Which Heart Sensor with a Garmin?

[G2EWS]

Hi All,

Sorry to ask what is probably a simple question, but I am thinking of buying the Garmin 800 Edge Trail Bundle with full country mapping.

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/garmin-edge-800-trail-bundle-p207364

However I would also like to do heart monitoring. I have a Polar T31, T61 and another undefined strap, but understand these won't work. I believe I need an ANT+ strap if I have read correctly?

http://www.satnaveasy.co.uk/garmin-...p-i3004.html?gclid=CKf288D-oLICFUNTfAodBwsAgw

Is this the correct one or am I missing something.

Also do I need the sensor on the bike or is the GPS on the Garmin good enough to give me all the information required?

Thanks for your assistance.

Best regards

Chris

 

[fossyant]

That's the strap and sensor. The Garmin has the sensors built in to detect it !

 

[fossyant]

Oh and try handtec for best price for the Garmin - look at the bundles. Bound to be cheaper than go outdoors

 

[Lee_M]

you should be able to get an 800 bundle including the heart rate monitor

my road bundle included the heart rate and cadence sensor and full european maps for less than the cost of your trail bundle

 

[G2EWS]

Thanks everyone for your advice.

From what I can see the European Road maps are not the same as the one I have highlighted which has the OS 1:50 maps included. These cost something like £120 when added separately.

That is the difference between the 'road' and 'trail' bundle.

The OS maps cover the roads as well as going off road.

Just checked and Handtec are £479.99 for the same bundle with additional cadence sensor and heart monitor. Meaning the sensor and heart monitor are costing an additional £165 when you take into account the additonal 10% off at Go Outdoors. Unless I am making a mistake somewhere?

Best regards

Chris

 

[Svendo]

Yep heart rate strap needs to be ANT+, there are also others available which in theory should work with the Garmin.
The Garmin ones are good though, mine works until the battery is down to 2.7v, changed twice in 5 years, and has survived one 30 degree wash!
The GPS is good enough for meaningful speed readings nearly all of the time, although it's less accurate at slow speeds, and in poor reception, which also has a knock on effect on gradient readings. The GSC cadence and speed sensor adds cadence (obv.) and more accurate speed readings from counting revs of the back wheel (assuming you input it's circumference accurately; although you can use GPS when it's accurate to calculate the diameter for you.)

 

[G2EWS]

Right can someone sort this out for me please!

I have a Samsung Galaxy SII on which I have installed Sports Tracker. So I log on to the satellites and track my walking and cycling which then uploads neatly to the computer. Looks good and apart from the heart monitor which I believe I can purchase the same chest strap I have mentioned above it seems to give me everything I want or more importantly can see in the Garmin.

So for those who changed up to the Garmin or stuck with the iPhone/android application what is the benefit or not of buying the Garmin?

Thanks for your help.

Best regards

Chris

 

[fossyant]

Used both and to be frank, the phones just eat battery with GPS on. They aren't waterproof either. I've used the phone before I got the garmin for some off roading. the phone stayed in a rucksack, and came out when planning the route. It was almost dead after 2 hours of use. Garmins run for over 12 hours, longer if just recording rather than navigating, they are waterproof, and much tougher than the phones.

I've now got a 705 and a 200 - the 200 being used for commuting.

You may want to have your phone on you in case you get a serious mechanical - it may be dead if using the GPS. One of the lads with our group on the Manchester 100 was praying his phone would hold out - it managed 80 miles before shutting down. Most of us on garmins were at least 60% left on battery after 9 hours use (switched on at 6.30am, off at about 3.30pm).

 

[G2EWS]

Hi fossyant,

Thanks for the info.

So basically being waterproof and a long lasting battery are the key reasons to have a Garmin?

Is there no other technical advantage?

I can use the Garmin in my business as I have to carry out radio surveys so have no problem with purchasing one, but don't want to do it if there is no real advantage.

Best regards

Chris

 

[400bhp]

They are more accurate than a phone.

They have a much better mapping facility.

They are waterproof and are pretty strong.

You can use it for training over courses to track progress against a base course.

You can upload and download routes pretty easily.

some have altitude. Some have temperature sensors.

There is a multitude of stats that you can view whilst out on a ride.

 

[G2EWS]

Just ordered the Garmin I listed above and off to collect it from store this afternoon. Will have to get the heart strap on order as well.

Regards

Chris

 

[jefmcg]

I've just bought and ant+ strap to go with my phone. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0029M3NSS/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00
had it for about two weeks. So far, it seems fine.

Scary fact: I've got an app that measures your heart rate by pressing your finger against the camera: they are usually within a heart beat of each other. I guess it's not that surprising, it's similar to what hospitals use to monitor pulse.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=si.modula.android.instantheartrate&hl=en

 

[G2EWS]

Hi jefmcg,

I have a proper ECG machine! I have a flutter that every time the docs or hospital checked it out nothing happened! I have had it on and off for a number of years and always been told it was not a problem, but decided to check it out myself.

It was rather funny when I walked into the Docs and told them, then produced a graph and said, 'I have ventricular bigeminy, it's not a problem is it'? The lady Doc was amazed and said, no one has ever done that before!

Here is the graph. You can see on the top two this very odd additional beat.

Totally OK and not a problem, just feels odd when it happens.

Regards

Chris

 

[G2EWS]

OK, bought the Garmin, a bit tiny isn't it?

Will order up the heart sensor today.

Thanks for all of your help and advice.

Best regards

Chris

 

[jefmcg]

Update: my HRM failed within 35 days of purchase. For various reasons, I didn't do anything about it immediately (it was just outside Amazon's return window of 30 days). Finally got around to contacting Garmin during Christmas break on 27/12. New HRM arrived today, without me needing to provide proof of purchase or the broken product.

so big tick to Garmin's astounding customer service, but slightly curious as to how often these things fail if they were happy to take my word for it.