Garmin Fenix 3

[Dewald3]

So you have to make a call.

Looking at reviews across the board on wrist based HR, it is not 100% accurate.

Judging by die drops on my chest strap daily, neither is chest HR all the time reliable.

 

So the question is....what are you going to do with this data?  Is it critical to the analysis after the ride?  Will a downhill's data loss be that important? 

Then in the race......so you are hammering it down.....do you look at your HR and make decisions based on the reading?

 

Personally I don't use HR that much in a race.  My power measurement is much more important.  HR is a by product of how hard you are pushing or feeling.

Thus the loss I have on data during a MTB ride is not that critical to me.  So I opted to go for the Fenix HR one. 

My resting pulse gets measured now every day.  And in determining if I am getting sick or having a bad day, this is much more valuable to me than the data in a ride.

 

That said, you can always just add a HR strap to the HR's ANT+ devices and off you go.......best of both worlds. 

Hahaha thanks Spinnekop! The only problem with that is spending more money!!

 

At the end of the day I just want accurate data, and use the system that is closest to providing that to me. 

 

Ja to be honest im leaning to the F3 HR, just for the fact that you can monitor you HR through out the day.

[GroenHoender]

 

Morning All, 

 

Just a quick question:

 

Im looking to get the Fenix 3, but cant decide which one is better, I will mostly use it for mountain biking and gyming, but have heard that when mountain biking with it the Fenix 3 HR can loose connection with your heart rate when descending.

 

So if you had to choose between the 2 options (Fenix 3 HR vs Fenix 3 with HR strap) which will you choose?

 

What are your experience with the Fenix 3 HR when hammering it down a descent? 

 

 

I have the Fenix 3 (non-HR) and use it a lot for both MTB and gym stuff. With chest band. 

At the end of the day, the data you get is just data. Either useful or not useful, depending on how you use it.

 

Even DC Rainmaker admitted on his blogs (when he reviewed various gadgets, like watches and bike computers on his MTB) that there is not much he can deduct from the data given the nature of MTB and tracks, unless you want to see what your heart-rate / power is against uphills. Or how to pace yourself. Or... Or... Or... again, too many unspecifics. He even said that cadence sensors on a MTB is not even useful. Too irregular.

 

In my case, I actually use the Fenix 3 for the other reasons: being a deaf rider myself, I use it to monitor communications (with my smart phone in the back of my MTB shirt) and using "LiveTracking" for peace of mind for my wife, so that she can see where I am. Very useful for accident scenarios where I might not be able to contact her (eg, knock on head leaving me lights-out or paralyzed or such).

 

As for the gym parts, be informed that there are not any dedicated Garmin app for gym purposes, unless you use this "7-min" app, or use the build-in Cardio app or even the "indoor-running / bicycling" app which is just basically HR stuff.

[Kona Kula]

 

Morning All, 

 

Just a quick question:

 

Im looking to get the Fenix 3, but cant decide which one is better, I will mostly use it for mountain biking and gyming, but have heard that when mountain biking with it the Fenix 3 HR can loose connection with your heart rate when descending.

 

So if you had to choose between the 2 options (Fenix 3 HR vs Fenix 3 with HR strap) which will you choose?

 

What are your experience with the Fenix 3 HR when hammering it down a descent? 

 

These are my thoughts.

 

Get the Hr version. It still connects to the belt if you need accurate* Hr. If you want to ride a race without the belt or you forget your belt, you still have Hr.

 

*So the Hr is only not accurate in a few situations. That is intervals or perhaps when on a mtb and the watch is bouncing on your wrist.

 

You may also want advanced hr features like V02 max etc.

 

So back to my initial advice, why not have the Hr version and when you need the advanced features or in training use the belt.

[Kona Kula]

what sort of activities? Ones that you have created on GC? If so, you need to put the watch in its charging dock and plug it in to the USB port on the computer that you have GC on. 

You can also send them from your phone via bluetooth.

[Dewald3]

Thanks guys, looks like HR it is!!

[shaper]

No they dont.  It is a older version of the cycleops bike that they use i think (resistance not even controlled, you still turn the know to increase resitance).  Cant remember what the exact story was (something about permision required from cycleops to open up the software, these bikes are a few years old and back then everything did not talk nicely to one another), but the point is that if they did not swap to "newer" bikes it is not possible.

 

Edit:

Think this is the bikes they are still using

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61BUL8Y5EbL._SY355_.jpg

Cyclops 300 is Ant+ http://virtualtraining.eu/en/tour/how-it-works/compatibility-list/

[Spinnekop]

Very cool FB page to follow for all things Fenix

https://www.facebook.com/groups/GarminFenix3/

[AllAboutRides]

Thanks guys, looks like HR it is!!

Don't get the HR Version, I had it for a week and was very dissapointed with inaccurate HR readings during activities. I'm now back on the F3 Saphire with no problems

[Kona Kula]

Don't get the HR Version, I had it for a week and was very dissapointed with inaccurate HR readings during activities. I'm now back on the F3 Saphire with no problems

But you could just connect a belt? 

[Jigghead]

I just took my Sapphire Titanium to Navworld due to a battery issue. It took less time to replace the unit, no questions asked, than it did to drive there. I live 10 mins away. 

 

Which ever you go for, there may be occasional issues, but Garmin always backs up their gear.

[Frosty]

Morning All,

Just a quick question:

Im looking to get the Fenix 3, but cant decide which one is better, I will mostly use it for mountain biking and gyming, but have heard that when mountain biking with it the Fenix 3 HR can loose connection with your heart rate when descending.

So if you had to choose between the 2 options (Fenix 3 HR vs Fenix 3 with HR strap) which will you choose?

What are your experience with the Fenix 3 HR when hammering it down a descent?

Not sure if you have purchased the Fenix HR unit yet.

 

I have the Forerunner 735XT and have been doing my own review of the unit with/without using a strap - just look for the wrist-based HR vs chest strap.

 

So far, so good. It works for me in what I use it for. A few more tests within the next few weeks should help other decide if wrist-based HR recording is good enough - whatever the result, an Ant+ strap makes it just like the non-HR version so it's a no-brainer (for me)... HR.

 

Based on my experience, so far, I am happy with the device. And you would be too with the Fenix HR.

[AllAboutRides]

But you could just connect a belt?

 

Yes but why the F3 HR then?

[Runbikeswim]

I just returned my hr after 5 days... found the hr extremely unreliable ... would sometimes just drop and say no hr ir slowly drop down a beat per second. I had to then pause and restart..

 

Im going back to a normal fenix.

 

Very very disappointed

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AllAboutRides]

I just returned my hr after 5 days... found the hr extremely unreliable ... would sometimes just drop and say no hr ir slowly drop down a beat per second. I had to then pause and restart..

Im going back to a normal fenix.

Very very disappointed

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Had the same issues! Love my normal fenix

[Runbikeswim]

Had the same issues! Love my normal fenix

dis a crap load of reading eventualy found people refereing the the current beta that has improved the hr reading.

 

Went back to the shops got another hr and tried the beta....

 

Works 100%! Hr is spot on!

 

Its beta3.34

 

https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?356845-Fenix-3-HR-3-34-and-WHR-2-16-Beta-Release

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Runbikeswim]

Oh and now in beta i can broadcast hr to other devices whilst jm in activity !!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk