Exercise heartrate way off

[dopeydwerg]

Hi,

Recently I switched from the Ionic to the new Sense. But the heartrate during exercises is not very accurate. Actually it's way off comparing with the records of the same exercises of the ionic.

My average heart rate during Weights was normally around 109bpm but now it's 74bpm. for sure this can not be right? And the other day I played squash and I used the tennis exercise to log it and it said my hr never went above 109 while normally it peaks around 165. Is there something wrong with my fitbit sense or is this a common bug?

[dopeydwerg]

I"ll try this out. But it's kinda strange that I have to jump through hoops to try and get a device that costs over 300 euro to work properly.

I'd would like to know if it's a hardware problem of a software problem. Because if it's software then they can fix it. If it's hardware it's never going to be fixed for my current device and I should then definitely return it and go find another tracker

[Lazywalker]

Hi

I’ve tried loosening the strap and it’s no change. So I’m not certain what to do

Hope Fitbit support do something soon.





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[Windman]

Seems to be a general failure. Youtube tests of sense shows that pulse readings are way off compared to other trackers. I switched from Ionic to Sense because of poor quality of the Ionic. Though I liked the look of the Ionic better than the Sense, and now I have learned that the Sense is worse on everyting, i.e puls  apps. Hopefully the Sense becomes more accurate with updates as the Ionic did. The Ionic was not very accurate like most optic pulsemeters and it had a major flaw in that it always stopped tracking occasionally in humid weather. Hopefully the Sense does not exhibit similar behavior. 

[Wassermann80]

Hi @DavideFitbit,

is it possible to send this issue to the fitbit developers to have a fast fix?

[dmiles]

So we should just accept the fact that it doesn't work, and use another device? The biggest issue I have with that, is the fact that active minutes are tied to heart rate, so it is also inaccurate. This makes it completely useless, in my opinion. 

[Lazywalker]

I’m not certain what to do. I remember the ionic was quite glitchy when they first released it and it gradually improved

however with the ionic they at least replied to  issues and did something. They seem to be just ignoring all feedback on the sense

[Tanya2020]

Guys, did someone try to contact the customer service ? What did they say?

I tried to get support trough live chat yesterday and they just suggested me to restart my watch which clearly didn’t eliminate the problem.

I’m wondering if Fitbit is even aware of the issue and if they are looking for solution or we can think of returning the watch?

[supercad79]

Tanya, I'm going to submit a ticket to support either today or tomorrow. I will let you know what they tell me.

I've tried wearing the Sense with the band loose, tight, and normal, and the results were the same. I was barely over 103 BPM (104 BPM is where my fat burning zone starts), even while going uphill. I've even tried wearing it a bit higher on the wrist like they suggest, but gravity wasn't happy with that and it kept sliding down to the normal position. So that "solution" isn't practical.

My biggest worry about this is the fact that the Versa is on version 3, and this is version 1. I'm not shelling out over $300 every time they fix what's wrong. The only reason I didn't jump to Garmin is because the Fitbit app is better and Garmin had that data breach.

[Fra.84]

After many emails with training tests carried out with versa 2 and fitbit sense on the wrist, showing him, the discrepancy that the sens vs versa 2 has on the heartbeat during a hard weight training this is the last answer that the support wrote me fitbit:

"We would like to show you that the Sense uses a new generation heart rate sensor and this means that the data detected is different.

To view the data closest to the data detected by Versa 2, the request to wait for the next update. "

[Lazywalker]

I have a ticket open on this but haven’t heard anything from support since I sent them copies of my calories and heart rate for workouts taken from both sense, ionic and my myzone belt

That was last week sometime

What do they mean heart rate data is different? Seems a strange response

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[Fra.84]

I didn't even understand the answer honestly, The problem is real and it is also a big problem for the type of device that is fitbit sense. I hope they will release the promised update with the resolution of the problem as soon as possible.

[cbreezy94]

I've also got a ticket open with them and after a week of them just repeating to reset my device today they replied with: "Occasionally your device may have difficulty getting a strong signal, especially during exercises that cause your arm to move vigorously such as high-intensity interval training or boxing. Try to relax your wrist and stay still for up to 10 seconds. You might also notice a spike or dip in your reading as your device finds your heart rate. In both cases, normal tracking should resume shortly."

