Sigma Introduces the ROX 10.0 Ant+-Enabled GPS Cycling Computer

A complete list of ROX 10.0 functions is available on the Sigma website.

Takeaway

In addition to top-shelf technologies like GPS, and ANT+, what we liked about the ROX 10.0 was the big and easy-to-read (in any light conditions) display, details like one-second recording intervals and the fact that recording stops when you stop, so averages aren’t affected by traffic lights. And there are the little things: tool-free installation; out-in-front mount; and a discreet crank arm magnet for the cadence sensor. Quality innards—like a barometer—also matter to us. (It’s accepted that barometric pressure is a more accurate gauge of elevation than GPS.) The ROX 10.0 is also waterproof to one meter deep.

We fumbled a bit with the buttons to advance through the menu and functions. It also seemed that, because the buttons are on the sides of the unit, two fingers (one hand) were required to make a selection—one to push the button and one to hold the unit in place so that it wouldn’t twist out of the quarter-turn mount.

The navigation itself took just a few minutes to get dialed, about the same amount of time it takes to find your way around any unfamiliar GPS sports watch.

To support its users, Sigma has published over 100 how-to videos on YouTube.

Two Kinds of Power

There are two ways to obtain power data with the new Sigma ROX 10.0. The ROX 10.0 (and the ROX 8.1 and 9.1) has a built-in “calculated power” function. Calculated power is based on a formula that measures a rider’s progress over time; it’s a best estimation of power output displayed in watts. Calculated power has its pros and cons. The most obvious plus is that it’s affordable when compared to “actual power” (from a dedicated power meter) because it’s a function of the software. The downside is accuracy. A calculated power estimation is based on factors like bike weight, rider height and weight, shoulder width, speed, cadence, and incline, but it can’t calculate external factors like headwinds—or motor-pacing! For this reason, calculated power data becomes more accurate when there’s less wind and when terrain is steeper.

Because it’s ANT+-enabled, the Sigma ROX 10.0 can also be paired with any ANT+-based power meter, including those by SRM, Quarq, and PowerTap. In contrast to the “best guess” offered by a calculated power equation, a dedicated “actual” power meter measures the force (in watts) applied to the pedals, bottom bracket, or crank arm. But, accuracy comes at a price: Because power meters like these are hardware- rather than software-based, they range in cost from around $700 to upwards of $2,500.

Head to Head: The ROX 10.0 vs. Garmin … and Strava

The ROX 10.0 is feature-packed, customizable and affordable—a clear evolution from its ROX Series predecessors because of the GPS alone. But, how does it compare to the offerings of well-known brands like Garmin and even the would-be computer-killer, Strava?

Garmin is the go-to maker of GPS cycling computers in the US. The touchscreen of Garmin’s top devices puts them on another level when it comes to usability; the Garmin is like a Macintosh to Sigma’s PC. But, the Garmin 810 bundle costs $699; the ROX 10.0 bundle sells for $289. The Sigma ROX 10.0 more realistically falls somewhere between Garmin’s Edge 510 and Edge 500 models. A good hypothetical match-up would be the ROX 10.0 versus the Garmin Edge 510 minus its touchscreen. This would be a knock-down, drag-out features fight decided by personal preference and price (the Edge 510 w/bundle sells for $399).

The Strava smartphone app receives over 1.5-million “activity uploads” each week. Cyclists use the popular app to compare and to compete virtually with one another for segments (similar to a Sigma “waypoint”). Strava is impressive in many ways: There’s no debate surrounding its design and functionality, and the ability to compete (kind of) with followers was a direct hit to the road-cyclist’s psyche. But, there are some chinks in Strava’s armor when it’s thrown into the ring with a cycling computer like the Sigma ROX 10.0.

For starters, the app doesn’t display or measure anywhere near the amount of information a true cycling computer does. Strava is fun, but it’s a better social/sharing tool than a training tool. Also, we tested the ROX 10.0 on the island of Mallorca, in the Mediterranean. Business expense or not, nobody wants to be slapped with the roaming charges associated with a three-hour ride. That is, assuming there’s cell service at all. The computer outperforms the app in other areas, too. For example, because smartphones don’t have barometers, they don’t measure altitude/elevation as precisely as the ROX 10.0.

But, comparing the ROX 10.0 to Strava isn’t the objective (because even if it had the functions of a cycling computer, nobody is going to mount an iPhone to their handlebar or stem); it’s only a question of compatibility with the app. At the time of testing, it hadn’t been established whether or not the ROX 10.0 would work with Strava, but as of the ROX 10.0’s most recent software update, the answer is “yes.”

According to Sigma USA’s Managing Director, Brian Orloff, “We will be able to export rides as .fit files, which play nicely with all major apps.” Strava, along with Map My Ride and Training Peaks use .fit files.

To see the ROX 10.0 in action, check out this promotional video produced by Sigma:

Also from Sigma

The ROX 10.0 sits at the sharp end of the ROX Series line that includes five other models: the primarily heart-rate-focused ROX 5; the ROX 6 (ROX 5 plus altimeter); ROX 6 CAD (ROX 6 with cadence sensor); the ROX 8.1 and the ROX 9.1 (evolution of the ROX 8.0 and 9.0).

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