COROS Dura Cycling Computer
Dimensions: 3.92″ x 2.39″ x 0.62″ / 99.5 x 60.8 x 15.7 mm
Stated Weight:
- Body: 97 g
- Mount: 44 g
MSRP: $249 USD / $399 CAD
Intro
COROS is a relative newcomer to the GPS wearables game but has already made a big splash. We reviewed their range-topping and feature-packed Vertix 2 watch last year and were very impressed by both its battery life and GPS accuracy.
COROS has done its best to bring those same traits over to its first cycling computer, the Dura. With impressive claims of battery life, solar charging efficiency, and GPS capabilities, the Dura takes on heavy hitters like Garmin and Wahoo, at an attractive MSRP of $249 USD.
Read on as we step through the features of the new COROS Dura.
Design & Features
Rumors have been swirling about COROS’s entry into the cycling computer market for some time now, and the Dura is what they’ve come up with. COROS’ watches are known for good GPS tracking performance and very long battery life, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that the new Dura makes some big promises in those departments — but the Dura also emphasizes a simple user experience that aims to make its cycling computer experience as seamless as possible.
First, let’s dig into the aesthetics. The Dura features a 2.7-inch MIP color touchscreen with a small solar panel positioned above the screen, all wrapped in a rather slim matte black plastic body. A USB-C charging port hides under a cover at the bottom of the body, and folks familiar with COROS watches will recognize the “Digital Dial” scroll wheel in addition to an accompanying back/lap button. That solar panel above the screen does make the Dura’s footprint a bit larger than some other computers with comparably sized screens, but it’s still a fairly sleek and slim device.
COROS includes their own proprietary handlebar mount in the box, but fortunately, they’ve opted to stick with the near-ubiquitous quarter-turn Garmin mount standard. That opens the door to using myriad third-party mounts — bravo to COROS for not inventing new standards here.
Interface and Compatibility
COROS has emphasized simplicity of use as a major goal for the Dura. The Dura’s home screen displays various cycling activity types that can be selected, including Road, Indoor, Gravel, MTB, E-Bike, and E-MTB. Navigation, Training Plan, and Activity Data are other menu options in; Notifications and a System section are the other main menus for controlling settings, pairing accessories, etc. Activities can be viewed within the computer itself, but the COROS app offers a more feature-rich experience for digesting data after a ride.
The Dura focuses heavily on mapping functionality to provide turn-by-turn navigation and route tracking. COROS has opted to use Google Maps as the underlying map engine, and riders can either draw their own routes in the COROS app or upload routes from services like Strava, Komoot, or any other GPS mapping service. Mid-ride changes to a route will sync from the COROS app to the Dura in just a few seconds. Split screen mode allows riders to view active navigation along with key ride statistics in the same view. Regardless of whether in split screen or just using the statistics screen, COROS brings over the customization from their watches to allow users to customize the panel layout and specific metrics in both views using the app.
From a tracking perspective, COROS supports GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BEIDOU, and OZSS satellites. It also offers dual-frequency connectivity which can boost accuracy (at the expense of battery life) and has a barometric altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, and temperature sensor all built in. The Dura also has an Auto GPS Selection feature which will choose a satellite based on optimal signal strength, helping both battery life and tracking accuracy.
The Dura is ANT+ compatible, meaning that it can be paired with any ANT+ compatible sensors on the market, such as power meters and the like. It connects with the COROS app and other devices via Bluetooth too, and, like other COROS devices, is compatible with activity tracking platforms like Strava, Komoot, Ride with GPS, and others.
Battery Life
We expected to see a lengthy battery life from the Dura, though I’d say COROS has even exceeded expectations here. With the Dura, COROS promises a massive 120 hours of battery life on a single charge when using a single GPS frequency, though using dual frequency GPS cuts that figure to 70 hours. For those not accustomed to battery life in cycling computers, that’s incredible — Garmin’s top-end Edge 1040 Solar states a 70-hour battery life, and the Wahoo Bolt V2 offers 17 hours.
As though that battery life wasn’t enough, the Dura also features a small solar panel above the screen. While it does make the Dura’s body a bit longer than some competitors, COROS promises solar efficiency of 2 additional hours of run time for every 1 hour of sunlight exposure for the panels. In combination with the impressive battery life, that could very well mean that physically plugging in the Dura could be rarely needed — though we’ll have to do our own testing to find out.
Some Questions / Things We’re Curious About
(1) Do the Dura’s big claims around battery life live up to expectations?
(2) Given that COROS is not making accessory sensors (power meters, cadence sensors, etc.) themselves, will the Dura play nice with accessory sensors from other brands?
(3) Do COROS’s various features to improve GPS accuracy deliver a better activity-tracking experience on the trail?
Bottom Line (For Now)
COROS explicitly mentions having adventure riding, allroad cycling, and gravel in mind when designing the Dura, which makes a lot of sense given the clear focus on maximal battery life. However, the emphasis on the simple user interface and the promise of rarely having to charge the Dura means that it could be a fairly set-and-forget training tool that appeals to a swath of riders from all disciplines. Add in the reasonable $249 USD asking price, and the Dura could be a formidable new option for riders across disciplines looking for a new cycling computer — but we’ll have to see if it lives up to its promise in practice.
Flash Review: Our Initial On-Trail Impressions
BLISTER+ members and those who purchase our Digital Access Pass can check out the Flash Review below to read our initial on-trail impressions. Get our Digital Access Pass to view all our Flash Reviews and Deep Dives, or become a BLISTER+ member today to get access to that and a LOT more, including the best worldwide Outdoor Injury Insurance, exclusive deals and discounts on skis, personalized gear recommendations from us, and much more.
Flash Review — COROS Dura Cycling Computer
We’ve been logging some hours on the new COROS Dura cycling computer. Check out our initial impressions.
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