6 Of The Best Heart Rate Monitors For Cycling You Can Buy In 2024

When smartwatches and other wearables first hit the market, some people were skeptical that they'd be anything more than a novelty. Once users realized how useful they could be as fitness trackers, however, they took off. Today, they're more popular than ever and getting more advanced with every generation — the recently released Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a SlashGear Editor's Choice and earned a 9 out of 10 in our review.

These days, fitness trackers are pretty accurate at monitoring your heart rate, which makes them especially useful for cyclists, runners, and other exercise enthusiasts. And if you're not particularly a fan of smartwatches, fitness trackers aren't limited to such a device — you can choose from a handful of fitness trackers that aren't smartwatches instead. For example, in addition to wristband trackers, there are wearables such as smart rings and chest bands. If you're a cyclist, you're likely interested in heart rate monitors that are comfortable to wear, as well as ones that can pair with bike computers or have specialized cycling tracking in their companion apps.

To help figure out which fitness tracker is right for you, here are six of the best heart rate monitors for cycling currently on the market, based on the reviews of experts who've thoroughly tested them. You can find more information on how these devices were selected at the end of this list.

SlashGear reviewed the latest Apple Watch and gave it an impressive nine out of 10 rating, praising its improved battery life and brighter display, among other great features. If you pair it with the latest-generation iPhone — the iPhone 15 Pro, you'll get the most out of the Apple Watch, but even if you're using an older device, it will still make for a great heart rate monitor and cycling tracker.

In addition to measuring your heart rate and other health data, the Workout app on the Apple Watch has options for specifically tracking both outdoor cycling and indoor cycling, as well as many other activities, including hand cycling, elliptical use, multisport, and many more. It can measure useful cycling metrics such as current speed, average speed, and maximum speed, as well as the distance you've biked, elevation, your power profile, split and segment metrics, and several more. In addition to your heart rate, the Apple Watch will also provide your average heart rate and zone for your workout.

While they're some of the best wearables ever made, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models aren't without their flaws. For one thing, after the company ran into legal issues, Apple had to remove its blood oxygen feature from the devices. Other features aren't compatible with older iPhones, such as Apple Watch Precision Finding. However, the Apple Watch still provides great heart rate monitoring and other data that cyclists will find useful. Depending on what size and model you get, you can purchase the Apple Watch Series 9 for around $300 to $400 on Amazon.

Named the "best fitness tracker for cycling" by Cyclist, the Fitbit Charge 6 will not only track your heart rate, but can determine when you're cycling and automatically start tracking your activity — even if you forget to activate it. Plus, when paired with your smartphone, the tracker can provide turn-by-turn navigation. As a dedicated fitness tracker, the Charge 6 will provide you with all the data you need without distracting you with countless other notifications like a smartwatch would.

In addition to monitoring your heart rate, the tracker can tell you your VO2 max, breathing rate, and skin temperature, as well as spot changes in your blood oxygen level and provide you with ECG readings, a sleep score, and stress management score. Other features include YouTube music controls, Google wallet, menstrual health tracking, health and wellness reminders, active zone minutes, and over 40 different exercise modes in addition to cycling. It's also water resistant and has a 7-day battery life, so you also won't need to constantly recharge the device.

In addition to all these perks, there are plenty of useful tips, tricks, and hidden features to take advantage of with the Fitbit. One drawback is that you'll need a paid subscription to Fitbit Premium to use all of its features — however, new users can get the first six months free to try it out. The Fitbit Charge 6 is available from Amazon for $159.95 and comes in either black aluminum, silver aluminum, or champagne gold aluminum cases.

If you don't want to wear a tracker on your wrist, you can opt for the Polar H10 Chest Strap, which wraps around your chest to provide you with real-time heart rate monitoring. The device tops both SlashGear's list of the best heart rate monitor chest straps on the market, as well as that of Cycling News, which thoroughly tested the product for over two years and found it to be "comfortable, secure and consistently accurate" while bike riding. The soft textile strap uses non-slip silicone spots to stay close to your skin and accurately monitor your heart rate even as you move during your workout. In addition to cycling, you can use it for other activities, including swimming — it's waterproof up to 30 meters.

With a battery life of up to 400 hours, you could use it to cycle an hour a day for a year before needing to replace the battery. It uses Bluetooth, dual-band connectivity, and ANT+ to pair with all sorts of other devices and apps. While the chest strap heart rate monitor is excellent, its companion app is somewhat lackluster according to customers who've used and reviewed the product. You won't find the same advanced features that similar products from Garmin and Wahoo provide, but it does pair with a bike computer that can do all the heavy lifting for you instead if you prefer. The Polar H10 Chest Strap has an MSRP of $99.95 but you can find it on Amazon for around $89. It comes in either black or red.

