Still having HR Monitor issues! HELP!!!

[Jiffer]

Okay, so I posted a few months ago about how I can never get my HR monitor to work properly. I have a Garmin Edge 500, but have had a couple of different 305's and have never had an HR monitor work with any of them. Different straps as well.

I tried some of the things people suggested on my last post. I guess I should search for it to make sure I didn't forget any of them. However, just yesterday I had my biggest hope when I tried the new Garmin HR strap. It's much more comfortable. My husband used to use the lubricant used when you get an ultra sound to make his HR work, but with this strap, he doesn't need it. Plus it gets tighter than the old one, so we had hope. After a lot of messing around with it on me, we finally go it to work WITH the lubricant, but not without. Yay! I was so excited..... until ten minutes into my ride, right when I was going to push my HR up to where my nutritionist wants it to to be at ... it stopped working. At first it wasn't registering at all, but when I pushed on the strap it would register and stay on a long time, but was obviously not giving me accurate numbers. I rode home and put more lubricant on, but it didn't help.

UGH!!! I now need to know my HR more than ever as I recover from some health issues and need to stay in a certain range. I'm wondering if a different lubricant would work better? If there is a wrist band version? As I mentioned in my last post, I'm a full 34D and I feel like my boobs are just getting in the way! I am also tall and think that maybe I have to put the HR monitor lower than most people. It's like my bust is lower than most. For instance, I can't where any top or dress with an empire waist, which like 75 of the dresses out there have (just tried on several today and failed miserably! ).

So I'd REALLY love any advice anyone may have as to how to know my HR. Thanks!

[salsabike]

Have you moved it around at all? By that I mean: I have to wear the recording part not in the center of my chest but on the left side for it to be accurate. If I wear it right in the center I either get totally insane readings or none. Don't ask me why. That's the way it works best for me.

[Kiwi Stoker]

You didn't ride near large electrical lines or another person wearing a HR monitor. Mine always goes haywire near electircal pylons and anyone elses. Even though mine is coded the signals often cause issues.

I too have a 34D bust and tuck mine a bit under my bra band (and they are underwire too). I wonder if you have enough salt in your sweat to conduct properly....

There is one brand of HR monitor that takes it from your fingers, however you have to hold two buttons- that's OK for the gym or runners, but not so good for the bike.

[Velocivixen]

Prior to my weight loss I wore a size 44I bra and now 32DD and I have consistently worn a Polar FT40 and LOVE it. The watch part and the snap on transmitter (snaps into the chest strap) both have batteries that you can change yourself (vs sending to the factory). The strap is machine washable, the unit is coded so as not to get signals from others.
I finally had to order a new, smaller strap to keep it fitting snugly. The strap has two spots that you get wet with water. You enter your age, weight, height, and gender and you can set it to tell you either heart rate or a percentage of your maximum heart rate. It also tells calories burned, which is primarily what I use it for.
Sorry I can't help with your Garmin. If it's that frustrating I'd try something else.

[pll]

Sounds so frustrating. Polar sells a sports bra that has the sensor built in. The reviews suggest it works well for cycling, but not for sports where your torso moves around a lot. Sizing is an issue (a review specifically mentions working with a tailor to fit a 34D). Perhaps you can rig a "frankenbra" by attaching the sensor to a bra that fits snugly?

I haven't used a heart rate monitor in a while, but I hated the strap. I would get strange readings all the time, and I'm at the opposite side of the spectrum in the cup size.

[nscrbug]

I use the Garmin Edge 500 too. While I haven't experienced total non-function of the HRM...I do think that mine is not accurately recording my HR. It seems that regardless of my effort or length of ride, my average HR always comes in around 108bpm. I could be pedaling my *** off, and my HR never seems to go above 117...no matter what I do. It's been very frustrating...so I totally can relate to your situation, Jiffer.

I've been toying with the idea of trying the Garmin FR60 model, just to see if I get a different (more accurate) reading.

[Jiffer]

Have you moved it around at all?

Yes, I have tried it on my left side, my right side, on my back, above my chest. It worked above my chest until I bent down in cycling position. I'm about to try it again. Maybe if I find "just the right spot" to the left.

Maybe I need a different bra. Maybe I can find one that "lifts" my girls more and maybe that will help, particularly if I somehow sew the strap into it. The strap itself is pretty comfortable, much more so than the last two Garmin straps, and it fits more snugly on the tightest setting than the others.

