If rumors and initial impressions are true, there's a new cycling computer about to disrupt the market with an astonishing battery life.
Cycling Weekly is on the ground at the world's premier gravel event, Unbound Gravel, which is increasingly becoming a launching pad and testing ground for the latest gravel tech. We already wrote about the unreleased 13-speed SRAM Red XPLR AXS groupset we spotted on several pro bikes, but this new head unit may come as a bigger surprise.
The head unit is called Dura and is made by a GPS sportwatch brand called COROS. Founded in 2016, the company may be relatively new in the sports technology industry, yet the brand has quickly gained a reputation for its high-performance features, training programs, and impressive battery life, attracting a dedicated following among endurance athletes.
Given the apparent partnerships with long-distance cyclists present here at Unbound, it would certainly seem that COROS is aiming to bring those strengths to its first cycling computer as well.
"We have often been asked when we would create a bike computer. While we have always been passionate about cycling, we didn't want to develop a new head unit without creating something different," the brand states.
With the Dura, COROS aims to supply athletes with "the ultimate cycling adventure and training companion."
The unit will launch later in June, but at Unbound, several pros are already relying on the computer to get them through the 200-mile challenge in the infamous Flint Hills.
"The battery life is huge," Life Time Grand Prix athlete Haley Smith told Cycling Weekly, revealing she has yet to charge the unit since receiving it at the Sea Otter Classic in April – 90 hours of riding time and counting.
"No more coming to Unbound wondering if you should have a second computer in your pocket in case it dies," Smith commented. "And the interface is really good, too."
Smith wouldn't reveal much but did share that the companion app is stocked with all the features cyclists have come to expect and want out of an app, including route creation and navigation, data tracking and training tools.
Could this be the Garmin and Wahoo competitor long-distance cyclists have been waiting for?
From the first glimpses we've seen, the computer is surprisingly sleek, given its supposed battery life and capabilities. It's about as big as a Hammerhead Karoo but significantly thinner. The Dura sports a large, colorful display, and a solar panel that is much larger than what we've been seeing on Garmin's Solar products. The rolling knob on the side of the unit is a nod to the brand's watch heritage. In wristwatches, the knob is called a crown and traditionally had the important function of setting the time and winding the watch. The 'crown' on the GPS cycling computer allows you to navigate the unit's settings and pages.
Stay tuned for more news about the COROS Dura as well as a review to come mid to late June.
