Here are the Best Heart Rate Monitors for Peloton

There are so many heart rate monitors on the market, but which ones are the best for the Peloton bike and treadmill? In this blog post, we'll cover what to look for in a heart rate monitor and the best ones to use with your Peloton.

Table of Contents

• Do I Need a Heart Rate Monitor for Peloton?
• What to Look for in a Heart Rate Monitor
• What is ANT+
• Benefits Using ANT+ Heart Rate Monitor vs Bluetooth
• Best Heart Rate Monitor to Use with Peloton
• Orangetheory Heart Rate Monitors and Peloton
• Should I Buy the Peloton Heart Rate Monitor?
• Best Heart Rate Monitors for Peloton
• Conclusion
• Comments

Do I Need a Heart Rate Monitor for Peloton?

No, a heart rate monitor is not required to use the Peloton bike or treadmill. The benefit of using one, however, is that your metrics (like calories burned) will be more accurate than if you don't use one. You'll also gain access to the new Strive Score metric.

What to Look for in a Heart Rate Monitor

The most important thing to consider when purchasing a heart rate monitor is its compatibility with Peloton bikes and treadmills. To be compatible, the HRM needs to connect wirelessly via ANT+ or Bluetooth so that it can send data from your chest strap (or other location on your body) directly into the Peloton console.

If you have the new Peloton Bike+ you'll also be able to use Apple Watches automatically because it has Apple Health Kit built-in. The original bike doesn't have Apple Health Kit, but you can use this hack to get the Apple Watch to pair with the bike and tread over Bluetooth.

What is ANT+

ANT+ stands for "Armband Network Technology" and it's a wireless protocol that sends data between different devices. It was developed by Garmin in the late 90s, though other companies have adopted ANT as well. Many of Peloton's (and other top fitness equipment) accessories use this technology to connect wirelessly with your console.

Benefits Using ANT+ Heart Rate Monitor vs Bluetooth

The biggest benefit of using a heart rate monitor with ANT+ connectivity is that it will stay connected more reliably than a Bluetooth connection. In my experience, whenever I use a Bluetooth heart rate monitor (like my Apple Watch) the Bluetooth will disconnect frequently. With an ANT+ monitor, it stays connected the entire workout.

Best Heart Rate Monitor to Use with Peloton

My all-time top choice when it comes to heart rate monitors is the Scosche Heart Rate Monitor. I've been using mine since Christmas and it's been extremely reliable and accurate. It's also comfortable to wear and I usually get a 2-week battery life out of it.

Orangetheory Heart Rate Monitors and Peloton

If you've done Orangetheory in the past, the good news is that you might be able to use that same heart rate monitor with Peloton! Orangetheory's heart rate monitors use ANT+ technology and will pair with the bike or tread.

Should I Buy the Peloton Heart Rate Monitor?

I don't recommend buying the heart rate monitor from Peloton. My friends that have bought it have reported that it doesn't work well and is uncomfortable. There have also been rumors that Peloton will be releasing a new and improved version of the monitor in the future. Your best bet is to buy an ANT+ monitor, like the Scosche, at this time.

Best Heart Rate Monitors for Peloton

Here are our picks for the best heart rate monitors to use with your Peloton bike or treadmill.

If you have an original Peloton bike, the Apple Watch won't automatically connect unless you download an app or buy an adaptor to convert it to an ANT+ device. My favorite to use is the Watch Link pod.

Conclusion

The best heart rate monitors for Peloton are the ones that use ANT+ technology. The Scosche monitor is my favorite because they're inexpensive and work well with other fitness equipment, like treadmills or ellipticals.