Incus Nova 2
Ever wondered what the pro triathlete’s HR or power levels are at any point during a race?
Incus Nova 2.0 claims to solve that with the recording and real-time broadcasting of each athlete’s race physiology metrics and position. To take it one step further, and probably make it easier to get some VC funding, Incus also introduce a metaverse-based ‘Mixed Reality’ view where multiple athletes would appear together digitally as they simultaneously race together in the real world.
The brand claims to support HR, power & other metrics over a 5G cellular connection and aims to release in 2023 ahead of the triathlon season.
The new Incus Nova is in the same format as the original Nova 1.0, which is a pod with no display that slips into Incus’ custom clothing.
Thoughts
I was somewhat sceptical of the original Incus 1.0 which also required the brand’s apparel but only delivered motion-based metrics to a computer/watch for each of the triathlon sports. OK, so it also worked for swimmers but this was essentially a glorified Stryd or Runscribe with a significant cost overhead. It’s developed by a team at Loughborough University (one of the UK’s preeminent Sports Universities), so I’m sure it was technically great and that some serious athletes will have used it in anger (IIRC, Alistair Brownlee is an investor).
*IF* the pros agree to live-broadcast their stats then I’m definitely interested in seeing what incus 2.0 delivers. Perhaps my interest will extend to watching a couple of races before tiring. Let’s face it, triathlon isn’t exactly the world’s greatest spectator sport and audience levels are limited. Sure this product might up the excitement level a tad but I’m not sure that the money is there to make this anything but a peripheral novelty.
I think the real interest for this kind of concept lies with Garmin, if only they could broadcast richer data than what they currently support with Live Tracking & Live Event Sharing text which sends limited info to friends and family via text messages. Once again, Garmin’s lack of full LTE support lets them down.
https://youtu.be/6fxo_KZdqh4
Last Updated on 26 January 2026 by the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. See the gear tfk uses. ID
LTE modems are power hungry. Maintaining a continuous data stream over LTE would torch the battery on a watch. It might be practical on an Edge with a big battery.
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