I'm really hesitant to switch to Polar, cause I love my Garmin in all other ways. It does so much and I'm used to it. I've never really looked into Polar, so I guess I should at least do that. I suppose I could have TWO devices attached to my bike, and that doesn't count the power meter I've been wanting! Hey ... I just realized, maybe if I don't get my HR monitor working, I can get a power meter and figure out how to use that instead. Seems like I'd have to go to a coach with a trainer and a way to actually figure out my heart rate for that one time at least, so he can tell me what my power output is when I'm in the HR range I need to be. Hmmm. Sounds complicated. And power meters are not cheap.

I did send Garmin an email last night asking for help from them. We'll see what they say.

For today, I figured if I wait to put the electrode gel on until I'm ready to roll, maybe that will help. Yesterday I had it on for a long time with it seeming to work before I actually got on the bike. I don't know if my sweat changed it or what, but I was only riding easy for 10 minutes and wasn't sweating much at all when it started acting funny. At any rate, I'm going to at least see if I can find out what it feels like for me to ride in the 135-140 range before the monitor stops working. I really have no idea what that's like for me. If I can do that, at least I can "ride by feel" until I figure out my HR monitor issue.

Or maybe get the finger one someone mentioned. Then I can at least check it every now and then, even though it sounds like a pain. Anyway, keep the suggestions coming! Thanks!

[m.eliza]

Mine started malfunctioning once when I put my iPod in a pocket on my jacket that was right on top of the HR transmitter. I'm guessing you don't ride with music in your ears, but do you carry any other electronic devices that might interfere with the signal?

[pll]

Here's another thought, since you already by electrode gel (which I assume is not easy): take one of the straps apart. There has to be a sensor with a battery attached. Perhaps you can tape the thing to your chest, directly, instead of using a strap?

[Jiffer]

IT WORKED!!!

When I first put it on today it immediately registered consistently, instead of turning on and off like yesterday, and the numbers made sense, unlike yesterday before I put gel on. So I decided to take the gel with me and see how things went first without it. After 10 min of easy riding with HR working fine, I was in the same spot as yesterday when I was about to ride harder. I looked down and HR was not registering AGAIN. Ugh! I looked up and saw power lines and thought, "Hmmm, maybe Kiwi Stoker is right. Maybe the power lines affect it." So, I rode to a place that was away from the power lines and on the way there it registered intermittently and the numbers it showed were too low.

However, when I got to the road I wanted to push harder on, I pulled over and put on the electrode gel, a good amount, and my HR immediately registered and seemed accurate. When I started riding harder, it started going up, but seemed to stop at 115 even though I started pushing at an interval effort to get the thing to go up. Well, finally it seemed to be registering properly and I realized I needed to be patient with it. It shows my HR from like 30 seconds before and when I took off faster, it took a while to catch up. Once I stayed at a moderate pace for a while it began to stay at a consistent HR that made sense to me.

Eventually I turned back around and went back the same way I came to see if it would act up around the power lines. It did not. I'm not entirely sure what was different about today than yesterday, other than I started with a very small amount of gel initially yesterday ... and after I added more, maybe I wasn't patient enough at a higher effort to see the proper HR. I thought I was, but maybe not. I was afraid to go too hard for too long, per my instructions not to ride hard.

So, I don't know what will happen the NEXT time I use it, but hopefully I've got it all figured out now. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW, Dh did some research and found that bra with the built in strap. I was planning on ordering it today if my HR didn't work, but since it did, I'll see if it continues to work. If I start having trouble again, I'll probably try that next. Thanks for all your comments. I'll let you know if it works again tomorrow. It was FUN going for what felt like a respectable paced ride. Faster than I've been riding lately, but I didn't feel like I was over doing it. Averaged 15.1 during the section I stayed at 135-140. Well, it was a bit over that a lot. It was actually hard to keep it below 140, especially when it's not showing me what my HR is right NOW. I have to learn to work with it better. And MAN what a difference even a small grade makes. I went like 12 mph up a 1-2% grade and 19-20 mph down that same grade coming back! All at about the same HR. This is all new and exciting for me to actually know my HR and see what it does on different grades. Woo hoo!!!

