Garmin or heart?

[Ted Heise]

Okay, out on my ride today my Garmin 830 failed to present a heart
rate for the first 10 minutes or so, and then it magically
appeared. The only concerning thing is it saying my HR was around
170 bpm. I typically run in the low hundreds (maybe 110-120),
with a max around 160 (as compared to the nearly 190 I saw today).

The Garmin has been a bit flaky the last couple of weeks, for
example doing a reset on its own. I think it may have come with
an update to the firmware, but am not sure. I put a new battery
in the strap, but got about the same thing. Still, the Garmin is
suspect, at least in my mind.

On the other hand, about 20 years ago I had some intermittent (and
transient) episodes of PSVT, so it's possible I have some kind of
arrythymia going on. It's not PSVT, but perhaps A-fib. I have
had some heartburn and tightness in the chest the last few days.
Of the two prior rides since I noticed that, the first had HRs on
the high side and the second had no recorded HR.

Has anyone had similar experiences? I'm thinking to get a new
chest strap, but also to check in with my doc.

--
Ted Heise <the...@panix.com> West Lafayette, IN, USA

[John B.]

On Mon, 29 May 2023 00:30:48 -0000 (UTC), Ted Heise <the...@panix.com>
wrote:

You might want to first check your resting heart rate - you can
normally do this manually - and then see what the Garmin says.
This would give you a starting point.
--
Cheers,

John B.

[Frank Krygowski]

I don't use Garmins or similar devices. But if I were you I'd really consider a trip to the family
doctor. Or at minimum, borrow someone's Apple Watch for a minute. A friend once showed
me how his was able to determine whether he was in Afib or in normal sinus rhythm.

- Frank Krygowski

[Ted Heise]

On Mon, 29 May 2023 07:57:46 +0700,
John B <sloc...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 29 May 2023 00:30:48 -0000 (UTC), Ted Heise <the...@panix.com>
> wrote:

> >Okay, out on my ride today my Garmin 830 failed to present a
> >heart rate for the first 10 minutes or so, and then it
> >magically appeared. The only concerning thing is it saying my
> >HR was around 170 bpm. I typically run in the low hundreds
> >(maybe 110-120), with a max around 160 (as compared to the
> >nearly 190 I saw today).
> >
> >The Garmin has been a bit flaky the last couple of weeks, for
> >example doing a reset on its own. I think it may have come
> >with an update to the firmware, but am not sure. I put a new
> >battery in the strap, but got about the same thing. Still, the
> >Garmin is suspect, at least in my mind.
> >
> >On the other hand, about 20 years ago I had some intermittent
> >(and transient) episodes of PSVT, so it's possible I have some
> >kind of arrythymia going on. It's not PSVT, but perhaps A-fib.
> >I have had some heartburn and tightness in the chest the last
> >few days. Of the two prior rides since I noticed that, the
> >first had HRs on the high side and the second had no recorded
> >HR.

> You might want to first check your resting heart rate - you can
> normally do this manually - and then see what the Garmin says.
> This would give you a starting point.

Good idea. I tried that, and the Garmin/strap now alternates
between no reported HR, and an unexpectedly high rate. The latter
occurs only briefly when I move/twist my torso in certain ways, so
I'm suspecting a short somewhere in the strap.

[Ted Heise]

On Sun, 28 May 2023 18:55:47 -0700 (PDT),
Frank Krygowski <frkr...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 8:32:10???PM UTC-4, Ted Heise wrote:

> > Okay, out on my ride today my Garmin 830 failed to present a
> > heart rate for the first 10 minutes or so, and then it
> > magically appeared. The only concerning thing is it saying my
> > HR was around 170 bpm. I typically run in the low hundreds
> > (maybe 110-120), with a max around 160 (as compared to the
> > nearly 190 I saw today).

> > Has anyone had similar experiences? I'm thinking to get a new
> > chest strap, but also to check in with my doc.

> I don't use Garmins or similar devices. But if I were you I'd
> really consider a trip to the family doctor. Or at minimum,
> borrow someone's Apple Watch for a minute. A friend once showed
> me how his was able to determine whether he was in Afib or in
> normal sinus rhythm.

Another good idea, thanks. My wife should have a Garmin strap she
doesn't use, and I'll try that. If it doesn't work, I'll order a
new one. Once I have a confirmed working system, I'll definitely
see my PCP if I see abnormal rates.

[Tom Kunich]

There was a recent firmware update and mine didn't restart properly either. Turn the Garmin completely off and restart it. My heart monitor never held the detector correctly against my chest and always needed several minutes before I got enough sweat on my chest before it made a decent contact and began working. I haven't the slightest idea of why they make the heart monitor and strap that long. Pro racers whom those detectors are aimed at are very slight. My chest is only 36 inches and the strap is loose.

