RWBlue01

Recommend me a heart rate monitor. Thinking bluetooth connected to android phone, but...?


I bicycle long and slow, but I bicycle trying to drop some fat. So I bought a cheap heart rate monitor. It has a chest strap and a cheap watch. It died after first ride. I changed battery, that is not the issue. I bought a second one. It died after one ride. I changed battery, that is not the issue. Maybe the sweat is getting into it. Maybe water is getting into it. I was soaked through and through with sweat both times... The watches still work. So I have been riding without a heart rate monitor for several weeks as I look to buy something better.

Anyone have something better?

KBentley57

Are you wanting it for post ride or for real time information? Real time you'll need some way to monitor it, either with a cell phone mount or other cyclocomputer. most of the straps are ant+, while some are ant+ / bluetooth.

RWBlue01

I am thinking real time. Having it after the ride would be great, but I am not sure how that would benefit me. I am out of shape. My issue is that I run my heart rate up to high. I need to pay attention and not ride too hard for too long.

I already have a speed/cadence computer.

KBentley57

Can you list the computer you have? If it's wireless than there's a good chance any of the ant+ capable HRM straps will work. Garmin is probably the most popular brand of strap, but they're all essentially the same.

RWBlue01

It is wired and probably 3 years old. And cheap... I am not with the bike at this time.

KBentley57

I see. If it's wired it will not accept a wireless HRM strap anyhow. It's kind of expensive, but at the same time it's a great fitness investment that will last for years. Cateye, Garmin, and others make the HRM + speed + cadence bundles that can be found for < $150 now. I'd go that route.

RWBlue01

I am thinking the Tickr, unless you see something wrong with it. It should work with my android phone, strava app. When/if I need a better computer....it should work with it.

[h=1]Wahoo TICKR Heart Rate Monitor for iPhone & Android[/h]https://www.amazon.com/Wahoo-TICKR-Monitor-iPhone-Android/dp/B00INQVYZ8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1439269204&sr=8-3&keywords=heart+rate+monitor+bluetooth

bassplyr

I use the Scocshe HRM and really like it much better than a chest strap. It is an optical sensor about the size of a digital watch and can be worn on the wrist, arm, or for riding I just slip it under the leg of my shorts. Works great and is waterproof so I monitor my HR while swimming too.

Roger

Viking55803

Coming back from open heart surgery, wearing a heart monitor isn't optional for me. I use a Garmin 500 with a chest strap. However, I tried several Garmin straps that failed to be reliable. I finally picked up a Wahoo Tickr which puts out both ANT+ and Bluetooth signals, so it works with the Garmin for cycling and iPhone for hiking, snowshoeing and x-country skiing. It's been 100% reliable.

The other thing I found is that I have to wear the strap with the sensor to the left of my sternum. It could be that the wires in my chest interfere with the signal, but moving the sensing unit to the left worked great.

Heart monitors are terrific little tools. For me, if I'm going to have any problems I will be able to spot them immediately, but also just knowing you are working in the target heart rate zone you should be is useful. Combined with a cadence sensor I have all the information I need to get the most out of any ride.

GravelMN

Mio Alpha

GeorgeBMac

I been using a Polar H7 strap paired with Digifit on an IPhone for a few years and its been excellent for me. It works well for cycling but also for almost any form of exercise -- and its outstanding for intervals (HIIT training)...

But, unless you have a bike mount, the only way to get the information real time is audible -- where it can report heart rate, speed, etc, every minute if you want.

The newer heart rate watches have become much more accurate and can now rival the accuracy of a chest strap -- at least in their preferred range. I have heard reports that the Garmins are highly accurate at higher heart rates but not so accurate at the lower ranges...

The watches are evolving quickly so the one you buy today will probably be obsolete in a year or two. The chest strap/smart phone combination seems more stable and mature and certainly less expensive if you already have a smart phone with LE Bluetooth that can pair with one...

RWBlue01

I bought theWahoo TICKR and used it this past weekend. My resting heart rate was high when I started my long ride. Not sure what was going on, but I wasn't feeling/doing good.

I paired with Strivia. It worked, but it was keeping an average HR. This is not that useful.
I paired with Wahoo utilities. This kept track of my HR at the moment. This was very useful. I made a decision NOT to finish the ride (turn around) because the HR was not coming down when I stopped.

(Based on everything I could gather, BP was low, dehydrated, and possibly low blood sugar. All in all, I am glad I had a HRM, it told me it wasn't just me feeling lazy, something was not right.)

trainsktg

Although I'll probably upgrade soon to get my HR and cadence stats recorded on my strava rides, for now I'm using a Sigma Rox 5.0 and I've been very happy with its performance.

