Rons

I'm just curious what heart rate monitor everyone is using. I've been thinking about getting one more just to see what my heart rate does on the long rides than really training with it. I have a Garmin Forerunner GPS watch that I use to track mileage when I walk. I've had several issues with it and now not sure if I want to shell out $350 for the Garmin Edge combo. Also how do you guys incorporate the HMR in your training? Thanks for all comments.

hyegeek

I use the garmin hard strap monitor on an edge 705. I've tried others and I have not found any to be perfect, but this one works fairly well if you are warm enough to sweat.

The most useful thing it does for me is helps me to dial it back on long (century, metric century) rides. Otherwise, I might bring the effort up too much to finish well. Other than that, it is just more data and I like data.

Nightshade

"Heart Rate Monitors" are just another gadget to spend money on IF you are in general good health.

A simple bike computer and a commons sense is all a healthy rider needs to monitor your ride.

Ursa Minor

I use a real cheapo HRM. I thinks its polartech or some such cost somewhere between 30 and 60 dollars. I use it mostly to make sure I'm not blowing up on long hills.

Charlie

DowneasTTer

Been around with these due to my heart problems. I have used both Garmin and Polar straps in the past. They all seem to fail within a year of use. Have done the spit and gel as well with the same results. It appears that Garmin while making a fairly good gps (that's of course debatable) they can't seem to get a handle on the strap. The fabric one fails quickly. Some had gone to the old style plastic one with good results. I did that for about 2 years before failure. Still others use the Garmin transmitter with the Polar strap. That worked as well longer than the Garmin one. I guess it depends on the reason you want to know the data. For me it's quite important as I have an ICD and don't ever want to get to the shock threshold while riding. I have given up on the straps and am going to try a product called the smart helmet by LifeBeam. In fact I just received the shipping notice today. It's way TOO $$ for most but in my case it might be worth it.

bruce19

The first HRM I had was a Sports Instruments and when it came time to change the battery the manual stated that it should be sent back to the factory for replacement. I replaced it myself but it was a delicate operation to say the least. Eventually I bought a Polar and realized I really wasn't using it. I used the strap when I rode spin bikes at the gym. These days all I need is the strap. I literally never used it on the bike. A waste of time and money for me.

Dudelsack 

This is what I use. Bluetooth, straight to the iPhone.

Looigi

I use the Garmin strap with my Garmin Edge units. For off the bike, at the gym or on a trainer, I recently got a Timex HRM and strap for ~$35 on Amazon to replace my 14 year old Suunto unit that finally died. The Timex shows duration, avg and max HR for the most recent workout and has worked well for me. I use it for training zones as is well established. (Joe Friel's Cyclist's Training Bible, Carmichael's Time Crunched Cyclists, etc.). Depending on how you use one, a HRM with programmable zones and warnings that records time in zones might be handy. A power meter would be better, but a HRM is cheap.

qcpmsame 

Polar, on the bicycle type, a thoughtful gift from a 50+ regular last year. Functions as a complete cyclo-computer with cadence. Helps to know the zone I am working in and keeps the physician up to date on my HR for managing my kidney disease.

Bill

Coal Buster

@DowneasTTer. I have the same issue. I've exceeded my shock threshold while jogging (since readjusted) and it's not fun. Problem is that I haven't found a strap type that works worth a darn. At the gym, the exercise machines that have them in the handles work very well and I'd pay good money for one that worked that well while cycling. Just yesterday the data from my ICD was read at the cardiologist office and the tech asked me what I was doing on two different days when it went into the 160's range. I was bike riding both times.

John_V 

I've had excellent results with a Sigma HRM. I've had their PC 15 for over three years and use it daily. The chest strap is the original strap, it's very comfortable and still looks new. The PC 15 has several other functions besides an HRM, including a watch mode so you can wear it any time you want. It's now a discontinued model but they are still available on Amazon and eBay. Their PC 9 model is a bit less expensive and has all the features as the PC 15. Both have user changeable batteries in the watch and transmitter.

DowneasTTer

Take a look at the smart helmet. It has different type of pick up then the electrical straps. With all the pvc I have a typical electrical pickup doesn't work very well. I was lucky and bought in the lifebeam indiegogo fund raiser so I only paid a little over half price for the unit. It's based on a super helmet design as well. You can find the info here https://life-beam.com/portfolio/smart/

JanMM

Started using a basic Polar HRM (with chest strap) last year. I use it to see what my HR is at the moment and then, after the fact, what my average and max rates were. Started using it at the YMCA gym recently and have found that, even on the rowing machine, I'm not working hard enough to match my cycling workouts. Maybe that's one reason I tend to put on five pounds every winter. And then lose it in Spring.

Coal Buster

Interesting. That led me to look for other optical monitors and I found the Mia Alpha One, a watch style, on Amazon for $200. I'd prefer that type over a helmet so I could wear it at the gym.