[Catrike Rider]

On Mon, 29 May 2023 07:59:50 -0700 (PDT), Tom Kunich
<cycl...@gmail.com> wrote:

I have Garmin Fenix watch that sends my heartrate to the bike
computer.. I just upgraded my old Edge 500 for a new Edge 130+ Yes,
it is an upgrade.

[Ted Heise]

Just to close the loop on this one, the strap and sensor that came
with my wife's Edge 530 worked just fine, and my heart rates were
as expected. That's a relief!

To take things further, it seems it was the sending unit and not
the strap that it snaps on to. The new strap has rubber (prolly
silicone) flap under the clip--presumably to prevent chafing from
the clip, but it folded under and was more bothersome than the
clip (that never actually chafed). So I snapped the new sending
unit onto the old strap and it worked just fine.

[Ted Heise]

On Mon, 29 May 2023 07:59:50 -0700 (PDT),
Tom Kunich <cycl...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 5:32:10???PM UTC-7, Ted Heise wrote:
> > Okay, out on my ride today my Garmin 830 failed to present a
> > heart rate for the first 10 minutes or so, and then it
> > magically appeared. The only concerning thing is it saying my
> > HR was around 170 bpm. I typically run in the low hundreds
> > (maybe 110-120), with a max around 160 (as compared to the
> > nearly 190 I saw today).
> >
> > The Garmin has been a bit flaky the last couple of weeks, for
> > example doing a reset on its own. I think it may have come
> > with an update to the firmware, but am not sure. I put a new
> > battery in the strap, but got about the same thing. Still, the
> > Garmin is suspect, at least in my mind.
> >
> > On the other hand, about 20 years ago I had some intermittent
> > (and transient) episodes of PSVT, so it's possible I have some
> > kind of arrythymia going on. It's not PSVT, but perhaps A-fib.
> > I have had some heartburn and tightness in the chest the last
> > few days. Of the two prior rides since I noticed that, the
> > first had HRs on the high side and the second had no recorded
> > HR.
> >
> > Has anyone had similar experiences? I'm thinking to get a new
> > chest strap, but also to check in with my doc.

> There was a recent firmware update and mine didn't restart
> properly either. Turn the Garmin completely off and restart it.

Yeah, this latest update is still sorta suspect in my mind.

> My heart monitor never held the detector correctly against my
> chest and always needed several minutes before I got enough
> sweat on my chest before it made a decent contact and began
> working.

I had the same exerience early on, and got in the habit of licking
the two contact pads before putting it on. Saliva is fairly
conductive, so problem solved.

> I haven't the slightest idea of why they make the heart monitor
> and strap that long. Pro racers whom those detectors are aimed
> at are very slight. My chest is only 36 inches and the strap is
> loose.

They are adjustable, Tom. You could take up some slack, if you
wanted a tighter fit.

[Tom Kunich]

This is with ALL of the slack taken up and the ends of the strap bumping on the ends of the pickup mount. I could probably remove 4" of the strap but I don't use a heart monitor any more since my heart is in perfect condition and I don't need to watch it. Now, my lungs are another thing.

[Frank Krygowski]

Glad to hear it.

--
- Frank Krygowski

[Mark Cleary]

My Garmin heartrate monitor is of course the strap. If I don't use Spectrum Gel 360 before hand it will not pick up heart rate until I get really sweaty. Once the Garmin picks it up and it remains connected it is pretty accurate. If the strap dries out riding or whatever else, then it will not pick up the HR and I have found this happens mostly in winter riding outside. I don't sweat enough to trigger the device. Inside on treadmill running or indoor trainer enough sweat happens that it is amazingly consistent.
Deacon Mark

[Sir Ridesalot]

The first heart rate monitor I had plugged into my Cateye Solar bicycle computerand had those little sticky pads like you see used in a hospital. The instructions said to smear a bit of cream on them to improve conductivity.

Cheers

[Ted Heise]

On Tue, 30 May 2023 12:07:13 -0700 (PDT),
Sir Ridesalot <i_am_cyc...@yahoo.ca> wrote:
> On Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at 10:11:36???a.m. UTC-5, Mark Cleary wrote:

Thanks!

> > My Garmin heartrate monitor is of course the strap. If I don't
> > use Spectrum Gel 360 before hand it will not pick up heart
> > rate until I get really sweaty. Once the Garmin picks it up
> > and it remains connected it is pretty accurate. If the strap
> > dries out riding or whatever else, then it will not pick up
> > the HR and I have found this happens mostly in winter riding
> > outside. I don't sweat enough to trigger the device. Inside on
> > treadmill running or indoor trainer enough sweat happens that
> > it is amazingly consistent. Deacon Mark
>
> The first heart rate monitor I had plugged into my Cateye Solar
> bicycle computerand had those little sticky pads like you see
> used in a hospital. The instructions said to smear a bit of
> cream on them to improve conductivity.

I'll say it again: spit.