Replacing My Garmin 500 with a Garmin Forerunner 235 - a Review

Garmin Forerunner 235 vs Garmin 500

As mentioned previously on the blog, my Garmin 500 recently died, after breaking in half, being glued and then filling up with water in Downieville.

Dropping $300+ for a dedicated cycling GPS computer didn't feel right - I am cheap, the mounts all changed anyway and even though it would be cool, I don't need to enumerate my hang-time or "flow". A fan of GMBN, I checked out the watches they are promoting, the newest big flashy Garmin Fenix varieties. I run when I don't ride, and using my 500 with a watch strap was a bit silly. I am a watch guy anyway so maybe this is the way to go -- until I see the $500-800 prices. Wha?

As I read about GPS watches, the reviews and comments from long term users indicated to me the best value right be the Garmin Forerunner 235. Confirming it would sync with my existing Garmin heart-rate strap and speed/cadence on the road bike, I ordered one for under $200 - above now I see its under $195, the deal keeps getting better.
Having the watch for the last 2 or 3 weeks now, I can report its been really good. Its lighter than its size indicates, the built in heart-rate monitor is pretty solid, the display is large and easy for my aging eyes to read, and the integration with my iPhone SE is solid - I get notifications that come through better than on my aging Pebble Steel. I like the wireless synchronization too, a big improvement over the Garmin 500's mini-USB port. The battery life is okay too, but I find myself over-charging it with the alligator-like USB jaws.

My only gripe - where is the temperature? Maybe on the wrist this is not accurate enough to worry about? Looks like there is an add-on, the "Tempe"

 A second more minor gripe is the uncertainty of when its using my heart-rate strap vs the built-in - when my strap is on, I'd prefer it to fail over/use it.

Otherwise, its all good. We will watch the watch's durability and note any issues as we go along - hope its waterproof :)