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Apologies if this has been asked recently... I did a bit of searching first but to no avail. This is an area of the cycling world which is quite alien to me!
I want a heart rate monitor which will work with Strava.
I don't have a Garmin and my iPhone4 appears to be too old to work with HRMs that connect to phones.
What are my options and what products can people recommend?
I think a watch type device would be ideal.... maybe?
Thanks!
Which Garmin?
The Garmin HRM obviously will work with their GPS units but any ANT+ device would do.
I'm not necessary after a Garmin... It's the heart rate monitoring part I'm after.
What's an ANT+ device?
Just bought the wife a Garmin forerunner 15 watch for Xmas which will upload to the Garmin connect website - and I assume strava. She has it for running but can also be fitted to the bike with a handlebar mount. It was £107 + I fleabayed a new strap for £21. I have an edge 705 (getting a bit on now) & both can import the GPS to a computer OS map system I have - Mapyx Quo.
It's a data protocol developed by Garmin but other manufacturers can use it, basically it lets one device talk to another. Think of it like Ethernet for personal devices like HRMs and GPSs. Thus GPS units like the Garmin 510 can listen for data from HRMs, power meters, cadence meters, speed sensors even weighing scales (!) and store it in the activity file ready for uploading to Strava or any other service that you might wish to use.
Since you appear to want to upload HR data to Strava I'd start by checking what devices they support. Apologies - I misread your OP and thought you *had* a Garmin.
I have just got a [url= http://uk.wahoofitness.com/devices/hr.html ]Wahoo Tickr[/url] which should work with Strava.
It connects via bluetooth (good for connecting to phones) or ANT+ (good for connecting to GPS watches)
It works well with Runkeeper on Android but I haven't had a chance to test it with Strava yet.
Do the watch type devices always have to be used with a chest strap?
Can the Garmin ones be used for navigation? (this isn't really on my list of priorities)
I assume you're already logging the GPS of your cycling to Strava directly from your iPhone 4 and all you want to do is add a HRM?
If Bluetooth ones won't work with an iPhone 4. Have you looked at getting an Ant+ adapter for the iPhone and using an Ant+ HRM?
If that won't work either, you're in to getting a combined GPS & HRM watch, logging to that then uploading to Strava later.
there are a few optical HR monitors out there. I quite fancy one of the new mio fuse watches.
Yep, currently use Strava App on my phone.
I would like to see my HR whilst riding as well as then uploading to Strava (for post ride analysis).
I'll have a look if a ANT+ adapter for my phone is available.
What's an optical HR monitor?
You could get an Ant+ adapter for you phone. Plugs into the 30pin connector and lets your phone connect to Ant+ sensors such as a HRM.
Failing that get any GPS deveice that will connect to an HRM and connect via a USB connection. All of the modern stuff that works with a phone uses bluetooth smart which the iPhone 4 doesn't have.
If you had a modern phone I'd be looking at something like the Mio Fuse. Has an optical HRM and will sync to a phone via Bluetooth Smart and/or a fitness device via ANT+ and also act as an activity tracker all on it's own. Needs Bluetooth Smart though as it doesn't have a USB connection.
Yep, currently use Strava App on my phone.I would like to see my HR whilst riding as well as then uploading to Strava (for post ride analysis).
I'll have a look if a ANT+ adapter for my phone is available.
What's an optical HR monitor?
I find that using my phone for Strava is very heavy on battery life and I prefer having the phone for emergencies (or checking the cricket score when at the cafe 😀 )
The newer Garmin units let you chose what data you want to see on screen, you can have different screens for different bikes (called profiles in Garmin speak) so I have one for MTB, road bike, commuter, etc. You can also have activity profiles so if I'm doing a HR zone ride I just have HR and cadence showing - the device beeps at me if I stray out of the predefined limits; for mountain biking I have an activity profile with auto-pause turned off; etc.
Something like this http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/garmin-edge-510-hrm-performance-bundle/rp-prod95984?gclid=CKf3tZLIhMMCFQPHtAodjy4Ahw&gclsrc=aw.ds has everything you need.
An optical HRM is one that uses a small LED aimed at your skin and detects changes in what's reflected back rather than "traditional" ones that rely on picking up the electrical pulses that trigger each heart beat.
Thanks for the link to the ANT+ adapter, that opens up a few more options. Draining my phone battery with additional devices attached does concern me.
The Garmin forerunner 15 looks to tick a lot of boxes without too much of a sting to the wallet.
Are there any more suggestions for wrist worn devices?
Can any of these wrist gps be used to follow a route? (I suspect by following an arrow rather than on a map)
Yep, the posher Garmin Forerunners can. Expensive though, and not the intended functionality. Do you want it for running and so on?
One thing I like about the garmin is the recovery heart rate function. Over the last year or so I have watched my recovery heart rate rise from around 30 to 50+ now as my fitness has increased.