Any advice on HR monitor?

lgfrie
lgfrie Posts: 1,449 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I want to get a HR monitor to pair with my bike, to bring a bit more precision to HR monitoring than the handlebars I've been using. I'm looking at a Polar strap for $90, and a bunch of watch type things for $20-$40. Obviously a difference in price, although I don't mind paying more for the right tool. Question is, is there something that expensive Polar chest strap is doing that a cheapo HRM watch isn't doing? Tnx.

Replies

  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited October 2020
    Don't get a watch for $20 to $40. Get a Polar H10 over that. I have a Coospo (waterproof chest strap) that I've worn out. Wore over a year, every day and it's responsive and accurate. I had a Polar H7 and didn't like it at all. Very erratic and inaccurately high. Bluetooth sucked. Coospo also is ANT+ compatible as well as Bluetooth (so if you're limited on Bluetooth devices, it goes to ANT+).

    Coospo also has an arm band that's rated very high for like $50. Get an arm band over a cheap watch. Scosche armbands are great and so are Wahoo Tickr armbands, but they are like double the price of Coospo, which has similar ratings. The only thing I don't like about the Coospo strap is it's less comfortable than the Polar, which I don't mind.

    Polar has a newer OH1, which is a highly rated arm band too. It's less expensive than the Polar H10, which is a chest strap.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    In theory a $25 chest strap from Amazon should function identically to the Polar one. There are chest straps with crazy features like onboard memory for swimming, but for riding a bike the cheap ones work fine. Cheap ones are what I use.

    HR especially on a bike or running seems to work best if you base your zones off your lactate threshold and not your max HR. You'll want to warm up for 10 minutes, hit the lap button on your watch, then ride all out for 20 mins, hit lap again before you cool down, and take your average HR over those 20 minutes. You're looking for your highest sustainable heart rate.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    MikePfirrman wrote: »
    Don't get a watch for $20 to $40. Get a Polar H10 over that. I have a Coospo (waterproof chest strap) that I've worn out.

    These are in fact the $25 ones I use. Mine may not be waterproof?
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited October 2020
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    MikePfirrman wrote: »
    Don't get a watch for $20 to $40. Get a Polar H10 over that. I have a Coospo (waterproof chest strap) that I've worn out.

    These are in fact the $25 ones I use. Mine may not be waterproof?

    Mine is but it really doesn't matter to me. They're solid and cheap for the price! I think it's like $3 difference between the waterproof and non waterproof straps. And I had forgotten that you're the one that taught me what the advantage of having ANT+ was. I didn't know until you pointed it out.
  • lgfrie
    lgfrie Posts: 1,449 Member
    MikePfirrman wrote: »
    Don't get a watch for $20 to $40. Get a Polar H10 over that. I have a Coospo (waterproof chest strap) that I've worn out. Wore over a year, every day and it's responsive and accurate. I had a Polar H7 and didn't like it at all. Very erratic and inaccurately high. Bluetooth sucked. Coospo also is ANT+ compatible as well as Bluetooth (so if you're limited on Bluetooth devices, it goes to ANT+).

    Coospo also has an arm band that's rated very high for like $50. Get an arm band over a cheap watch. Scosche armbands are great and so are Wahoo Tickr armbands, but they are like double the price of Coospo, which has similar ratings. The only thing I don't like about the Coospo strap is it's less comfortable than the Polar, which I don't mind.

    Polar has a newer OH1, which is a highly rated arm band too. It's less expensive than the Polar H10, which is a chest strap.

    Interesting. I am now deep into the 20-open-Chrome-tabs research phase based on this reply. Question, though: are you saying:

    (a) Don't do a cheapo watch. A chest strap would be better, but even better still would be an arm band

    or

    (b) Don't do a cheapo watch. A chest strap would be better, but a nice in-between would be an arm band

    Certainly the arm bands look more convenient. I have never loved using chest straps in the past, although they are accurate and get the job done, and while I don't love them, I don't absolutely hate them either. I'd just prefer to use something else if it'll work OK.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Pairing how might be your first question to resolve - what protocol does your bike use?
    My current HRM pickup is a Wahoo chest strap (TICKR) which can connect via either Bluetooth or ANT+.

    Found it far superior to previous Polar and Garmin HRM straps, lasted longer, great battery life and no signal drop outs at all.
  • lgfrie
    lgfrie Posts: 1,449 Member
    FOLLOW UP: I researched on the web this until my eyes were blurry, and ended up purchasing the Wahoo TICKR FIT armband.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    LOL, sounds like a good choice. I was going to say I'd try an armband if I were you. I think you'll be happy with that. I've never had an arm band, but like you, I'm not a huge fan of chest straps. Arm bands are newer and they seem to be much better than even a year ago. Wahoo Tickr or Coospo arm bands made the most sense for you.
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
    I have Garmin chest strap, very happy with it. It's very comfortable to wear, waterproof because it's for tri, doesn't drop signal and was super easy to pair. And when i say comfortable, i mean i don't feel like it's there at all. Works great, but i noticed that the data is very comparable to my Fitbit charge 4, except Fitbit doesn't pair with my bike computer, which is Garmin. So i had to get something that will connect to it. I'm a bit late, i guess, since @Igfrie made a choice by now.
  • lgfrie
    lgfrie Posts: 1,449 Member
    Ugg. The TICKR FIT is not syncing with my Sole bike. Time to get on the phone with Sole and/or try a different product. Thoroughly perplexed, since both the TICKR FIT and Sole say they're using Bluetooth and ANT+.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    lgfrie wrote: »
    Ugg. The TICKR FIT is not syncing with my Sole bike. Time to get on the phone with Sole and/or try a different product. Thoroughly perplexed, since both the TICKR FIT and Sole say they're using Bluetooth and ANT+.

