noglider 

I got a Coo Spo heart rate monitor because they were well reviewed. The instructions are awful, and web searches don't help much.

First, I thought I would be able to put it on and just get a reading from the thing. I would like this without recording but recording is OK.

So I downloaded an app -- I have an iphone -- called FITIV. It was too expensive, and it's a disgraceful eyesore. And it shouts at me all the time, though I figured out how to shut that up. It's a subscription (ugh!) so I'll cancel it. The good thing is that it sent the data to Strava so it was as if I started Strava on my ride.

But that's not my recording app. I use ridewithgps. I did manage to add the heart monitor as a sensor but it doesn't seem to be getting any data.

Any suggestions?

Iride01 

Bluetooth? If you can check to see if the bluetooth actually has a connection to your phone while you are doing and recording an activity. If you have a phone that actually has Ant+, then try that instead if you have that option with the HR strap.

I'm assuming you are using the RWGPS app so I have no idea what the app will and wont do. So make sure your app is supposed to support that. I do use RWGPS's website for comparing my data. They've always responded very quickly to questions I ask them.

However it will be likely that you'll be the first to ever ask them about that brand so help might just seem like a brush off.

adamrice 

I've found with the RwGPS app that I need to be wearing the HRM before starting a ride for it to register (which is reasonable—who's going to start a ride and then put on their chest band?). I've also had one occasion where the app stopped receiving a signal mid-ride (after I stopped for lunch, which might be related somehow): my heart rate was showing as "--". I ended the ride and started another one, which did the trick.

Also, I think there's a two-step process to registering the strap: first in Settings > Bluetooth, then in RwGPS > More > Settings. It's been a while since I set my own up, and may be misremembering.

canklecat

If it's a standard Bluetooth/ANT+ heart rate monitor, it should pair with your phone like any Bluetooth device. But pairing a new device can sometimes take a few tries. Usually once it's paired it'll do so automagically every use.

Sometimes I'll get interference from my WiFi router, but as long as I'm in another room while pairing my heart rate monitor, speed and cadence sensors, etc., there's no problem. I moved my router from the living room to bedroom, which solved that problem, since I'm usually in the living room prepping for a run or ride.

Usually when I have trouble pairing my Wahoo Tickr with my phone it's because another device has latched onto the Tickr's Bluetooth signal. Unlike ANT+ which can share with more than one receiver, Bluetooth can only hitch with one device at a time. So occasionally if I've used my old iPhone to record my indoor trainer sessions, it'll glom onto the Tickr until I remember to disable Bluetooth on the iPhone. Then I can pair it with my usual Android phone.

That's not a problem with most wireless bike computers because they are compatible with both Bluetooth and ANT+. So I can share my heart rate monitor with my phone via Bluetooth and XOSS G+ computer via ANT+.

Regarding apps, I prefer the free Wahoo Fitness app for almost all of my activities. It's lower resource drain than Strava and far more reliable for realtime recording. After a workout I'll sync the Wahoo log to Strava. Another advantage is Wahoo Fitness logs are pretty close to permanent reference files. Strava, not so much. For example, if I crop the beginning and end of a ride, run or walk to omit the 15 minutes I was piddling around in my apartment, I can do so in Strava without touching the original source log in Wahoo Fitness. If there's a glitch after cropping in Strava and my entire log is screwed up, no biggie -- I just delete that Strava log and resync from Wahoo Fitness. No can do if my only source is in Strava. Once a Strava log has been cropped, it's irreversible.

I tried Map My Ride, Ride With GPS and a few other cycling apps a few years ago and didn't really get along with them. The only other app I liked, besides Wahoo Fitness and Strava, was Cyclemeter.

I do use Map My Run and Map My Walk because its affiliated company, Under Armour, has running shoes with a built in Bluetooth sensor that enables realtime coaching tips during a run, and a lot more useful data than Strava does. With Map My Run and my Under Armour Hovr Sonic running shoes, I get data about my stride length, cadence, foot strike angle, etc. Excellent info since I only resumed running a few months ago after a 40 year hiatus and my form was terrible. The realtime brief coaching tips remind me to maintain good form and avoid injuries. I can disable the voice prompts too if I prefer. And the data is recorded directly to the shoe's Bluetooth sensor, so I don't even need to run the Map My Run/Walk apps during my jog. It'll sync later. Very nifty. I don't know why Under Armour running shoes aren't more popular. The Hovr Sonic is my favorite shoe, over the adidas Solar Boost, SL20, Adizero Prime and maybe even the excellent Atreyu, a new running shoe company based in Austin -- ultra light shoes, no frills, comfy and very affordable. The Hovr Sonic isn't the lightest shoe in my closet, but it feels light when running.

If Under Armour made cycling shoes paired with Bluetooth/ANT+ sensors for cadence and other data, I might consider using Map My Ride again.

But I digress. As usual.

Iride01 

I assume you are trying to use the app only without any Garmin, Wahoo, or other gps/HR monitor.

If you do have one of those devices that you ride with, then pair your strap with the device. RWGPS will get your HR data from the device.

noglider 

I wrote to ridewithgps, and they told me to tell my phone to forget the device in the system settings. Then pair it in the app. That worked. I'm in business. Thanks.