Sick of Garmin HRM cutting out. Any Garmin-compatible alternatives?

christiandransfield
christiandransfield Posts: 127
edited August 2016 in Workshop
Hey everyone,

I've grown beyond tired of my Garmin HRM. It cuts out, cuts back in again, and drives me mad. Unfortunately, it has now started to cut out, after about 30 mins of use (usually when I'm sweating). I purchased a Polar strap, and attached the Garmin HRM unit to it about 6-12 months ago, which solved the problem for a time, but it has come back to haunt me again.

I just wondered if anyone else has had the same issues, and if there are any Garmin-compatible HRM or straps made by other companies that are more reliable.

Any advice would be much-appreciated.

Cheers!

Comments

  • slowmart
    slowmart Posts: 4,516
    Change the batteries or unit as it's usually a reliable bit of kit

    As long as you wet the strap underneath the sensor you should be fine.
    “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring”

    Desmond Tutu
  • Man Of Lard
    Man Of Lard Posts: 903
    Either you're not washing it correctly, not wearing it correctly or you have particularly corrosive (to the HRM strap) sweat.

    19 months on my current Polar strap and no misbehaviour of the HRM.
  • vrsmatt
    vrsmatt Posts: 160
    I Use a Garmin 810 with a MIO heart rate wrist strap.....its excellent, I have always hated the chest straps and this is a godsend. The MIO linkes via Bluetooth or ANT+ to most cycle computers

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mio- ... lsrc=aw.ds
    Giant TCR Composite 1, Giant Defy Advanced 2, Boardman Comp, Santa Cruz Heckler, Raleigh M-Trax Ti, Strida LT, Giant Halfway
  • grenw
    grenw Posts: 804
    Me and the missus both use Wahoo straps. Faultless so far after over a year
  • dowtcha
    dowtcha Posts: 442
    Common problem with garmin soft strap, nothing premium about it. Just replace the strap with a polar one.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Polar-Chest-Strap-Soft-keine/dp/B007XCLU66/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471372407&sr=8-1&keywords=polar+heart+rate+strap
  • cdrewery
    cdrewery Posts: 16
    Had numerous outs with my Garmin HRM. Changed to a Wahoo and it has been faultless over the last year of use.
  • mikelister
    mikelister Posts: 13
    GrenW wrote:
    Me and the missus both use Wahoo straps. Faultless so far after over a year

    +1 for Wahoo. Had it almost a year and so long as I wet it slightly before use I don't get any issues.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Wahoo Tickr. Had mine two years now, absolutely bullet proof reliable.
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    Never had a problem with the signal, but I use a cheapie Geonaute (Decathlon) strap. https://www.decathlon.co.uk/ant-cardio-belt-cycle-computer-accessory-id_8181212.html
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • shaw8670
    shaw8670 Posts: 264
    Garmin have replaced mine twice, despite being out of warranty. Disappointing to hear of the Polar strap failing as I've just gone for that solution! I thought I had it sussed, but maybe not? The basic hard Garmin strap seems to get a good name. I hoped they'd give me one instead of a new soft strap, it would have been better for me and cheaper for them?
    Greetings from the wet and windy North west
  • Man Of Lard
    Man Of Lard Posts: 903
    The fabric parts are (or should be) regarded as consumables - the difference is that you can get a Polar one for a tenner, the Garmin one is something like £30. That said, a Garmin one died on me within 6 months - the Polar one is now 20 months in and though it looks like it's been in a warzone it's still functioning just fine. Unlike some/many (most?) others, I have not had to do any trimming of the rubber around the press studs on the Polar strap.

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