Heart rate monitor

What I use: Heart Rate Monitor

Welcome to our “What I use” series. The following piece of equipment is something that I have used for a substantial period and thoroughly recommend as a beneficial training tool. I am not endorsed or sponsored by this company and will not offer comparison to any other products. This is simply something I use and really trust in my training.

I started using the Wahoo Tickr soft chest strap because I wanted a reliable Heart Rate Monitor (HRM). I use a HRM for every single training session and would feel a bit naked without it. I’m not a huge fan of optical sensors as I’ve never had much luck with them in terms of picking up my heart rate consistently. I have always used a chest strap and have never had much reason to complain in terms of comfort or restriction of breathing etc.

The best thing about the wahoo is that it is ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible. That means it’ll work with just about every device that picks up heart rate. Bike computers, phones and watches all pick up the sensor even if they are a completely different or rival manufacturer. It is a third party HRM meaning it is designed to work with other manufacturer’s devices. I really like the versatility in that, as I can upgrade other things without worrying my HRM will be made redundant.

I have almost never had issues with the sensor picking up my heart rate and there has never been a lag or settling of heart rate as I have seen with some other HRMs. Despite logging regular 12hr + training weeks, I’ve had the Tickr for over two years without needing to change the battery, although I did after about 12 months just so I didn’t get caught out.

One neat little feature is the LED lights that flash on the sensor when you first fit it. They flash to indicate pairing and battery life. That’s nice to see as it gives a warning of any issues before you start the session.

I’ve used many HRM straps and found many to be quite good. The Tickr is definitely my No. 1 and I would recommend it to anybody who is either buying their first HRM or replacing an old one.

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