What kind of HRM do you recommend?

bullpen58
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bullpen58
Edited Date/Time 1/21/2012 11:47am
I have used several models and have had the best luck with Polar brand but I get cornfused when looking at vast array of models to choose from.

I mainly use mine for cycling and moto but occassionally attempt to "run" as well. I don't mind if it does not have a cycling feature because I use a cyclocomputer on my bike for that (but I wouldn't mind if it does both). I like the idea of having a GPS to measure lap times when riding moto and an altimeter to measure climbs on the bike but it gets REALLY pricey. I'm not exactly training for the olympics here. lol. Any help you can provide is much appreciated.
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gsxrcr28
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gsxrcr28 6/2/2011 6:54pm
6/2/2011 6:54pm
Omron HR-100C

Works great and inexpensive.
Crossup
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Crossup 6/2/2011 6:56pm
6/2/2011 6:56pm
Polar is a very good product. Look at the CS500 for the all encompassing cycling HRM.
KnightStick
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KnightStick 6/2/2011 7:05pm
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If you've got a smartphone, check out the endomondo app - the free version is pretty darn good

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skidsteer16
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skidsteer16 6/2/2011 7:10pm
6/2/2011 7:10pm Edited Date/Time 6/2/2011 10:45pm
I have a Garmin forerunner 210 for running/mx/mtb and a Garmin edge 305 w/cadence sensor for my road bike.

My brother and dad also use Garmins and we all love 'em.

If you're at all serious about training or even just a fan of cool tech you should give a GPS HRM a try. Being able to keep an online profile where you can analyze all your training/progression is awesome.

You can monitor so much stuff... check it out...Garmin Connect
sxf138
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sxf138 6/2/2011 9:23pm
6/2/2011 9:23pm
Polar IMO... Haven't tried any other ones though
FlickitFlat
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FlickitFlat 6/2/2011 9:42pm
6/2/2011 9:42pm
I have a Garmen forerunner 405. I'm not into tech stuff as far as gadgets and phones go and this thing has a lot of bells and whistles. It fucked up a good 4 or 5 jogs for me before I figured it out. I now have it simplified because the only info I want is time counting up. distance because it does have GPS and HR. I now have just that and have it programed to beep at 15, 20, 25, 28 and 30 minutes because my normal jog is 30 minutes plus 2 laps, Har!
As far as downloading and reviewing the information it could not be easier. The 405 has a key for a USB port and it downloads to computer wireless. I do nothing more than take it off, put it on the charger and view the info on the computer when ever I want. As Skidsteer said, you need to check out Garmin Connect. The info you get is pretty cool and it does add fun to your workout regimen by being able to analyse and compare your effort and progress.
bullpen58
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bullpen58 6/2/2011 10:33pm
6/2/2011 10:33pm
Thanks everyone. Gonna check out the Garmin options. I didn't know they made anything other than GPS things.
DrSweden
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DrSweden 6/3/2011 8:06am
6/3/2011 8:06am
shanhard wrote:
+1 on the Garmin Forerunner 405
+2 on that. I have the older 305 which works as well I think, but it's ugly and bigger. But amazing to get lap times on any given track without any delay. I used it this weekend and met a faster rider that was very happy with his. He told me a friend of his rec him to buy it. That friend is my friend and I showed him mine a year ago and he bought his as a consequence of that! Smile

Anyway this faster rider beat me with more than 10 seconds per lap. I guess there's a downside to knowing the truth of lap times as well! Sad
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FlickitFlat 6/3/2011 2:16pm
6/3/2011 2:16pm
shanhard wrote:
+1 on the Garmin Forerunner 405
DrSweden wrote:
+2 on that. I have the older 305 which works as well I think, but it's ugly and bigger. But amazing to get lap times on...
+2 on that. I have the older 305 which works as well I think, but it's ugly and bigger. But amazing to get lap times on any given track without any delay. I used it this weekend and met a faster rider that was very happy with his. He told me a friend of his rec him to buy it. That friend is my friend and I showed him mine a year ago and he bought his as a consequence of that! Smile

