[Skulls Road]

Is there a watch where I don't have to go through menus or hit a touch screen to check my heart rate? Some of the bigger watches have physical buttons so I'm wondering if I can program one to go straight to monitoring heart rate.

 

[mik_git]

probably better to ask or browse in the GPS, HRM and Bike Computer area.
But answer is depends.
My garmin 945 always displays my HR somewhere on the screen when jsut in regular watch mode, and am sure could make it the main dispaly. Also can just press a button and scroll to the HR page.
When actually doing an activity, I can have multiple things, I have have HR as part of he screen, as a whoel screen, or as the only thing you can see at all if wanted.
Maybe go to the DCRainmaker websire and browse a few reviews of watches eg a mid priced watch:

Garmin Forerunner 245 Music GPS Watch In-Depth Review

When Garmin first introduced the Vivoactive 3 almost two years ago, I wondered how exactly they’d create a successor to the Forerunner 235. Sure, the FR235 had more buttons than the Vivoactive 3, but ultimately the Vivoactive 3 was a

www.dcrainmaker.com

to see waht it can do

 

[NorCal_In_AZ]

Same as above with my Garmin Instinct. I have my HR on the main screen, and displayed on my cycling setting as well.

 

[mik_git]

Also do you want it "just on the screen" showing you the HR any time you look at it. Riding, walking to work, sitting watching tv? (which can be done depending on the watch) or is this "when you are doing something" as in recording a ride?

 

[eri]

I advise you try whatever you intend to buy. If you care then don’t buy something that doesn’t work. Never used a wrist mounted him that wasn’t a joke while riding. Fitbit, Apple Watch, garment thing. Forget the watch and Get a wahoo tickr chest band and record with phone.

 

[justwan naride]

As above, wrist sensors are not considered accurate if you plan on using HR to train.

You can use a watch, but better add a chest strap HR monitor as well. My Garmin Instict shows HR at all times (screen is customisable) and whle riding as well.

In use I find that there are times that the numbers I see don't correspond with my effort at all.

 

[CLDSDL43]

I also use Garmin Instinct. Shows and records HR during ride.

 

[bitflogger]

Some of the faces I use with Apple Watch and some of the sports or fitness quantifications apps put heart rate front and center.

FWIW: At an earlier time I read that multifunction devices don't and won't always have heart rate sampling front and center on display as a point of power management. Having used portable and wearable stuff from a few and over time I tend to believe that.

Apple Watch won't have days of battery life some products have but is still my hands down favorite because I value the cell phone aspect and the way I can use it for work related alarms and notifications.

 

[chiefsilverback]

I just checked on my Apple Watch and I can put a ‘quick link’ to the heart rate on the watch face, but if doesn’t show a live reading.
In terms of accuracy I use a Tickr paired to my Bolt when I’m riding, and also track a workout on my watch using the built in HRM and if I glance at the HR readings on both devices at a given time they are normally in sync to within a couple of BPM.

 

[FrankS29]

I advise you try whatever you intend to buy. If you care then don’t buy something that doesn’t work. Never used a wrist mounted him that wasn’t a joke while riding. Fitbit, Apple Watch, garment thing. Forget the watch and Get a wahoo tickr chest band and record with phone.

I certainly don't have the same accuracy issues you do with my Apple Watch. When I first got it, I wore multiple secondary HRM to test the accuracy of the Apple Watch HRM.

The Apple Watch and strap monitors were within 1-2bpm of each other every single time. This is on mountain, gravel and road rides.

For reference, this is with an Apple Watch series 6.

However, my old Garmin Fenix was an absolute joke with HRM accuracy.

 

[mtnbkrmike]

I certainly don't have the same accuracy issues you do with my Apple Watch. When I first got it, I wore multiple secondary HRM to test the accuracy of the Apple Watch HRM.

The Apple Watch and strap monitors were within 1-2bpm of each other every single time. This is on mountain, gravel and road rides.

For reference, this is with an Apple Watch series 6.

However, my old Garmin Fenix was an absolute joke with HRM accuracy.

Me too. Accuracy of my Apple Watch is surprisingly very good.

