Heart Rate Monitor

BridlingtonBiker

Hi All. I've got a Garmin heart rate monitor which I connect to an Edge 500. I keep getting erroneous data ie my heart is doing 240 BPM. I think I'd be classed as verging on death at that rate. I'm sure I've read on here somewhere that it's something to do with jackets flapping against the unit but I can't find the thread. Is this the case or do I have a duff HRM?

thescouselander

Yeah, that can happen. Make sure the band is nice and tight and wet the electrodes a little bit to help them make contact.

thefd

I have heard it is to do with lack of moisture on the contact points. Once you get working the sweat is all that is needed. Lack of moisture is why you have the strange readings at the start. Add water or saliva to the contact points!

BridlingtonBiker

Yeah I always add water or saliva to the contact points. The strap is as tight as it'll go but maybe I'll have to try and remove some of the elastic to get it a bit tighter. That said if my tops flapping are causing the issue surely it won't matter how tight the HRM is?

woolwich

I agree with the everything the others have suggested. Other reasons could be poor/dying battery and local odd magnetic factors.
I have a meeting of mains electrical power lines and a local electricity board mains sub station next to my regular ride. My hrm monitor goes nuts in a similar fashion to yours in this area and then returns to normal when ive passed.

mamba80

Try some contact gel from boots.
or its faulty as my 500 was.

BridlingtonBiker

Your Head unit or HRM was faulty???

ben@31

mamba80 wrote:

Try some contact gel from boots.
or its faulty as my 500 was.

What gel is that? I've been wanting to get some gel for hrm, as I don't sweat much, but no idea where you can buy gel from?

Madproforg

The gel is in among Pain Relief, it's the same stuff as used for Tens Machines. Boots label it as "Intrasound Gel"

BridlingtonBiker

Went to put my HRM on today and noticed the strap was no longer at its tightest setting. Made it tight and I think this mornings ride was all ok

dw300

ben@31 wrote:

mamba80 wrote:

Try some contact gel from boots.
or its faulty as my 500 was.

What gel is that? I've been wanting to get some gel for hrm, as I don't sweat much, but no idea where you can buy gel from?

It's beside the condoms .. KY Contact Gel or something like that.

t.m.h.n.e.t

I often ride wearing two HRMS and have yet to have any sort of issues.

dw300

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

I often ride wearing two HRMS and have yet to have any sort of issues.

Do they register exactly the same?

t.m.h.n.e.t

dw300 wrote:

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

I often ride wearing two HRMS and have yet to have any sort of issues.

Do they register exactly the same?

The Garmin ANT+ one seems to update a little smoother than the 2.4GHZ Cateye one but yes, they were generally within 1 beat

RandG

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

I often ride wearing two HRMS.

Why ?

t.m.h.n.e.t

RandG wrote:

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

I often ride wearing two HRMS.

Why ?

I have two hearts




In truth my cateye v3 as a unit is useless. It has speed/cadence/HR but the information is limited to current-average and max. I have ANT+ speed/cad/HRM for use with Trainer Road(see below) and an ANT+ compatible phone(Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo)

Mapmyride lists workouts in 1km pieces and pairs with ANT+ devices, so it's handy to view post ride. Not an ideal system but until I can afford a puter unit that does this,it'll do.

t.m.h.n.e.t

Eh double post

RandG

Canny be fucking arsed trying to read yer pish small print, it's no that important :roll:

t.m.h.n.e.t

RandG wrote:

Canny be ******* arsed trying to read yer pish small print, it's no that important :roll:

All you have to do it quote it