New Garmin - FR225 with optical heartrate

overpronator

DC-Rainmaker introduces it here.

I didnt think that I would be bothered upgrading the FR220 for a long time, this may change if the optical HR proves to be robust. Thoughts?

davedanon

overpronator wrote: »

DC-Rainmaker introduces it here.

I didnt think that I would be bothered upgrading the FR220 for a long time, this may change if the optical HR proves to be robust. Thoughts?

I want one.

chickey2

It certainly looks good. I was thinking about getting a 220, but think I'll wait and see what kind of reviews this one gets.

Woden

Saw it yesterday and skimmed the DC-Rainmaker review. Think its killer app from my perspective. I've an FR 410 and I don't like wearing the strap. I'll probably take the plunge.

donnacha

So anyone buy one yet? Would love to hear how people are getting on with it. Really tempted myself as I hate wearing my heart strap with the 220.

hot buttered scones

I haven't got one yet but it's on my list. I did buy a mio link alpha for €99 which I'm using with my Garmin 310xt. I have to wear it on the same arm as my watch, or I keep getting signal dropouts so it looks like I'm wearing two watches. You also have to wear it a bit tight to get a good reading. I find it accurate enough and it's way more comfortable than the chest strap and I don't have to keep adjusting it every 5 minutes or cover it in spit so it has that going for it. I'll probably try and sell it second hand and put the money towards the fr225, but I'm happy enough with the optical heart rate.

davedanon

Put my name down for one today in the Cycle Superstore in Tallaght. Not expecting delivery for 4-6 weeks.

chickey2

davedanon wrote: »

Put my name down for one today in the Cycle Superstore in Tallaght. Not expecting delivery for 4-6 weeks.

Do you mind me asking how much they're charging for one Dave? Amazon and Sweatshop are both offering it for 239.99GBP which converts (today) to 331.63 euro. Sweatshop says its in stock 26th June while Amazon says 17th July.

Think I'll wait though. I really want to see some real life reviews before I commit!

davedanon

chickey2 wrote: »

Do you mind me asking how much they're charging for one Dave? Amazon and Sweatshop are both offering it for 239.99GBP which converts (today) to 331.63 euro. Sweatshop says its in stock 26th June while Amazon says 17th July.

Think I'll wait though. I really want to see some real life reviews before I commit!

I asked, but he didn't have prices. I'm not locked in to buying, though, he's just going to give me a shout when they're in stock.

Belkin1975

chickey2 wrote: »

Do you mind me asking how much they're charging for one Dave? Amazon and Sweatshop are both offering it for 239.99GBP which converts (today) to 331.63 euro. Sweatshop says its in stock 26th June while Amazon says 17th July.

Think I'll wait though. I really want to see some real life reviews before I commit!

harvey Norman says they'll be in on June 28th with a price of €306

davedanon

Belkin1975 wrote: »

harvey Norman says they'll be in on June 28th with a price of €306

I think they arrived in today. That is, yesterday.

davedanon

Bought one yesterday in HN for €306. I'm no good at waiting when I want a new toy. Unfortunately I'm too bloody busy to use it!

sconhome

davedanon wrote: »

Bought one yesterday in HN for €306. I'm no good at waiting when I want a new toy. Unfortunately I'm too bloody busy to use it!

Be interested in hearing what you think of it. Do you have a chest-strap watch you can compare the HR readings with?

davedanon

AKW wrote: »

Be interested in hearing what you think of it. Do you have a chest-strap watch you can compare the HR readings with?

Yeah, I've got my garmin 210 hrm. Interesting idea, I suppose they'll work ok independently of one another, since they're using different systems on different parts of the body. Comparing the two garmins' time-keeping efforts would also be interesting.

So far I can tell you (quick 4-miler in the park squeezed in today) that it locks onto the satellite pretty quickly, and the dial is impressively readable in very bright light and at acute angles. Also its Records feature is cute; after the run it went "3 PB'S! FASTEST MILE! FASTEST 5K!! AND (my favourite) LONGEST RUN!!!

davedanon

I strapped the two watches on each wrist (225 and 210) today for a walk with the dogs. They seemed to be showing identical results for a while, but a discrepancy of about .05 of a mile appeared at some point. The elapsed time stayed pretty much identical the whole way, which just goes to show again how the Garmins 'measure' distances differently. The route was mostly open, but there are some trees and bushes along the way. Little or no complete cover, apart from a bridge underpass.

chickey2

How do you find the heart rate monitor?

davedanon

So far, it's been inconsistent. On one run it spiked to over 200bpm when I checked it, but it soon settled down so I forgave it, but on the tymon parkrun it reported a max bpm of 216 and an average of 182, which just seems wrong to me. My max heart rate, according to a VO2 test, done admittedly in 2011, is 173, and I've never had a race rate of 216. Has to be wrong, doesn't it?

tunney

accurate to 5%............

