Using a heart-rate monitor will not only allow you to find your resting and maximum heart rate, but more crucially set your heart-rate zones to allow you to train with them. Strap or watch, here’s why measuring and using your heart-rate data can be beneficial for your training. Three types of heart-rate monitors: Watch, cycling computer and smartphone Wrist-based heart-rate monitors: smart watches There is one notable exception here: Polar uses it own wireless protocol, so any Polar cycling computer or fitness watch can only be used with a Polar heart-rate strap.
GARMIN HEART RATE MONITOR BLUETOOTH
Typically you’ll need ANT+ to sync with a cycling computer, and Bluetooth to sync with a mobile phone or laptop.īoth ANT+ and Bluetooth straps are not brand-specific, and will pair with any watch, cycling computer or smartphone that uses the same signal. Thanks to advances in heart rate monitor technology, most monitors are now dual band, meaning they can use both ANT+ and Bluetooth functionality to transfer data to a smartphone, cycling computer or laptop. Data transfer: ANT+, Bluetooth or dual band Check out more about wrist-based heart rate monitors vs chest-based heart rate straps.
BikeRadarĮven though optical sensors have come on leaps and bounds in recent years, ECG-style monitors are still widely regarded as the most reliable. Smart watches have built-in optical heart rate using LED lights to measure blood flow variance.