There\’s that kind of recycle, which is quite popular. There\’s also \”recycle\” as in finding more uses for a thing.

Back before I got the road bike, I bought a Sigma Heart Rate Monitor with Chest Strap. Working with precise heart rate zones was a ways off at the time; but I wanted to see how hard my heart was working.

The Sigma model that I got has a readout unit with a strap; and it can be either worn on the wrist, or fastened to the handlebars. It was easier for me to have it on the handlebars. I could check it without having to ride one-handed.

The screen has a large, digital readout of current time (such as, is it 7:00 or 9:00?); and it can be set to either the 12-hour system, or the 24-hour system. I\’ve been accustomed to the 12-hour time-keeping system all my life, so that\’s what I use.

There\’s also a button at the bottom of the screen that I can press to start a stopwatch function. I use that when I go on a very long ride; because when I stop the Garmin and select Save Ride, the ride Summary shows only roll time. Having the stopwatch lets me get the total time as well (i.e. it includes time spent at rest breaks).

About two and a half years ago, the Sigma\’s heart rate sensor quit working. That\’s when I bought a Garmin; but I kept the Sigma readout unit. Now I use it as a wristwatch. It\’s bulky and clunky-looking; but what of it? It keeps time, and re-purposing it was much better than throwing it away.