Heart Rate Monitor dropouts since update (Bluetooth/Garmin HR)

Since the latest bigger update a few days ago my Heart Rate (HR) Monitor from the Garmin Edge 1030 Bundle is experiencing dropouts. The dropouts are usually just 2 seconds long, HR monitor immediately reconnects itself without me manually doing it. Furthermore, the red line showing the Heart Rate of the last few minutes is way less volatile, meaning there is less data. Screenshots are hopefully self-explanatory.

I believe this is a Zwift problem which came a long with the update a few days ago, because I have never experienced it before and it started with the first ride after the update and it occured in every single ride since then.

Troubleshooting done myself:

Battery low? No, exchanged with a brand new one
Heart Rate monitor problem and not Zwift? No, no problems with connecting to another device (Garmin Edge 1030 in this case)
Bluetooth<->PC<->device problem? Unlikely. Problem ONLY occured after the latest update plus Tacx Neo 2 Smart connected to Zwift via Bluetooth aswell with no dropouts.

Screenshots:

You can also see the dropouts if you zoom into the data analysis if a ride on strava:

Anyone else experiencing this issue, especially with Garmin HR Monitor and bluetooth connection?
Is this a known problem by now?

Problem remains, no solution found. Is Zwift staff reading this or should I rather contact them via support?

1 Like

Yes, I have the same issues except my drop outs are about every 2-5 mins for 3-5 seconds. Any solution found? I have had better results restarting my computer before every zwift and turning off all other Bluetooth devices.

Hi. No solution I found and the problem still occurs. I am rather annoyed by it, since I like clean Data.
I don’t know - but if this was purposely done by Zwift to save server load this was probably a step too far IMO.

I’m having the exact same issue here with the Garmin HRM Dual. Random drop outs. Seems to be a problem with Zwift as it works normally with other devices etc

Are Zwift aware it’s a bug?

Not sure. But since I like clean data, I’d love to see it working as it did before the change in early May 2020.

Yes I’m having exactly the same issue too - using a wahoo heart strap. Never had the issue before. Thought it was the battery in the heart rate monitor, but still doing it even with a new battery.

Did you just get it recently or also with the May Update (around when I made the thread)?

I have the same issue using a Garmin Dual over BT although not as bad as some others; connection drops usually every 5 mins or so for a couple of secs. It started a few months ago so around the May update. I’m currently using ant+ and I’m not experiencing any such issues.

Same Here. Dropouts every Several minutes. Also Watt/cardence drops on Saris H3. Before the Update i Had no issues

New information after today’s ride:

The heart rate rerfreshes only every 4 seconds (provided there is a change). You can easily figure that out if you start sprinting (quick increase in HR, only showing all 4 secs an increase) or by slowing down quickly after a sprint (quick decrease in HR, only showing all 4 secs a decrease).

I am very sure (99,9%) that this is written in the code and was changed back in May, when server load was struggling due to Covid-19 and Zwifters reached new peaks.

Dropouts seem to occur if there is no data update for 5 (5+?) seconds straight, not too sure about that.

Conclusion:

  • To fix the more annoying thing (dropouts) probably the 5 seconds (see above) could be changed to 10 seconds?

  • Server load decreased by now a lot, can the update be changed back from 4 seconds (see above) back to 1 or 2 seconds?

I think i have the same problem with my 4iiii viiiiva heart rate monitor… On a flat course with a normal heart beat i dont have this problem, but when i do climbing (alpe, epic KOM) the heart rate drops constant from 170 to 60-90 heart beat.

2 Likes

I have the same issue, I have been using zwift for a couple months with a new garmin dual ant+/BLE speed sensor and have had no dropouts. I recently got my garmin HRM DUAL and used ir for the first time with zwift yesterday and I kept getting dropouts. The hrm is closer to my laptop than the speed sensor?

Wont let me upload the photo but over a 40min ride i had about 7 dropouts, they stopped just after the halfway mark though

Uhm, I guess sorry for bumping my own thread.
But here I am again, now that I take Zwifting more serious again…and I keep having that issue which to be honest still annoys me, since maybe even my average heart rate is messed up due to that.

I wonder if anyone reading this got a workaround how not to get the dropouts?

I found out something else: I am using an Edge 1030 to record the ride aswell and while I see a constant update on the heartrate on that device (like every second), Zwift only refreshes rather slowly (every 4 seconds). Very much noticeable when I start a sprint and got a quick increase in my HR.

Probably the 2nd connection of my heart rate monitor to another device is causing the issue? Will try.

I can’t speak to a workaround. I can only report that I get these occasional dropouts with my Apple Watch, but not with my Wahoo Tickr X. This is with me running Zwift on my iPad, so I assume the Tickr X is pairing to the iPad. The dropouts happen every time I use my Watch as my HRM.

My watch is never connected to another device because Apple doesn’t design things that way. I’d speculate that if you have your HRM connecting to your Zwift device and your head unit, then it might be worth trying a ride with your head unit off to see if that improves anything. It’s just speculation on my part. Hopefully you aren’t in a position where you need to dual record your events.

If it is HRM dual, is it connected to Edge with ANT+ and Zwift ANT+ (allows more connections) or BLE, so the connection should not be the problem.
But the different readings are not OK. I have a Quadlock dual HRM, BLE data (Zwift) and ANT+ (Jepster Android App) are exactly the same.
There are some users reporting problems (conflicts) with Garmin Connect App?!?

Some more troubleshooting:
Edge 1030 isn’t at fault, same issue when turned off
Phone/Garmin connect isn’t at fault, same issue when turned off
Reinstalled Zwift
Used the Tacx Heart Rate Belt

And I still end up with this. Since the issue just started after the big update end of april/early May 2020, it would’ve been a surprise if any of the above was the issue, since I always used the same setup and stuff.

I just don’t get Zwift to refresh my heart rate more often then any FOUR seconds, leading to dropouts every now and then.

Does anyone who maybe reads this can answer me how often your heart rate refreshes? Every second? Or even more often? Less often? Easy to test when you start or stop a sprint where you have a quick change in HR. My Garmin 1030 for example shows a change way more often than Zwift does.

Thanks!

@Alex_Zsenyuk @TheBandit @Bezk_Aus @S_ticky_KRT @Torben_Hendricks did u guys somehow got it fixed since u had this problem too?
@Shane_Miller_GPLama Since I know you know a lot about tech stuff and zwift, do you have any clue maybe why the heart rate only freshes once every four seconds and leading to frequent dropouts for me at least? Thx!

Yes, made sure all my computer
Drivers were updated… that didn’t work, so I purchased a Wahoo Tickr, it works great. It was $50, but worth every penny knowing I will have HR through my ride. Plus it allows for 3 simultaneous BT connections.

1 Like

Just watched a few vids of the last 2 mins of my races (spiking heart rates with sprints) and it looks to be instantaneous. I’m Ant+ to a PC using Garmin HRM. I also dual record to a 1030 at times and same result.

Have you put your log file into Zwiftalizer.com - you may find that it points to some nasty bluetooth interference in your environment?

Thanks, but zwiftalizer didn’t really show me any errors or any more information what could cause the problem.

“FIXED” it by just using ANT+ now for my Heart rate monitor. Worth the 15 bucks to me personally to not have that issue anymore.

2 Likes