Hi all!

I picked up road cycling after a 6 year break in sports. I used to play hockey and do weightlifting before. In addition I rode bike in the summer (80-100km a week). I just turned 30 and am otherwise rather fit, but because of the break lack the strenght I used to have...

So for the 1st time I have HRM on my bike. I have noticed a bizarre behaviour in the HR data. As I start my ride and cruise out of town, my HR jumps up and down between 150 and 210. This goes on for around 10 minutes as I increase my cadence to 80-90. Then in 10 minutes or so, as I have developed a nice rythm, the HR stabilized at about 155, where it stays for 1-2h, or as long as I ride. I never feel any discomfort in the beginning. Initially I thought that may be I push myself too hard at first, so yesterday I took it super easy at first. Still, the HR data looked the same. Hence it cannot be because of physical stress. My second hypothesis now is that it is adrenalin. I can't wait to get on the road and the impatience might play with the HR? Or thirdly, could my new Polar strap act weird in the beginning?

Could you tell me, how does your HR look like in the beginning of an excercise? Do you do special warm up excercises?

Cheers!

That's usually a sign of sensor issues rather than your real HR. Most of them don't work well unless they are quite well drenched, and depending upon the technology used it can be worse with some clothing and external RF interference.

It goes away in 10 minutes because of your own sweat.

Are you wetting it well before you put it on?

And make sure the strap is tight. And some polyester jerseys flap and cause that. In any case, that's all it is.

I have found that when the transmitter battery gets low you get false readings. Since yours stabilizes I would bet that it is what others have said. Strap is too loose and not wet enough when you start out.

Well, I'll be darned!
I get the same bizarre readings early in my ride.
I thought it was something along my route.

Like someone said, the strap may not work well until it gets wet with sweat and is on tight enough. Mine also cuts out going under some lower-hanging power lines.

Try getting the strap wet with saliva before you ride. If you don't see the same thing, question answered.

Sometimes strap issues- sometimes just heart rate is ambient! Ambient heart rate is totally normal, and you did note that once you get to the meat of your ride, your heart rate is a bit more consistent. I wouldn't worry about it unless it was like that consistently throughout your entire ride, or if your heart rate was consistently too high throughout your ride (see a doctor) or consistently low throughout your ride (perhaps a strap issue). I think you're cool. If the saliva/lotion thing still yields the same result, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

koffee

Just like the others have said, wet it really good, wash it off after every use(the salt from your sweat will build up) and tighten it up, I have to tighten mine every now and then. The strap stretches and loses some of it elasticity.

I use a gel and it totally eliminated the problem for me.

You can get it at https://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._400007_400132

Thanks guys! I think you are right about the starp issue. I found that the easiest way to solve it is to just either ignore the data in the beginning or just set it on at first and restart it as I am out of town.