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Garmin HR strap

by ianrobo
Thu, Mar 12, 2015 17:08
17

I did use to have the premium one (so called) and it was hopeless as many found out. So I got the older one and been fine until the last couple of rides. Now I am getting HR of over 200 often and it seems it is because the sweat is causing it to slip down my chest.

anyone else had the same problem and I presume not resolvable, if not will problem need to look at the Mio Fuse which from reports not he web seems to have no problems like this.

This is important as my training is now moving to HR training.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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17 comments

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FatAndFurious | 9 years ago
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I've had two replacements now for the premium strap, and I've concluded that they are just not up to repeated wearing and washing as prescribed.

Symptoms were that it required longer and longer on the bike before it provided a true reading, before it eventually refused to generate any data at all. It wasn't the transmitter, as it worked perfectly on a different strap. Nor am I particularly hairy.

A friend gave me a spare Garmin strap of the less flexible plastic type, and it's been faultless and I don't notice the difference in terms of comfort.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone as to whether the conductive gel makes any difference with the premium strap.

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ianrobo | 9 years ago
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given up on the strap, though better today, still went high as as soon as I went on the drops, thus I get pushing the strap down.

So I have ordered the Mio as the reviews for that are universally good from what I have read.

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OnTheRopes | 9 years ago
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The Garmin straps are rubbish, if you read the Garmin forums you will hear of loads of them that have failed. Usual thing is HR goes way out, mine was reading like 60 when I was riding eyeballs out. It would be fine at the start of the ride and then just lose the plot mid way. Most frustrating when you are part way through a workout. They usualy seem to fail after 4 - 6 months

Anyway, one solution is to try the Polar soft strap, cheaper than garmin, clips straight on and works perfectly, this is the one http://www.newitts.com/product/IT053356/Polar_Soft_Spare_Strap.htm

No idea about this particular retailer

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geekinthesticks | 9 years ago
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Try using some conductive electrode gel. Search Amazon for Tens gel for an overwhelming choice.

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Haggisbasher | 9 years ago
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Oh I had this problem. I would be cycling out and HR would record stupid figures.

quick question - do you wash the strap regularly after a ride? If not that might be a problem.

Mine played up due to two things. The first time it was due to wearing a nylon type compression top. the second was the strap (new Design) had failed. This might be due to the cleaning thing.

Go onto Wiggle and look for a polar HR strap http://www.wiggle.co.uk/polar-spare-elastic-soft-strap/ They are more reliable and cheaper. They are rock solid and a better fit.

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ianrobo replied to Haggisbasher | 9 years ago
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Haggisbasher wrote:

Oh I had this problem. I would be cycling out and HR would record stupid figures.

quick question - do you wash the strap regularly after a ride? If not that might be a problem.

Mine played up due to two things. The first time it was due to wearing a nylon type compression top. the second was the strap (new Design) had failed. This might be due to the cleaning thing.

Go onto Wiggle and look for a polar HR strap http://www.wiggle.co.uk/polar-spare-elastic-soft-strap/ They are more reliable and cheaper. They are rock solid and a better fit.

Mine is not the cloth one but the one before which is plastic and not a cleaning issue. It could well be the base layer I am wearing as that obviously retains the sweat more than a normal top would.

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sergius | 9 years ago
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Aha,

I'm one of those (lucky?) chaps who is virtually hair free. That may well explain why I've had no problems with it.

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ianrobo | 9 years ago
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we hoped that for PM's !

So the problem is the chest hair, and I have a lot !! thing is never got this problem on the trainer indoors but there again had less layers ons ...

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bashthebox | 9 years ago
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Those of us with hairy chests struggle with all HRMs until a good sweat gets worked up. Annoying. I have even pondered shaving a stripe across myself.
The Mio fuse looks like a great idea but my god, why is it so bloody expensive? If a normal chest HR strap is 30 quid, why can't someone make a wrist/arm one for that money?

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ianrobo replied to bashthebox | 9 years ago
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bashthebox wrote:

Those of us with hairy chests struggle with all HRMs until a good sweat gets worked up. Annoying. I have even pondered shaving a stripe across myself.
The Mio fuse looks like a great idea but my god, why is it so bloody expensive? If a normal chest HR strap is 30 quid, why can't someone make a wrist/arm one for that money?