Anyway this faster rider beat me with more than 10 seconds per lap. I guess there's a downside to knowing the truth of lap times as well! Sad
Do you mind sharing a small description of how you guys do lap times on a bike with it? I've never worn mine while riding but thought I would try it sometime. I was just curious about Heart Rate and seeing if there was a HR zone I could find in order to ride longer without fatigue. Kind of like upper fat burn, lower aerobic zone while jogging. I thought about trying to do lap times but really never gave much thought into how to accomplish doing so.
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FlickitFlat 6/3/2011 2:25pm
6/3/2011 2:25pm
bullpen58 wrote:
Thanks everyone. Gonna check out the Garmin options. I didn't know they made anything other than GPS things.
Here is a cool thing my sister does with hers using Garmin Connect. My brother in law is currently in Afghanistan and she is in the states. They jog and train together while not deployed. They do half marathons ect. Well he found a good route that he is able jog around his base. I guess it has a lot of hills and trails that he takes with a lot of climbs and decents. Well somehow he shares the trails that he runs with her. Via the GPS he gets all the ups and downs distance ect. She takes that and puts into her treadmill. I guess it raises, lowers and everything in order to match what he does. Only difference is she gets to look at the sun shining on the bay. Kinda one of those crazy cool things.
bullpen58
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bullpen58 6/3/2011 4:45pm
6/3/2011 4:45pm
bullpen58 wrote:
Thanks everyone. Gonna check out the Garmin options. I didn't know they made anything other than GPS things.
FlickitFlat wrote:
Here is a cool thing my sister does with hers using Garmin Connect. My brother in law is currently in Afghanistan and she is in the...
Here is a cool thing my sister does with hers using Garmin Connect. My brother in law is currently in Afghanistan and she is in the states. They jog and train together while not deployed. They do half marathons ect. Well he found a good route that he is able jog around his base. I guess it has a lot of hills and trails that he takes with a lot of climbs and decents. Well somehow he shares the trails that he runs with her. Via the GPS he gets all the ups and downs distance ect. She takes that and puts into her treadmill. I guess it raises, lowers and everything in order to match what he does. Only difference is she gets to look at the sun shining on the bay. Kinda one of those crazy cool things.
VERY cool. Thanks for sharing.
DrSweden
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DrSweden 6/6/2011 9:55am
6/6/2011 9:55am
shanhard wrote:
+1 on the Garmin Forerunner 405
DrSweden wrote:
+2 on that. I have the older 305 which works as well I think, but it's ugly and bigger. But amazing to get lap times on...
+2 on that. I have the older 305 which works as well I think, but it's ugly and bigger. But amazing to get lap times on any given track without any delay. I used it this weekend and met a faster rider that was very happy with his. He told me a friend of his rec him to buy it. That friend is my friend and I showed him mine a year ago and he bought his as a consequence of that! Smile

Anyway this faster rider beat me with more than 10 seconds per lap. I guess there's a downside to knowing the truth of lap times as well! Sad
FlickitFlat wrote:
Do you mind sharing a small description of how you guys do lap times on a bike with it? I've never worn mine while riding but...
Do you mind sharing a small description of how you guys do lap times on a bike with it? I've never worn mine while riding but thought I would try it sometime. I was just curious about Heart Rate and seeing if there was a HR zone I could find in order to ride longer without fatigue. Kind of like upper fat burn, lower aerobic zone while jogging. I thought about trying to do lap times but really never gave much thought into how to accomplish doing so.
Sure: This is a bit complex, and doesn't really make sense maybe, but with these settings your watch is going to work. I have tried to ask Garmin forums, even talked to Garmin but seems some of their employees are clueless in knowing their own products as in getting details, so we found out by trial and error.

I don't know if all these settings are crucial, but you better have it set up the same to make sure.

Under "General", "data recording" chose "smart recording"

Set the sport to "bike" under "biking", and stick to that since some settings you do are related to the bike settings. If you want to jogg, you can do a diff setup. Then under the "bike settings" you choose mph/kph to see the fastest lap or average speed for each lap.

Then under "training", "training options", "auto lap" use "by position", and also "lap press only". If you choose lap press only you will get the lap times by first press start on the surface of the watch which starts the timer, then you go to the spot on the track where you want your lap times to be calculated, and it's very important that you chose a spot on the track that's isolated from another part of the track, because the watch finds your position with an estimate, and if you are passing close to this point going the opposite direction your lap times will be screwed up by the watch thinking you are doing a lap. Some guy at Garmin said the watch needs a 60 ft zone, but it feels a bit more accurate than that.

If you instead use "start and lap" under "auto lap" and also keep "by position" you lap spot will be calculated at the point where you press the "start button" on the surface of the watch. No need to press "lap" on the surface then. Some have it set up this way, I have it the other way because the next time I go out on the track I have noticed some issues. Before the next session I always reset the lap mark and time by holding down the lap button for 5 seconds, so yesterday when I rode I got 6 sessions with about 7-8 laps each were the first lap and last lap always get's toasted because of the lap settings. If you can press the lap just before the exit of the track (meaning you go almost a complete lap without pressing the lap button), the last lap will be ok, but since I always press the lap button entering the track which is further away from the exit, the last lap newer gets completed....

Anyway, you need to figure some things out for yourself, and there's a lot of questions unanswered but I think with the above settings and my instructions you should get some figures but you have to get a feel for it for yourself. Test it in the parking lot with the car maybe before testing on the track?

