A fitness tracker is a device or a smartphone application that monitors and tracks activities such as distance ran, distance walked, heartbeat, calories consumed, and even sleep patterns. The aim of using a fitness tracker is to help you improve your health. Most smartwatches have fitness trackers incorporated into their operating systems. The best fitness tracker for cycling has a strap to wear on your hand to effectively monitor various body processes such as heartbeat and calorie consumption. At the same time, the device will monitor your cycling speed.

Without fitness trackers, it can be difficult to monitor progress in our bodies, such as weight loss, weight gain, and bodybuilding. Athletes could find it difficult to effectively train since they will not be able to monitor their progress. Furthermore, most of the devices are easy to use, and most people can cope well with them. You may opt to download a fitness tracker app from either Google play store or app store, whichever is convenient for you. Apps such as sleep trackers are handy since they rely on your phone’s microphone.

If you rely on fitness trackers to check on your various body processes and operations and combine with proper nutritionist’s advice, you will likely keep yourself away from doctors. You will know when your heartbeat is beyond your regular rate and know how to rectify it. Furthermore, a tracker can help you achieve specific targets to keep your body fit. The best fitness tracker under 100 can help you set goals such as calories to burn within a given period and so on.

How do fitness trackers work?

Fitness trackers have various working mechanisms that enable them to monitor multiple metrics to better our lives. The devices/apps can do the following activities.

i) A fitness tracker can count your steps

A fitness device has an inbuilt accelerometer that can determine the speed of a moving object, upward and downward movements. An accelerometer measures how fast a moving object is changing speed, and thus it can show you your distance covered per given time.

ii) Calorie tracking

Fitness tracking devices and apps can monitor your calorie burning by relying on your heartbeat. The faster the heartbeat, the more calories are burned. If you are on a weight-loss mission, you can track the calories consumed compared to the calories burned. Calories burned should be higher than calories consumed for you to lose weight effectively.

iii) Sleep monitoring

Fitness tracker apps and devices can monitor how you sleep by showing whether you had a light sleep, deep sleep, or no sleep. The devices and apps can record sounds such as sleep talk and snore at night.

iv) Monitor your vital organs

Fitness trackers can monitor your heart rate when running and when at rest. We know that in typical situations, your heartbeat should be 72 beats per minute. If it goes way below or above, then you should consult your doctor. You can also monitor your heart rate when doing exercise. Furthermore, some trackers and more so the wearable can track your body temperature to know when there is a problem.

v) Other activities

Fitness tracker devices can sync with your smartphone to alert you when you have a new message. Moreover, some fitness trackers can detect movements such as when sitting, standing, or lying down using the gyroscope. The device can also use an inbuilt barometer to determine how many climbs descends you have made. The devices can also help you locate your way back home using GPS, which shows your location.

How do you save data recorded by fitness apps and devices?

You can save data recorded by fitness apps and devices for future reference. A smartphone app can save the data in your smartphone memory. However, the best place to save fitness data is online in a cloud. Most apps and devices have cloud storage services, and you only need to register, sync your fitness device with your smartphone, and upload the data every time you record it.

Which are the 9 best fitness trackers for cycling?

They include the following.

1) Fitbit Charge 3 Fitness Activity Tracker

Track your calorie burning with this device and know whether you are losing or gaining weight. The device will monitor your heart rate to give you a comprehensive report on your calorie-burning process. The device will work 24/7 as the battery is durable enough to last for seven days.

Furthermore, the device has 15 plus exercise modes like run, bike, swim, yoga, and circuit training. You can also set goals on various exercises and see whether you are doing well or worse. Also, use the device to monitor your sleep. It can record time spent in light sleep and snore.

Also, the Fitbit Charge 3 Fitness Activity Tracker is waterproof up to 50M so that you can swim or shower with it. Take caution that you take it off when using a hot shower to avoid damaging it.

 

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2) Garmin Instinct, Rugged Outdoor Watch with GPS

Locate your way home using the device since it has GPS. Furthermore, you will be able to monitor your heart rate during various activities. The device is rugged to withstand harsh environments so that when you fall, the device remains intact. The device meets US Military standards 810G for heat, shock, and water resistance. It is waterproof up to 100 meters.

With this device, you can also monitor your running speeds, walking distance, ups, and downs, etc. You can train with preloaded activity profiles depending on your preference. The battery is durable and can last up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, 16 hours in GPS mode, and 40 hours in battery saver mode.

