If your typical gravel ride prioritises views over VO2 max, friends over FTP and having-a-good-time over heart rate zones, then Wahoo’s Trackr heart rate monitor probably isn’t for you. But, on the other hand if you’d like to try and enhance your fitness levels, efficiently burn off a few more calories or even sign up for a gravel race, then read on, as this gadget could be just what you need.
What is a heart rate monitor, how does it work and why do you need one? Those might well be the questions that popped into your brain when you saw this. Wahoo’s Trackr is designed to “provide accurate real-time heart rate data to enhance training efficiency and support optimal performance.” There’s two parts to the Trackr – an elasticated strap and a small hard plastic “pod” which clips in at the front of the strap which contains all the electronics. Unlike the Wahoo Tickr, Trackr’s predecessor, which was powered by a replaceable coin cell battery, the Trackr now contains a sealed rechargeable battery which offers around 100 hours of life and is recharged via a dedicated USB-C charge cable (included when you buy a Trackr). The Trackr measures ”beats per minute (BPM) in-activity as well as Average Heart Rate, Max Heart Rate and Total Calories in the activity summary in the Wahoo App.” The ‘pod’ offers ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity and can be wirelessly connected to a range of smartphones, bike computers and wearable monitors (smartwatches etc). It syncs with “the most popular training apps and accessories.”
The Trackr system comes with some well written instructions and was simple to set-up and pair with our Wahoo bike computer units. The system does rely on you having the Wahoo App (you can download it for free from the different App Stores), but it’s simple to install/set up and is relatively self-explanatory to use. Assuming you have the Wahoo App, then it’s just a case of scanning a QR code with your smartphone and then later adding the Trackr as a sensor to your Wahoo head unit. In theory you can pair the Wahoo Trackr heart rate monitor to a non-Wahoo computer using the ANT+ connection although we haven’t tried this to confirm.
Once you have your Trackr paired with your head unit/phone/smartwatch, what kind of data do you get from it and what can you do with it? Wahoo have put together a really good blog post giving an overview which is a great place to start. When you first set up an account on the Wahoo companion App you are asked to input data such as your age/height/weight and from this the App will “auto calculate” a set of five heart rate zones for you. As you start your activity, assuming you have set up your head unit to display your heart rate, it will display the heart rate (in beats per minute) and the relevant colour code for the zone you are riding in. This can be super helpful if you are following a training plan which requires you to ride for a specific amount of time in a certain zone. Wahoo have published a second blog which looks in detail at heart rate zones – why they’re important and how to calculate your individual zones scientifically. At the end of your ride, the Wahoo App gives you a chart which displays your heart rate trace alongside other data such as elevation, temperature and speed.
In comparison to the Tickr versions of the Wahoo heart rate monitor, the Trackr feels like a significant upgrade. The strap is more comfortable, you don’t have to worry about sweat finding its way inside the battery compartment of the pod, the unit has been super-reliable with instant connection to a variety of head units and the battery life has been impressive. The only downside is the cost – the current Recommended Retail Price is £79.99 – double the cost of the previous Tickr unit. The fact that even with the high cost, the vast majority of the reviews on Wahoo’s website for the unit are 5* says a lot about how good the Wahoo Trackr is.
Whether a heart rate monitor is something you need in your life is a personal choice, but if you do decide to get one, then Wahoo’s Trackr should be top of your shortlist. You can find more details about the unit and buy it via their on-line shop here.