The Best Heart Rate Monitors For Peloton Bikes, According To Riders, Redditors, & Peloton

While you can access a lot of fitness data with just your Peloton bike alone, it does lack the tracking capabilities necessary to broadcast your heart rate to your Peloton’s screen. But to track performance using their new Strive Score, you’ll need one of the best heart rate monitors for Peloton bikes, which feature ANT+ wireless network technology or Bluetooth so you can track your heart rate as you ride. Beyond that, your decision will come down to style and personal preference.

Ultimately, the right style for you will depend on what you find the most comfortable. If you want to sync your heart rate to your Peloton’s screen as well as the app, make sure the monitor you choose has ANT+ technology and Bluetooth capabilities. Many Peloton users love a chest-strap heart rate monitor, while others prefer an easy-to-adjust armband that you can simply place on your forearm.

But if chest straps and armbands seem less your speed, some Peloton users opt to invest in a smartwatch with a heart rate monitor. While there are a lot of reasons to invest in one smartwatch over the other (due to the activity-sharing features, part of the decision usually comes down to which brand watch is popular amongst your friends and family), you should know many leading smartwatches don’t have the ANT+ technology necessary to see your heart rate on your Peloton bike’s screen. Notable exceptions include many of Garmin’s smartwatches, and you’ll see the Garmin fēnix 5 below, which is outfitted with both the ANT+ technology and Bluetooth capabilities necessary to broadcast your heart rate to your Peloton.

That said, since there are reasons outside of your Peloton rides to opt for one smartwatch over another, I’ve also included an Apple Watch and a FitBit, which use Bluetooth as opposed to ANT+ technology to sync to the Peloton app and track your heart rate while you ride, albeit not in real-time on your screen.

In a hurry? These are the best heart rate monitors for Peloton bikes.

1. The Overall Best Armband: Peloton Heart Rate Band

2. The Runner-Up Armband: Scosche Rhythm+ Heart Rate Monitor Armband

3. The Best Chest Strap: POLAR H10 Heart Rate Monitor Chest Strap

4. The Best Battery Life: Wahoo Fitness TICKR FIT Heart Rate Monitor Armband

5. The Best Smartwatch With ANT+: Garmin fēnix 5 Multisport GPS Watch

6. The Best FitBit: FitBit Versa 2 Smartwatch

7. The Best Apple Watch: Apple Watch Series 7

Still aren’t sure which heart rate monitor is best for Peloton bikes? Here is an in-depth guide to the very best options, so you can get started with Strive Score.

And, since you’re here? Check out this roundup of the best Peloton accessories, all available on Amazon.

1. The Overall Best Armband

It’s no surprise that the heart rate band from Peloton tops this list. Personal trainer and health and fitness writer Shari Zisk, tells Bustle that she recently purchased Peloton’s heart rate band for herself. "I find it so comfortable I don’t know that I am wearing it," she says. "It is much easier and more comfortable than the traditional plastic chest band I had used for so many years."

Its interactiveness and seamless universal connectivity are highlights of this heart rate band. In addition to all Peloton products, it connects to your phone or tablet and works with third-party apps. Rainbow LED lights and vibrations allow you to easily track and monitor your heart rate zone and Strive Score. The band is also IP67 waterproof making it safe and easy to clean, while the fast-charging battery provides up to 10 hours of battery life.

Positive Amazon review: “Does exactly what it should and pairs seamlessly with Peloton products. The forearm location is very nice and doesn’t interfere with weight activities or with cycling. I highly recommend this if you don’t have or want to get a watch with heart rate capabilities.”

2. The Runner-Up Armband

If a chest strap seems too restrictive or not your style, this popular armband is a Reddit favorite, and according to one reviewer, “is perfect for Peloton.” It fits easily around your forearm, and you can adjust it for the most comfortable fit. “It may seem odd to fasten Rhythm near the elbow,” says Jake Dickson, CPT-NASM and contributing editor at BarBend, “but this placement actually makes a lot of sense.” He explains, “heart rate readings taken from the forearm are more reliable than those taken from the wrist, provided that the strap installation does not cause the sensors to slide off the forearm during activity.”

The sensor is also rechargeable, and it can track up to 24 hours of exercise time before it needs to be recharged. On top of that, it features Bluetooth and ANT+ technology, making it extremely simple to pair directly to your bike or to use with an app. It’s even IP68-rated dust- and water-resistant, so it can withstand being submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. In other words: perfect for sweaty rides.

Positive Amazon review: “I love using a heart rate monitor while riding my Peloton spinning bike. The Scosche Rhythm+ armband monitor is fantastic. It quickly pairs with the bike using Ant+ and consistently gets readings that are in line with the Peloton chest strap monitor (when I could get the chest monitor to connect at all). [I]t stays comfortably in place on my arm throughout the workout. I highly recommend this device.”

3. The Best Chest Strap

This best-selling chest strap is recommended by Katie Pierson, a certified personal trainer and indoor cycling instructor with over 20 years of experience. “One of my biggest peeves with other monitors I have used in the past is when I get ready to work out and find out my battery is dead,” Pierson tells Bustle. “Battery life is one of the reasons I liked this model because it lasts up to 400 hours.”