If you want a state-of-the-art smartwatch but aren't embedded in the Apple ecosystem, one great option is the Google Pixel Watch, which SlashGear named one of the best heart rate wrist monitor watches you can buy. With an always-on 320 ppi AMOLED display capable of up to 1000 nits of brightness, you'll easily be able to see your workout metrics at a glance. This display is built from custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass, so you can rest assured that it's durable enough for your rougher rides as well. Even with the always-on feature, the battery can last up to 24 hours on a single charge, and can recharge back from 0% to 100% in just 75 minutes.

Powered by 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB storage, the Pixel Watch provides cyclists with plenty of other useful features in addition to heart rate monitoring. These include a compass, altimeter, three-axis accelerometer, barometer, magnetometer, and gyroscope, as well as SpO2 monitoring, ECG readings, skin conductance measuring, and skin temperature measuring, among others.

SlashGear gave the Google Pixel Watch 2 a very positive review, highlighting its beautiful design, great display, and excellent, easy-to-navigate interface, but we did find that the device had some issues with its wristband system. The Google Pixel Watch 2 with LTE has a list price of $349.99, but you can currently find Wi-Fi-only models on Amazon for $269.99. The device comes in matte black, polished silver, and champagne gold aluminum cases. As an added bonus, these cases are made from 100% recycled aluminum. The default bands that come with the device are available in a few different appealing color options and are made of a soft-touch fluoroelastomer that will be comfortable to wear even as you pedal up a sweat.

If you're a cyclist that's concerned that smartwatches and other fitness trackers with a wealth of special features aren't as accurate as devices that are specifically dedicated to monitoring your heart rate, then look no further than the Coros Heart Rate Monitor. It's a dedicated heart sensor built to withstand rugged workouts and provide you with accurate information. SlashGear reviewed the Coros Heart Rate Monitor and found that it checks off all the boxes you'll need — it's comfortable to wear, easy to set up and use, has great battery life, and — most important of all — its heart rate monitoring is accurate and consistent.

Unlike some of the products on this list, this device doesn't really have many fun bells and whistles — but that may be exactly what you're looking for. It doesn't even have a display, so you'll need to pair it with another device to actually see your metrics. However, not having a display is one of the reasons its battery can last for 38 hours on a single charge (or 80 hours if it's not in use).

The minimalist device uses a soft elastic fabric that will snugly wrap around your forearm without snagging on your clothes, headphones, or other equipment. Plus, it automatically powers on and off when you wear it or remove it. The Coros Heart Rate Monitor comes in gray, lime green, and orange, and available on Amazon for $79, which also makes it one of the cheapest quality heart rate monitors you're going to find.

One of the least intrusive wearables you can buy is a smart ring, which is as inconspicuous as it is functional. This can make them especially useful for cyclists who don't want to be encumbered by bulky, uncomfortable accessories. SlashGear gave a positive review to the RingConn Smart Ring and praised how comfortable it is to wear, as well as its long battery life, simple app, and — perhaps most importantly — its accurate metrics.

The RingConn Smart Ring has some big points in its favor. For one thing, you don't need to pay for a subscription to use all of its app's features, which work with both iOS and Android. For another, it's made from titanium and is extremely durable. RingConn says it provides "worry-free wear" with the strength, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility that comes with using the premium metal. It's also lightweight and weighs no more than five grams. It will last up to a week on a single charge even as it provides 24/7 monitoring, and its portable charging case can provide a whopping 18 full recharges.

The device is integrated with multiple sensors, including four distinct photoplethysmography sensors, four temperature sensors, and a 3D accelerometer. In addition to accurate heart rate monitoring, the RingConn will track other useful metrics for cyclists and can deliver personalized advice and wellness support based on the data it collects. In our otherwise positive review, SlashGear noted that RingConn's companion app didn't provide as many detailed metrics as those that you might obtain from leading smartwatches and other fitness trackers. However, the second generation RingConn is releasing with added functionality to the app and will help mitigate this issue. The RingConn Smart Ring is available from Amazon for $279 and comes in three colors: gold, silver, and black.

The specifications and other information concerning these heart rate monitors were sourced from the websites of their respective manufacturers, as well as product reviews. These product reviews, made only after each device was thoroughly tested, were also referenced to ensure that the products are reliable and actually work as advertised. This testing and review process was conducted by my colleagues at SlashGear, who are experts in evaluating tech products and other equipment, as well as by reputable publications in the cycling field, including Cyclist and Cycling News.

In addition to devices that can accurately monitor your heart rate even under rugged conditions — such as rigorous bike riding — other factors important to cyclists were also considered when assembling this list of the best heart rate monitors for cycling. These factors include comfort and wearability, battery life, pricing, additional features, and the companion apps used to track and analyze the data these devices can track and measure.