Heart rate monitor

[GraemeT]

Hi All
Do any of you have a cycle computer with a heart rate monitor the one I have is a real pain when it needs re pairing . Does anybody have a similar problem. It does hook up but more often than not wont hook up I go through the trouble shooting guide that is in the phone app but still a hit and a miss.
Thanks

[Neddysmith]

Is the issue that the heart rate monitor doesnt pair or it doesnt pick up your heart rate, as i know my old man has gone through about 3 different heart rate monitors of different brands and couldnt find success with any of them, but when i tried the exact same ones had no issues pairing and picking up a heart rate.

In saying this i have a garmin watch which works off a heart rate monitor and it works fine, and i also have a Bryton cycle computer which can pair to the heart rate monitor but i havent tried it yet.

[Noviss]

If you are getting intermittent HR readings spray a touch of contact cleaner on the press studs where the monitor attaches to the strap and then wipe off. I usually do mine after every strap wash. My HR strap came with my Garmin 510 and is still going strong after two years of fairly regular use (3-4 times a week).

[mikgit]

I found going aaaall the way back to my first cateye HRm back in 1998 (have had cateye, 2x Nike, 6x garmin straps) that the strap last about 1 year give or take, although the newest garmin one I have is at about 1.5 years and still going.

[madmacca]

Hi All
Do any of you have a cycle computer with a heart rate monitor the one I have is a real pain when it needs re pairing . Does anybody have a similar problem. It does hook up but more often than not wont hook up I go through the trouble shooting guide that is in the phone app but still a hit and a miss.
Thanks

ANT+, BLE and wifi all work in the same broad 2.4 GHz band, and can cause some interference.

If you are having trouble pairing, try shutting down the Bluetooth on your phone, and shutting down or moving out of range of your wifi (especially if you use a wifi range extender).

[Duck!]

Rinse the strap - with sensor removed if possible - after riding; the salt accumulation from sweat will cause the terminals to short and give inconsistent readings.

And as above, make sure you're well clear of any other ANT+ or Bluetooth sensors when pairing, otherwise the computer will pair to those instead.

[djw47]

I used to hate the HR with the chest strap - it was cold to put on in the winter and not very comfortable for the first while so I never really got into it. I've got a Garmin watch now though with HR transmitter that hooks up to my Edge 510 and does the job perfectly, so much easier and literally never misses a beat.

[AlanAtom]

I used to hate the HR with the chest strap - it was cold to put on in the winter and not very comfortable for the first while so I never really got into it. I've got a Garmin watch now though with HR transmitter that hooks up to my Edge 510 and does the job perfectly, so much easier and literally never misses a beat.

..how accurate is the Garmin watch HR monitor? I have a Fitbit Charge 2 and it is inaccurate, the readings are generally way lower than actual, e.g. on my rides it says my max HR is around 110 when it should be around 170 to 180. However, when I'm not cycling it is generally accurate. And yes, like you I find my Wahoo chest HR monitor cold to put on in winter. If I don't wet the contact pads, they give intermittent readings.

[mikgit]

Yeah I jsut bought a new garmin watch with wrist monitor... y to see how accurate it is, just wearing around I think its OK (my regualr HR is lower than I thought)...but will have to do some testing with my other watch or cycle computer to check it.

On another note, one feature I was really looking forward to was the temp function, I was dubious as to how it would work on the wrist (edge 1000 works fine)...and I was right, it's complete garbage, shouldn't even be a feature, grrrr

[madmacca]

Yeah I jsut bought a new garmin watch with wrist monitor... y to see how accurate it is, just wearing around I think its OK (my regualr HR is lower than I thought)...but will have to do some testing with my other watch or cycle computer to check it.

On another note, one feature I was really looking forward to was the temp function, I was dubious as to how it would work on the wrist (edge 1000 works fine)...and I was right, it's complete garbage, shouldn't even be a feature, grrrr

I think DC Rainmaker reports vibration from the handlebars often causing issues with wrist based OHR. If you want to avoid using a chest strap with a Garmin Edge, the Sosche Rhythm may be a better option (still OHR, but moving it away from the wrist helps considerably).

The temperature sensor on the watch is really intended to calibrate the altimeter, not to tell you what the ambient temperature is. Although it is reasonable if you mount the watch on the handlebars rather than your wrist.

[mikgit]

yeah I use the 645 for running and an edge 1000 for riding...I'll still use the strap for riding, more just when running if I really want to know more accurately, but for general running, so long as I have an idea.

I still dont get the temp thing for the altimeter, how it going to calibrate it when its so far out, like todays run, the air temp was 7 or 8, but the watch was saying 20 something, so its not body temp, its not ambient...but i guess its is the temp of the air at the sensor...

[foo on patrol]

With the straps, I won't ever buy the genuine Garmin one. Mine lasted only 12mths and crapped itself and at $80 (at the time) I wasn't in a hurry to get one. I picked an Ebay one up for $29 delivered and that was 2yrs ago and it's still working well.

Foo

[Tim]

With the straps, I won't ever buy the genuine Garmin one. Mine lasted only 12mths and crapped itself and at $80 (at the time) I wasn't in a hurry to get one. I picked an Ebay one up for $29 delivered and that was 2yrs ago and it's still working well.

Foo

My experience too but I buy the even cheaper eBay straps for about $7.00.
They work fine for between 1 and 2 years for me.
I reuse the Garmin sensor and just replace the straps.

[mikgit]

^yep the $7 ebay ones work fine (well so the GF tells me of the one I bouht here). Although my current Garmin one (which is like 1 version ld now I think, where you could still replace the sensor), is still going strong after 2 years (maybe a bit longer) 226 activities apparently, my last one (the previous, previous version) lasted 121 activites.

[djw47]

I used to hate the HR with the chest strap - it was cold to put on in the winter and not very comfortable for the first while so I never really got into it. I've got a Garmin watch now though with HR transmitter that hooks up to my Edge 510 and does the job perfectly, so much easier and literally never misses a beat.

..how accurate is the Garmin watch HR monitor? I have a Fitbit Charge 2 and it is inaccurate, the readings are generally way lower than actual, e.g. on my rides it says my max HR is around 110 when it should be around 170 to 180. However, when I'm not cycling it is generally accurate. And yes, like you I find my Wahoo chest HR monitor cold to put on in winter. If I don't wet the contact pads, they give intermittent readings.

Seems very accurate. I've sat and counted my HR manually and it's identical to the value on the Garmin. Not sure about when I'm riding but the HR recorded does seem to go up when my effort goes up and vice versa.