You want a Garmin 500. I assume you can still find one

Cheapest big name company is probably the Garmin Edge 130. It lists for $199.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/596828

There might be something cheaper from a lesser known company but I'd expect this is a pretty solid unit.

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--Chris

CatEye Stealth EVO Plus is pretty small and costs around $70.

Bryton Rider 310 E

Can be bought in Europe for 70 € only:)

I'm eyeing a Lezyne device for the same reasons - they look pretty solid and very reasonably priced. Just an ANT+ speed+HR display between my arms...

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ZONE3 - We Last Longer

Ill second picking up a used Garmin Edge 500. I bought a Lezyne mini for the same reason but I find the buttons super fiddly when it comes to starting and stopping the unit on race day. Trying the wake the thing up heading out of T1 is just not ideal.

Thanks for the recommendations, I will keep an eye out for a 500, and check out the Lezyne and CateyeEVO.

Curious why you're so against the QR? It's the cheapest, simplest solution for you. I have one for my 310XT which I use on the bike as my "computer" for tracking and displaying Power, HR, and other metrics.

Some people worry that the quick release could come off in a swim. I don't know about the 920, but the 310XT sucks for tracking swimming so I don't wear it in the water. A GPS watch doesn't do anything for you during the swim portion of a race, anyway, so it's far from critical. In race, I swim with the empty band on my wrist and the 310 already mounted and ready to go on the bike. At T2, it takes 1-2 extra seconds to twist it off the bike mount and twist it onto the band.

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"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

Lyzene Super GPS has both Bluetooth Smart and ANT+ connectivity for $125. "Footprint" is less than 2"x3"




https://www.probikekit.com/bicycle-computers-gps-hrm/lezyne-super-gps-cycle-computer/11346427.html?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=USD&shippingcountry=US&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyuKQie_x3AIVDp7ACh38igQeEAYYBCABEgIgB_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=COuhqYzv8dwCFYrDwAodwwQGgA

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"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

According to the DC Rainmaker review the Edge 130 will not display NP, which means it also cannot display IF or TSS. That was kind of a deal-breaker for me when looking for an inexpensive head unit. I picked up an Edge 500 a couple of years ago for $50 and recently got an Edge 520 for $100 (both from the ST classifieds). As long as you don't mind used, there are a few cheaper options.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/...in-depth-review.html

I wear my 920 daily and dislike the extra bulk it adds, I also really like to have my watch on for the run, I know it shouldn't matter during a race, however during longer distances it helps me mentally...

Do you time and record your distance in the swim?

Not in a race. The time and distance will be what they are. I come to triathlon from a swimming background, so I really am not concerned with the swim metrics in a race other than where my swim split stands in relation to the field, anyway. I'll know whether I sighted well and swam a good line or not without having to check my distance against how far others swam.


On the rare occasion when I do an open water workout, I will stuff the 310 under my cap. I have a pair of goggles specifically for this that have a bungee style strap, not dissimilar to the Lock Laces many use for their shoes. I kept all the excess chord instead of trimming it. I use the extra length to tie a knot through the QR bracket on the watch for a little extra security. Used this way, the 310XT can track a swim somewhat accurately. On the wrist, it's pretty useless in the water.

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"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

If you just want basic power numbers, why not a Garmin Forerunner 310xt. It's a dated watch, but it does most everything you're requesting and would make a great cheap bike computer. You can get a refurbished one for about 90 bucks, or they go used for cheaper around buy sell sites used. Has power data via ANT+, HRM via ANT+, GPS, can connect to speed and cadence, all that... It does NOT have normalized power. Pop it on the bike before a race and turn it on, keep your 920 on your wrist. When you board the bike, flip it to bike mode and start it.

So I have the same problem as you, when I turn my watch in on my wrist I bump buttons against the aerobars. Food for thought, when racing long I will pull my 920 off my wrist once I'm out of the water on the way to the bike then strap it in via the mount below (link), which I have zip tied to the end of the Aeria hydration bottle. It takes about 5 seconds once you practice it a couple of times. I was in the same dilemma as you in regards to wanting a cheap way to read power, I have a 310 sitting around but no normalized power is a deal breaker for me. This method will cost you 10 bucks for the mount kit and 5 seconds in T1 to get it on, 5 seconds in T2 to get it off.

https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Forerunner-Bicycle-Mount-Kit/dp/B000VK5BMQ

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Regards,
J. Smith

I second the quick release option.
https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Forerunner-920XT-Quick-Release/dp/B00O5E7Q0O


It's $20.


I have a 910, but I suspect that it's identical.


For pool swim, I use a Garmin swim watch, but in races I use the 910.
I have yet to lose it.
You just have to pay attention when twisting it on and make sure it locks.


If you want, buy a Profile Design Universal Mount:
https://www.amazon.com/Profile-Designs-Design-Computer-Mount/dp/B003UWFZQE


This is my exact set-up.
Swim and run, it's on my wrist. Bike is on the bars.

I got a Bryton 310 for $75 (ebay). In many ways I prefer it to the Garmin 520. But it doesn't pick up the speed sensor in my PT hub, and it to get a .csv file I have to upload to Strava first then Golden Cheetah, then export. Also its GPS speed and distance tend to run a little low. But battery life is great, it's easy to use, and it does the job.

I much prefer the buttons on the Bryton 310 to the Garmin 520. There are 3 of them on the back (towards the rider) so the unit doesn't accidentally pop off while pushing them (twist mount similar to Garmin), and they are *much* easier to press than on the Garmin.

Asside from distance and speed being off, does it typically display power well as that is the only thing I care about. This is the route I am leaning towards(if I can't find a used 500) as I can get one for pretty cheap compared to the others.

I wanted a tiny computer to sit between the aerobars, finally settled on the Lezyne Micro Color GPS but there's a bunch of versions:

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2016/09/hands-lezyne-computer.html

Yes, it displayed power just fine. Speed and distance are consistently short ~1% or so, not a big deal. If you have a speed sensor, that would probably be fixed. I'd choose the Bryton over a used 500. Garmins have crap battery life even when new.

It's pretty full featured and can display NP, IF, TSS, and a million other things. http://www.brytonsport.com/...p;zoom=auto,-184,562

No experience with water resistance. The mounts are similar to Garmin, but not identical. It syncs to Strava via phone or website upload. I think customer service is nil. I emailed about how it didn't pick up the PT speed, and got no reply.

There are plenty of 500s on Ebay (assuming you're in the US).

I had the same problem (lapping on BTA bottle). Started utilizing the lock feature on the watch (holding mode). Find it's not too troublesome, but there is that extra step in unlocking.

The Bryton is on Leftlane for $99.95 and there is 25% off today. I have been tempted to grab one for the exact use case you describe.

One thing to watch out for on the cateye: I've got one of their first recordable ANT+ computers. It's ANT+ ID range isn't big enough to find my HR strap. The ID is outside their limits.

I'd look into one of many Lezyne or the new basic Stages Dash L10. That one is the original Dash, but under $200, announced at EuroBike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJDT7BTRVWs