The Polar H10 easily fastens over your chest to measure your heart rate during your Peloton rides. It also features small silicone dots on the back to keep it from slipping while you’re mid-ride. And — important for Peloton users especially — it has both standard Bluetooth and ANT+ technology, so you can use them to seamlessly connect to your Peloton bike to display your heart rate on the screen, and also connect with other apps, your phone, or other devices. This chest strap comes in two different sizes so you can find the best one for your body.

Positive Amazon review: “I unboxed and put it on the climbed on my Peloton. My Peloton screen found the heart rate monitor immediately and in 10 or 15 seconds I was paired up and had my heart rate open in a little box on the top left of the Peloton screen. Was fantastic to have this information for my workout. Total game changer for informed smart exercise.”

4. An Armband With An Impressive Battery Life

This heart rate armband is great if you ride often or if you want to share it with a partner. It has a slightly longer battery life than the Scosche Rhythm+ and can hold a charge for up to 35 hours. It features an adjustable strap with built-in holes for added ventilation. This one is also outfitted with both Bluetooth and ANT+ technology so you can easily sync to your Peloton bike or any other apps or devices. It doesn’t have the backing of as many Peloton users, which is one reason this armband isn’t higher on this list, but all in all, this is a worthy alternative to Scosche Rhythm+, with a slightly better battery life.

Positive Amazon review: “I am an avid cyclist who has used chest straps with electrode paste for years. This product pairs instantly with Garmin and Peloton and iPhone apps. Accurate, stays in place, comfortable. Rechargeable, long battery life. What's not to like?”

5. The Best Smartwatch With ANT+ Technology

Verified by both Garmin and the ANT+ directory, this fēnix 5 comes with both Bluetooth capabilities and the ANT+ technology necessary to broadcast your heart rate to your Peloton bike. This Garmin has the ability to track fitness activities like indoor biking, strength training, indoor rowing, and running, heart rate, sleep, hydration, and more. With anywhere up to two weeks of battery life, this smartwatch has outperforms other smartwatches on this list. It’s a splurge, but ultimately this stylish smartwatch is the best investment if you’re looking for a wearable you can have on all day and will still project your heart rate to your Peloton bike.

According to one reviewer: “Upgraded from a Fenix 3 to this watch and it's leaps ahead of the older model. Perfect for tracking any workouts and will broadcast [heart rate] via ANT+ to other devices like our Peloton bike.”

6. A FitBit That Syncs With The Peloton App

Using the FitBit Versa 2 to track your heart rate during your Peloton ride is a slightly different experience from the above heart rate monitors. For one, the FitBit isn’t outfitted with the ANT+ technology necessary to project your heart rate onto your Peloton’s screen. That said, if you’re simply looking for a way to track your heart rate while you ride, a smartwatch like FitBit’s Versa 2 smartwatch is a great investment that uses Bluetooth to connect to your Peloton app and track your heart rate there (as well as on your watch).

This smartwatch has an impressive six-day battery life, which makes it one of the longest-lasting heart rate monitors on this list. FitBit’s Versa 2 has a clear screen that’s easy to maneuver, and features a reliable heart rate sensor, pedometer, and sleep tracking features you’ve come to know and love in a FitBit. Similar to the Apple Watch directly below, this smartwatch also allows you to share your workouts and compete with friends who own FitBits, a fun social feature that Peloton users are sure to love.

Positive Amazon review: “I am very satisfied with this purchase several months later. It meets all of my fitness tracking needs and easily integrates with other apps (my peloton bike specifically), and all at an affordable price point.”

7. An Apple Watch That Syncs With The Peloton App

Loyal Apple enthusiasts love this Apple Watch Series 7 for their Peloton rides. It syncs up to the Peloton app and displays your workout data both on your watch screen and your iPhone (though it lacks the ANT+ technology that would broadcast this heart rate data onto your Peloton’s screen). When compared to previous iterations of the Apple Watch, the Series 7 has a handy blood oxygen sensor, which might make it worth the splurge. (However, this feature is not FDA-approved or FDA-cleared and should not be used as a diagnostic tool.) In addition to the brand new blood oxygen sensor, this Apple Watch is outfitted with electrocardiogram (ECG) hardware which will give you a deeper look at your heart rate and rhythms, and can even uncover irregular heartbeats and heart arrhythmias.

Aside from these features, this watch functionally works similarly to other Apple devices, so you can take phone calls, listen to music, and access other favorite apps on an easy-to-read touch screen. And, since so much of the Peloton experience is about sharing progress and workouts with your friends on the platform, you are likely to enjoy the Apple Watch’s social capabilities which allow you to share workouts and even compete with friends who also have the smartwatch. One notable difference from the FitBit watch above is the battery life. An Apple Watch lasts around a day on a single charge, and the watch is meant to be recharged every 24 hours or so. For this reason, it also does not have the built-in sleep tracking features found in the FitBit above.

Positive Amazon review: “ I am in LOVE with this watch and wish I had pulled the trigger earlier. It is super user-friendly and has so many functions that are easy to learn to use. It pairs up with my Peloton and shows me my heart rate and automatically adds my workout to my rings. This totally motivates me to work out each day as you add other people with Apple watches to share your workout and it notifies you when one of your friends worked out.”

Experts:

• Shari Zisk is a certified personal trainer (CPT-NASM) and a health and fitness writer
• Jake Dickson is a certified personal trainer (CPT-NASM) and a contributing editor at BarBend.com
• Katie Pierson is a certified personal trainer, indoor cycling instructor, and a top contributor at girlbikelove.com