Arm HR monitor

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
I'm tired of the inaccuracy/ dropping out of my Tomtom Spark 3 watch and am thinking about going back to a GPS computer. I hate chest HR meters and was wondering anyone uses an arm HR strap and if so which one and how do they find the accuracy? I've read plenty of reviews but they're mainly by people who gym or indoor train with them. DC Rainmaker did a good review and questioned whether they be that good outside cycling....
Thinking either the Wahoo TickR FIT or Polar OH1 but the OH1 is only bluetooth and not Ant+
 

caad9

Likes Bikes and Dirt
My mate has been using a Mio Fuse for around 18 months with no issue.

Similar to Power Meters, there is a lot of variance between devices so being consistent with itself is the bit that matters
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
I used a mio velo which worked great (wrist based). I also have a tom tom spark and it is a bit patchy at best. The only issue i've had with e mio is a corroded charging pin which was a bit of a nightmare to fix.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
I used a mio velo which worked great (wrist based). I also have a tom tom spark and it is a bit patchy at best. The only issue i've had with e mio is a corroded charging pin which was a bit of a nightmare to fix.
Better than the Spark then? My Spark is far too erratic. I'll get to the top of a climb with my pulse banging away in my head so I know I'm ovver 170 and it says 80bpm....

I was using a Scosche Rhythm+ https://www.scosche.com/rhythm-plus-heart-rate-monitor-armband with reasonable results but only had an old Garmin chesty for comparison so can't really comment on accuracy. It was winter when I was last using it so being covered with an arm warmer may have helped it's reliability some what.
I looked at those too, and they sound great, but they're quite pricey. The 24 is anyway...
 

cokeonspecialtwodollars

Fartes of Portingale
Picked mine up in a clearance bin at JB HiFi some years back from memory it was only something like $40 or $50 but yeah the new ones are a bit dearer, 24hr claimed battery life on the Rhythm24 is interesting.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Picked mine up in a clearance bin at JB HiFi some years back from memory it was only something like $40 or $50 but yeah the new ones are a bit dearer, 24hr claimed battery life on the Rhythm24 is interesting.
Yep. The Wahoo is claiming 30hrs..
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Better than the Spark then? My Spark is far too erratic. I'll get to the top of a climb with my pulse banging away in my head so I know I'm ovver 170 and it says 80bpm....
Yep. The main benefit of the mio velo is that it is designed specifically to measure heart rate and only that nothing else. No watch face or anything. I find with the spark it's too wide and sometimes light seeps in when I bend my wrist in certain ways. The mio velo is much more narrow and isn't as badly affected by this. However unlike chest hrms, you do have to charge them once per handful of rides - another device to charge.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Yep. The main benefit of the mio velo is that it is designed specifically to measure heart rate and only that nothing else. No watch face or anything. I find with the spark it's too wide and sometimes light seeps in when I bend my wrist in certain ways. The mio velo is much more narrow and isn't as badly affected by this. However unlike chest hrms, you do have to charge them once per handful of rides - another device to charge.
I agree about the Spark. Anything where you are changing wrist positions and it becomes highly erratic. That's good to know about the Mio though as the reviews aren't all that favourable. Do you get a decent ride out of it though before needing to charge it though?
 

