When I first started training for racing, a heart rate monitor (HRM) was one of my first purchases. I used it religiously for years, but eventually started riding without it for the most part.

Last year I picked up another HRM just to have around (since my old one was broken.) I didn’t want to spend too much, so I chose the Sigma Sport PC15 for $40 at Nashbar. It was cheap since it was a 2006 model still in stock in March 2009, but it had plenty of features and worked fine.

Here’s a quick review:

Durability

I like Sigma Sport, but I’ve had a number of Sigma Sport products die untimely deaths (my PC3 HRM and BC1600 cyclocomputer, for instance.) But even with early replacement, they are still cheaper than Polar or Suuntu offerings!

My Sigma Sport PC15 has held up fine with occasional use for the past year, so durability seems good enough for me.

Features

The PC15 offers a lot of features. Many more than my PC3 did, and quite frankly, so many that I didn’t even use them all!

You have your current/avg/max HR, HR zones with a beep system to alert you to zone changes, stopwatch, alarm, etc. All these features seemed to work just fine.

There is also a backlight which is cool. If you run at night or venture deep into the woods, or are doing a 24 hour mountain bike race, you might need the light.

The PC15 also comes with a bike mount (i.e. you can mount it on the handlebars.)

Ease of Use

While not exactly as simple as put on the chest strap and go, like my PC3 was, the PC15 is pretty simple to figure out. Once I reviewed the buttons in the manual, I picked things up without hassle.

Comfort

First, the chest strap is great. It fits snugly and comfortably.

The watch part gets left on the bike mount though. It is just not comfortable on my wrist! The wrist strap sucks, so I rarely use this when running, but everything is fine for the bike mount.

My final verdict is…

Overall I am happy with the Sigma Sport PC15. Durability seems alright, and the features are great for the price I paid. If you’re looking for a fairly simple heart rate monitor that won’t break the bank, take a look at this one.

Official website: www.SigmaSport.com

When my first heart rate monitor (HRM) broke, I also happened to be flat broke. Not wanting to give up heart rate training, I starting looking for the cheapest HRM out there. Amongst the $100-500 units from Polar and Suuntu, I found this little gem called the Sigma Sport PC3.

This was a very basic unit that did nothing more than display my current heart rate, but that was plenty for me, especially since this was my only option price-wise, at under $30. (It did offer a stopwatch and clock, but other than that, it was just current heart rate.)

Note: My PC3 is an older model from 2003 or 2004. There is a newer version available, but the functions are virtually identical.

Here’s what I thought of this HRM, based on three years of use:

Looks and Comfort

The PC3 is pretty plain when it comes to looks. It’s just a solid black sport watch.

It was fairly comfortable, though. I could wear it on my wrist while running or riding, but normally I’d leave it attached to the bike mount, so comfort wasn’t a top priority.

Ease of Use

Due to the lack of functions, this HRM was very easy to use. You just put on the chest strap and go. You only have to hit a button if you choose to use the stopwatch.

Also, the display only displayed two numbers at a time, so each was large and easy to read in the daylight.

The chest strap was very easy to position on my chest, and the strap adjusted for a precise fit.

Interference

Before the PC3, I used some sort of HRM from Vetta. That thing would always lose its signal if I was near power lines. With the PC3, I rarely had any interruptions due to overhead power lines.

Battery life

I used this HRM almost daily for two years before the first battery change (in the chest strap.) That’s pretty good. Plus, it takes the CR2032 battery, which is inexpensive and easy to find.

After replacing the battery, I used this HRM for another year. (And it still seemed fine at the end of the season.)

Durability

On my fourth season with this HRM, I grabbed it and put it on like any other day. But this time, there was no HR display!

Not sure what to do, I replaced the battery again. No luck this time. The watch still worked fine, but apparently the chest strap wasn’t transmitting anything.