    I don't worry about syncing the bike and the HRM. I buy an app called Fitiv and track HR on the phone as I listen to music. Just an option to consider. Many of the bigger brands only sync with Polar, which I don't like personally.

    Call Sole first and see if it works with Tickr and if not, find out if you can live with that. If you can, consider getting just a HR app instead. Wahoo likely has an app as well that integrates with the Tickr.

    Fitiv automatically loads my calorie burns into MFP.
  • lgfrie
    lgfrie Posts: 1,449 Member
    MikePfirrman wrote: »
    lgfrie wrote: »
    Ugg. The TICKR FIT is not syncing with my Sole bike. Time to get on the phone with Sole and/or try a different product. Thoroughly perplexed, since both the TICKR FIT and Sole say they're using Bluetooth and ANT+.

    I don't worry about syncing the bike and the HRM. I buy an app called Fitiv and track HR on the phone as I listen to music. Just an option to consider. Many of the bigger brands only sync with Polar, which I don't like personally.

    Call Sole first and see if it works with Tickr and if not, find out if you can live with that. If you can, consider getting just a HR app instead. Wahoo likely has an app as well that integrates with the Tickr.

    Fitiv automatically loads my calorie burns into MFP.

    The bike has a HR cruise control function I really want to use - it was the reason I got the armband. Basically, set HR to 114, machine automatically adjusts resistance in real time to keep the HR pegged to that #. For that, I need a HR band that works with the machine. That said, I do really like the TICKR FIT, so, hoping I can get on the phone with Sole and get this sorted out. Otherwise I may have to try a Polar.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    lgfrie wrote: »
    MikePfirrman wrote: »
    lgfrie wrote: »
    Ugg. The TICKR FIT is not syncing with my Sole bike. Time to get on the phone with Sole and/or try a different product. Thoroughly perplexed, since both the TICKR FIT and Sole say they're using Bluetooth and ANT+.

    I don't worry about syncing the bike and the HRM. I buy an app called Fitiv and track HR on the phone as I listen to music. Just an option to consider. Many of the bigger brands only sync with Polar, which I don't like personally.

    Call Sole first and see if it works with Tickr and if not, find out if you can live with that. If you can, consider getting just a HR app instead. Wahoo likely has an app as well that integrates with the Tickr.

    Fitiv automatically loads my calorie burns into MFP.

    The bike has a HR cruise control function I really want to use - it was the reason I got the armband. Basically, set HR to 114, machine automatically adjusts resistance in real time to keep the HR pegged to that #. For that, I need a HR band that works with the machine. That said, I do really like the TICKR FIT, so, hoping I can get on the phone with Sole and get this sorted out. Otherwise I may have to try a Polar.

    I have a Wahoo tickrX that Ive used with success for years - I chose it because it broadcasts in BT and ANT+ at the same time.

    I am not sure the Sole specifics, but I’ve had better luck getting my HRM to connect to ANT+ devices if I connect the HRM to my phone via BT first. It seems that sometimes devices that can connect by either BT or ANT+ don’t know which one to use. Once I make the BT connection, the only available option is ANT+ and they connect more easily. That way I can also confirm the HRM is actually reading my HR and is broadcasting and all that.

    Not sure what you’ve tried so far but figured I’d give my experience in case it helps.
  • djaxon1
    djaxon1 Posts: 82 Member
    Bluetooth low energy ,BLE. or smart is different to older bluetooth classic in that it is usually connected through an app , rather than a device. Also no absolute standards so manufacturers can implement slight variations.
    Your device -bike - needs to be bluetooth 4.0 or higher. I don't know how "smart" your bike is but it's common to have problems even connecting to a smartphone , needing restart , clearing BTcache etc. etc.
    Usually only one Bt connection at a time. Old devices may need unpairing to allow new.
    Surprising how good optical HR monitors have got last year or 2 , my cheapie Honor watch band matches the BT chest strap when viewed in apps post workout.
  • lgfrie
    lgfrie Posts: 1,449 Member
    edited October 2020
    UPDATE: Gotta love Amazon, they delivered a Polar OH1 to my door in like 9 hours after I ordered it. Wanted to try to isolate whether the problem was on the Sole end or the TICKR FIT end before I expended an hour of precious life on the phone with Sole.

    The OH1 works with the Sole, unlike the TICKR FIT. It's still a bit fidgety - have to turn on Bluetooth on the Sole, then turn Polar on, wait 10 seconds, then bam, connection. Really thought with ANT+ it'd be easier than all this fussiness, but it does work, so that's cool.

    Sending the TICKR FIT back.

    That all said, I have to say I like the TICKR FIT ***vastly*** better than the OH1 and really wish the TICKR had worked out, because it seems better in every way except for the part about connecting to my bike.

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