Someone posted “what’s the best training GPS watch”. But what’s the best for racing?
Is there one that
I use a Timex Ironman because the analog HRM works under water. But it doesn’t do pace and can’t upload to Strava.
I have a Garmin 220 which will upload to Strava and do pace but the HRM craps out in the swim and won’t reconnect on the bike/run.
Suggestions?
I’m using a MIO Link optical HRM attached to my Garmin watch strap. It works underwater (probably because the MIO and the watch are so close).
http://i59.tinypic.com/ekj96u.jpg
Garmin also now has a FR225 with integrated optical HRM.
That’s pretty ingenious; is the MIO reliable?
Though that Garmin FR225 looks pretty promising if it really does read HR underwater. Too bad you can’t select a different sport for each of the activities with it, though.
Check out the DCR reviews on the MIO link and the FR225. I’ve been really happy with the MIO. The reading basically matches my analog chest strap when I’ve compared them on the treadmill. I have seen it read low for a minute or two and then it figures out the waveform and corrects:minor issue.
Integrated optical HRMs are going to be pretty standard in a few years IMO.
Just curious, but why worry about HR while swimming during a race? Are you actually taking note of your HR during the race or is this more for a race data postmortem?
ETA: I race with the Polar RS800CX, it doesn’t remain sync’d under water, but it takes two pushes of a button and about 10 more seconds to resync the HRM and GPS. I’ve never had a problem with it being resync’d by the time I hit T1, except before I knew how to resync it on the fly.
Interesting idea!
The MIO is a great unit, very reliable and accurate. They have the unit in quite a few of the optical HR watches on the market including TomTom
Suunto ambit3 peak and sport has a heart rate belt that bursts the heart rate from the swim to the watch as soon you are on the land. (Ant+ or BLE signal doesnt transmit in the water, so the memory function is perfect for this)
And has pace
And uploads to strava automatically
Janne
Just curious, but why worry about HR while swimming during a race?
I could see setting a vibration alarm so that when you are 200 yards into the swim and your heart rate is 237 beats per minute, it reminds you that you might want to ease off a little bit.
That will be in the garmin 920 replacement with optical heart rate.
Best race watch is the one left at home! (pink sort of).
Measuring the HR in the water isn’t the issue. With the Garmin, once it looses HR in the water there isn’t an easy way to get it to start reading again when you are back on land. Sounds like the Polar works a bit better.
Measuring the HR in the water isn’t the issue. With the Garmin, once it looses HR in the water there isn’t an easy way to get it to start reading again when you are back on land. Sounds like the Polar works a bit better.
How about?:
…I have sometimes used same device for 2 and 3 with a velcro quick release strap of some kind.
Kevin, if my HR hit 237 on the swim either I’m being chased by a shark or it was the last reading before I kicked the bucket. Not sure the vibration alarm would matter.
I start my races with the 920 and wearing my HR strap in multi-sport mode. It doesn’t give me any reading during the swim but it immediately picks it up when I stand up in the water on my way to T1. No buttons to push or fiddle with, it just works. I don’t look at it at all, except for on the bike, but it’s there for me to study afterwards.
Check out the strava log from the tri I did on 6/20. I had the MIO on the whole time, and you can see the HR graph.
With the Garmin, once it looses HR in the water there isn’t an easy way to get it to start reading again when you are back on land. Sounds like the Polar works a bit better.Never had an issue with 910/920 not picking up the HRM after the swim. IIRC, Garmin Connect will even show HR stats for most of T1.
I started using the 920 and it’s flawless. I wear the HR strap under my wetsuit in the swim and as soon as I get out of the water it picks up the signal with no problems. I also leave my Edge 1000 on my bike in transition to record a separate file of the bike, but mostly because it is nice to have the large screen to watch during the ride. Very happy so far.
I have the RS800cx and the V800. The V800 picks up the HR in the water. I have never had any trouble with it, although FWIW I don’t necessarily train my swim using HR so I barely look at it except when I review the workout afterward. In addition I have great tracking of individual strokes.
Measuring the HR in the water isn’t the issue. With the Garmin, once it looses HR in the water there isn’t an easy way to get it to start reading again when you are back on land.
My garmin Fenix 2 has no issue with this.
I have used the V800 for 2 seasons now and love it training and racing. I also like to review my HR data for my swim after the race to see how my warm up and overall swim fitness for a race situation is playing out. Moving from swim/t1/bike/t2/run is very easy with this watch. The watch is designed to wear at all times though and not just for races… this will give you the best picture of your sleep cycles and your recovery status post workouts. Its also a big plus to me that it doesn’t look like a beeper on my wrist when I wear it to work. Good Luck on your search!
I started using the 920 and it’s flawless. I wear the HR strap under my wetsuit in the swim and as soon as I get out of the water it picks up the signal with no problems. I also leave my Edge 1000 on my bike in transition to record a separate file of the bike, but mostly because it is nice to have the large screen to watch during the ride. Very happy so far.
x2
I use an Edge 500 to look at my data while on the bike but use the 920XT to record all of my race data.