cokeonspecialtwodollars

Fartes of Portingale
Yep. The main benefit of the mio velo is that it is designed specifically to measure heart rate and only that nothing else. No watch face or anything. I find with the spark it's too wide and sometimes light seeps in when I bend my wrist in certain ways. The mio velo is much more narrow and isn't as badly affected by this. However unlike chest hrms, you do have to charge them once per handful of rides - another device to charge.
Scosche is the same, no visual interface apart from a charging LED and all it does is measure your heart rate, I usually wear mine either just above or just below the elbow on the inside of my arm. Have only ever used it during night rides in Winter so not sure how much it is effected by stray light, you could always wrap a neoprene band or similar around if it was being erratic. Regarding the battery life I charged it after ever ride but was comfortably getting data on five to six hour rides.
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
I agree about the Spark. Anything where you are changing wrist positions and it becomes highly erratic. That's good to know about the Mio though as the reviews aren't all that favourable. Do you get a decent ride out of it though before needing to charge it though?
There are quite a few mio varieties and I had a look at some of the ones with a physical interface and yeah I can see where they would stuff up. I have the mio velo and I wear it sitting just above the ulnar lump end of the arm. As for the reviews, it's a pretty old design so assume most of it would be compatibility issues with phone. The hrm lasts maybe 10 I'd guess.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Scosche is the same, no visual interface apart from a charging LED and all it does is measure your heart rate, I usually wear mine either just above or just below the elbow on the inside of my arm. Have only ever used it during night rides in Winter so not sure how much it is effected by stray light, you could always wrap a neoprene band or similar around if it was being erratic. Regarding the battery life I charged it after ever ride but was comfortably getting data on five to six hour rides.
I do like the look and idea of the Scosche for sure. Just the price. Especially the new 24 with multiple LEDS for HR zones and battery life

There are quite a few mio varieties and I had a look at some of the ones with a physical interface and yeah I can see where they would stuff up. I have the mio velo and I wear it sitting just above the ulnar lump end of the arm. As for the reviews, it's a pretty old design so assume most of it would be compatibility issues with phone. The hrm lasts maybe 10 I'd guess.
Where do you wear it? Above your wrist or higher?
 

poita

Likes Dirt
I jumped on the original scosche rhythm + bandwagon from chest straps as soon as it was released for exactly the reasons you are describing. Heavy use and I still get about 6 hours out of it. Pretty good considering it only lasted 8 at the start. The most accurate HR monitor I have ever used. Have swapped between wrist, forearm and bicep. Only interference was when it was too lose on a bicep and my bingo wings flapped around through rock gardens. Does need to be firm, but not uncomfortable. Have crashed heavily with it on the inside of my forearm and the strap barely scuffed. My arm was shredded. It has the most accurate optical HR available on earth today. If I was you I'd just spring the coin for the rhythm 24, especially considering the firmware updates that are rumoured to increase battery life further!
 

wilso1

Likes Bikes
Not quite what you're asking, but......
I use a Garmin 235 and have broadcast the heart rate from that to the Garmin computer. You can't use any of the other watch functions (mainly GPS) while it is in broadcast mode, but you would have those figures on your computer. 235s can be bought for $200 second hand.
Alternatively just use the watch as your HR & GPS tracker. Claimed battery life in that mode is 9 hours, but I've never ridden long enough to test that.
I find that when running or riding the HR is pretty accurate, but when doing gym classes it doesn't seem as accurate (in that I feel I'm working harder than it says).
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Not quite what you're asking, but......
I use a Garmin 235 and have broadcast the heart rate from that to the Garmin computer. You can't use any of the other watch functions (mainly GPS) while it is in broadcast mode, but you would have those figures on your computer. 235s can be bought for $200 second hand.
Alternatively just use the watch as your HR & GPS tracker. Claimed battery life in that mode is 9 hours, but I've never ridden long enough to test that.
I find that when running or riding the HR is pretty accurate, but when doing gym classes it doesn't seem as accurate (in that I feel I'm working harder than it says).
It's the HR on the watch that's the problem and what I want to get rid of. I find it highly inaccurate while riding. Probably due to how much your wrists move during riding I'm presuming and it breaks contact/lets light through??. I like the idea of an arm band where it will stay flat to the skin more easily. Chest straps are a pain in my experience anyway...
 

ForkinGreat

Knows his Brassica oleracea
I've got a Wahoo Tickr chest strap HR paired with an Elemnt Bolt - seems fine. been running trouble free with me, no drop-outs or glitchy readings I can ever recall. Strap is comfortable, stays in place.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
I've got a Wahoo Tickr chest strap HR paired with an Elemnt Bolt - seems fine. been running trouble free with me, no drop-outs or glitchy readings I can ever recall. Strap is comfortable, stays in place.
I'm leaning towards the Wahoo FIT. Otherwise the TickR always reviews well.
 
Top