Good luck and let me know how it went.
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FlickitFlat 6/6/2011 11:23am
6/6/2011 11:23am
DrSweden wrote:
+2 on that. I have the older 305 which works as well I think, but it's ugly and bigger. But amazing to get lap times on...
+2 on that. I have the older 305 which works as well I think, but it's ugly and bigger. But amazing to get lap times on any given track without any delay. I used it this weekend and met a faster rider that was very happy with his. He told me a friend of his rec him to buy it. That friend is my friend and I showed him mine a year ago and he bought his as a consequence of that! Smile

Anyway this faster rider beat me with more than 10 seconds per lap. I guess there's a downside to knowing the truth of lap times as well! Sad
FlickitFlat wrote:
Do you mind sharing a small description of how you guys do lap times on a bike with it? I've never worn mine while riding but...
Do you mind sharing a small description of how you guys do lap times on a bike with it? I've never worn mine while riding but thought I would try it sometime. I was just curious about Heart Rate and seeing if there was a HR zone I could find in order to ride longer without fatigue. Kind of like upper fat burn, lower aerobic zone while jogging. I thought about trying to do lap times but really never gave much thought into how to accomplish doing so.
DrSweden wrote:
Sure: This is a bit complex, and doesn't really make sense maybe, but with these settings your watch is going to work. I have tried to...
Sure: This is a bit complex, and doesn't really make sense maybe, but with these settings your watch is going to work. I have tried to ask Garmin forums, even talked to Garmin but seems some of their employees are clueless in knowing their own products as in getting details, so we found out by trial and error.

I don't know if all these settings are crucial, but you better have it set up the same to make sure.

Under "General", "data recording" chose "smart recording"

Set the sport to "bike" under "biking", and stick to that since some settings you do are related to the bike settings. If you want to jogg, you can do a diff setup. Then under the "bike settings" you choose mph/kph to see the fastest lap or average speed for each lap.

Then under "training", "training options", "auto lap" use "by position", and also "lap press only". If you choose lap press only you will get the lap times by first press start on the surface of the watch which starts the timer, then you go to the spot on the track where you want your lap times to be calculated, and it's very important that you chose a spot on the track that's isolated from another part of the track, because the watch finds your position with an estimate, and if you are passing close to this point going the opposite direction your lap times will be screwed up by the watch thinking you are doing a lap. Some guy at Garmin said the watch needs a 60 ft zone, but it feels a bit more accurate than that.

If you instead use "start and lap" under "auto lap" and also keep "by position" you lap spot will be calculated at the point where you press the "start button" on the surface of the watch. No need to press "lap" on the surface then. Some have it set up this way, I have it the other way because the next time I go out on the track I have noticed some issues. Before the next session I always reset the lap mark and time by holding down the lap button for 5 seconds, so yesterday when I rode I got 6 sessions with about 7-8 laps each were the first lap and last lap always get's toasted because of the lap settings. If you can press the lap just before the exit of the track (meaning you go almost a complete lap without pressing the lap button), the last lap will be ok, but since I always press the lap button entering the track which is further away from the exit, the last lap newer gets completed....

Anyway, you need to figure some things out for yourself, and there's a lot of questions unanswered but I think with the above settings and my instructions you should get some figures but you have to get a feel for it for yourself. Test it in the parking lot with the car maybe before testing on the track?

Good luck and let me know how it went.
Thanks, That is exactly why I asked. I will print that off, follow your instructions and give it a try. I wonder if it will save my settings, for instance each time I go to bike mode it has these settings set and visa versa when i go back to jogging mode? Have you had any trouble with the HR portion working with the watch fastened to the crossbar? I thought that might be easier on me as well as the watch if I mounted it there.
DrSweden
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DrSweden 6/6/2011 1:49pm
6/6/2011 1:49pm
FlickitFlat wrote:
Thanks, That is exactly why I asked. I will print that off, follow your instructions and give it a try. I wonder if it will save...
Thanks, That is exactly why I asked. I will print that off, follow your instructions and give it a try. I wonder if it will save my settings, for instance each time I go to bike mode it has these settings set and visa versa when i go back to jogging mode? Have you had any trouble with the HR portion working with the watch fastened to the crossbar? I thought that might be easier on me as well as the watch if I mounted it there.
Good. Come to think of it, I'm afraid you will just keep the kph/mph thing with diff as in jogging or biking. I dunno about putting the watch to the crossbar. I have though about this as well since it's pretty bulky on the arm, dunno about the distance being to far? I fear the vibrations etc might damage the watch, but maybe it's the same sitting on the arm?

Just attache the HR to wife etc and see how far you can go before loosing signal?
FlickitFlat
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FlickitFlat 6/6/2011 3:10pm
6/6/2011 3:10pm
I just have a girlfriend and I'm pretty sure she is heartless. I'd have better luck seeing what kind of RPM the dog is running. I seriously never thought about the vibrations and possible damage to the watch. I might rethink that idea.

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