Unable to change heart rate zones to customized bpm in forerunner 255. it says I should be able to, but I can't.

What is the mode "Based On" set to, at the concerned HR Zone?

And did you try changing the HR Zones, directly on the watch?

Based on BPM. and yes i've tried directly on watch. 

So I've figured a workaround. Not nearly as user friendly as it should be. 

The dial changes only the first number, so you have to work backwards from z5.

Same thing.Based On is BPM, can change very limited set of values, completly not corresponding with reality. I've tried to save even those wrong number - directly on the watch - nothing has changed. On Monday i'll go to the authorized reseller and it will be interesting what will be it's solution. It simply is not working. ***

Mike F. said:

It simply is not working.

It does work. Probably, similarly as WHYTE39 you did not notice that you can change only the lower limit of each zone. The upper limit is then changed automatically when you change the higher zone. It does not really matter whether you start from the Z5 and go down to Z1, or in the other way. Both ways work. Simply, the number you set, changes the lower limit in the zone you are editing, and in the same time it sets the upper limit of the next lower zone (unless you are at Z1).The value of the upper limit of the lower zone is equal to your value minus one.

However, from your description, I suspect you may have a different problem than the one in the opening post. Hard to tell exactly, if you do not describe your problem closer. If you can redefine the HR Zones and save them, but still see different numbers in your activities, then it is a different problem than that of WHYTE39. You may be using several HR Zone profiles - for example a general one, one for running, another one for cycling, and perhaps yet another one for swimming, and perhaps you are just editing the wrong HRZ profile. As I wrote, it is hard to tell without knowing any details, or seeing your data.

Trux, You 're right in this point, except for the last few words . I knew what i'm doing. Usually 

trux said:

You may be using several HR Zone profiles - for example a general one, one for running, another one for cycling, and perhaps yet another one for swimming, and perhaps you are just editing the wrong HRZ profile.

It has been an argument of most importance to me for buiying F255, to be able to set different zones for general use as well as for three sports Garmin distingushes: swimming, running and cycling. And, I agree, you can set up succesfully in all four cases (activities) two parameters: HR max and LT. And this is good. But it does not mean that zones Z1-Z5 can be changed. At least - I can 't do it. Perhaps there is some kind of interaction between them. But if that would be the case - what for Garmin would have attempt to distingush them. Frustrating a bit fo me.

One remark of less importance: zones in my FR255 do overlap, i.e for example Z2 have range 119-134 bpm, Z3 134 - 155, Z4 155 - 164... For me it really is of minor importance. The above - isn't.

Thanks, Trux for Your answer :)

Mike F. said:

I agree, you can set up succesfully in all four cases (activities) two parameters: HR max and LT. And this is good. But it does not mean that zones Z1-Z5 can be changed.

You can change the zones definition with all four HRZ modes, and in all available profiles for individual sport disciplines. At the modes %LTHR, %Max.HR, and at %HRR you can can change the lower percentage of each zone (not the bpm value!). At the mode BPM, you can change the lower limit of every zone directly in bpms.

Mike F. said:

At least - I can 't do it.

I do not quite understand why you cannot change it. Perhaps posting a video, or at least some screenshots, demonstrating the problem preventing you to edit the HR Zones, could help understanding it. 

Please note that changing the zones will have no impact on your past activities. The new HR Zones will be used only on new activities done after the change.

Thx for your patience, Trux.

At last one section is obvious and mutually agreed

trux said:

Please note that changing the zones will have no impact on your past activities. The new HR Zones will be used only on new activities done after the change.

As for the rest: looking at the  the side panel i'm not the only one with problem of setting HR zones. FR255 is really outstanding, especially for data driven geeks such as me. I'm also not a kind of freshmen in the area of any technologicaly advanced equipment, since I work in the area from early '80. I understand tha brand new equipment with at least  brand new software has it's imperfections. But this one piece looks like a perfect match for me and that's the reason why I'm a bit impatient. OK. Infancy period has it's rigths for every new hardware - software driven "gadget". Will try again and with care. Perhaps there is something not clearly stated in the manual. Freedivers are patient, arent' we?

Mike F. said:

Freedivers are patient, arent' we?

Sure, we are  But the reason I asked for some video or screenshots is not because I suspected you of incompetence. It was rather because I try to understand where the problem is. From the description so far, it is not clear to me where exactly the numbers, that you enter into the HRZ settings in Garmin Connect, disappear.  You did not explain whether you do not see the new lower limit at the HR Zone you just edited after tapping the "Done" on the value wheel, in GCM, or whether the edited numbers do not transfer to the watch, or whether you just have problems seeing the expected new HRZ ranges on new activities. A video or screenshots speak usually much clearer than words.

People do indeed often have problems with HR Zones, but mostly it is because they misunderstood how the HRZ work, they selected the wrong mode (for example using the auto-detected max HR or LHTR), edited wrong discipline, or expected that it would change the data in their activities retrospectively.

Everything is clear. I do not see the changes I've made, and it doesn't matter whether it is on GC or on the watch. I tap, it doesn't react and zones stay at previous ranges. As I've written,

Mike F. said:

Will try again and with care

and let lt you and the community know. For me, it' s just the bug. It is a brand new device - roughly a several weeks or so old and it will take some time for Garmin to fix it. I will do my job asap and let you know what the results are. Goood night   - as for Poland.

trux said:

People do indeed often have problems with HR Zones, but mostly it is because they misunderstood how the HRZ work

My guru in this area is Joe Friel and his Total Heart Rate Training. Since 2010 .

Cheers

Mike

So I thought it was a straightforward as just changing the first number first starting in z5, but Garmin doesn't hold these values. I have auto detection turned off but Garmin keeps changing zones to being Based on %LTHR, even after I change to Based on BPM. A save button would be nice, because I believe you have to go back a bunch of steps in the app and hit sync after you make the changes or it wipes the zones and reverts to %LTHR.

Will test tonight/tomorrow and see if it holds the zones.