F7PRO - lagging heart rate registration while cycling

I've read many posts on this topic here and everywhere else on internet but it is driving me mad and I can't find a solution.

75% of my cycling tours (MTB), heart rate only picks up the elevated levels (~130-150) after 30 minutes or so. Today it was even more crazy where it took 1,5 hours to pick my heart rate.

I am not buying the sensor part/switching to a chest strap.. 25% of the trips it works fine. Most of the times it takes 25-30 min.
I am wearing the watch pretty thight on my wrist
I've tried to wet my wrist - no effect

And.... I've been a Polar user for the last 10 years and never had this issue. I feel it is just super annoying Garmin cannot get this right?

Any tips?

Top Replies

All Replies

0 Garmin - AL 5 months ago

Please walk through the tips and tricks provided in the following article to resolve this issue: Garmin Watch Optical Heart Rate Accuracy Tips

0 TymonKerste 1 month ago in reply to Garmin - AL

This is a nice example of my issue. Took the F7 from a friend. Perfect registration 1 or 2 minutes into the ride. It took my F7PRO 25 minutes to pick up an elevated heart rate.

My F7Pro always needs 20-35 minutes before picking up an elevated heart rate. I've tried factory reset, left/right wrist, tight/loose/snug fit.

Any recommendations? I'm about to put in a warranty claim.

0 Vizi 1 month ago in reply to TymonKerste

Claim warranty.

Many people reported that issue in last couple years on range of Garmin watches (elevate gen 4 and 5). It seemed to happen less often on previous software versions. It also seems to me that it might be HR sensors issue. Garmin replaced watches for some people, some had the issue resolved on new watches, some had same issue happening. It is a lottery. Anyhow, watch obviously does not track properly HR and is valid reason to request replacement.

0 TymonKerste 1 month ago in reply to Vizi

Thanks. I got replacement arranged. Still same issue :-( so again contacted Garmin...

0 Vizi 1 month ago in reply to TymonKerste

As expected. Garmin HR algorithm has big issues to recognize proper HR at beginning of a workout. It was reported to Garmin but they do not care.

0 TymonKerste 1 month ago in reply to Vizi

The weird thing is... in non-activity mode it works fine. Was doing a routine medical check last week and the F7Pro followed my heart rate perfectly (compared to the medical device attached to my chest). But when in activity mode/workout it just takes forever to recognize....

0 TymonKerste 1 month ago in reply to Vizi

Vizi where do you get this info from? I have been searching for similar cases but could not find.... thanks!

0 Vizi 1 month ago in reply to TymonKerste

forums.garmin.com/.../when-will-garmin-finally-work-on-the-fundamentally-flawed-optical-hr

forums.garmin.com/.../faulty-heart-rate-measurement-on-my-955

forums.garmin.com/.../low-hr-at-the-start-of-an-activity-also-in-fw-21-19

forums.garmin.com/.../the-garmin-mess-my-opinion-of-optical-hr

forums.garmin.com/.../example-of-garbage-hr

forums.garmin.com/.../epix-2-hr-under-reading-issues

www.reddit.com/.../

forums.garmin.com/.../another-example-of-the-low-hr-issue

forums.garmin.com/.../when-will-garmin-finally-work-on-the-fundamentally-flawed-optical-hr

0 TymonKerste 1 month ago in reply to TymonKerste

And Garmins reply..... they are just referring to this article:
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=xQwjQjzUew4BF1GYcusE59

This is really disappointing. 10 years of Polar watches and never an issue
Fenix 7 also works just fine... but my F7PRO takes ages to recognize the elevated heart rate. To me, this is unacceptable.

Gave them this answer. Curious for the response

0 TymonKerste 15 days ago in reply to TymonKerste

Final update: Garmin responded they cannot resolve this and offered (and I received) an HRM200 chest strap. To me this is not a great solution because I just like the simplicity of wearing just a watch.

While waiting for the strap I found a workaround....

With a loose fit, when starting cycling, I press the watch semi-firmly to my wrist for first 2 minutes. It then picks up the elevated heart rate. Of course this is a bit dangerous since on my bike ;-)
And also strange - when wearing the watch with a tightened strap it does not pick up the heart rate going op...

Anyway. Case closed for me.