Not sure why I should have to stop in the middle of my workout to stand still and hope that the device corrects itself to read my heartrate...

[supercad79]

Just ended the chat with support. They gave me the canned responses like restarting the watch and wearing it in a different position. Now it's being directed to "high support", would could mean it's an elite support team or a bunch of people using the "devil's lettuce". I'm not sure. If I hear back from them I will let you all know what they say.

[Lazywalker]

I’m impressed you managed to chat to support, all I’ve had are emails giving the standard troubleshooting checks.



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[t.parker]

@cbreezy94 but this is absolutely valid response that actually makes sense. This problem will occur with pretty much any wrist-based HR sensor. Nobody will tell you that when you buying a device if this is the only way of reading HR (and trying to sell the new HR algorithm). It gets even worse for activities like jumping (jump rope) or running when the watch picks up the cadence. The signal coming from steps/jumps is so strong that the watch is not able to filter it out. You end up with HR = cadence. I have seen it on many watches, not only Fitbits. If it happens that I use optical HR (nowadays very rarely, usually when I forget the chest strap), I get very suspicious when my HR and cadence are almost the same for a longer time. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about it and you may find another watch which will work slightly better (or worse) but the quality of results you are getting depends on so many variables that you will never be able to tell which tracker will provide better results. I gave up on wrist-based HR monitoring when exercising because knowing about inaccuracies, it just became frustrating. Fitbit should be more open about inaccuracies like for example Suunto, in the manual mentions: "Arm movements and flexing muscles, such as gripping a tennis racket or doing Crossfit style high-intensity training, and sports involving strong vibration as e.g. when cycling on uneven, bumpy terrain, can change the accuracy of the sensor readings.". This rule applies to any watch: Fitbit, Garmin, Suunto, Polar, or Samsung - anything. Frankly, I have yet to find a watch that can give me at least "nearly accurate" readings. Even high-end Garmin Fenix 6 Pro doesn't do it for me. Also, I think some people are just "not compatible" with wrist HR sensors and I think I'm one of them. After plenty of complaints, the only I could do was to accept it 😄

[cbreezy94]

@t.parker yeah I mean I get that to some extent but to me I guess the thing that doesn't make any sense is why wasn't my Versa, and before that the Surge, having the same problem that the Sense is now having. I understand that it will never be 100% in parity with a chest strap or other type of heart rate monitor, but the difference between the Sense and other monitors is so off I might as well not even be wearing it. 170 BPM vs 174 BPM sure no problem, but for it to be reading 109 BPM while the chest strap or other Fitbit is reading 174 BPM that is a huge problem. Especially when the activity is a spin class. Not much arm movement going on there. Much less than if I'm running or doing a bootcamp style class. Yet the heart rate is still completely inaccurate.

[Beezy1978]

Anyone else’s fixed?

My Sense’s HR sensor became accurate during exercise, I’m so stoked! Idk how or why, but I’d put my old Versa back on my account, and decided to give the Sense one last try, because the return window closes for me tomorrow, and VOILA! I restarted the watch upon the advice of a tech, after I’d reset it up, I did an ECG scan which was cool, and I figured okay, time to get no credit for a workout... and IT TRACKED PERFECTLY!

im beyond excited. I posted two pics, each of identical workouts, and today’s was dead on. Here’s today’s...

 

I’ll put last Thursday’s on a Reply, because I can only add one image, but you’ll see how off it was! I was sooooo sad. 

[Beezy1978]

 

Here is when my Sense wasn’t working properly. So, today’s is a bit longer because I’d stop and count my heart rate a couple times. As I said, my workout today is FEAD accurate. Try restarting, if that doesn’t work switch back to your old tracker then back to the Sense, because something worked. 
Good Luck, everyone!!!! I mean that!

[Beezy1978]

It appears to have fixed my problem. Unless it only becomes accurate after an ECG? Because I’m not sure how but mines all of a sudden accurate as all get out. 

[Lazywalker]

Have you had a new version of firmware?


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