Today FitBit announced that its Surge GPS watch with its wrist-based heart-rate monitor now auto-uploads to Strava. The FitBit Surge can be set for Bike or Run modes, with built-in GPS providing speed and distance metrics, plus an LED-based monitor giving heart-rate data.
By shooting light into the skin and measuring the reflection, the FitBit Surge then uses an algorithm to provide heart-rate data. This is a new trend in heart-rate monitors, which have for decades relied on a chest strap to measure heart rate.
With a Bluetooth connection to either a smartphone or a computer, the FitBit Surge can auto-upload a workout file to FitBit and, when synced with Strava, automatically send data to the popular social fitness site too. Users can link the two at http://strava.fitbit.com/.
Although thicker than a fitness tracker band, the FitBit Surge is relatively svelte for a GPS watch.
As with other FitBit activity trackers, the Surge is designed for all-day wear and monitoring of things like steps taken or sleep duration and quality.
The FitBit Surge retails for US$249. UK and AU pricing has not been announced.
With a Bluetooth connection, you can get call and text notifications on the Surge, and auto-upload rides to Strava
