HRM advice, please

[americancyclo]

@hozn 48126 wrote:

Also, I just discovered my Garmin hrm was dead (replacing battery did nothing), googled around a bit and tried the advice of taking out the battery and putting it in backwards for 10 seconds to reset the device. Worked like a charm.

At least in my case, the transmitter registers as connected, but its not getting any signal from the strap, so I’ve guessed that the problem is the strap. Maybe ill try calling garmin.

[americancyclo]

@americancyclo 48142 wrote:

Maybe ill try calling garmin.

[h=3]

Garmin wrote:

A Product Support specialist will respond to you within 3 business days.[/h]
Message Summary
Category:Edge 705
Subject:Premium Heart Rate Monitor (Soft Strap) not working

[hozn]

Yeah, it does sound like a different problem in your case. FWIW, I have had poor luck with email support from Garmin, but great experience calling them. Good luck!

[Mark Blacknell]

@americancyclo 47777 wrote:

My strap stopped working a while ago, but the monitor still functions. I was going to try out the Polar Wearlink strap that supposedly works with the Garmin HR transmitter.

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/08/solution-to-heart-rate-dropoutsspikes.html

Anyone else tried that yet?

I see that you ordered already, but I’ll chime in to say that yes, I’ve done this, and the Polar strap has lasted longer than any of my Garmin soft-straps. I won’t be buying the Garmin straps in the future (tho’ I have kept one of the old style straps as a backup).

[Dirt]

@Mark Blacknell 48280 wrote:

I see that you ordered already, but I’ll chime in to say that yes, I’ve done this, and the Polar strap has lasted longer than any of my Garmin soft-straps. I won’t be buying the Garmin straps in the future (tho’ I have kept one of the old style straps as a backup).

I used the new soft strap until it broke, then went back to the old, plastic garmin strap. It has worked perfectly for many years. I think they still sell them.

[hozn]

@Dirt 48301 wrote:

I used the new soft strap until it broke, then went back to the old, plastic garmin strap. It has worked perfectly for many years. I think they still sell them.

Yeah, I have the plastic one too. Other than that need-to-reset incident it has been working without incident for several years now.

[americancyclo]

I got an email from Garmin Support asking me to read the care instructions and then let them know if the strap still wasn’t working and they would send me a replacement. I also received the Polar Wearlink in the mail. The Polar Wearlink Strap has rubber grommets around the snaps, so the Garmin transmitter won’t stay attached. It pops off without ever really engaging. The options I’ve seen are to cut down the rubber with a knife, or try the Polar Soft Strap. I’ll probably wait to see if I get my free Garmin replacement before exchanging or cutting the Polar strap.

[americancyclo]

I wanted to follow up that garmin sent me a replacement strap at no cost and it arrived in four days. thanks garmin!

[vvill]

Thanks. I contacted Garmin as well and a new one should be on its way! Soon I’ll be able to again see how much I’m suffering to maintain 16 mph on the way home again

[vvill]

One last bump – received my new replacement HRM strap (for free).

It’s worth noting that it is considerably different to the original “premium soft strap” that came bundled with my Edge 500. It’s considerably thicker around the sensor area – there’s actually some fabric to it, and it’s machine washable. So for anyone who’s had the original version break on them: I recommend contacting Garmin about it. I just used their online contact form.

[americancyclo]

And four months later the replacement Garmin strap has stopped working.
I contacted product support again, and they asked me to do the following:

When you replace the battery in your heart rate monitor, please ensure that you are doing it following these steps:

1. Remove the battery from the sensor leaving them out no less than 10 minutes up to 24 hours.

2. Put the new battery in
3. Put the heart rate monitor on
4. Go to the Main Menu of the device
5. Navigate the menu’s to the heart rate monitor
6. Turn the monitor from on to off and back to on
7. Elevate heart rate for about three minutes (less if it finds it right away, however for some devices right at the three minutes it will detect the monitor)
8. Select Scan/Rescan or search on the device

Even after this, I was still getting heart rate data that looked like this:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]3694[/ATTACH]
Then I switched to the Polar Strap that I had bought for $12 and got some good HR data today, like this:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]3695[/ATTACH]

I’m going to send the Garmin strap back again, and ask for a replacement, but I’ll probably keep it only as a backup in case the polar dies on me too. I’ll report back in a few months to let y’all know how the polar strap is working out.

[ShawnoftheDread]

The first pic looks about right for me. Fine -> moderate jump -> dead.

[OneEighth]

He’s a zombie. Always suspected as much.

[Popsicleian]

My Garmin strap had me at well over 200 BPM for a significant portion of my ride this morning (a leisurely commute). Somehow I don’t think it’s working properly…

[ronwalf]

@Popsicleian 64410 wrote:

My Garmin strap had me at well over 200 BPM for a significant portion of my ride this morning (a leisurely commute).

Mine does that if it fails to get a good connection with skin. Technical clothing and cooler weather seem to exacerbate the problem. Running the HRM under the tap to wet it down fixes the problem for me. They also make HRM gel for the same purpose.

[Author]

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