Garmin’s Forerunner GPS watch series begins with the entry-level 110 — we find out if you get a bargain for the £140 pricetag…

First up, if you’re worried about the accuracy of the Garmin, don’t be: The 110 proved almost as accurate as the Garmin 800 Edge unit as we’ve also tested, before updating to match the same figures after the ride was uploaded to the Garmin Connect site. In effect, the website is manipulating your ride data to a more accurate representation. It does this because the Forerunner series does not measure barometric pressure, which is needed to take very accurate altitude readings: instead, the website updates your ride with its library of incline and altitude data.

For a small watch, it’s also very good at keeping its power thanks to some smart recording ideas. The unit’s algorithm constantly looks at the way you’re riding and takes its cues from that — ride in a straight line and it’ll take a GPS fix every three to four seconds. Dive into a trail and it ups it to every second.

Right from the off we were impressed with this watch — Garmin says it boasts Hot Fix technology, which means it learns where you ride from, helping it to get a faster satellite fix when you first turn it on. In practice, it works incredibly quickly, it’ll find a signal before you’re even out of the car.

It’s an intuitive piece of kit too; cycling through the modes and functions is easy — partly because there aren’t many and partly because they’ve been well thought out. It is designed primarily for running though, so the default screen displays your pace (per mile), which isn’t terribly useful for mountain biking. It’s easy enough to get it to display speed instead though, and it’ll do distance and your heart rate too if you buy the HRM strap.

The key compliment is that it’s the product we’d choose to ride with. There’s nothing much to train with on the 110, but it’s the ultimate Strava watch.

Strava watch testing — click to view the GPS UpgRadar

Price: £139.99 (£169.99 with HRM) / Contact: www.garmin.com / For our full 8-page feature on GPS watches buy May’s mbr