Your heart is one of the most important organs in your body. It is responsible for the flow of blood throughout your body and it ensures that you can actually be alive. When cycling, the heart can be monitored. This not only helps for cycling but also for losing weight. By keeping your heart rate in the right zone, the best heart rate monitor for cycling should enable you to optimize your weight loss potential. The Garmin Forerunner 235 is one of the best options from an extremely reputable brand as well.
I prefer using the heart rate monitor for more than cycling. Whenever I am working out, the heart rate monitor does indicate the optimal rate to have for weight loss. I have done hours of testing on these monitors to ensure that each of them works efficiently. However, the options selected on this list can be used for cycling and for other purposes.
In this article, we take a deeper look at these heart rate monitors and which of them will work the best for you. I have also done the additional legwork to find the most important features used to make them. If you are looking for a brand new fitness monitor that could help you with virtually any fitness purposes or to lose weight.
Best Heart Rate Monitor For Cycling | Type | Special Features | Our Rating |
| Garmin Forerunner 235 | Wrist | Includes all the top features you might need for cycling | ★★★★★ |
| Wahoo TICKR X Heart Rate Monitor | Chest Strap | It is really affordable and used by the top Tour de France riders | ★★★★★ |
| Garmin Edge 520 Bike GPS | Bike Mount & Chest Strap | This GPS can track almost all of your important stats in the fitness world | ★★★★★ |
| Mio VELO Cycling Heart Rate Band | Wrist | A really lightweight option that offers a lot of comfort and breathability | ★★★★★ |
| HRM3 Premium Soft Strap | Chest Strap | The most versatile option that should help you with every device you could own | ★★★★★ |
Best Heart Rate Monitor For Cycling On The Market Today
Understanding the different features is important and should help you quite a lot. However, the monitors are much more interesting and should keep your attention. As mentioned, I have tested all of these models and I believe they should all work well for you. That said, here are the top options for the best heart rate monitor for cycling currently available on the market.
Top Pick of the Best Heart Rate Monitor for Cycling: Garmin Forerunner 235
Garmin is one of the leading brands when it comes to GPS technology. However, they have entered the fitness world with a bang and the Garmin Forerunner 235 is a sport watch with a wrist-based heart rate monitor. As with all Garmin products, it also features the GPS setting, but this does bring the battery life down to only 11-hours. The Garmin Forerunner is the best heart rate monitor for cycling.
The Good
- Comfort: The rubber wristband is really comfortable and should ensure the best possible comfort. It is waterproof and helps any sweat disappear without any real frustrations.
- Bluetooth: The watch can easily connect to your smartwatch, which means you can even get all the notification needed whilst you are driving.
- Battery Life: If the GPS setting is not being used, the watch can last you up to 9 days. This makes it great for touring if you have a decent touring bike
- Bike Mount: Not all of the watches actually have the bike mount. I find this extremely comfortable when it comes to looking at the stats on the road
The Bad
- Chest strap: I would not recommend the chest strap and many people have complained about the comfort of using it
Runner-Up: Wahoo TICKR X Heart Rate Monitor
I believe we would have many enemies if we do not include the Wahoo TICKR X Heart Rate Monitor. This monitor does not come with a display but can be connected to your mobile device. It is also really comfortable to wear on your chest. Additionally, the memory will ensure that you don’t even need your mobile device to track the stats.
The Good:
- Affordable: Compared to many of the elite fitness trackers, this is one of the most affordable options that anyone can buy
- Memory: Since you don’t always want to carry along your mobile device, the built-in memory will ensure that you can track all the stats when working out
- Battery Life: The monitor has an impressive battery life that can last you up to 12-months when you are training
- Reputation: We should also let you know that this is the official heart rate monitor of Team Sky in the Tour de France (Winners)
The Bad:
- No display: If you do not have the ability to see your stats and monitor your heart rate, it could be frustrating. However, a decent cellphone holder allows you to mount your mobile device to your bike
Best High-End Model: Garmin Edge 520 Bike GPS With Heart Rate Monitor
Once again, we have the Garmin brand and the Garmin Edge 520 Bike GPS is one of the more upscale models. With a large display, the GPS comes with easy-to-read features and the additional heart rate monitor will directly send all the details to your device. Fortunately, this monitor is actually easy to fix in your bike with the Garmin Edge Mount.
