When it comes to health benefits, technology has proved to be fruitful for everyone, especially athletes or more specifically, cyclists. . . If you want your cycling routine powered with a heart rate device, you must know that there are countless options in the market. Therefore, understanding key features is essential before buying a heart rate device or HR monitor.
For this purpose, we will help you narrow down the list to help you understand and navigate the countless reams of information to make a decision that best meets your cycling goals. So, if you want to add a heart rate sensor to your cycling workout routine, continue reading.
Benefits Of Using A Heart Rate Monitor Whilst Cycling
Whether you are a recreational cyclist or professional athlete, you might have been told to use a heart rate monitor. Have you ever wondered why? Here are some of the benefits that will help answer this question:
Track your Fitness Level
When you track your heart rate with the help of a monitor, it helps to support your training regime/performance. This tracking basically comes with some important numbers that show how hard your heart is working whilst riding. It also tells you the intensity of the blood that is being pumped around your body whilst you exercise. Not only does the HR monitor do this, but it also monitors how fast the oxygen is travelling to the muscles in your body.
After spending a week or two cycling, you will notice that your heart rate doesn’t get high instantly whilst cycling as it did when you initially started riding. This is because your endurance and progression levels have been improved and your body has adapted to the new training demands.
If you’re a cycling nerd you will have heard of heart rate zone training. This is where a HR monitor comes into its element helping you to stay within a heart rate zone to target the zone in which you are specifically trying to improve on. For example you may choose heart rate zone 2 training to aid in improving your aerobic fitness for longer riding.
Prevention from Overexertion
A heart rate monitor will tell you how hard your heart is working, as discussed above. This will help you to avoid overexertion in your heart whilst riding. It will also prevent such a situation in which you just push yourself to an unhealthy limit causing potential risk. Depending on your age and health status a heart rate monitor is a very useful tool to monitor your heart activity during exercise and thus can assist in keeping you in the ranges needed for your current health status, such as alerting you to when your max heart rate has been reached etc.
The guide to working out your approximate max heart rate is 220 – your age to get a baseline level. However, as discussed above there are a number of variables that should be considered depending on your health and whether you have other comorbidities.
Enhance Weight Loss
When you are cycling and using the heart rate monitor, you can estimate your calorie expenditure. This practice will help you to get an accurate calorie count with respect to your age, weight, heart rate and gender. Monitoring your caloric expenditure will help you achieve weight loss goals.
This helps you to ensure that your exercise intensity falls within a targeted range. It is also characterized by optimal fat utilization without exceeding the threshold where glucose becomes the predominant fuel source. In this way, you can maximize the duration spent in an elevated state of fat metabolism through the use of a heart rate monitor and chest strap.
Features of Heart Rate Bands:
If you are looking for a new heart rate monitor, you must compare the following features. It will help you make a better choice, save unnecessary spending and help to support your training/competition regime:
Integration with apps:
Some devices come with simpler technology. It is easy to use but needs the option to store data. However, buying a device with a data integration option is better if you want recorded data such as Garmin Connect App or Strava App.
Battery Time:
Longer battery time is, of course, every cyclist’s preference. However, it can be better to tailor the monitor to your needs, so that it’s individualized. If you wish to do longer rides then opt for a device with a longer battery life.
Waterproof/ water resistant design:
Many riders often demand water-resistant features. It is especially handy for those who have demanding activities like cycling. It saves the device from any internal damage due to sweating or water splashes.
Waterproof design, though mixed with water resistance, is usually best for swimmers. It is owing to the apparent reason that water is in more significant contact with the device.
How To Pick The Best Monitor Device For Cycling?
Accuracy:
You can evaluate heart rate devices based on accuracy metrics. All you need to do while buying one is to ensure the proper selection. Look for one that allows you to track the intensity of your workout. In order to have such feature, go for sensor accuracy. This option will measure all your movements while cycling, even a slight change of position during your ride. Further, it gives you suggestions to achieve your fitness goal.