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3) Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 W/ Enhanced Sleep Tracking Analysis

Get this device and start monitoring your sleep to know whether you are sleeping well or need to adjust. It also has BT connectivity so that you can share data with other compatible devices. Furthermore, the tracker has GPS. You can use it to find directions to different places. The device has inbuilt pace coaching to help you achieve your running goals.

Moreover, the device can monitor your heart rate so that you can know whether to seek medication or not. The device will alert you if it detects a low or high heart rate. Interestingly, it comes with a stress detection app and can console you to achieve the best moods. The battery is long-lasting and can last for up to five days when fully charged.

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4) Polar A370 Fitness Tracker with 24/7 Wrist Based HR.

Wear the device on your wrist and have it monitor your heart rate. The tracker requires you to have a smartphone. You can use your smartphone’s GPS to track your speed, distance, and find route. Moreover, get notifications for incoming calls, SMS, social media alerts, and calendar notifications right on your device’s screen.

Interestingly, the device can track your sleep patterns and give you data to show whether you have quality sleep. Moreover, the tracker is a third party compatible whereby the information recorded can easily be shared. Choose from various colours such as pink, black, red, and blue.

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5) Garmin vívoactive 4S, Smaller-Sized GPS Smartwatch

Using GPS, you will never get lost while cycling or even running. The watch is small-sized and feels light on your wrist. It can track your energy levels, menstrual cycle, Pulse Ox respiration, stress, sleep patterns, estimated heart, hydration, and more. However, you should not rely on the device for disease diagnosis, and you should see your doctor if you detect unusual body conditions.

Interestingly, the device has 20 preloaded GPS and indoor sports such as yoga, running, and swimming. It has animated workouts which you can watch on the screen. The battery is long-lasting, and you can be sure that it can take up to seven days when fully charged. It has smart notifications and a Garmin coach.

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6) Polar Ignite – Advanced Waterproof Fitness Watch

The device can alert you about notifications from your smartphones, such as SMS, social media alerts, etc. The device can also monitor your nightly recharge to decide whether to exercise or not the following morning. Furthermore, the device has a training guide for various workouts.

It has integrated GPS so that no phone is required. It can monitor your speed, distance, and as well as route tracking. Furthermore, the device can track your sleep to give you valuable insights about your sleep patterns. Choose from various colours such as yellow/black, orange/black, white/silver, black/silver, pink/rose, and black copper.

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7) Fitbit Inspire Fitness Tracker, One Size (S and L Bands Included)

The device appears extremely elegant. With this device, you can track steps made, distance ran/walked, hourly activity, active minutes, and calories burned. It is an excellent tool to help you monitor your health processes. You can also automatically record workouts such as swimming & bike rides with the smart track. Its screen is both touch and has backlit for night vision.

Again, the device’s operating temperature ranges from -10° to 45° C. Choose between the two colours, including black and sangria. Unfortunately, the device does not track heart rate. However, it remains useful, especially if you are an athlete trying to accomplish specific missions.

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8) Garmin vívosport, Fitness/Activity Tracker with GPS and Heart Rate Monitoring, Pink

The inbuilt GPS will be suitable when locating your way to different places, especially when cycling. Motorists can also use the device to find their ways to different locations. The gadget can monitor your heart rate to quickly know when to see a doctor or when to take a rest. It has a fitness monitoring tool, the Vo2 Max.

Furthermore, tracking stress helps you stay in touch with your body’s response to potentially stressful activities to rectify for better health. Also, the device is Bluetooth enabled so that you can share information with other devices. It also gives smart notifications when connected to a smartphone.

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9) Wahoo TICKR FIT Heart Rate Monitor Armband, Bluetooth/ANT+

Monitor your heart rate using this device and live a healthy life. You can monitor calorie-burning utilizing the device. Also, the device has Bluetooth connectivity so that it can share data with other compatible devices. Interestingly, the device works with over 50 smartphone apps such as Endomondo, UA Record, Wahoo Fitness, Zwift, Runtastic, Runkeeper, Peloton, Map My Run, Komoot, and Nike Run Club.

Moreover, you can upload the data recorded by the device to online training platforms such as Strava. The battery is rechargeable and can last for 30 hours when fully charged. It is also IPX7 waterproof up to 5ft and thus suitable to monitor your swimming activities. Unfortunately, it does not have motion analytics.

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Bottom line

Fitness tracker introduction into our lives came with great benefits. The fact that you can easily track and monitor your heart rate and sleep pattern means that you can easily make healthy living adjustments. Moreover, using fitness trackers with GPS has made navigation easy since you can locate your destination. When buying a fitness tracker, consider its ability to sync with other devices such as smartphones and tablets.