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Outdoor cycling heart rate issues

8878975
over 1 year ago

I need some help. I did my first outdoor ride of the year a month ago after riding indoors for the winter. My heart rate monitor wouldn't exceed 100 bpm. I rode yesterday and my heart rate ranged from 160 to 170. So all is good. Well, today I rode again and my heart rate, again, wouldn't go over 100 bpm. I stopped and switched from bike outdoors to bike indoors and my heart rate was back to the 160-170 range. Has anyone experienced this or have a solution? I don't use a chest monitor, if that is what you're wondering and I'm up to date on all updates.  Further, this was not an issue last summer.  

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Former Member

    I really recommend that anyone with similar problems to call Garmin.  The more instances of contact with Garmin, I assume, will have them take a deeper dive on the problems.  Hearing that those with the new Pro model seeing similar results, suggests Garmin has to really see what's happening.  

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to 8878975

    I have just got in from a 3 1/2 hour bike ride and have reproduced the issue - its nearly 10PM here now in the UK so its too late to process the files from the Epix Pro 965 and 745 until tomorrow but climbing a grade 20% hill reproduced it very clearly indeed, things went wionky about 1 hour 50 minutes into the ride in particular and again about an hour later.

    I will categorically say now its NOT faulty hardware. 

    What sort of rides are people doing for those who see the problem and those who don’t?

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to 5135968

    It happens to me the minute I start to peddle.  My heart rate won't go above 100 beats, regardless of effort.  

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to 8878975

    I did see a few instance where HR just got stuck bubbling around 100-110 for about 5 minutes vs the 745 connected to the HRM and the 965’s optical - picture is self explanatory

    There were other occasions where it was +/- 10BPM from actual

    This ride was actually far better than most and generally HR was within +/-2 to 3 BPM off from the HRM Pro Plus too.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to 5135968

    Today I did another outdoor run test , 

    245+ hrm pro plus vs epix

    As soon as I start my fast interval ,

    Epic stayed at 90-100 ( even went lower than 90 after few secs ) as if ohr monitor went to sleep or stuck for entire 90 secs fast interval 

    While 245 with strap went from 90 to 168+ 

    So disappointing!! Most important function of the watch ruined by sloppy firmware update ( my guess is firmware 13.22)

    What the *** Garmin ?

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to 5135968

    I can not believe my forerunner 245 wrist ohr performs way better and more accurate than my epix ( higher tier elevate heart rate sensor tech too ) 

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Mike Y
    Mike Y said:
    I can not believe my forerunner 245 wrist ohr performs way better and more accurate than my epix ( higher

    I can. I have a Fenix 3 HR Sapphire that is from late 2017 and for running (I havent used it cycling) its really close to the HRM Pro Plus. I have had better results with that than on some later watches with sensors a couple of generations later.

    Optical HR is hard. Certainly for me the newest sensor on the Epix Pro isnt really showing any improvement for me, It may he better for some. worse for others.

    If I had only cycled for 1 hour 45 minutes the results would have been excellent for the most part - things only got screwy just before the two hour mark yesterday, So I can see how some people simply just may not ride enough to see the issue. or they may not have it. Hard to tell as no one is providing data, just anecdotes

    I changed to a nylon strap this ride and that may have helped as the results were WAY better than the previous results I posted from Thursdays ride with the stock silicone strap, albeit I am still seeing it get stuck far too low., which seems similiar to what you, I and the OP are seeing.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Mike Y

    may not be sloppy software as works fine for loads of others - sometimes Some HR Sensors just don't work for some people - no ryhme or reason - just is.

    And I understand this comment isn't helpful - but may be the case where you just have to cut your loses and use a chest strap or change to a different watch if that sensor just doesn't work for you.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to jaamgans

    When it works fine until a firmware update, then starts playing up its pretty likely to be the firmware update that caused the problem! Our skin tone didnt change that much!