Wahoo has released an update to its Tickr range of heart rate monitor straps – and added a bunch of new high end features.
The previous generation of Tickr and Tickr X were widly popular with cyclists and runners – but have been widely sold out for a while now. The the new range has been slimmed down, and at just 48g including the strap is one of the lightest you’ll find – and is immediately available.
Both feature ANT+ (used by Garmin devices) and Bluetooth connectivity, and you power users will be able to enjoy broadcasting to three different devices simultaneously – which will please the cycling crowd.
The company has also added LEDs to the top of the unit so you can see when it’s connecting – one of the bugbears of chest straps is the mystery of what they’re doing before they connect.
But it’s the Tickr X which gets the biggest range of new features.
As well as heart rate it’s now capable of tracking cadence, vertical oscillation and ground contact time in running activities. That’s the feature set of top end Garmins with the Running Dynamics pod, so it’s great that more people will be able to access that information.
Wahoo has introduced a new metric – Running Smoothness – which looks at all these metrics and pulls them together into one score of your running form.
The Tickr/TickrX can store 50 hours of workouts on board the sensor itself, so you don’t need to take your phone out with you to get the data. You’ll be able to see the data within the Wahoo Fitness app.
And what’s more, it will last 500 hours before you need to change the battery.
“We’ve revamped the Tickr and Tickr X to give users class-leading functionality in a design that’s effortless to use and very comfortable to wear,” said Wahoo Product Manager Katie DuPree.
“TICKR and TICKR X redefine what you expect from a heart rate monitor by offering unmatched power, comfort, and convenience whether you’re on a quick lunch ride or running a marathon.”
The TICKR and TICKR X will be available for sale from the 7th May.
How we test
James is the co-founder of Wareable, and he has been a technology journalist for 15 years.
He started his career at Future Publishing, James became the features editor of T3 Magazine and T3.com and was a regular contributor to TechRadar – before leaving Future Publishing to found Wareable in 2014.
James has been at the helm of Wareable since 2014 and has become one of the leading experts in wearable technologies globally. He has reviewed, tested, and covered pretty much every wearable on the market, and is passionate about the evolving industry, and wearables helping people achieve healthier and happier lives.