Heart Monitor

[Poly Hive]

Hi all long time.....

So I was at the physio on Tuesday and effectively I'm starting cycling again after *cough* some umm... 15 years at 69. it seems I have an arthritic knee that is now also exhibiting a "Bakers cyst" so I need to strengthen my knees up.

I used to have a heart monitor which had a chest strap and a sort of watch display that went on the handle bars, do they still exhis as canna see one on the sites?

Cheers

Pete

[rafletcher]

They exist because pretty much any bike computer will have the facility to display HRM data from a  chest strap. Wahoo Tikr straps are pretty good.

You're probably remembering Polar HRMs.

[tom_e]

Another option is a handlebar mount for your phone, then you can use that to display heart rate from a Bluetooth-linked chest strap.

[Lightning Phil]

Something like this

https://www.cateye.com/intl/products/computers/CC-PA400B/

You’ll need to get a Bluetooth HR chest strap to go with it.

[drossall]

Here's a review of HRMs.

And here's a review of computers.

You can pretty much mix and match, as long as the computer will receive data from an HRM, which most will. Many will do mapping and navigation as well - it all depends whether you just want the data recording, or more.

[Polar Bear]

You could also consider a smartwatch which will both record your rides and your heart rate as well as just sit on your wrist and behave as a wrist watch too.  You can for most if not all such watches add a chest strap for when you ride but unless absolute HR accuracy is critical it's not a big deal these days.  The tech is very good.

No idea what your budget is but I recall Finch was selling a Garmin which will do all you want or of course cheaper alternatives are out there.

[Paul H]

I'd also suggest a sportswatch, unless you want the info on the bars.  if you do, it doesn't have to be a chest strap, there's plenty of arm options available if you find that more comfortable or convenient.  I have a  Scosche Rhythm, an older model than the current one, works fine with Phone or Garmin. 

[mrcharly-YHT]

I have a wahoo tikr. Cheap at 30 quid, connects to my phone.

I can record workouts, which I find useful for tracking actual fitness.
Via the wahoo app, there are options to monitor heart rate - and of course I can put my phone where I can see if if required.

[drossall]

You can for most if not all such watches add a chest strap for when you ride but unless absolute HR accuracy is critical it's not a big deal these days.

I've not found even quite a good Garmin watch to give readings similar to a chest strap. I tend to regard watch readings as interesting but not particularly reliable.

[chrisbainbridge]

The inaccuracy of watches for measuring HR is legendary but many tester find good correlation. I find my watch is almost identical to a chest strap. The only problem is when running in the very cold when it loses the pulse and locks to my stride.

[offcumden]

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/onrhythm-110-runner-s-heart-rate-monitor-watch/_/R-p-6939?mc=8301690

£17.99 for a watch and hrm belt. I used a similar Decathlon product successfully for a few years before going 'smart'. Simple and effective. Mine came with a handlebar mount - I've a spare mount you can have for free if you need it.

[Poly Hive]

Thanks all. I will use a chest strap and really I want a unit on the bars to look at as it's what I had in the past and it worked well then. I am not intending using my phone for this stuff as I am too worried about damaging it. I'm not at all concerned with "data" as if I manage to get up to five or ten miles by Spring next year I will be happy enough. It's really about building some knee muscle to cope with the Bakers Cyst I have now got. I'll repeat my MIL's advice all, Don't get old. Trouble is she never told me how to avoid it....

PH

[offcumden]

To get old you need a bit of luck. Ageing painlessly and with dignity requires even more in the way of good fortune.
Hope all goes well for you. Muscle up😉

[Paul H]

I find my watch is almost identical to a chest strap.

I found the same with the Scosche arm monitor, mated with phone or Garmin, I had a chest strap before and disliked the feel of it.  I ran them side by side as a comparison for a couple of rides, the only difference was the armband lagged a bit, by a second or two, not enough to concern me.

[hellymedic]

At one point, I had an electric wrist watch and a heart rate monitor, with a 'wristwatch' type display.

If I wore both together, the HRM would detect pulsation from both the watch and the chest strap...

[Poly Hive]

Gang I am struggling here to find a computer sub £100 with the heart function. I literally gasped at the £750 Garmin unit. Good grief what makes that so special?

Suggestions please.

Pete

[Kim]

As the Red Baron is an awkward shape, I use a wireless bike computer instead of a proper wired one like dog intended.  As bike computers with nearfield wireless sensors are universally shit (even on a DF bike with no lights), I found one that used proper ANT+ speed and cadence sensors.  As a bonus, it also understands ANT+ heartrate and power sensors.

This would appear to be the current model:  https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/equipment/bike-accessories/bike-computers-sensors/bike-computers/bontrager-ridetime-elite-cycling-computer/p/21830/

Note that this just does the normal bike computery things of instantaneous readout and trip averages.  It doesn't have a GPS receiver or any ability to download data, runs for a year or two on a CR2032 battery, and is relatively unlikely to get nicked.  (Things have got needlessly confusing in recent years, as what we would normally refer to as "GPS receivers" are now being marketed as "Bike computers".)

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

You can for most if not all such watches add a chest strap for when you ride but unless absolute HR accuracy is critical it's not a big deal these days.

I've not found even quite a good Garmin watch to give readings similar to a chest strap. I tend to regard watch readings as interesting but not particularly reliable.

I have no idea how reliable my Tickr HRM is, but over a year or two it does appear to have been very consistent.  I'd like to think it overreads because lower rates sound more impressive.  Otherwise, I don't care.

[offcumden]

Gang I am struggling here to find a computer sub £100 with the heart function. I literally gasped at the £750 Garmin unit. Good grief what makes that so special?

Suggestions please.

Pete

If all you really need is HR figures, you don't need a computer. Just buy a hrm/watch from Decathlon for £18 (see my earlier post), strap on the chest belt, fasten the watch to your bars, and it will display your current HR in big figures. I did that for years.

[De Sisti]

Gang I am struggling here to find a computer sub £100 with the heart function. I literally gasped at the £750 Garmin unit. Good grief what makes that so special?

Suggestions please.

Pete

This one should be suitable for your needs @ £17.99
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/onrhythm-110-runner-s-heart-rate-monitor-watch/_/R-p-6939?mc=8301690

[offcumden]

That's the one, De Sisti. I tried unsuccessfully to import that screenshot earlier. Thanks for being more competent 

[Wycombewheeler]

Gang I am struggling here to find a computer sub £100 with the heart function. I literally gasped at the £750 Garmin unit. Good grief what makes that so special?

Suggestions please.

Pete

Well I don't know about sub 100, but I have a garmin 530, which will read my chest HRM, the 530 comes in around £200 currently, HRM at various prices, depending on new, second hand but still boxed, refurbished or potentially conterfeit on aliexpress. but should be between 500 and 100. so far less than the 750, what are you getting for that?

[Lightning Phil]

The cat eye I linked can be had for £75, then you need to:add cost of Bluetooth HR sensor.

[Poly Hive]

https://www.wiggle.com/p/garmin-rally-rk200-power-meter-bike-pedals £700+ sorry I was getting screen blind at this point.

I'll have another look at that Cateye unit. Purchase made and with the discount (some £20 more on Amazon) I for the unit and strap for £97. Just need the bike now.

Thanks

[Regulator]

The inaccuracy of watches for measuring HR is legendary but many tester find good correlation. I find my watch is almost identical to a chest strap. The only problem is when running in the very cold when it loses the pulse and locks to my stride.

My Apple watch produced sufficiently high quality ECGs for the cardiac consultant in A&E to take notice...