The perfect fit...
Tickr’s heart monitor is a (home) gym buddy
IT’S likely that spare bedrooms and garages all over the country have been transformed in to home gyms at this stage of the lockdown. And it feels like home-training may be with us forever given the availability of tech to coach, encourage and monitor our fitness progress.
Wahoo is a well-known company making training equipment for cyclists and runners. It has just launched its updated Tickr heartrate monitor which is a low-priced, wearable gadget that connects to bike computers as well as smartphones and watches.
Unpacking the Tickr reveals its simple, sleek form. Weighing just 100g, it’s available in stealth gray and white. In the box is the tracker and the body strap. Powered by a coin-sized battery that will last a year, the tracker clips on firmly and easily to the strap.
With the tracker attached, the strap is then worn across the chest. The strap is soft, flexible and smooth making it easy and comfortable to wear.
The Tickr will connect via Bluetooth
to a variety of devices. If your smartwatch doesn’t have heart-rate tracking you can connect it to the Tickr. It will also connect to cycling computers or smartphones. Usefully, there are small indicator lights on the Tickr that let you know it’s connected successfully to your smart device.
The Tickr will ensure that your heart-rate is monitored during exercise and it also monitors calorie burn during workouts.
Wahoo has its own fitness app available on iOS and Android but the Tickr will connect with more than fifty of the most popular fitness apps. One of the compatible apps is Zwift which is designed for spin bike and treadmill workouts.
If you are getting out for a run or cycle though, you’ll need to bring your phone with you as the Tickr has no internal memory. If you want to leave the phone at home, you’d need to buy the upgraded Tckr which can monitor 50 hours of exercise for synchronising later.
If you’re new to cardio training or upping your game for the summer, this basic Tickr is a great buy given the price, comfort and simplicity of use.