Among cyclists, there’s an insatiable hunger for technology and data. We're always looking anything that promises to make us faster, stronger, lighter and more aero. But in this relentless pursuit of peak performance, it’s easy to lose sight of the foundation that makes it all possible: our health and well-being.
I’ll admit, I’ve been guilty of prioritising on-the-bike fitness at the expense of just about everything else. And over the years, I’ve made my share of poor choices—under-fueling, falling for ill-informed fad diets, skipping stretch sessions for an extra hour on the bike, riding too much and sleeping too little.
But then, I was forced to face a hard truth. A cycle of injuries and illnesses had me chasing fitness only to end up sidelined again and again. It was a brutal spiral that made me confront the bigger picture: I can’t keep neglecting my health. For the first time, I’ve had to put fitness on the back burner and focus on my overall well-being in earnest. Enter the Oura Ring.
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When I started wearing this sleek activity and wellness tracker, I wasn’t looking to count miles or watts—my Garmin watch and head unit had that covered. What I needed was a tool to help me understand the bigger picture: how sleepless nights and constant travel were impacting my body, how well I was recovering from illness or injury, and whether my body was truly ready for the demands I was placing on it.
Turns out, it wasn’t. My body was recovering poorly, and it definitely wasn’t ready for the workload I kept throwing at it. If I’m being honest, deep down, I already knew this. But seeing the data presented so clearly—plummeting readiness scores and an out-of-balance heart rate variability (HRV)—made it impossible to ignore.
That’s what makes the Oura Ring such a perfect companion to a sports watch and cycling computer. While my watch or computer focus on workouts, the Oura Ring captures everything else. From sleep to everyday activities like walking the dog, cleaning the house, or slogging through airports, it tracks the movements and moments that make up your whole day.
Despite its minimalist design, it’s constantly collecting data on over 20 biometrics to provide a holistic view of your health—day and night. It tracks heart rate, body temperature, sleep stages, menstrual cycles, and even aspects of your diet if you choose to log them. The Oura app then compiles all this data into an educational and user-friendly experience, offering insights that extend far beyond sport-specific activity.
(Image credit: Anne-Marije Rook)
Wearing the Oura Ring helped me confront some hard truths I’d been happy to ignore: I need to prioritise recovery—not just after bike rides but in every aspect of life. Stress, illness, and injury weigh on the body just as much, if not more, than a hard training session.
My readiness score and HRV balance, key indicators of how my body is handling stress and restoring itself, have become my guide to getting out of this injury cycle. They remind me when to take it easy, when to go harder, and, most importantly, when to listen to my body; a lesson that’s been long overdue.
Ultimately, the Oura Ring is a wellness tool, not a coach. It’s up to you to dive into the data, connect the dots, and use it to implement meaningful change. But by tracking trends over time, it helps you understand how your habits and empowers you with data to make informed decisions.
Cycling Weekly'sNorth American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook is old school. She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter — in print! She can even be seen bringing a pen and notepad to the press conference.
Originally from the Netherlands, she grew up a bike commuter and didn't find bike racing until her early twenties when living in Seattle, Washington. Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle's hilly streets on a steel single speed, Rook's progression in the sport was a quick one. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon, she became a full-time cycling journalist. She's now been a journalist for two decades, including 12 years in cycling.
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