Is there something wrong w my heart or does every HRM suck?

[RacerJRP]

My experience with the Wahoo straps was very poor. Maybe 3-4 months and it would end up in the trash. So far so good on my my recent Garmin strap - the crazy spendy one with the yellow sensor body.

My wife goes through 1-2 Garmin HR swim straps per year as well. I think it's just par for the course these days...unfortunately.

[Deanhorsfall]

I also have a pile of heart rate straps that do not work. Some Garmin straps that I have used in the past I would bang on my chest like King Kong and the heart rate monitor would start working. I am not sure if the little sensor inside gets stuck or I was doing it for my own entertainment but it seemed to work. I have considered getting the fluid they use for ultrasounds and applying it to the strap to maybe boost the connection. I personally felt like I could not afford a new $100 strap every year. The one thing that I am considering is Decathlon sells a heart rate monitor fairly inexpensively with a two year warranty
https://www.decathlon.com/products/d...31619609362494

[huck*this]

I didn't read the whole thread but I have found that disconnecting the module from the strap when not in use helps with a lot of issues I experienced prior.

[fourflys]

Originally Posted by huck*this

I didn't read the whole thread but I have found that disconnecting the module from the strap when not in use helps with a lot of issues I experienced prior.

interesting.. completely off or just one side? I always hang mine with only one side of the sensor snapped on (Wahoo strap)

[Supertuck]

I'm having an incredibly frustrating time with my Tickr on Zwift. Often reads static and then will just jump to another random static number after a while. This thread is making me realize I should be washing my strap with soap and not just rinsing with water.

Sometimes I also have better luck when I wet the electrodes and my chest with some water before starting, but even that seems random. May try the Polar based on the folks here who have had good experiences.

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by Sarhog

I know nothing about chest strap heart monitors, but based on the responses here, I have a question… Does the strap have something to do with proper function? My arm band strap’s only function is to hold the HRM in place.
Thanks.

chest straps have electrodes on them to measure heart beats....arm bands (from what I know) measure heart rate optically.

Hence the talk of using electrode gel on the strap to get a good reading. I don't think it works like that for optical monitors.

Originally Posted by huck*this

I didn't read the whole thread but I have found that disconnecting the module from the strap when not in use helps with a lot of issues I experienced prior.

For sure...remove the module and rinse the strap in fresh water. Sweat is very corrosive...

[windsurfer]

The first 3 miles of today's ride had a HR stuck at 65bpm. Stupid Garmin.

[krawlx]

Originally Posted by huck*this

I didn't read the whole thread but I have found that disconnecting the module from the strap when not in use helps with a lot of issues I experienced prior.

This is my experience as well. I went through a couple Wahoo TICKRs but have since switched to the H10. I now never leave the module connected to the strap, and the H10 has worked perfectly in the 12 months I've had it.

[kppolich]

Ditto for disconnecting the monitor/battery unit from the strap.
I keep stored in this nice 3D printed organizer along with my Garmin 530

[ssb94]

Garmin straps have always worked flawlessly with Garmin head units for me. Only issues I have are with ANT+ USB dongles when I'm on the trainer. Both trainerroad and Zwift have been spotty for as long as I can remember

[BdaGhisallo]

Originally Posted by krawlx

I now never leave the module connected to the strap, and the H10 has worked perfectly in the 12 months I've had it.

Doesn't everybody disconnect the HRM transmitter from the belt when they throw the belt in the wash after a ride?

[Onno]

My own experience suggests to me that some people's heart rates are just more difficult to detect using electrical impulses on the skin. For instance, I can never get those metal handles on gym cardio equipment to pick up any heart rate, ever. I also have had major problems with Wahoo heart rate monitor, and just switched to the Polar H10, after going through several Wahoos and 2 Garmins (the latter worked pretty well, but crapped out after a year or two). What impresses me about the Polar is that it works every time, all the time. I've used it for about 4 months, xc skiing and biking, inside and out. This is the first time I've experienced this kind of 100% reliability with any monitor. I think this is because its sensors are at least twice the size of those of the Wahoo. This also means that it's really cold to put on, however!

[krawlx]

Originally Posted by BdaGhisallo

Doesn't everybody disconnect the HRM transmitter from the belt when they throw the belt in the wash after a ride?

Good point. I only ever hand wash my strap. But I also don't wash my strap after every ride, especially now that I'm back outside and it is still chilly. So in a scenario where I'm not washing it, I still detach the module after each ride.

But I'd guess that there may be people that reattach the module after washing, and leave it that way until the next ride?

[djg21]

Originally Posted by parallelfish

I have a Wahoo Tickr that has been solid for several years. Still works fine.

In December I purchased a Polar H10 as I needed a more precise monitor to take HRV readings. The strap lasted until mid-February, when it just stopped working, despite cleaning. Polar replaced the strap, but this one seems to generate more artifacts (per the HRV application) than the previous one.

Buy a couple straps for your H10 and alternate them. Take them with you into the shower after you ride and wash them off with a little shampoo or soap. Occasionally run them through the washing machine. My H10 had been flawless for many years and each of 3 my straps is well 3-4 years old.

[rice rocket]

Originally Posted by BdaGhisallo

Doesn't everybody disconnect the HRM transmitter from the belt when they throw the belt in the wash after a ride?

Maybe if I owned 10 straps.