Watch HRM

wotnoshoeseh
wotnoshoeseh Posts: 531
in Road buying advice
Hi,
With Father's Day coming up my nearest and dearest is wanting to buy me a fitness tracker watch. Is there a watch that will also communicate with a cycling computer when on the bike?

Basically a fitness tracker (such as FitBit, Garmin Vivofit, or other) that can then communicate with my Wahoo Elemnt, while out on the bike.

I just can't get on with chest heart rate straps, so that's not an option.

Also in terms of riding the bike, are these types of Smart watch, a compromise for heart rate accuracy?

Thanks for all input.

Cheers,
D.

Comments

  • akh
    akh Posts: 206
    I don't know about fitness trackers, but heart rate broadcast is a feature some of the watches have, I saw an article on it recently, here's the link:

    https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2020/04/quick-how-to-garmin-wearable-heart-rate-broadcasting-to-apps.html

    If you really only want the HR feature, dedicated optical hear rate sensors exist and can be worn in different places on the arm (your build allowing). I've been using one for more than a year and I'm very happy with it. Mine is a Scosche Rhythm+, that used to be one of Ray's suggested models, but his current recommendation is is the Polar OH1+. These links might be useful.

    https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/11/sports-technology-buyers.html

    https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/03/polar-oh1-plus-optical-hr-sensor-in-depth-review.html




  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 16,823
    Yes they are a compromise, but they are okay. I have a Fenix with a metal strap (so not particularly tight) and it doesn't give many spurious readings. But you get drop outs where it appears to default to 50-60 bpm for a while, and it is completely useless for anything that involves your arms, like rowing.
  • singleton
    singleton Posts: 2,523
    I use a Garmin watch for running and as far as I can tell, the optical HRM seems pretty accurate. I haven't ever set it up to broadcast though.
  • ibr17xvii
    ibr17xvii Posts: 1,065
    If you're wanting the watch to broadcast your HR to be displayed on your head unit I'm pretty sure the answer is no.

    You could have a look at the Wahoo strap you wear on your arm instead of a chest strap?
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Best get a wriggle on. It's Father's day on Sunday.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 16,823
    singleton said:

    I use a Garmin watch for running and as far as I can tell, the optical HRM seems pretty accurate. I haven't ever set it up to broadcast though.

    Broadcast works really well actually. I do this for Zwift and to my head unit.
  • wongataa
    wongataa Posts: 1,001
    ibr17xvii said:

    If you're wanting the watch to broadcast your HR to be displayed on your head unit I'm pretty sure the answer is no.

    You could have a look at the Wahoo strap you wear on your arm instead of a chest strap?

    Many Garmin optical HR watches can broadcast HR over ANT+ so can be used as the HR sensor with Garmin/Wahoo/other ANT+ enabled head units.

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