a Tag I used to have the one time I came off, it gouged a lump out of my wrist. I bent it back into shape but my wrist hurt for a good while.

I no longer cycle but after the above I only wore a G Shock or put my watch in my bag.

[Montello]

There’s always a fair amount of vibration and shocks coming through the bars,

Is vibration really a concern with a modern automatic?

I’d probably be cautious with a vintage watch but a modern tool watch won’t be bothered by riding a bike. Or is there a watch maker here to contradict that?

[xxnick1975]

Get a Garmin bro

[neebsta]

My Garmin is for cycling. It has a HRM built into the back. It’s already survived one broad side from a car last October. It doesn’t matter how careful you are, it’s the other muppets on the road that aren’t careful and drive like Mad Max.

[Montello]

Get a Garmin bro

I have a Garmin 1030 but I still like to wear a watch

[chrisparker]

Is vibration really a concern?

Not unless you’ve removed your tyres, and attach your watch to your handlebars.

[Montello]

Not unless you’ve removed your tyres, and attach your watch to your handlebars.

That was my thoughts too.

[NCC66]

Garmin is the only watch I’ll wear when cycling. To be fair though, my cycling is almost entirely off-road, so anything else would likely end up in a pile of tiny expensive metal bits, when I fall off. Which is about once a week or so.


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[Cornholio]

To be fair, I don't have an expensive watch, but all things are relative.

I never used to worry about wearing a watch on the bike. I'm more likely to damage a piece whilst walking by banging it into a door or onto some street furniture. Having said that, I would usually choose a watch with a washable strap.

I have a Garmin now, and wear that on the bike for recording the metrics.

[wallyuk]

Garmin Fenix 5+ wearer here on bike. I once lost a very nice Seiko during a ride, so now I can lose a nice Garmin.

[frp422]

I found when off-road biking (even towpaths) the movement of my watch on the wrist caused annoyance as I don't wear them too tight. Easily solved with a G-shock on rubber strap. I have a 5610 which is now like Trigger's Broom given the number of straps and bezels it's been through, and the crystal is hazy from sand/dirt/rock abrasion. My son now wears it for 6-year old boy activities and I'm sure it will survive! I wore a Rangeman to the Himalayas and that too bore the brunt of coming off, thought it was great to keep track of my altitude :-)

A G-shock is light enough, tough enough and cheap enough not to bother me. But given my experiences of scrapes, tumbles and accidents I'd now never wear a decent or even metal watch while cycling.

Ant

[Spesh]

I never wear a watch when cycling as I have the time on my Element Roam, but I also find it uncomfortable. I suppose it's a bit different if you are commuting to work and want to wear a nice watch in the office though. I actually damaged the bracelet on my Sea Dweller coming off a Boris bike on Tower Bridge after being hit by a car, so have made it a rule ever since.

[levkov]

When i go out 1. drinking, or 2. cycling, i always put on my CWC G10, which ticks both boxes: nice military vintage(-ish) watch, as well as a cheap beater, so no big regrets when accidents happen. Which they haven't so far, fingers crossed

[97BlackC5]

I cycle to work in London almost every day (I refuse to start my ride if its already raining before I leave the house) occasionally taking the train instead. I tend not to wear a watch anymore when riding (I think I have been down 4 times in about 17 years twice knocked off slow speed, once down on freshly painted white lines around the Rotherhithe Tunnel roundabout in the rain & once when a mother pushed her pushchair between 2 cars as I was overtaking, resulting in me going over the bars). I have to carry a change of clothing with me every day so I tuck my watch in the bag of clothing which then goes inside my rucksack. The only thing you have to remember is that you put it there before you left home, as otherwise you get to work, tip your clean cloths out of your bag & your watch lands on the floor!!! If I do, on occasion, wear a watch when cycling then I have an Orange Monster on rubber that is my go to beater.

[100thmonkey]

I wore my Deepsea for years everyday for work, MTB rides and road rides

[levkov]

I cycle to work in London almost every day (I refuse to start my ride if its already raining before I leave the house) occasionally taking the train instead. I tend not to wear a watch anymore when riding (I think I have been down 4 times in about 17 years twice knocked off slow speed, once down on freshly painted white lines around the Rotherhithe Tunnel roundabout in the rain & once when a mother pushed her pushchair between 2 cars as I was overtaking, resulting in me going over the bars). I have to carry a change of clothing with me every day so I tuck my watch in the bag of clothing which then goes inside my rucksack. The only thing you have to remember is that you put it there before you left home, as otherwise you get to work, tip your clean cloths out of your bag & your watch lands on the floor!!! If I do, on occasion, where a watch when cycling then I have an Orange Monster on rubber that is my go to beater.

Huge respect!

[cbh]

Depends on the ride, if it's a proper race bike, head down, full kit ride I'd never wear a watch as my Garmin 830 has the time, if it's to pop to the pub/shop in my jeans I'd keep whatever watch I'm wearing on.

[jmitch]

Depends on the bike, my road bike is black with red accents, my MTB is red with black accents, so a Sinn U1 coordinates perfectly with both.

Any watch goes well with my raw Brompton, but my purple metallic black edition Brompton is only ridden with a blue pelagos. My Raleigh Twenties are blue (Tudor) or green (black Seiko diver)

I think black goes with most bikes, but only works with a white bike if you are also wearing white clothing.

Probably something the velominati should take a view on.

I am intending to wear a new black DJ41 and black velvet smoking attire for the next BWC final if I ever get another place from the ballot. Last time I raced in navy and yellow and wore the pelagos but wasn't 100% sure about that combo.

[higham5]

Depends on the bike, my road bike is black with red accents, my MTB is red with black accents, so a Sinn U1 coordinates perfectly with both.

Any watch goes well with my raw Brompton, but my purple metallic black edition Brompton is only ridden with a blue pelagos. My Raleigh Twenties are blue (Tudor) or green (black Seiko diver)

I think black goes with most bikes, but only works with a white bike if you are also wearing white clothing.

Probably something the velominati should take a view on.

I am intending to wear a new black DJ41 and black velvet smoking attire for the next BWC final if I ever get another place from the ballot. Last time I raced in navy and yellow and wore the pelagos but wasn't 100% sure about that combo.

Excellent ;) ;)

[monogroover]

I cycle 5 days a week for about 10-12 hours total.

I have been cycling for perhaps 50 years ... I have never fallen off AND damaged the watch I was wearing.

Yet ... mostly I remove my watch and put on an old Seiko.

I sometimes ride with a nice watch just because I forget or am in a bit of a rush ... I'm wondering if I should give up bothering to change ... probably more risk of being burgled whilst I am out and the watch is in a drawer than damaging it by falling off...

What do others do?

Same as you, essentially. Not an old Seiko though. If I'm using a bike computer on the handlebars I'll wear a plastic analogue Casio usually. Highly legible and very light. And cheap.

[Mick P]

I wear the same watch all the time, I hardly take it off and sleep with it on my wrist. I have been wearing a Sub for the last couple of month and today I dug a hole in the garden to plant a bird of paradise plant and connected an automatic sprinkling system to it. Yesterday I pruned a lemon tree and chucked the pruned branches over the back garden wall because that is what you do in Spain.

Just wear the thing and relax.

[ColDaspin]

I cycle about the same amount as the OP, always on good quality roads. While my head says of course I could wear an automatic, my heart won't allow me to. I can't even bring myself to wear my more expensive quartz watches, just my G-Shock.

[PawG]

I personally, almost never wear a watch when cycling. If I ride to work, the watch is in my backpack.