Wahoo Tickr X Heart Rate Monitor

The Tickr X is an accurate, comfortable and feature-packed heart rate monitor strap from Wahoo Fitness. It's ideal if you want to use heart rate with a smartphone app such as Strava, but it's also fully compatible with cycling computers like the Garmin Edge.

If you want to take your training seriously, a really good place to start is by measuring your heart rate. Monitoring your heart rate allows you to track the intensity of your efforts during a ride or workout, and also helps with recovery. Wrist-based heart rate monitoring watches have become popular with the growth of wearable tech in recent years, but for cycling you just can't beat a heart rate chest strap for accuracy and consistency.

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Wahoo Fitness manages to bring some interesting functionality to its entry into this market that makes it stand out from the rest, chief of which is the wide-ranging compatibility as well as a long list of features. The Tickr X packs both Bluetooth Smart and ANT+ connectivity into a solid plastic case, with a comfortable strap to hold it in place. The Tickr X is IPX7 rated so it's waterproof up to 5ft, and is powered by a coin-cell battery that should last a year.

The supplied strap is soft against the skin and easy to adjust, and the Tickr X module connects into place with two popper buttons. There are two LED lights that indicate a connection and that the Tickr X is communicating. Strap it on and pair it with your chosen device – I tried a Garmin Edge and the Strava iPhone app, both of which worked flawlessly – and you're ready to hit the road.

The Tickr X can be used solely for cycling, but the list of features will appeal to runners and gym-goers as well. Wahoo offers three versions of the Tickr, with the base model costing £39.99. That one and this range-topping model share the same core features such as heart rate tracking with Bluetooth Smart and ANT+ connectivity.

What the extra money gets you in this top-of-the-range Tickr X is a list of features that might well be useful to you. One of the key features, and the most interesting, is the built-in memory. It can store up to 16 hours of workouts, meaning you can train without being connected to a computer or smartphone. Just snap the device into place and head out for a ride or run, and when you get back you can download your heart rate data to the smartphone app. That could be useful for crit and cyclo-cross races where you might not want the distraction of a cycle computer, and certainly don't want to carry a smartphone in your jersey pocket.

The Tickr X is also interactive. You can tap it to start a hill or sprint rep lap, while vibration alerts can be configured when you drop out of a heart rate zone or you pass a certain distance marker. The functionality on offer is also easily configurable in the really easy to use and clean interface of the Wahoo Fitness app.

> Read our buyer's guide to heart rate monitors

If you frequent the gym and do spin classes or indoor cycling, the Tickr X is compatible with cadence sensors in some stationary bikes, meaning you can get some meaningful data other than just your heart rate during such workouts. And there are features that will appeal to people who do other sports aside from cycling, such as Running Smoothness, which uses an accelerometer to detect your running pace and stride rate.

As mentioned, the Tickr X is ideal if you track your rides on your smartphone using one of the many freely available apps. It's compatible with Strava, Endomondo, Cyclemeter, Map My Ride and many more.

Conclusion

The Tickr X is easy to use and the strap makes it one of the most comfortable heart rate monitors I've ever used; I've worn it for six-hour rides and barely noticed it at all. Heart rate monitoring is accurate and consistent from ride to workout, and there were no odd spikes or dips in the recording of the heart rate. It works seamlessly with a Garmin Edge computer and also the Strava iPhone app.

Some of the extra features are very smart and will certainly appeal to some people, but if you just want the heart rate monitoring functionality you'd probably be better off with the entry-level model and pocket the saved cash. That said, I'm quite into using the built-in memory to ride without a computer or smartphone for shorter rides.

Verdict

An accurate and easy-to-use heart rate monitor with some really smart extra features