Forerunner 50 users

SCR Pedro

So I just got one of these. I'm so far dissapointed.

My current (cheapy) HRM shows me and BPM, %MHR with either Duration, MaxHR, AvgHr, Cals P/H at the same time, with time out of zone and total Calories at the end.

Can the Forerunner be changed to do this? All I can get is BPM or BPM/Duration. And can I not get data for time spent outside of zones? Do I have to calculate this manually from the graph?

It seems that my cheaper HRM can do a lot more, but just can't produce the graphs online.

I don't want to have to pay another £30 for the cadence/speedo kit just for information my cheap HRM gives me, so have I just paid £30 for some graphs?

Pedro

redddraggon

Have you read the manual?

When you download the data you get loads of statistics - time in zone etc. It does it's job, why you'd want to look at stats as you riding.....I don't know.

Why you would want to look at the statistics on the watch, it's a fricking watch I'd much rather look at the data on a 20" screen. I don't what your issue is, but I use mine with a seperate computer as I use it on all my bikes, and if I decided to start running.

Just ride, and then look at the data.

tonyw43

Pedro, when you look at the data on the watch in history mode, before you download, you can see all the other info. By pressing start/stop on each screen on history, it will give you time out of zone (low zone level), time in zone, time out of zone (high zone level), max hr and avg hr. I think the only bit that is missing is the calories. Just play around on the history screen.

SCR Pedro

There are several reasons why I would want to look at my data during the ride. Such as looking at my average before and after a large climb.

I mount my unit on the bars, so my issue is that I don't think the displayed information is very good.

If there is a way to display both BPM and %MHR at the same time, I haven't found it yet.

Edit: Thanks Tony, I'll check it out after my next ride. Maybe I can live without the calorie counter.

redddraggon

Calorie counters are wildly innaccurate anyway, so it's not really a great loss.

doyler78

You don't get the option to show both because in doing so the unit would be just giving you exactly the same info ie a particular bpm is always the same % therefore stick to one or the other - personally % zones I find easier to remember than bpm

Calories are, as has been said, not very accurate however I must admit I do like to see them in the PPT5 however given their inaccuracy I never rely on them on the bike so not having them isn't a prob for me - indeed I have my Polar (CS600) setup not to show it as there is more useful data I can get to see by removing it.

neil²

TonyW43 wrote:

Pedro, when you look at the data on the watch in history mode, before you download, you can see all the other info. By pressing start/stop on each screen on history, it will give you time out of zone (low zone level), time in zone, time out of zone (high zone level), max hr and avg hr. I think the only bit that is missing is the calories. Just play around on the history screen.

I wasn't aware of that - thanks. Now I have uploaded all the data to Garmin Connect, how do I see the zone data there? I get the wibbly line showing the changes in HR but can't work out what to do with it from there.

Any ideas? :?

ded

Now I have uploaded all the data to Garmin Connect, how do I see the zone data there?

I don't think you can, not in the same way as you can in the Training Center software anyway. You can choose what it shows e.g. %MHR or "zone" but it still just shows the wibbly line for me, with no nice "zone backdrop" like you get in Training Center.

Of course even though my stuff is all set to "auto upload" Garmin Connect only has about 50% of the stuff that is on my machine at home! The upload to the computer from the watch has always been fine for me, but the computer - internet - Garmin link just seems flaky!

ded

There are several reasons why I would want to look at my data during the ride. Such as looking at my average before and after a large climb.

Pedro, I don't get why you want to do this (apart from for "general interest"). I would have thought the actual average is not that important for training, it is the time you spend in each zone that is important. In which case, rather than using the visual display of average, would you not be better to use the audible zone alarms to try and ensure you stay in your target zone for that ride? You might get beeped at a lot going up a big hill if you work too hard tho'!

neil²

ded wrote:

Now I have uploaded all the data to Garmin Connect, how do I see the zone data there?

I don't think you can, not in the same way as you can in the Training Center software anyway. You can choose what it shows e.g. %MHR or "zone" but it still just shows the wibbly line for me, with no nice "zone backdrop" like you get in Training Center.

Of course even though my stuff is all set to "auto upload" Garmin Connect only has about 50% of the stuff that is on my machine at home! The upload to the computer from the watch has always been fine for me, but the computer - internet - Garmin link just seems flaky!

Aha - that explains it... note to self: download Training Center

tonyw43

Once you have uploaded the data to training centre, click on the totals tab on the top right window, this will display all the data for each ride above the graph. If you then click on the weekly date range on the left hand side, it will display the statistics for that week. If you then click on each date in turn, it will display the statistics for each lap and the time in each zone. If you have the cadence sensor as well, it will give you speed and cadence stats as well. The only thing I'm not sure of is the calorie bit, as those columns in mine are blank.

Edit: ok, on further digging, it would appear the calorie columns only work with the forerunner 305 and 405 through newleaffitness.com