As cyclists, we're perhaps more accustomed than other people to delving into our own health data.
I had long staved off getting a smartwatch, convinced it would be an expensive gimmick, but I've since become a vocal member of the fan club. Now, the watch that accompanies me through my waking and sleeping life is on sale for Black Friday, offered at its lowest ever price on Amazon.
For the first time, Garmin's vívoactive 5 has dropped under $200 on the online retailer's US website. UK smartwatch deal hunters can grab this one for £178.99 – again, a record-low offering.
Forget the bells and whistles of the more expensive models, Garmin's easy-to-use vívoactive smartwatch ticks all the boxes. It provides accurate heart rate information, sleep analysis and can last up to 11 days on a full battery charge.
I've been a proud owner of a Garmin vívoactive 4S – an older version of the model on offer – since this summer, and have been wholly impressed it. It's light, has a slick design, and gives me all the basic heart rate data I need,.
Still, there's one thing in particular that has stood out to me: the battery life.
I've long complained about modern life, and the endless task of charging gadgets. Getting a smartwatch, I figured, would just make for more plugging and unplugging – but I was wrong.
The vívoactive boasts an 11-day, or 264-hour, battery life – something I can say from experience is not far from the truth. I record multi-hour cycles, don't hold back on screen brightness, and it easily ploughs on for a week.
In fact, it's only when charging time comes that I take my smartwatch off. Otherwise, it's with me 24/7, my trusty companion at races, while I sleep, and when I head out on the bike myself.
Of course, this is just one of a plethora of smartwatch deals this Black Friday. My colleague Matt, a tech expert, has trawled through the internet to find all the best ones, and has collate them in this handy guide.
Among the offers is a better-than-half-price deal on the Garmin Forerunner 945 at Walmart – reduced from $599.99 to $289.99. There are also deals on Apple Watches and Fitbits, with something to suit everyone's tastes.
Don't forget to check out our main deals guide, too, where we've added all the standout bargains from across the cycling industry, including those on bikes, clothes, and accessories. We're working around the clock to keep these up-to-date, all the way through until Cyber Monday.
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Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is fluent in French and Spanish, and holds a master's degree in International Journalism. Since 2020, he has been the host of The TT Podcast, offering race analysis and rider interviews.
An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill, and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides. His best result is 28th in a hill-climb competition, albeit out of 40 entrants.