RonH

I use a Sigma Sport BC1909STS wireless computer that I picked up in 2009/2010 at REI. It has built in cadence and HRM.
It I wasn't so cheap I'd get an ANT+ chest strap and use it with my iPhone app.

Dudelsack 

And the Bluetooth HRM plugs right into Strava, for you users out there.

As for HRM and training, I think they keep you for going too hard when you need to do endurance miles.

On the trainer I use watts. I've noticed there is not a great correlation between heart rate and wattage. I think there is a better correlation between RPE and wattage.

So really, when I ride outdoors I just wing it.

mercator

I've got the zephyr bluetooth unit paired with my android phone - works well and gives me a useful record of my effort after the ride.
Now that I've got a good idea of how my heartrate relates to my performance, I'm looking to get something that I can see on my handlebars - since I find the phone is not an ideal cyclocomputer.
I'm thinking about getting the new VDO M5 unit and strap when they come out.

h2oxtc

I have a Garmin Edge 500 with HRM, it works as advertised. It was interesting to see the actual numbers but hasn't changed the way I ride. I certainly don't need it to tell me if I've blown my self up on a long hill . What it does do is an "I told you so" when I look at the data on the computer. My wife also rides with a HRM on longer or more challenging rides - it helps her in that it helps me keep the pace to a manageable speed for her.

DowneasTTer

I just received my LifeBeam smart helmet and started a thread here for anyone interested.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...8#post16478618

mr_bill

In general I think we over monitor ourselves. But if you are thinking of swapping out your Garmin, look at smartphone apps. There are several (essentially identical) relatively inexpensive Bluetooth 4.0 LE (aka Bluetooth Smart) heart rate monitors out there, but check your favorite app which it supports.

(BTW, with Runkeeper, you really can't set the target rates. The few times I bother with the monitor, with voice prompt enabled, "she" gets a bit stern with me when I hit 100% of "her" target heart rate. Oh, right ear bud only.)

-mr. bill

Rich Gibson 

I use the Garmin strap with my Samsung Galaxy S4 and Android iPBike app.



Rich

Carbonfiberboy 

I've been using a variety of HRMs for ~18 years. I still use a Polar 725x, but you can't get them anymore. It's kind of like a Forerunner w/o the GPS.

If all you want to do is ride around on your bicycle, you certainly don't need one. However, if you want to train effectively, a HRM is extremely useful. Better yet, a power meter and an HRM.

I've used many different transmitters and straps over the years. The one thing they all have in common is that one needs to use a gel to get consistent results. Spectra Gel is cheap on Amazon. Polar or Garmin soft straps do wear out. They last a lot longer is you wash them carefully, without bending the contact areas, after every use. The Garmin hard contact straps are more durable, but maybe aren't made any more or are at least hard to find. Nonetheless, I find having to replace an $18 strap every year or two hardly an insurmountable barrier to HRM use. I go through a heck of a lot more money than that in tires.

As for the real question, it's hard to beat a Polar. Explore here:
https://www.polar.com/us-en/products
the google for a good deal on the one you want.

I prefer a wrist type because I use it at the gym as well as on my bike. As others have pointed out, most gym equipment is designed to work with Polar transmitters.

I really like to be able to upload every workout so I can keep a record of my time in zones and all that sort of stuff. Polars that do that start at $120.

If you only want a bike instrument, it's hard to beat going ANT+ and getting a Cateye CC-GL50 for about $125 plus the transmitter, plus the bike sensor. This unit also gives you GPS tracking, climbing total, etc., though it won't follow a course like a Garmin 510 or 810. On the bike, I now use a Garmin 800 for road use, and the old Polar for roller rides and the gym. Costs money, but is good equipment..

I don't know if any of you have been following HeathPack's (not a 50+) odyssey over in Training and Nutrition from zero to hero in 11 months, but it's a good story illustrating the value of HRM training to produce results. Results matter.

fastcarbon

I use and Edge 705 Garmin because I want a GPS and that data stream and maps with navigation. For years I used a cheapo which worked fine for years. I think you could find one for about 30 bucks. Be sure to use a chest strap version. I used to train by heart rate but at 71 the HRM lets me know if I get Atrial Fib. If it goes to 180 -220 I soft pedal a few strokes . Also if you ride anywhere you could get lost you just hit home to return to the start.

I used a Forerunner 305 for years for running until it started giving me problems. Call Garmin. If you have it registered they will replace it for about $80.00. I know I did it a year or so ago. You can't replace the battery or at least Garmin won't. That was the cause of the bad data and only holding a charge for a couple of hours.

StanSeven

This sums it up well in my opinion.

flyfisherbob

I use the Timex Digital, and have had very good luck with them. Being digital, you have no issues with cross-talk, which the analog units are subject to. I appreciate that I can change the battery in the chest strap. Polar, at least on some of their models, is not serviceable in this way, and you have to mail the strap in for battery replacement. Cost on Amazon, around $80 +/-. I have a couple of friends who use a strap and plug-in device along with an available app for their Iphones. While it seemed a little tricky at first to synch them in, they really like them.