Heart Monitor and bra

[cherinyc]

I have been trying to figure out what the best HRM would be for me, so I am glad to see this thread. There is just so much out there, and such a range of prices. I have a tendency to bore of things quickly as well, so I don't want to spend too much $$$.
What do the more expensive HR monitors tell you that the cheaper ones don't?

[mimitabby]

Cheri i think one of the things you are paying for is accuracy.

[cherinyc]

hmmm interesting. I would've thought that accuracy would be a given. What good is a heart rate monitor if it's not monitoring...my heart rate accurately? might as well just be a watch then.

[Fredwina]

Cheri,
I think accuracay vis a vis the Hr displayed is a given, It's just the more accurate have more features
As an example,
I wound up with both a Polar F4 and F6
The f4 will do all the "usual" stuff, like beep at you when you're too slow or too fast. It also does calories, but can only monitor one zone at a time .During the course of ridie, I may be in several trianing zones.
The F6 has a backlight, and a more accurate algorithim to determine your BMR(calorie burn) and your target zones. You can supposdley download the info from it, and it has a coded Strap. The non coded straps can pick your nieghbor's pacemaker, or High Voltage power could throw them off. The more expensive Polars have an "even Better" strap, and can do more things
So it's more what do you want to do and what do want to spend?

[love2bike]

Thanks for the suggestions ladies....In talking to a friend today, she said there is sometimes a problem in spin classes where your monitor will pick up the heart rate of the person next to you, if they have the same brand of transmiller that you do??? Is this true?

[susanm8048]

When I was running longer distances, I would use place the chest strap just below the bottom of my underwired sports bra. I find it needs to be quite tight to to get a reliable reading. It would chaffe after a couple of hours which was REALLY uncomfortable. Bodyglide around the area before the run did the trick. Likewise I put it on my feet to avoid blisters.

It is good stuff!

[Fredwina]

Thanks for the suggestions ladies....In talking to a friend today, she said there is sometimes a problem in spin classes where your monitor will pick up the heart rate of the person next to you, if they have the same brand of transmiller that you do??? Is this true?

Yes, that could happen with a non-coded Transmitter, like the F4 has. The coded ones supposedly ellminate the problem.

[emily_in_nc]

Yes, that could happen with a non-coded Transmitter, like the F4 has. The coded ones supposedly ellminate the problem.

Yes, I have a coded Polar HRM (Model #S210), and it is great if you are riding next to others, so you don't pick up each other's readings. I really like this model, though it is a bit more complex than I need most of the time (lap timers and the like). All I really use is the average HR, max HR, time in each zone, and calories burned. It has always worked flawlessly for riding or hiking (I've had it for at least 1.5 years), and I too just tuck the strap under the band of my sports bra.

Highly recommended!

Emily

[alpinerabbit]

The non coded straps can pick your nieghbor's pacemaker, or High Voltage power could throw them off.

I have a coded transmitter and the fabric "wear link".
It gets thrown off when I ride or run near a railway line anyway, and also in a crowded spinning room. So much for the coding.
Right now I think it's broken as it reads nothing at all or an imaginary value.

I like the idea of putting it on "above the girls".