Problems with Heart Rate Monitor

SeaRunner26

I'm having a new problem with my heart rate monitor now that I'm losing weight of my torso. It's not the HRM itself but the chest strap. It keep sliding down while I'm cycling no matter how tight I make it. I have a naturaly wide chest, so it's easy for the chest strap to move down to narrower parts. So far the front does not move as much as the back so I haven't lost any readings. But I expect if things continue I will start to have issues keeping the electrodes where they need to be to register my pulse. Does anyone else have this problem and/or know of a solution?

EvgeniZyntx

Brand and type? The old polar straps slipped a lot.

c53204

I use the Wahoo LE Bluetooth one and like you have a large chest - no problems slipping. Although sometimes it feels like it is, it isn't. Whatever the strap is made from, it's very grippy.

SeaRunner26

It's a Polar strap, probably about seven years old or so. The front is rubberized while the back is a very smooth eslastic.

Yogi_Carl

dare suggest you tie on shoulder straps to your chest strap? Yeah - like a bra, but it works for countless women so why not you?

swarovski75

Just tuck it under the band of your sports bra...oh, wait... ;-)

MarlinWil

How about you get a couple of narrow strips of rubber and bond them onto the back of your strap. There is a great tacky adhesive that we get over here that you spray both items you want to glue together, wait a few minutes until truly tacky, and then put together and place a weight over the top and leave for an hour or so. Can't remember the name of it, but for sure you will be able to get that over there. The benefits of narrow strips of rubber, rather than one thicker strip, is that they will not constrict the movement of your strap too much, but will still "grip" onto you back. Another option is to find a sewer that can stitch thick elastic thread along the back of your strap. Because it is elastic, it will still move with the strap, but the elastic will grip onto your back - make sure it is thicker elastic, so that you get maximum grip, and run at least 3 rows along the strap.

Either one of these options should work for you. I didn't realise that your problem is twofold - it is not only that the strap is slipping, but also that you have one of those physiques that includes a broad chest tapering to a narrow waist. That is an entirely different problem.

Another thing to consider is wearing a super-tight singlet as your inner layer. This will help to keep the strap in place.

Oh, and ANOTHER option, is to buy yourself another strap. Not a HRM, but an elasticated webbed belt or strap that you can place slightly below and slightly overlapping your HRM strap. This will help to hold it. You could even combine these last two options, place the singlet over your HRM, then place this webbed belt on top of the singlet, but again placed overlapping your HRM strap.

Wow - I am fully of ideas, now! Last resort is to turn it into a man bra - no-one will ever know . . . except for us!!! xx

SeaRunner26

Thanks for all the ideas. I think I'm going to try making some straps. I'll call it a harness or suspenders so as to avoid the bra analogy! I'm pretty crafty so I'm sure I can come up with something. I think I even have some elastic strapping that might work pretty well.

EvgeniZyntx

It's a Polar strap, probably about seven years old or so. The front is rubberized while the back is a very smooth eslastic.

Yep, those slip. A shoelace will solve the problem but it rubs funny.
The new ones are better.

dawn1801

It maybe time to buy a new one. I exercise 5 days a week and after about 2 to 3 years I have had to replace mine. You are lucky it lasted that long. You can get them at any sporting goods store that carry the HRM's as well. They sell the straps separate.

SeaRunner26

I just checked the Polar website and my chest strap looks just like the ones they are currently offering.