What heart rate monitor do you use?

[ibcycling]

I'm thinking of adding a heart rate monitor. There are so many out there, I don't know where to start. I just switched to Strava to record my rides and they sell them. Anyone have it? Likes, dislikes? I'm not a racer, just trying to lose weight and get better on the bike.

Thanks!

[OakLeaf]

I don't have a lot of different experiences with HRMs for cycling (could give you a bit of input on running HRMs), but I can say that if you're interested in accurate calorie counts, you'll need a chest strap and not an optical wristband. The calorie algorithms are based on the heart's actual electrical signals (R-R interval), which optical sensors can only guess at.

I've used the old Garmin hard strap for years with almost no problems. It's reliable, durable, comfortable. Can't say the same for their newer designs. But, being an older design, it transmits on ANT+ only, so if you plan to use it with your phone rather than with a bike computer, you'd need a dongle. With newer Bluetooth straps, you'll need a phone that's capable of Bluetooth Smart (aka Bluetooth LE, I think the version is 4.0) - most phones produced within the past couple of years have that, but be sure to check.

[Helene2013]

So far, the only one that worked well for me as I have issues with straps, is the Mio Alpha watch. Even my husband who is a fan of the strap no longer wants to use his so I order the Mio Alpha 2 watch (for me) and he's keeping the Alpha watch. Very very satisfied. It links to my kinetic app but it will not work with my Polar CS500+c. But that is ok. I don't need to look all the time at my screen when cycling. It is just a guide for me and not a full-working tool.

Like trainer said... unless you have a heart issue (which is not my case), you do not really need a HR monitor. Your legs will tell you even before your heart that you've had enough.

[ibcycling]

Thanks! I'm more curious about where my heart rate is at while riding and trying to hit the fat burning zone. Not so I terested i. Calories burned and definitely not wanting to wear something around my chest. I have a couple sensitive areas thanks to a mastectomy. A few of my friends are jumping on the Fitbit wagon. It looks interesting but I haven't decided yet.

[Catrin]

Personally I like my Polar HRM strap and watch. I like to be able to track metrics like heart rate, but that is me. I've looked into some wearable options outside of the strap but haven't found anything I like better, or if I do the cost is prohibitive. Thinking about a blue tooth strap so I can ditch the watch - kettlebell lifting is hard on watches.

Good luck with your search. I've heard mixed reviews on the Fitbit from friends who have one, good luck with whatever you decide!

[MollyJ]

I have a Garmin 800 and it has a heart rate monitor. I think heart rate monitoring probably gives a a more accurate calorie burn. I also have used a Polar FT7. Both of these are lower end models but I love the Garmin for the bike because of the miles, the map. My experience with chest straps has been good, both Polar and Garmin. I think the Garmin a little thinner. They both fit right at the level of the lower band of a bra and are pretty innocuous. My heart rate runs 125-151 during rides. It is in the 145-151 range when I am working hard and I cannot sustain the effort that comes with that Heart rate for long. In the language of the Target Heart Rate, I would say that 145-151 is over the 85% of my maximum but since I am 58, all in all I consider that pretty darn good.

[lgibster]

I use the Garmin heart rate monitor with my Garmin 500. I have the softer strap instead of the hard strap. I have never had any issues with mine at all and I ride by my heart rate monitor. My cardiologist suggested riding by heart rate instead of "how if felt" and said to make sure it doesn't stay too high for too long and if it does take a break. I love the Garmin one because it is light weight and I have ridden over 2000 miles on the same strap with no issues.

[Bones8]

I currently use a Garmin 920xt. I was a long time polar user but I'm somewhat happy with the switch. My max hr is much higher, about 205 running, 15 less than that riding. I like using a hrm for calorie burn calculation but also as a coach for my race training. I've made a lot of progress in my running by adhering to zone 3 for the majority of my training. On the bike I am not as good about following a hr based program, but I'll get to it.