Best heart rate monitor chest strap?

on-yer-bike
on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
edited February 2019 in Road buying advice
Ive got Garmin and Wahoo chest strap monitors and they're both crap. Very erratic. Which is the best strap that will work with a Garmin Edge 1000? Will the Polar H10 work? Does the strap need to work with ANT+?
Pegoretti
Colnago
Cervelo
Campagnolo

Comments

  • OnTheRopes
    OnTheRopes Posts: 460
    When I had a Garmin 510 the strap was rubbish, often with erratic numbers. However I changed to a Garmin 520 and the strap that came with that has a different design and has been faultless
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    I've found the old style Garmin strap to be faultless:
    https://amzn.to/2tbVzHy

    The Garmin Premium strap on the other hand is crap:
    https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/p/15490
  • step83
    step83 Posts: 4,170
    Been using the Polar straps for ages without issue
    Titanium Px Spitfire
    Easty commuter
    Tripster AT
  • davebradswmb
    davebradswmb Posts: 551
    I've had the Decathlon one for a couple of years now after my Garmin strap failed. I can't fault it, it has Bluetooth and Ant+, and it's cheaper than the big brands to boot.
  • aberdeenal
    aberdeenal Posts: 200
    I was going to suggest the Wahoo TIKR X but after reading your post again you seem to have had a bad experience with them
  • wardieboy
    wardieboy Posts: 230
    Old style garmin strap version has been perfect for me too.
  • redvision
    redvision Posts: 2,958
    Tbh i have had the garmin old style, the newer version and a wahoo tickr, and all have worked perfectly.
    Still, the one which seems to get the best reviews is the 4iiii Viiiiva. Very expensive but supposed to be the best on the market.

    https://www.sigmasports.com/item/4iiii/ ... NTand/G4EK
  • donboogie
    donboogie Posts: 75
    I had bad numbers coming from two older styles of Garmin. Wahoo TICKR has been perfect for a couple of years now.

    I also use the Scosche Rhythm armband when indoors on the turbo. It's a bit bulky and I wouldn't want to worry about fitting it under clothing. When done every couple of rides I plug it in so I don't worry about battery levels. For indoor riding I recommend.
  • on-yer-bike
    on-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    Step83 wrote:
    Been using the Polar straps for ages without issue
    Are they compatible with Garmin Edge. They don’t have Ant+
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    on-yer-bike wrote:
    Step83 wrote:
    Been using the Polar straps for ages without issue
    Are they compatible with Garmin Edge. They don’t have Ant+

    the module plugs into the strap the same way, when I used heart rate the polar was way better than the garmin ones I used.
  • alex222
    alex222 Posts: 598
    Another vote for the Decathlon one.
  • davem399
    davem399 Posts: 269
    I'm using the original one from my Garmin 500 with no issues. Mind you, it is only 9 years old, so could be too soon to tell!
  • pamplemoose
    pamplemoose Posts: 85
    HRMs I've used:

    Garmin - Gave up the ghost after a year, would read 90 bpm even during hard hill efforts. Battery change and cleaning contacts did nothing. Binned.

    Polar Bluetooth - Still chugging along, strap could be comfier.

    Wahoo TICKR - Superb. Really comfy strap. Has LEDs so you know it's doing something. BT and Ant+ simultaneously.

    I definitely wouldn't buy another Garmin one.
  • ammarnaeem988AN2z2CNk
    ammarnaeem988AN2z2CNk Posts: 1
    I had issues in the start when using HR monitor but after sometime i realized Using a heart rate monitor with a chest strap is not difficult at all. You will have the most effective monitor that is wearable on the chest. Moreover, your heart signals will be automatically monitored once you wear the chest strap. On the other side, the chest strap will work like an ECG. This guide will help out to know how exactly using hear rate monitors effectively. https://www.reviewsed.com/how-to-use-heart-rate-monitor/
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,415
    Strap or monitor? Sometimes bad readings are caused by a bad strap, not the monitor. Apparently the £10 straps on eBay are very good.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • handful
    handful Posts: 920
    I've got an old Garmin and it's been brilliant. I thought it had died a few months ago and bought a Wahoo Tickr after reading all the rave reviews but mine was under reading my heart rate by around 30bpm. I then saw a post from someone saying the garmin can be reset by leaving the battery out for a while.I did this and the Garmin came back to life and has been fine since. Amazing bit of kit. The Tickr went back.
    Vaaru Titanium Sram Red eTap
    Moda Chord with drop bars and Rival shifters - winter/do it all bike
    Orbea Rise
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 12,031
    I have an old style solid Garmin strap, and it refuses to die - wash the strap every couple of weeks, and it reads perfectly. Well I need to wet it to get it to read from the off, but then it's fine.
    It must be about 12 years old - clearly a few battery changes in that time!

    Bought a Garmin 1000 a few years, excited that it came with a new HR Strap - that's been gone for a good long while already, unreliable, pita to change the battery as well.

    Also have a Wahoo Tickr (possibly an X?) and that is also spot on, I keep that for my outdoor rides generally, touch more comfy than the old style garmin and if I want to utilise the BLE element, I sometimes use it on the turbo too.
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • def_defyr
    def_defyr Posts: 93
    Good to know about the Decathlon straps. I need a BT one for indoor riding as my Garmin is ANT+ only.

    HR straps seem to be a very personal thing. It may depend on the shape of your chest -- if one of the contacts comes away from your body when you bend over the bars, for instance, it quits reading.

    I've had good luck with Garmin, but with the caveat that they need frequent washing and to be primed with water on the contacts.
  • molteni_man
    molteni_man Posts: 472
    If it’s the strap then highly recommend these. There’s been a recent v similar thread on this. I got two of these v cheaply on Ebay- the first is still going strong after plenty of use. The heart monitor simply clips in. They’re comfortable and adjust to size very easily too!.
    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313119471767

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