You can get a Mio Velo cheaper think £90 but prefer the Fuse. I think the problem is that not much demand for a pure wrist HRM .

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Man of Lard replied to bashthebox | 9 years ago
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bashthebox wrote:

Those of us with hairy chests struggle with all HRMs until a good sweat gets worked up. Annoying. I have even pondered shaving a stripe across myself.
The Mio fuse looks like a great idea but my god, why is it so bloody expensive? If a normal chest HR strap is 30 quid, why can't someone make a wrist/arm one for that money?

I do the stripe-shave... Works a treat.

Reason the wrist HRM aren't cheap (yet) is because the wrist (optical usually) technology is new/immature compared to the electromagnetic chest strap variants. Once someone in China starts knocking them out in volume the price will plummet.

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joemmo replied to bashthebox | 9 years ago
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bashthebox wrote:

Those of us with hairy chests struggle with all HRMs until a good sweat gets worked up. Annoying. I have even pondered shaving a stripe across myself.
The Mio fuse looks like a great idea but my god, why is it so bloody expensive? If a normal chest HR strap is 30 quid, why can't someone make a wrist/arm one for that money?

Just put some water on the contact points before you or it on and it will work from the start IME, no need to wait until you are providing your own conducting liquid...

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ianrobo replied to joemmo | 9 years ago
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joemmo wrote:
bashthebox wrote:

Those of us with hairy chests struggle with all HRMs until a good sweat gets worked up. Annoying. I have even pondered shaving a stripe across myself.
The Mio fuse looks like a great idea but my god, why is it so bloody expensive? If a normal chest HR strap is 30 quid, why can't someone make a wrist/arm one for that money?

Just put some water on the contact points before you or it on and it will work from the start IME, no need to wait until you are providing your own conducting liquid...

Thats true, if you look at my blog you can see say the ride for today and it starts off fine, then when the sweat builds up I have the issue. As I just posted think it could be the base layer having the issue here.

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fukawitribe replied to joemmo | 9 years ago
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joemmo wrote:
bashthebox wrote:

Those of us with hairy chests struggle with all HRMs until a good sweat gets worked up. Annoying. I have even pondered shaving a stripe across myself.
The Mio fuse looks like a great idea but my god, why is it so bloody expensive? If a normal chest HR strap is 30 quid, why can't someone make a wrist/arm one for that money?

Just put some water on the contact points before you or it on and it will work from the start IME, no need to wait until you are providing your own conducting liquid...

This, IME. I just lick my thumb and rub it across the contact areas, seems to work fine from the get-go. I tend to get the other problem where the readings can start to go a bit bananas if there's too much conductive fluid around....

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watlina replied to fukawitribe | 9 years ago
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fukawitribe wrote:

This, IME. I just lick my thumb and rub it across the contact areas, seems to work fine from the get-go. I tend to get the other problem where the readings can start to go a bit bananas if there's too much conductive fluid around....

I do the same and it works fine. I'm not hairy so that probably helps as I've never had an issue with it slipping down.

To be honest I've rarely cleaned it. When it looks a bit crusty with salt I pop off the sensor and give it a rinse under the tap, I've never put it in the washer.

The only time I've seen the numbers go silly i.e. over 200 is on very cold dry days when my bit of initial spit has dried out and it's harder to get a sweat on to restore good connectivity.

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ianrobo | 9 years ago
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been wearing it under generally 2/3 layers and maybe it is do with the sweat on these layers, after a bit of readjusting it is OK. However that is no good if trying to keep to a HR on a 5 mile stretch !!

Other than this had no issue with it whatsoever !

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sergius | 9 years ago
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Not that it helps much, but I have the premium one that came with my Edge 1000 and it's been fine. I read about people having issues with connectivity and the like - but it's not something I've experienced. Is your firmware up-to-date?

Are you wearing lots of clothes that may interfere with it? I've had it under 2 base layers and a Gabba and it's been fine. I do find it a little restrictive to wear though, I tightened it up a bit when it slipped a bit when I first got it - no slipping but it is noticeable that you have it on under high levels of exertion.

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