Bad HR Data - A love/hate triangle of Wahoo TickrX, Apple Watch, Garmin 1030

Oddball situation. For a handful of outdoor rides, my HR data seems way off of my perceived exertion, and respiration. Like, when climbing at what would typically be in the 160s, it would read in the 120s. My chest strap is Wahoo TickrX ANT+ to a Garmin 1030. The HR would lock in at a single number, then jump up to a new number and move all over the place, sometimes at what would seem normal. Very odd. I tried a few times to cross check to my Apple Watch, and they were indicating the same, so I thought maybe I’m just overtrained and couldn’t the rate up. BUT, after a few rides, I noticed the 1030 and the Apple Watch were EXACTLY the same HR at all times. I stopped, checked out my watch settings and noticed that it was picking up the HR strap via Bluetooth.

I deleted the HR from the Bluetooth on the watch, and everything on the 1030 returned to a normal, fluctuating HR.

Given that there are three pieces of technology, I’m curious if anyone has had similar experiences and determined which of the devices is messing up the other when the HR strap is broadcasting on two signals. Now that I figured it out, it’s easy enough to make sure that the watch isn’t picking up the HR strap, but it’s a curious situation.

Thanks for reading.

I have a Garmin HR strap and use a 1030 as well. It routinely doesn’t register or goes in and out. When it reads, it appears to be accurate. I can’t figure out why it is doing it. I have replaced batteries and that didn’t seem to work. I need to get a new unit (scosche or something), it’s bothering me.

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I’d look into replacing the battery in the Tickr and also seeing if there’s a way to reset it (I used to have to reset my polar HR monitor when it started reading weird.)

Some other considerations are making sure the HR strap is wet and that the strap is secured properly and not worn. I’ve seen my HR readins go off when riding hard and the strap was a little lose and didn’t stay in contact with my chest.

IMHO the issue seems to be the Tickr since it’s kicking out the same reading to two devices.

Does the Tickr have it’s own Wahoo phone app? Maybe head up the same hill and see if the app also give you the same reading.

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Thanks. Funny thing is that the HR puts out good data when connected to one device, but turns yucky when to two (BLE and ANT+). For sure, the HR monitor is doing something weird, but only reads this way under this two-connection circumstance.

The strap is definitely on correctly and wet enough. Nothing dry on me at 160-170 bpm!

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