Keith

handtool7

Have you been to your doctor? Sounds like a visit should be high on your priority list.

RWBlue01

Dads a doctor, Been to another doctor ... to be honest I think I felt and rode better without the mess they put me on. Local doc is not reading what I am keeping track of. I knew I have a very high tolerance for pain meds, but it appears that other meds don't work normal on me.

Carbonfiberboy 

Yes, being dehydrated will definitely raise your heart rate.

I've been using a Polar HRM and chest strap with bike mount for 20 years. The watches are extremely reliable. The chest straps work better if you put a gel on the electrodes, but spitting on them usually works well enough. Your HRM quitting during a sweaty ride is a sure sign of a defective or poorly made chest strap. The chest strap also has to be tight enough so that you notice it and positioned right below your nipples.

Polar makes many fancier ones, but this is about what I started out with:
Polar FT1 Fitness Heart Rate Monitor Black 90037558: HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com
Used it for many years, worked flawlessly.

Plus you'll need a bike mount for the watch:
Polar Universal Handlebar Bike Mount 91026028: HeartRateMonitorsUSA.com

lizcatd

This might be a silly question as I've never used a cycle computer before - can you still use the Sigma to upload your rides to Strava and it just doesn't recognize the HR/Cadence stats? Or do you still need another system to record your rides on Strava? It looks like a pretty decent little computer and I think I might get one but this may/may not be a bit of a deal breaker.

Thanks!

trainsktg

I don't think any of the Sigma Rox computers can upload to Strava. I have the most inexpensive version (non GPS) but it still has speed, cadence, HR, and a host of other instant data useful for training. They do sell a little docking port accessory that allows you to upload your rides to a computer but I don't think that can be then uploaded to Strava either. In my case, I've been using the Rox for in-ride data and my cellphone to record and upload to Strava.

I just bought the Garmin 520 but for now I think I'll keep the little Rox on the bike as well.

Keith

thecrazyone

I use the Mio Velo and would recommend it.

I've had it for 6-7 months now without any problem. It's Bluetooth and ANT+. It will convert any ANT+ to Bluetooth as well, so you can have cadence and speed sensors that convert to Bluetooth for your phone. I've used with iPhone and Fenix2 with no issues. I take it out of the wristband they give you and then put on top of my thigh under my shorts or compression shorts and it has no problems reading accurately. The only accuracy problem I had was while running with the device in the wristband, but I think I had it on wrong. There is a certain way they recommend wearing it for running vs cycling. I don't run so I haven't tested this out for running.

Longest ride I've done with this device was 4 hours and it was fine battery wise. I think total battery life might be somewhere in the 6-8 hours range but I haven't actually tested. I always charge it after a long ride or 2-3 short rides.

RWBlue01

Still loving my Wahoo TICKR. I didn't care for Strava. It didn't show me my current Heart Rate while riding. But by running just the bluetooth interface I get what I want and the phone doesn't run out of battery when I take my long rides.

Road Fan

I agree completely - just get a basic Polar watch with a 'bar mount and a chest strap, and position the bar mount so you can look at it as your ride. You'll get a feel for how different heart rates feel. If your doc has a recommended training zone for you, you can set up the monitor to beep if you are overworking or underworking. You can even use it for serious training, if you desire.

It's nice and all to get all the data all the time, but to start out it sounds like you have medical reasons to just worry about your heart rate. These basic Polars are reliable, have a long track record, and are pretty cheap for a quality device.

ZillaG

I bought the Jarv HRM from Amazon for $30, and a corresponding app for $8-10. One good thing about using an app is some of them let you upload the info to a web site for archiving.

DaveLeeNC

FWIW, I have owned (over a couple decades) maybe three different Polar wrist-HRM units. Every one of them was finicky to get going, two of them would occasionally give me outrageous readings like 240 bpm for a minute or two, and were a general pain in the rear (even using electrode gel).

I am now Ant+ and have owned two Garmin Ant+ HRM straps (lost one somehow). These things send out signals SO MUCH more readily and reliably than any of my Polar units. I would NEVER go back to Polar based on my personal experience here.

dave

ZillaG

I also bought the Jarv speed/cadence sensor for $30. They are both BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) sensors.

qajaq

I'm using the dual band Wahoo Ticker that runs Bluetooth and ANT+.
Coupled with the Ride w/GPS app (free version https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...withgps.mobile) it will display current heart rate and lots of other stuff like speed, mapping, etc. It saves the data from your ride and you can see what you heart rate was at any point and your heart rate time in zones. Coupled with a speed and cadence sensor it does just about everything you could imagine for bike stats.

Qajaq