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Help me understand HR readings in Connect

druidh
2 days ago

It appears to me that Connect is not consolidating HR readings from multiple sources. 

Scenario; I have a Fenix 7 and wear it 24/7. I use it to record HR while running, either using the built-in sensor or supplementing it with a HRM Dual. The daily HR graph on Connect clearly shows the HR measured during my exercise.

If, however, I'm cycling using Tacx, with the same HRM Dual but that connected to Tacx, then I upload the activity to Connect, then the Activity stats correctly show my HR, but they are not replicated in the daily HR graph. If I check my Fenix 7 while using Tacx, the HR shown is far lower than being recorded by the HRM Dual (typically 75 instead of 145). It is this lower figure which appears in the daily graph.

The example below shows both a run and a couple of Tacx rides on the same day. Note that the HR recorded during my Tacx rides is nowhere near the 140 or so it should be.

It looks like I may have to dual-record my HR while using Tacx, recording an activity on my Fenix, then delete that activity? 

Once I have that corrected, I guess I should also see what's happening if I go outdoors to ride using my HRM Dual connected to my Edge 840. 

  • 0 2 days ago

    If you wear your Primary Wearable Device (the watch), the all-day HR comes from it. If you do not record any activity, the internal sensor is used.

  • 0 2 days ago in reply to trux

    Yeah, but while doing an activity being "recorded" elsewhere, the HR on my PWD (watch) is also way too low (in my example above, something like 50% of what it should be). I don't think this is a recording interval issue either as I was easily sustaining a HR above 130 for over an hour. 

    Here's is yesterdays example. 

    HR chart from the activity


    HR chart from Connect


    Note the discrepancy in readings during the activity. My watch peaked at 88bpm but I was recording over 150bpm on the HRM Dual/Tacx.

    I guess this will also be affecting my "Intensity Minutes" if that's only using the PWD as a guide. 

  • 0 2 days ago in reply to druidh

    HR from the internal sensor is recorded as averages over 2 minutes, hence strongly smoothed, and it is also measured in low power mode, limiting the accuracy further. At some people more than at others. If you want more accurate HR, you have be in the activity mode, or start HR broadcasting, or even better connect the external HR strap.

  • 0 2 days ago in reply to trux
    trux said:
    HR from the internal sensor is recorded as averages over 2 minutes, hence strongly smoothed, and it is also measure in low power mode, limiting the accuracy further.

    I guess I wasn't expecting to be so far out. I'll experiment with your suggestions to see which one most closely corresponds to "The Truth" Joy

  • 0 1 day ago in reply to druidh

    Well, I did today's Tacx session with the watch in Broadcast mode, but using the HR signal from the HRM Dual in Tacx. I switched it onto Broadcast after a few minutes of riding and it took a few seconds for the HR on the watch to go from around 70 to around 130. 

    The daily HR graph shows the elevated HR and I got a pop-up on the watch to say I'd passed my Minimum Intensity Minutes for the week. 

    Once I stopped the ride, the stats for that also showed Intensity Minutes, which it didn't when just using the HRM Dual. 

    Looks like I now have a working solution, though it's still a bit frustrating that Garmin doesn't just "merge" the readings from Tacx into Connect.

    My next test will be outdoors, using the HRM Dual to my Edge 840, see if Intensity Minutes are recorded, and then try again with the Fenix in Broadcast mode. 

  • 0 1 day ago in reply to druidh
    druidh said:
    My next test will be outdoors, using the HRM Dual to my Edge 840, see if Intensity Minutes are recorded

    Edge 840 does record Intensity Minutes as long as you do not wear the watch (PWD) simultaneously.