Heart rate is 155bpm
FR-225 says 147 to 163..........

davedanon

I'm thinking this should really be on the Garmin megathread, but I don't know if that can be done. Anyway, I ran a test today, with the two garmins and a chest hrm. It was an easy 7 miler, and while the main metrics were pretty much the same, the 225's hrm had a hissy fit at the start. While the chest strap had a steady progression from about 60 up to the low hundreds, the 225 had me at 160bpm. It settled down after a half mile, but then seemed to overcompensate and dipped to 92 bpm while my 'actual' rate was a more credible 120-something. I tightened the watch-strap by a notch, and that seemed to help, as thereafter the two tracked each other pretty closely. Here are the two reads:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/825301040

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/825306316


I'm going to delete the 2nd Garmin now, lest I miscount and get accused of cheating on the 1000 mile challenge.

rom

davedanon wrote: »

I'm thinking this should really be on the Garmin megathread, but I don't know if that can be done. Anyway, I ran a test today, with the two garmins and a chest hrm. It was an easy 7 miler, and while the main metrics were pretty much the same, the 225's hrm had a hissy fit at the start. While the chest strap had a steady progression from about 60 up to the low hundreds, the 225 had me at 160bpm. It settled down after a half mile, but then seemed to overcompensate and dipped to 92 bpm while my 'actual' rate was a more credible 120-something. I tightened the watch-strap by a notch, and that seemed to help, as thereafter the two tracked each other pretty closely. Here are the two reads:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/825301040

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/825306316


I'm going to delete the 2nd Garmin now, lest I miscount and get accused of cheating on the 1000 mile challenge.

I find exactly the same experience with my Scosche Rhythm+ Pulse with garmin 920xt. I used my HRM strap for the last marathon even though I have the wrist strap. It just can't be trusted. The cheststrap cut me like cheese wire but I rather accurate data if I am using it as a feedback during a race. Thanks for the info. You also need to have the watch on tight to your wrist and any light leakage will mess it up.

Running pass streetlights, railings or under trees can all mess it up. basic dramatic light changes.

tailgunner

I'm looking at getting my first Garmin, and have the 225 pre-ordered but not paid for yet. Am I better off going for the 220 with a chest strap instead, if the 225 is really that unreliable?

davedanon

tailgunner wrote: »

I'm looking at getting my first Garmin, and have the 225 pre-ordered but not paid for yet. Am I better off going for the 220 with a chest strap instead, if the 225 is really that unreliable?

I suppose it depends on whether you intend to train by hr or not. I will let you know how I get on over the coming days (or weeks, if you have that long before deciding). Tonight I have a race. We'll see how it performs.

tunney

davedanon wrote: »

I suppose it depends on whether you intend to train by hr or not. I will let you know how I get on over the coming days (or weeks, if you have that long before deciding). Tonight I have a race. We'll see how it performs.

If you do want to train by HR - get the 220 and a chest strap.
If you don't want to train by HR - get the 220 and save money.

tailgunner

davedanon wrote: »

I suppose it depends on whether you intend to train by hr or not. I will let you know how I get on over the coming days (or weeks, if you have that long before deciding). Tonight I have a race. We'll see how it performs.

I don't intend to train by HR immediately, but I want to have the option in future.

I'm leaning toward the 220 now, but I have till Sunday to decide, so I'd be interested to see how you get on with the 225 in the meantime. Best of luck with the race.

davedanon

I checked the hrm stats from last night's race, and the results aren't good. After less than a mile it had me breaching my previously-established max of 173, and peaked about 193. While this is conceivable given actual race conditions and the fact my V02 test was a few years back, the early spiking is worrying. Even worse is the fact that just as it was showing me at 193bpm after 2 miles of hard racing, the graph suddenly falls off a cliff, down to no more than threshold pace, around 130/140 bpm. It putters along then like that to the finish, when in actual fact my eyeballs were popping out. All in all, very disappointing then. It looks as though I might just have bought a very expensive 220, given that the optical heartrate is the usp of the 225.

Anyway, I went onto a Garmin forum, and this is definitely an issue. There are many disappointed 225 owners out there. One thing I can say is that the watch seems to perform better when higher up the arm. The wrist is too bony, and light-leak seems to be critical, so it needs to be strapped on as tightly as possible. It's possible that new firmware/software might fix this, as the 225 uses Mio's optical heart monitor, rather than its own, and it has a good track record, seemingly.

tailgunner

Thanks for that, very disappointing alright. I had all but decided to go for the 220 instead based on more research this morning, but said I'd wait to hear how you got on first. That's my mind made up!

overpronator

Thanks for guineapigging yourself Dave think I'll be holding off!

aquinn

tailgunner wrote: »

Thanks for that, very disappointing alright. I had all but decided to go for the 220 instead based on more research this morning, but said I'd wait to hear how you got on first. That's my mind made up!

Stumbled on the 220 this morning and diverted to here. If you find it for a good price please let me know.

tailgunner

I went with Amazon. £158 with the chest strap, and around €235 for delivery to Ireland.

Actually just found it for £146 at www.handtec.co.uk but I've never heard of them, and not sure if they deliver to Ireland.

Arsenium

http://www.fitnessdigital.ie/garmin-forerunner-220-black-red/p/10004402/

Pretty good price in all fairness !!

aquinn

tailgunner wrote: »

I went with Amazon. £158 with the chest strap, and around €235 for delivery to Ireland.

Actually just found it for £146 at www.handtec.co.uk but I've never heard of them, and not sure if they deliver to Ireland.

Arsenium wrote: »

http://www.fitnessdigital.ie/garmin-forerunner-220-black-red/p/10004402/

Pretty good price in all fairness !!

Wonderful, thank you both. €189 much better than what I found. All twitchy now to buy. Thank you.