AeroPod, PowerPod and Newton

What heart rate monitors do you use? What is a reasonable average heart rate? Is the now discontinued iBike heart rate monitor reliable?

I am using an iBike heart rate monitor purchased a few weeks ago - sounds like it is no longer being sold which retrospectively sounds alarms. During my rides I supposedly average about 185bpm. Is that normal?

That sounds very high. Please post a ride file showing HR data.

HR straps are a bit tricky to use; you have to be sure they are moistened before attaching them, and that they fit securely around your chest.

The HR strap we sell is the same kind used by Garmin. Because so few of our customers purchase HR straps, we decided to not offer them after our current supply runs out.

Thanks for your help. I am fairly new to riding (4 months) but I felt the attached ride was a fairly easy pace. I definitely did not "moisten" the strap beforehand.

I don't see anything in your ride file that suggests that your HR strap is working improperly.

You might want to wear your HR strap indoors, and use your Newton to check your resting heart rate.

Okay, I will try that. Thank you.

A potential alternatives to a chest strap is a device with an optical sensor. The ones that come to mind are the MIO Link, Mio Fuse and Scorche Rhythm.

I can personally vouch for the LInk and Fuse devices working fine with the Newton, the Scorche should too, as it is standard ANT+.

As regards errors, there is a learning curve. Until you find a good position they will occasionally be wrong, but when they are wrong it is very wrong and pretty obvious. Once you have that sorted I think they are a little better.

I prefer them as you can get dressed and it does not matter if you forget to put on a chest strap. Maybe you live somewhere warm so it does not matter, but if you have several layers of clothes.... Or it has slipped down and it is freezing...Also the Fuse has a memory and so you can use it swimming. Unfortunately, you can't export the data from the App.

Ps. When I used chest straps I used to lick the electrodes. A bit grim in retrospect, but it works.

Whatever HR system you use, it will have to communicate with ANT+ in order to be compatible with our products.