Device Comfort and Fit:
Among other features, you need to buy one that is comfortable while cycling. You need to look for a device that has a secure fit around your chest. It does not mean that it only withholds the bumps and jerks whilst riding, but also that it does not easily slip off by sweat. The most common form of heart rate monitor is one that wraps around your chest via a strap, however there are other fantastic brands of heart rate sensors that wrap around your wrist such as a the Garmin Forerunner 965, but we won’t dive into specifics about this device in this article.
Connectivity and Compatibility:
Though some riders opt for more straightforward-to-use heart rate monitoring devices, buying one compatible with your cycling apps, sensors, and devices is better. It will help you seamlessly record rides and data in one place to track your training and competition performance.
Comparison and Analysis:
Selection should be based entirely on your personal preference. It has to be from the best-rated heart monitors but also fulfil all your needs and wants. So, without further ado, let’s uncover the features of each device to narrow down our selection to one.
You can find many options in the market regarding heart rate bands. But we have picked the three best options for you. For your smooth cycling journey, here are some of the best options for you.
Garmin HR Monitor Pro – Best Reliability:
Longer battery life is another prominent feature of the Garmin Heart Rate Monitor Pro that makes it preferable to other devices. The only problem is using a screwdriver to open the back cover if you want to change the battery. You may need to change it after four years, but it sometimes makes it less preferable among some bicycle enthusiasts.
The best feature that makes it a top-notch product is its connectivity. It is easy to find devices with ANT+ and Bluetooth in smart devices. However, the 9.8 feet is what makes it a unique feature.
Suppose you are a rider and want a strap of greater length of up to 23.6 inches to 31.5 inches consider buying it. Garmin heart rate straps also benefit from removing the heart monitor chest straps so you can wash and reattach them separately when needed. This leads to longer durability and thus getting greater use out of the device. If you would like to read further on this specific heart rate monitor Garmin HRM-pro check out this article.
Wahoo HR Monitor – Best for Multisport:
The best thing about the Wahoo HR monitor is that very few devices come at a reasonable price. The big plus point is the battery which can last for 500 hours. It is difficult to find both efficiency and quality at an affordable price. For all cyclists looking for budget friendly options in HR devices, here’s all what you need! Go and grab Wahoo HR to get these amazing features in a HR single monitor
Connectivity: Seamless connectivity is what Woohoo HR monitors are all about. With ANT+ and Bluetooth, it can simultaneously hold up to four connections with different devices. Moreover, it has an app that integrates and records the data without any hassle.
The accuracy of Wahoo is outstanding. As mentioned, there is no such thing as 100% accuracy, so you should aim for the closest reading you can get. In this case, the Wahoo HR monitors are the best. It has the ability to catch signals even in the places where to find it difficult to contact and find them. And you know what the best part is? It does this in usually half a minute.
Undeniably, Wahoo HR is a strong choice among cyclists.
Polar HR Monitor:
Regarding battery time, Polar HR10 sensor has a battery time of up to 400 hours. It makes it easy for many riders to experience seamless riding without much hassle of battery recharging regularly.
Though not a unique feature, it can connect to ANT+ and up to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. It connects to various devices and seamlessly integrates the data across smartwatches, apps, etc.; its internal memory allows you to add data for every training session, which you can sync later to Polar Beat.
It comes in various sizes. The rubber strappers are one of its most comfortable feature. It stays at one place. If you are a gym rat or an enthusiast cyclist, there are no better options for you than a Polar HR monitor.
| PRODUCTS | Garmin HR Monitor Pro | Polar HR Monitor | Wahoo HR Monitor Best for Multisport |
| Battery Life | 365 hrs | 400 hrs | Coin Cell (CR2032) / 500 hrs |
| Connectivity | ANT+ and Bluetooth | Bluetooth and ANT+ | Bluetooth and ANT+ |
| Price | Premium | Economical | Economical |
| Feature | Best Connectivity | Best straps that are perfect for sporting enthusiasts | Battery that stays upto 500 hours on a single charge |
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