Do I really need a Heart rate monitor?

General Discussion
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I am new to Zwift and was wondering do I really need a heart rate monitor? as my watch has one built in.

2

Can your watch pair to Zwift?
My Garmin fenix does, and I know several others do was well.

At the end of the day, Zwift is all about your workout and your progression. If you are competing at higher levels of racing it doesn’t matter.

On the flip side though, a no HR rider does get more scrutiny on race results

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3

Which watch do you have?

If you’re just riding for fun and good health you don’t need a heart rate monitor. I do most of my rides without one. If you race or do structured workouts I recommend using one. Some races will not let you enter without it, others let you enter but remove you from the results on ZwiftPower.

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ok thanks for the info.

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Hi @Jay_Barry, Welcome to the Zwift Forums!
Fernanda here, part of the support specialist team at Zwift.

I appreciate that you use this space for your concerns, regarding the heart rate monitor, as @Paul_Southworth shared, it is a must in some of our events, especially races, but if you don’t have one you can check on the “events” the “rules”, and if it does not say “heart rate monitor required” you can enjoy it! Check here for more information.

But for basics, what you need to enjoy your ride will be your trainer, a bike, your device to run the game, and an account! Only if you want to move beyond basic you wil need the heart rate to boost your experienced.

In addition, check out this list and verify if your watch is available to broadcast the information as a heart rate monitor in the App!

Ride On.

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Thanks for the advice and detailed info. Yes taking my free rides to the next level is something I am interested in so I will make the purchase .