But I gave up trying to pair my Apple Watch to Zwift and bought a Tickr Fit. Life got much easier, very quickly.

My Apple Watch is incredible, but using a watch face on the trail real time is a PITA for me. I have my Tickr Fit dialled into my Edge. Simple, effective, reliable.

 

[FrankS29]

But I gave up trying to pair my Apple Watch to Zwift and bought a Tickr Fit. Life got much easier, very quickly.

My Apple Watch is incredible, but using a watch face on the trail real time is a PITA for me. I have my Tickr Fit dialled into my Edge. Simple, effective, reliable.

I've never tried to connect my watch to Zwift. I run Zwift through my Apple TV and I have another Sosche HRM that I use when I train on Zwift.

Were you trying to have your Apple Watch broadcast HRM data to Zwift, or have the Zwift app run through your Apple Watch?

 

[chiefsilverback]

But I gave up trying to pair my Apple Watch to Zwift and bought a Tickr Fit. Life got much easier, very quickly.

I just started using my Apple Watch with Zwift this morning. I run Zwift on an Apple TV and the companion apps on my phone and watch and it was pretty seamless. Interestingly as soon as I fired up the watch app I got the prompt from the phone app to connect it to Apple Health so now my Zwift rides get recorded to my Activity/Health data.

You can also pair your strap HRM with the watch if you so choose.

 

[mtnbkrmike]

I just started using my Apple Watch with Zwift this morning. I run Zwift on an Apple TV and the companion apps on my phone and watch and it was pretty seamless. Interestingly as soon as I fired up the watch app I got the prompt from the phone app to connect it to Apple Health so now my Zwift rides get recorded to my Activity/Health data.

You can also pair your strap HRM with the watch if you so choose.

I had nothing but trouble. Likely user error. I spent a lot of time online trouble shooting. Lots of people had the exact same problem as me. The Tickr Fit cost me $75. Not the end of the world.

 

[mtnbkrmike]

I've never tried to connect my watch to Zwift. I run Zwift through my Apple TV and I have another Sosche HRM that I use when I train on Zwift.

Were you trying to have your Apple Watch broadcast HRM data to Zwift, or have the Zwift app run through your Apple Watch?

Apple Watch —> Zwift (using Apple TV)

 

[chiefsilverback]

Apple Watch —> Zwift (using Apple TV)

Try using the phone companion app in the mix...

 

[eri]

I certainly don't have the same accuracy issues you do with my Apple Watch. When I first got it, I wore multiple secondary HRM to test the accuracy of the Apple Watch HRM.

The Apple Watch and strap monitors were within 1-2bpm of each other every single time. This is on mountain, gravel and road rides.

For reference, this is with an Apple Watch series 6.

However, my old Garmin Fenix was an absolute joke with HRM accuracy.

Apple Watch 4 and 6. yeah that’s the dream and what was promised. I returned the pieces of junk. Heart rate reporting is fine walking around or during warmup but as soon as I start working hard it drops off and faked the data. Tickr says 175-185 and Apple Watch says 135. Could be I don’t wear my watch tight enough or it’s confused by sweat. Specially Apple Watch is dense and bangs around on my wrist more than my trusty Casio.

combined with battery life the Apple Watch struck me as a solution looking for a problem.If I want my heart rate while riding I take my pulse with watch seconds. what I want is a record for training logto watch for trends so tickr and phone is terrific.

 

[Noplacelikeloam]

Garmin Fenix and a chest strap if you ride trails hard and want accuracy. The amount of motion in your wrist on anything above a mid level blue trail makes a mess of any wrist monitor. If you want an average or 90% ish accurate HR, go with a good garmin. Can survive hard OTB's without a scratch and a battery that will last 10-30 times longer than an Apple watch. Some are on sale right now.

 

[mtnbkrmike]

Try using the phone companion app in the mix...

I have. I recently stopped using the companion app and this too has resulted in a material increase in my general enjoyment, and a decrease in my level of frustration.

 

[FortOrdMTB]

I use a Garmin 55 And so far it has been great. I have never had any issues with heart rate accuracy (though it could be a few beats off) but looking at the data there’s never any red flags. You can change the display to show heart rate as well.