[Jiffer]

HR worked again today. Sweet! I figured a new thing out today, too. When I started riding harder it was taking forever to register a higher HR. After about 2 minutes, I moved the monitor over to the left just slightly, like an inch, and it immediately started registering a higher HR. I had assumed, per yesterday's ride, and the beginning of today's, that it just takes a while for my HR to change and then even longer for the computer to register it, but Dh says it should be within a few seconds and demonstrated how his was working that quickly. Once I moved my strap over just a tad, mine registers much more quickly. So now I'm fine tuning exactly how to make this thing work for me. Yay!!! Maybe it will help someone else.

So for me, 5'9", 34D with what I would say a lower than average bust line ... this is what works for me:

- Garmin Edge 500
- Newest Garmin soft strap (I believe it just came out.)
- Strap on tightest setting
- Moved slightly to the left, about an inch from center
- Generous amount of Electrode Gel (which Dh ordered from the internet somewhere. It's used to do ultra sounds. I've heard of other people using other kinds of gels, ointments, or even just water to wet sensors. Haven't tried those, so can't comment).

I'm LOVING knowing my HR finally, after five years of riding! And I realized today that when Dh rides with me, he can set his computer to see my HR and when he's pulling, he'll know how hard to pull by watching my HR. Sweet!

[nscrbug]

HR worked again today. Sweet! I figured a new thing out today, too. When I started riding harder it was taking forever to register a higher HR. After about 2 minutes, I moved the monitor over to the left just slightly, like an inch, and it immediately started registering a higher HR. I had assumed, per yesterday's ride, and the beginning of today's, that it just takes a while for my HR to change and then even longer for the computer to register it, but Dh says it should be within a few seconds and demonstrated how his was working that quickly. Once I moved my strap over just a tad, mine registers much more quickly. So now I'm fine tuning exactly how to make this thing work for me. Yay!!! Maybe it will help someone else.

So for me, 5'9", 34D with what I would say a lower than average bust line ... this is what works for me:

- Garmin Edge 500
- Newest Garmin soft strap (I believe it just came out.)
- Strap on tightest setting
- Moved slightly to the left, about an inch from center
- Generous amount of Electrode Gel (which Dh ordered from the internet somewhere. It's used to do ultra sounds. I've heard of other people using other kinds of gels, ointments, or even just water to wet sensors. Haven't tried those, so can't comment).

I'm LOVING knowing my HR finally, after five years of riding! And I realized today that when Dh rides with me, he can set his computer to see my HR and when he's pulling, he'll know how hard to pull by watching my HR. Sweet!

Now THAT is very cool!!! What computer does your DH have, that enables him to look at someone else's HR? And congrats on figuring out how to make it work for you.

[Jiffer]

Now THAT is very cool!!! What computer does your DH have, that enables him to look at someone else's HR? And congrats on figuring out how to make it work for you.

Same as mine, Garmine Edge 500. We haven't actually set it to do it yet, so unless he's mistaken, I think you can tell any Garmin bike computer to find a heart rate signal and, as long as his HR monitor is nowhere around, it should pick up mine ... in addition to my Garmin. I'll let you know how it goes when we do it. Maybe Monday.

[Blueberry]

Same as mine, Garmine Edge 500. We haven't actually set it to do it yet, so unless he's mistaken, I think you can tell any Garmin bike computer to find a heart rate signal and, as long as his HR monitor is nowhere around, it should pick up mine ... in addition to my Garmin. I'll let you know how it goes when we do it. Maybe Monday.

Should work - I've had 2 Garmin devices reading my HR at the same time (was playing around with them). Of course, if he's looking for accurate calorie info for himself, it would kinda screw that up.....

Still - glad it's working. I'm making do with the old rubber strap. I have the new-old soft strap, and get a lot of drop outs. I'll upgrade to the new version at some point.

[Velocivixen]

@Jiffer, I'm so happy it's finally working for you! I know that when I was running a lot my Polar would register "0" if the spots on the strap were not wet enough or if my strap was not tight enough. Very frustrating. I even stopped a few times, looked around to make sure the coast was clear, pulled up my shirt enough to remove the strap, dipped the strap into a mud puddle for water (yuk), lifted my shirt enough to put it back on. Real fun stuff!

I like the idea of moving it to the left an inch or so also. Thanks for your persistence and for sharing so we can all learn.