A few weeks ago, I spotted a cool, new product, and I wrote a quick post on it. After that, I was contacted by Bia and they asked me to write a full review. Of course, I was happy to oblige!
I have been wearing this watch for about two weeks and I have recorded about 87 miles with it, including a 50-mile race.
Overview
The Bia watch is tiny (it weighs just over an ounce), but at the same time, it is easy to read. A quick glance down gives you all the information you need. The watch pairs with a “GoStick” that you clip on (see last picture below). The two-piece design keeps the watch simple, small and lightweight. There is only one button on the watch – but that’s all you need! There is also a touchscreen that allows you to perform all necessary functions.
The watch has an SOS feature – I think this is what makes it truly unique!! If you hold down the button on the watch for three seconds, it sends out an SOS! The SOS text message looks like this:
You cancel the SOS by holding down the button a second time.
Bia says the watch has a 17-hour battery life. I did not test the watch that long. However, I glanced down after 8.5 hours during my 50-mile race, and the battery indicator was already below the halfway mark (it started the race with a full charge). Does that mean the watch wouldn’t have lasted 17 hours? Not necessarily, but possibly.
Another great feature is you can set up the watch to automatically transfer your workout data to MapMyFitness or Strava.
Finally, the watch is waterproof and it comes in a variety of great colors!
Pros:
- small, lightweight and comfortable
- easy to read
- QuickConnect GPS – about 10 seconds at my house and a little longer from downtown
- accurate GPS – my race, which measured 50.8 miles, showed up as exactly 50.8 miles
- long battery life – 17 hours according to Bia, but possibly a little less
- waterproof
- compatible with existing ANT+ based heart rate straps or monitors
- you only need to charge the GoStick – you never need to charge the watch!Cons:
- no backlight
- an underwhelming velcro wrist strap – I understand that it is easily adjustable and compatible with any wrist size, but I didn’t like it
- the watch is tracking elevation, but the info is not available right on the watch, only when the data is transferred to MapMyFitness, Strava, etc.
