This Monday Is A Rest Day In The Tour De France — Time To Check Out The Bravur La Grande Boucle IV

At Swedish watch brand Bravur, they’re really into cycling, and that craziness has materialized in plenty of watches with a cycling theme. The new Bravur La Grande Boucle IV is a steel chronograph in the long-running Grand Tour Chronograph collection. This chronograph subtly tries to capture the spirit of the Tour de France, nicknamed La Grande Boucle, French for “The Big Loop.” The result is a stylish and functional timepiece that pays homage to the biggest bicycle race in the world. But is it an instrumental race watch or a good-looking one you wear on the rest day or while watching cycling?

Bravur and I have two things in common — everlasting and unwavering passions for both watches and cycling. So, when Bravur launches a cycling-themed watch, it’s not a hype move; it’s something from the heart that feels real and sincere.

Discovering the Bravur La Grande Boucle IV on the TdF rest day

While there aren’t many certainties in life, the order of cycling’s three Grand Tours is one of them. The grueling three-week races start with the Giro d’Italia in spring, while the summer month of July is reserved for the Tour de France. Then, just before autumn, the Vuelta a España takes place. Bravur honored the Giro this year with a Gazetto dello Sport-pink La Corsa Rosa IV. Later this year, we might see a fiery red Vuelta chronograph, but first, it’s time for the La Grande Boucle IV with its striking L’Auto-yellow details. FYI, the newspapers Gazetto dello Sport and L’Auto were the original organizers of these Italian and French stage races. The leader’s jersey of each has the color of the paper on which the respective newspaper was/is printed.

The foundations of this La Grande Boucle IV are equal to those of the Bravur La Corsa Rosa IV that I assessed earlier this year, so I will keep the spec-related sections short and sweet. The TdF chrono has a 38.2mm 316L steel case with a 14.4mm thickness and a 46.3mm lug-to-lug length. The case shows a mixture of nicely brushed and polished surfaces, as you would expect from a luxury sports watch.

The watch vs. the cycling computer

The dial shows three sub-dials — a 15-minute counter for tracking intervals, a 12-hour counter for longer rides, and a register for running seconds. The 12-hour counter should be seen as a backup for the cycling computer most cyclists use nowadays. Just as the Omega Speedmaster helped the Apollo 13 astronauts get back to Earth safely, the La Grande Boucle IV can aid a cyclist with a broken computer — yes, that’s probably a way less dramatic and life-threatening situation, but still.

Anyway, back to the dial of this Bravur La Grande Boucle IV. In the center, the long yellow hand tracks elapsed seconds, ensuring exact time measurement. The hour indexes got a serving of luminous material to ensure good readability in gloomy conditions.

Polka dots and the iconic yellow color

The design of this watch’s dial starts with a frosted silver-white base, which also reveals a discreet polka dot pattern. The polka dots are a nod to the white and red King of the Mountains jersey. The yellow accents speak for themselves, and so does the yellow rubber strap you see in the pictures. The 18mm lug spacing matches the rather classic 38.2mm case. In addition, if you like a more classic look, the watch is also available on a black rally-style leather strap, a black FKM rubber strap, or a steel Milanese mesh bracelet.

During the TdF, I think this watch begs to be worn on the yellow strap. The predominantly white dial creates quite a sophisticated contrast with the vibrant strap. Yellow and white are a mellow combination, whereas a black dial and a yellow strap can look somewhat harsh.

The Bravur La Grande Boucle IV is built to order in Båstad, Sweden. When you order one, the Swedes put a Sellita SW511 b movement inside the 100m-water-resistant case. This automatic caliber has a 28,800vph frequency, boasts a 62-hour power reserve, and features hacking seconds.

Deciding the nature of the Bravur La Grande Boucle IV

Now, is this a watch to wear while competing in a bike race or riding long distances? Well, no — not for me, at least. In my opinion, weight and balance are critical, closely linked factors when wearing a watch on the bike. The lighter the watch, the easier it finds its balance on the wrist. It won’t move too much, and when it does, the lightness helps to minimize the negative effect of the watch bumping or shifting its position.

My ideal cycling watches are light and not too thick. I wouldn’t mind riding with the Richard Mille RM 011 that Mark Cavendish wore when he raced to his 35th TdF stage victory. But there’s also the matter of cost to consider. The most significant amount of money I would spend on a cycling watch would be on the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Cycling Edition”. That watch is roughly twice the price of the Bravur La Grande Boucle IV. This built-to-order Swedish chronograph costs €2,550 / £2,460 including VAT or US$2,550 excluding sales tax.

A more budget-friendly alternative styled in appropriate TdF yellow is the Tissot Sideral S (T145.407.97.057.00) with its forged carbon case housing a Powermatic 80 automatic movement. That watch is roughly half the price of the Bravur. There’s also the Casio G-Shock “CasiOak” GA-B2100C-9A, a quartz watch featuring solar power and Bluetooth connectivity. It’s a bit large, yes, but it’s also quite light. Plus, it costs just €159, and it’s incredibly yellow and almost indestructible —we tried hard to destroy one, as you might remember.

Final sprint

So, my preferred “bike watch” is a lightweight, well-balanced, solid, and robust timepiece. It should house either a mechanical or solar-powered movement, not one with a conventional battery. And it needs to be reasonably affordable. Don’t race what you can’t replace; those wise words apply here, for sure.

Honestly, I wouldn’t wear the Bravur La Grande Boucle IV on a race, gravel, or mountain bike when going for a seriously intense ride. It’s a bit too thick, and its proportions and shape don’t make it the most stable watch on the wrist. Wearing the watch on your town bike while cruising the streets is another matter. Heading for a nice terrace and enjoying lunch with La Grande Boucle IV on the wrist sounds like a good idea. It also subtly expresses your passion for cycling. So, no, Bravur’s latest Grand Tour homage is not the ideal race watch. But it’s perfect for a rest day like today and other casual moments between rides. You can’t be on your bike 24/7 anyway.

For more information about the La Grande Boucle IV, please visit Bravur’s website.