Apple Watch

Recording Rides with Apple Watch

You don't need a dedicated cycling computer to use RideTool. If you have an Apple Watch and the Strava app installed, your rides flow into RideTool automatically.

How it works

1. Open the Strava app on your Apple Watch and start a ride
2. When you finish, Strava uploads the ride to your Strava account
3. RideTool picks it up automatically via webhook — usually within a few minutes

That's it. No manual sync, no extra steps.

Setup (One Time)

• Install the Strava app on your Apple Watch from the Watch App Store
• Make sure your Strava account is connected to RideTool — if you signed up with Strava, you're already set. Otherwise, connect it from Data Providers in the Ride Library (file icon in the nav bar).
• Once connected, new rides sync automatically — no manual steps needed

What Data You Get

• GPS route and distance
• Heart rate (from Apple Watch optical sensor)
• Moving time and elapsed time
• Calories burned
• Elevation gain

What you won't get (without extra sensors)

• Power — requires a power meter on your bike (pedals, crank, or hub)
• Cadence — requires a cadence sensor paired to your watch via Bluetooth

RideTool works great without power or cadence. You'll still see your calendar, consistency card, and all GPS-based metrics. Power just unlocks the more advanced training metrics like TSS and FTP.

A Note on Heart Rate Accuracy

Apple Watch uses an optical sensor on your wrist, which works well for running and daily wear but can be less reliable during cycling. Road vibration and bumps shift the watch on your wrist, grip pressure on the handlebars restricts blood flow, and cold weather makes it worse. You may see erratic readings — sudden spikes or drops that don't match your actual effort.

If accurate heart rate matters to you, consider a chest strap heart rate monitor (like Wahoo TICKR or Garmin HRM-Pro). Pair it to the Strava app on your watch via Bluetooth and it will record chest-strap HR instead of the optical sensor.

Getting More from Your Data

Apple Watch is a great starting point, but if you get serious about training, dedicated cycling hardware gives you significantly better data:

• Chest strap heart rate monitor — A Wahoo TICKR or Garmin HRM-Pro uses electrical signals instead of light, so road vibration and bumps don't affect accuracy. Pair it to the Strava app on your watch via Bluetooth for an immediate upgrade.
• Cycling computer — A dedicated head unit like a Wahoo ELEMNT or Garmin Edge gives you real-time ride data on your handlebars, longer battery life than a watch, and seamless pairing with all your sensors. Connect it to RideTool via Wahoo or Garmin sync and your rides sync automatically with full-resolution data.
• Power meter — The single biggest upgrade for training. A power meter (pedal-based like Favero Assioma or crank-based like SRAM Rival) measures exactly how hard you're working regardless of wind, hills, or fatigue. It unlocks TSS, FTP, power-to-weight, and all of RideTool's advanced training metrics.

You don't need any of this to use RideTool — Apple Watch + Strava gets you riding and tracking today. But when you're ready to level up, each piece adds a layer of insight.