How reliable are HRMs

razor12345 · 10-02-2013 07:17PM #1

Hi

I have a Garmin CX 405 with a HRM, yesterday I did a 10k at what felt like a easy pace, however when I uploaded the detail to Garmin it reported my heart reached 227, there were other periods where it was over 200. I felt good the whole way around, and wast short of breath at any stage, how accurate are these HRMs?

Cheers

Oryx · 10-02-2013 07:51PM

razor12345 wrote: »

Hi

I have a Garmin CX 405 with a HRM, yesterday I did a 10k at what felt like a easy pace, however when I uploaded the detail to Garmin it reported my heart reached 227, there were other periods where it was over 200. I felt good the whole way around, and wast short of breath at any stage, how accurate are these HRMs?

Cheers

You can get spikes like that with them, any ive used have had that tendency.

Krusty_Clown · 11-02-2013 12:10AM

Give us a link to the activity and we can take a look.

miguelk · 12-02-2013 10:12AM

Hi Razor,

Ok if I jump in?

Bought a HRM but its so unreliable its crazy.

Mind taking a look to see if anyone could offer some advice?

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Give us a link to the activity and we can take a look.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/270836862

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/270836857

Of course not all of them are as a bad as these but its unusable if I don't know on any given day if it will work or read remotely accurately.

Replaced the battery yesterday, no change.

Any ideas? thanks.

Gambas · 12-02-2013 10:34AM

I have noticed that when I wear a certain two tops together while running this winter it is all over the place for the first few kms, but then settles down. From what I've read this is probably caused by static interference created by the fabrics rubbing off each other, but once I build up a sweat it settles down.

Krusty_Clown · 12-02-2013 11:04AM

miguelk wrote: »

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/270836862

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/270836857

The spikes over the first mile are pretty standard Garmin fodder and are typically associated with not having enough sweat to have reliable contact between the HRM strap ad your body. The spikes later in your workouts are pretty unusual. They would suggest some form of interference, such as electronic interference, or static electricity build-up (in your clothing), or just crappy Garmin HRM hardware! It is interesting that both spikes happened within a couple of hundred metres of each other, on different sides of Ringsend Park. Did you do anything unusual like take off a layer of clothes? Are you wearing a few layers, a couple of which could be generating static? Any big electricity pylons in the area?

miguelk · 12-02-2013 11:30AM

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

The spikes over the first mile are pretty standard Garmin fodder and are typically associated with not having enough sweat to have reliable contact between the HRM strap ad your body. The spikes later in your workouts are pretty unusual. They would suggest some form of interference, such as electronic interference, or static electricity build-up (in your clothing), or just crappy Garmin HRM hardware! It is interesting that both spikes happened within a couple of hundred metres of each other, on different sides of Ringsend Park. Did you do anything unusual like take off a layer of clothes? Are you wearing a few layers, a couple of which could be generating static? Any big electricity pylons in the area?

Thanks Krusty - early spikes I can live with as I would be warming up anyway.

No clothes changes, im a one layer man in all conditions and experience wonky HR data regardless of location.

Even allowing for a couple of crazy spikes I think the data is pretty crap. The HR recorded can easily oscillate by 30 BPM's every couple of seconds (activity 270836862).

Activity 270836857 is all over the shop, gradually dipping then hitting 111, 115, 119 etc then back up.

I'm trying to figure out if the product is defective or just sh1te! What ya reckon?

Is this how it works for everyone in general? I've heard it said that the Garmin HRM isn't its best feature but surely if it was as bad as I'm experiencing it no one would use it at all.

seamus · 12-02-2013 11:45AM

I find my Garmin HRM very stable. I have the strap actually very tight, but because it's resting on my ribcage it doesn't cause any constriction in breathing etc. I also lick the contacts before putting them on (yes). Saliva is a great electrolyte and nobody else uses the strap so I don't care.

During the Rathfarnham 5k last September, the strap came loose at the start and it took me a little while to get it back in place. You can see this on the activity;
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/225878221

The almost perfectly stable HR line for the second half of the run is what the HRM data typically looks like, the only time it's ever bounced around the place was when it didn't sit properly during this race.

I thought this run was useful to illustrate the difference between a poor fit and a proper fit on the strap.

Krusty_Clown · 12-02-2013 11:48AM

miguelk wrote: »

Even allowing for a couple of crazy spikes I think the data is pretty crap. The HR recorded can easily oscillate by 30 BPM's every couple of seconds (activity 270836862).

Activity 270836857 is all over the shop, gradually dipping then hitting 111, 115, 119 etc then back up.

Now that you mention it, that is pretty crap. What type of strap are you using? You could try some of that electrode gel, to improve the contact between HRM and your skin, or of it's a soft strap, try the Polar solution. Here's a useful article by DC Rainmaker, on troubleshootinng problems with your HR data/HR strap.

Here's my run from Sunday. As you can see from this screen-grab form the player, after the initial spike, my HR pretty much follows the elevation graph (goes up on hill climbs and drops on the downhills). So there are troughs and peaks, but they are generally to be expected.

miguelk · 12-02-2013 12:14PM

seamus wrote: »

I find my Garmin HRM very stable. I have the strap actually very tight, but because it's resting on my ribcage it doesn't cause any constriction in breathing etc. I also lick the contacts before putting them on (yes). Saliva is a great electrolyte and nobody else uses the strap so I don't care.

During the Rathfarnham 5k last September, the strap came loose at the start and it took me a little while to get it back in place. You can see this on the activity;
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/225878221

The almost perfectly stable HR line for the second half of the run is what the HRM data typically looks like, the only time it's ever bounced around the place was when it didn't sit properly during this race.

I thought this run was useful to illustrate the difference between a poor fit and a proper fit on the strap.

Wow, thats excellent. I would be delighted if I could get it that accurate.

I'll try the tighter strap and the em, oral electrolyte.

miguelk · 12-02-2013 12:18PM

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Now that you mention it, that is pretty crap. What type of strap are you using? You could try some of that electrode gel, to improve the contact between HRM and your skin, or of it's a soft strap, try the Polar solution. Here's a useful article by DC Rainmaker, on troubleshootinng problems with your HR data/HR strap.

Here's my run from Sunday. As you can see from this screen-grab form the player, after the initial spike, my HR pretty much follows the elevation graph (goes up on hill climbs and drops on the downhills). So there are troughs and peaks, but they are generally to be expected.

Ah there's def something up with mine, or my set up. Thats very accurate, just as Seamus's was except on a hilly course. Its remarkable how it matches the elevation.

Going on both the above the Garmin HR is more than capable of matching my needs, if I can get it working right. Strap in the premium strap.

Cheers for the link, will have a read. Got a few things to try before I bin it anyway.

How reliable are HRMs

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