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In a probably futile attempt to retard the inevitable onset of paunch and to desperately claw back some of the fitness that I convinced myself I had 10 years ago, I am looking at a variety of fitness devices.
I bought a Garmin Edge 1000 - primarily for navigation - but I've been using it more and more for fitness type stuff. However, the calorie estimation is risibly out unless you have a heart rate monitor (I went down Cragg Vale earlier on today and apparently I used 200+ calories to do so).
I really don't like wearing chest straps. So my question to all of you fitness types is this:
Is there a wrist mounted heart rate monitor that can speak to Garmin Edge devices and that won't cause my bank account to let out the little whimpers it so often does? It goes without saying that I don't need it to do GPS (I have the Edge for that) or make calls (I have a phone) or even tell the time (I have watches).
Anyone?
Wahoo ticker wrist monitor. I use a Apple Watch with Strava for commuting and JRA now. The Garmin talks to an HR strap and power meter. If Apple Watch could receive Bluetooth I’d be delighted.
Wahoo link https://uk.wahoofitness.com/devices/heart-rate-monitors/tickr-fit-optical-heart-rate-monitor
Polar OH1. I'm wearing it on the upper arm, probably more accurate than on the wrist. And more comfy than a chest strap anyway. Transmits Ant+ and Bluetooth LE, so works fine with a Garmin.
The Garmin Forerunner watches can transmit your heart rate to display on your Edge. The heart rate not as accurate as a chest strap, and you'll need to check it works with the 1000 (it does with my Edge 130).
I've struggled with optical ones while riding, both on the wrist and upper arm. I think it must be the bouncing around but they tended to lose lock too much and it just got annoying in the end :(. It does seem to be dependant on people though (maybe I'm too fat) and temperature (blood being closer to skin surface) so you might be lucky. In the end I just found the strap more reliable
Edit:I should add that my daughter who is super skinny even turns off the optical measurement on her forerunner now a lot of the time as it is so unreliable
I really don’t like wearing chest straps
Once you’ve got shot of the moobs you may find the chest strap OK and they do work the best😀
Got a Wahoo Tickr, seems to be bit more accurate than my watch and don't notice it once it's on.
Cheers all. 👍
I often use a mio link optical wrist HRM. Works a treat and more responsive than the HRM on my Garmin Instinct. Not always convenient to take it away on trips so Instinct can broadcast HR to the edge too.
Also have a Polar H7 for accurate HR.
If Apple Watch could receive Bluetooth I’d be delighted
Pretty sure it will. At least the AW4 has the option in Bluetooth devices. Don’t have any so can’t check.
I use my Apple Watch for HR with Zwift as I didn't have an ANT + receiver and my usual HRM is only ANT+. Then bought a Wahoo chest HRM and there is no difference in accuracy or latency when using Zwift. I do tighten my Apple Watch pretty tight when using it for exercise which must help it so when it works it works well. But on the bike I use a chest strap. You get used to it...no need to have it super tight. Can't seem to connect my apple watch to my garmin so not done any testing to see how well it would work with that but in anycase when using the Apple Watch as a HRM it drains the battery a lot faster so on a long bike ride you might struggle.
Not sure i'd prefer a band around my upper arm vs a band around my chest. I used to have one of those arm bands for my phone and that wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world.