upgrade heart rate monitor?
#1
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upgrade heart rate monitor?
I have been riding with the HRM that was included with my 520. Works great. No problems.
I was bored the other day and started googling around HRMs and found out there are different models/options. For example Garmin has a fancy HRM that does not require pairing with a phone to track your stats. Primarily used to swimming needs.
Anyway.
Has anyone changed from the 'stock' HRM to an upgraded model? Any value in doing so?
I was bored the other day and started googling around HRMs and found out there are different models/options. For example Garmin has a fancy HRM that does not require pairing with a phone to track your stats. Primarily used to swimming needs.
Anyway.
Has anyone changed from the 'stock' HRM to an upgraded model? Any value in doing so?
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I bought at 4iiii HRM specifically for one function: it acts as a ANT+ to Bluetooth bridge, in order to use my Quarq and an old fluid trainer on Zwift. Worked great for a couple of years, but started to give wonky HR readings (I'm wondering if the pad contacts were wearing out). I replaced it with a Wahoo Tickr. Works well, and it's nice to have the ability to go for a run without carrying my phone or Garmin if I don't want to.
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I just use a very basic one, the only reason I use an HRM is that when I am pushing up a hill I want to know if my heart rate is higher than I want it to be. And when I am exercising, I often glance at it to see if I am relaxing too much.
In other words, I just want an instantaneous number, nothing else.
If you have specific things in mind, then go shopping.
I consider it to be like the tachometer in my truck, it has an automatic transmission so I certainly do not use the tach to shift, but I like to know how fast the engine is ticking over.
In other words, I just want an instantaneous number, nothing else.
If you have specific things in mind, then go shopping.
I consider it to be like the tachometer in my truck, it has an automatic transmission so I certainly do not use the tach to shift, but I like to know how fast the engine is ticking over.
Last edited by Tourist in MSN; 07-14-21 at 12:52 PM.
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I have been riding with the HRM that was included with my 520. Works great. No problems.
I was bored the other day and started googling around HRMs and found out there are different models/options. For example Garmin has a fancy HRM that does not require pairing with a phone to track your stats. Primarily used to swimming needs.
Anyway.
Has anyone changed from the 'stock' HRM to an upgraded model? Any value in doing so?
I was bored the other day and started googling around HRMs and found out there are different models/options. For example Garmin has a fancy HRM that does not require pairing with a phone to track your stats. Primarily used to swimming needs.
Anyway.
Has anyone changed from the 'stock' HRM to an upgraded model? Any value in doing so?
Seems to be a 50/50 split whether HR data is useful on a bike, period. I'm of the opinion that it is. Even with a power meter, you're measuring a different thing. So I'm not going to tell antibody to ride without one. But unless you run, swim, or ski, you're going to gain nothing whatsoever.
#5
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What extra stuff will be useful to you? I like knowing my HR info. But HR probably just gave me a lot of something to talk about and speculate on during the previous 11 or so years.
Certainly without it, in those 11 years I would have learned to judge my perceived effort fairly well and know when I'm going at a effort level that I can't sustain on a bike. Which is pretty much what I do now. The HR info just gets to be almost to the point of being gee-whiz info. But still it's useful somewhat. But only somewhat.
Certainly without it, in those 11 years I would have learned to judge my perceived effort fairly well and know when I'm going at a effort level that I can't sustain on a bike. Which is pretty much what I do now. The HR info just gets to be almost to the point of being gee-whiz info. But still it's useful somewhat. But only somewhat.