How tracking your period, heart rate and vital stats can help female cyclists with performance – and where should we still ‘use our feeling first’

February 11, 2026

Designed to be worn all the time, a health tracker can provide a comprehensive view of a rider’s health, offering data on lifestyle and recovery metrics. They can be useful for everyone, but when it comes to female athletes, where your monthly hormone cycle and vital stats can play a key part in performance, using tracking technology to really get in touch with your health can be a training superpower, but there are limitations, too.

The most significant factors for female riders are heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), body temperature, and the menstrual cycle, many of which can be linked to hormonal fluctuations.

Health trackers are hugely popular and come in many forms, including smart rings, watches, and bands. In October last year, Oura, the leading smart ring company, reported revenue of over $500 million in 2024 as well as expectations for this to double in 2025. There are several other leading health tracker brands too, including Ultra human, WHOOP and Garmin. CYCLINGNEWS