The Good:
- Display: The massive display on this device is actually quite functional and you can easily keep track of all your stats
- Stats: This is one of the more advanced monitors and it will also measure your power output on the bike, which should help you make improvements
- Waterproof: The IPX7 waterproof rating is pretty common amongst the top heart rate monitors and this one is really durable
- Comfort: As we have already mentioned, the monitor is really comfortable around your chest, which means it is great for long-distance riding
The Bad:
- Price: Unfortunately, this is also one of the more expensive models on the market today. However, it is definitely worth it
Best Wrist Monitor: Mio VELO Cycling Heart Rate Band
If you hate wearing straps around your chest, the Mio VELO Cycling Heart Rate Band should be one of the top alternatives to choose. It works in conjunction with your IOS device and the data will synchronize automatically to the device. Since it is small and portable, it is really comfortable for many people who own some of the best mountain bikes.
The Good:
- Weight: This is one of the lightest models on the market today, which makes it perfect for long rides
- Connectivity: Bluetooth connectivity means that the watch will be connected to your IOS device to ensure you read the stats
- Affordable: This is also one of the more affordable options on the market today, which means everyone can afford one
- Durability: If you don’t want to use it for cycling, this device also has a waterproof rating that enables it to go 100-feet underwater
The Bad:
- Versatility: The device only measures your heart rate and this could be frustrating when you need to see the other stats. The top Fitbit watches might help you here.
Editor’s Choice: Garmin HRM3 Premium Soft Strap
The Garmin HRM3 Premium Soft Strap does not even have a device that it can be attached to. So, why would we recommend it to most people? The simple answer is that it can be connected to almost any device you have. Also, the readings are extremely accurate compared to many of the other brands I have tested.
The Good
- Accurate: The measurements and readings are extremely accurate on this strap, and it is really comfortable for most people
- Versatile: as we have already mentioned, it can be connected to virtually any mobile device. This includes most Garmin GPS devices as well
- Weight: I believe the weight is really light and the straps are breathable, meaning you have even more comfort
- Price: Lastly, this device is actually really affordable and can be used by anyone looking to improve their performance
The Bad
- Basic: The device is quite basic and you will need to buy the Garmin devices if you want to track other fitness stats or have a decent GPS
Top Features To Consider For The Best Heart Rate Monitor For Cycling
Now that you have seen the top 5 models we selected, you might also be wondering about the features. These features are specially researched to ensure optimal value when you buy your next monitor. If you are looking for a different heart rate monitor, you definitely need to spend some time digesting these features:
Comfort
The level of comfort is fundamentally important, especially when looking for a new monitor. You should look at the adjustability of the sizing and the materials. If it is around your chest, it also needs to be rather breathable.
Type
I don’t really like having things strapped to my chest too often. If you have the same problem, the watches might be a much better option to choose if you need comfort. Additionally, you can track some of your other fitness stats as well when you are moving along.
Connectivity
Connectivity and compatibility are two of the next features that are actually really important. Some of the watches or devices are only compatible with your IOS device. However, Android devices are still common. When you choose a brand new heart rate monitor, be sure to find out what the compatibility is.
Durability
Last but certainly not least, you need to look at the durability as well. Since the weather might make a turn for the worst quite often, you should have a decent waterproof rating. If you want to have a better understanding of waterproof rating, check out these ratings explained.
Conclusion – Best Heart Rate Monitor for Cycling
By now, you should have an excellent understanding of the best heart rate monitor for cycling. All of these options are actually recommended by the pros, but Garmin is one of the best brands. Specifically, I like the Garmin Forerunner 235 for all the top quality features and the functionality. If you do not agree, be sure to let us know in the comment section.