I tried yet another change of batteries but never got it working again. Much like my BC1600 computer, I had another Sigma Sport product mysteriously quit working! Apparently Sigma Sport products work great for 2-3 years and then poof, something goes wrong.

Note: I’ve heard that the Sigma chest strap transmitters are prone to leaking, and sweat can get in and ruin it. That’s just hearsay, and I can’t see how the transmitter leaks, but that would explain the problem. Whatever the cause, the fact of the matter is, the transmitter crapped out and it wasn’t a dead battery.

Customer Service

In my experience, Sigma Sport is very responsive with customer service. They respond to email and even have a phone line where a real person answers.

(I never requested a replacement or repair since my products that broke were long out of warranty.)

My final verdict is…

The PC3 worked fine as a basic heart rate monitor. It gave me no problems during use, so it was good for the price.

I can’t say it’s perfect, due to my experiences with Sigma Sport products breaking mysteriously, but it’s a good enough value that I actually bought another Sigma Sport HRM when this one bit the dust.

Official website: www.SigmaSport.com

Buy online: www.Amazon.com

Today’s question is from a cyclist who is training hard but seems to have a low Max Heart Rate…

My coach was telling me my heartrate is lower than normal. During time trials and all out sprints I can only get up to about 170. I am 17 years old, and I don’t know if age has to do anything with it. Is it just that I need to push harder, or is it that I just have a slower HR. Any tips on how to get it up during a TT?

Thanks,
Hearty Henry

Hi Henry,

A typical Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) will be around 195-210 for most athletes. It depends on the individual. Age may play a very small role, but it’s not very important.

Stay far, far away from any “220 – your age” formula for determining MHR!

It is possible that your MHR is 170, but it’s unlikely. 170 is more in the range of a Lactate Threshold Heart Rate (LTHR.)

It’s hard to answer your question concretely, but here are a few things to consider:

1. Time Trials and Sprints

You mentioned that you’re not seeing a MHR during time trials and all-out sprints. Well, you’re not going to see your MHR does these workouts. During a Time Trial, you’ll be using a hard but sustainable pace for an extended period of time. You’ll be riding at or near your LTHR, not your MHR! (If you hit your MHR, you’d probably collapse.)

Sprints are different because they’re more intense, but they are also very short. During an 8-12 second sprint, your heart doesn’t even have a chance to start beating faster. Your HR will be elevated shortly after the sprint, but you still won’t be seeing your MHR.

So seeing 170 bpm during these activities is not unusual.

2. The Maximum Heart Rate Test

The workout you didn’t mention is the “maximum heart rate test.” This field test requires you to go out and ride hard, upping the pace every two minutes until you’re in a lot of pain. Once you think you’re going to pass out, you give it one last sprint and then, if you’re still conscious, you see what your heart rate monitor says.

The test is very painful and can be dangerous, and it has fallen out of favor in recent years because it’s not vital to know your MHR. But the point is, that’s about the only time you’ll ever see your MHR.

3. Over Training

A low heart rate during intense activities is a classic sign of over training. Your body is resisting you telling it to go fast because it knows it needs the rest.

If you were doing a MHR test and only hit 170, you could probably rest for a week and then get your HR closer to 200 in the next test. (But like I said, 170 is normal for a Time Trial.)

4. Increased Fitness

The thing with HR is that it can mean so many different things. It needs to be analyzed in the context of other factors.

So check your resting HR. Is your resting HR higher than usual?

If your resting HR is high, but your HR during intense training is low, that could be a bad sign (as in, it indicates overtraining.)

But let’s say you have a low resting HR, you feel good, and you’re riding stronger than usual, that lower HR could be a good sign. It means you can ride just as fast and produce as much power as before, but your body isn’t working as hard to do so.

As you can see, there are a lot of factors at play, and it’s hard to diagnose anything based on one number, especially when that number is affected by so many factors.

If you look at heart rate in conjunction with power output or perceived exertion, along with your general sense of well-being, you’ll have a much better idea of what is going on with your body.