F.A.Q, Help, and Support Issues

FAQ updated on 3/2021

The Complete Peloton / HeartCast Reset! 4/2021

Recommended steps for HeartCast users who have used HeartCast successfully in the past, have recently begun experiencing issues, and have "tried everything else!".

The below steps are completely safe for anyone experiencing connectivity issues, but are typically unnecessary in most HeartCast troubleshooting sessions. The majority of reported issues are solved by verifying Apple Watch & iPhone permissions and following our updated connection process below.

Clearing Peloton Device Cache.
  • Unpair HeartCast, iPhone, and any unrecognized devices from Peloton's Bluetooth Settings. This is safe.
  • Unpair Bluetooth audio devices from your Peloton, if any. Airpods, Beats, Sonos, etc.
  • Unpair the Peloton tablet from your iPhone's bluetooth settings. Look for "Peloton", "Ruby", or "Android Tablet" and press forget.
  • Clear Peloton's device cache clear steps as described by Peloton here:
    https://support.onepeloton.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005052803-Difficulty-Pairing-Bluetooth-Devices-ENOSPC-Error-
    • Critical: Some user have reported problems wiping Peloton's cache partition, including seeing the Peloton "No Command" message with the "dead android" graphic. Please try these alternative instructions:
      • On your Peloton tablet:
        • Tap the three dots on the bottom right corner of the screen
        • Go to "Device settings" > "Apps" > "Peloton" > "Storage"
        • Tap "Clear Cache"
        • There are recommendations to shutdown and unplug your Peloton for 15-30 seconds aftwards. Your mileage may vary.
      • If you're still stuck here, you'll need to contact Peloton.

Afterwards

  • Please connect (and verify) HeartCast with your Peloton before adding in your Bluetooth Audio devices. Please see our Bluetooth audio notice, here.

3/2021 - Peloton, Bluetooth Audio, and HeartCast

Recently, when connecting to HeartCast, Peloton has been sending incorrect Bluetooth Audio pairing requests.

For example, on pressing "connect" for HeartCast, the Peloton will send a pairing request for "Sonos Blueetooth Speaker", even though the Sonos is already connected. We've discovered that we can avoid this by connecting to HeartCast first and then turning on the Sonos Bluetooth Speaker. We've also confirmed with Airpods users that they are experiencing the same issue and have a smoother connection process if they connect Peloton to HeartCast first.

The good news is that Peloton seems to be more consistently connecting to HeartCast automatically on start-up.

Updated Peloton Connection Process 2/2021

The folks at Peloton have been busy updating their Peloton app on your bike and tread. They've been improving the bluetooth connection process and this has changed the HeartCast connection process! Please do refer to this new process. Please also be sure that your bike and tread are receiving automatic software updates.

2/2021

HeartCast is currently functioning better for users when they decline the Peloton Bluetooth Pairing request. As documented on instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIf7IqSjApl/

  • Please follow the bluetooth unpairing steps here.
  • Please follow the steps below. Then, when Peloton prompts to pair with your iPhone, press cancel on your iPhone. HeartCast will continue to work.

HeartCast can sometimes appear to be connected automatically, but still needs a bit of attention before each ride. That's okay, it's easy and fast when you know how!

Let's walk through some updated steps.

Before turning on your Peloton, please confirm that HeartCast is ready.

  • Open HeartCast on your iPhone.
  • Open HeartCast on your Watch.
  • Press start on the HeartCast Watch App
  • Observe that your heart rate matches on your Watch and iPhone. Is your heart rate updating regularly? Maybe do a couple of jumping jacks to increase your heart rate.
  • If they do not match or they do not change, please force restart HeartCast on your Watch: http://help.heartcast.app/#force-restart

This should sort things out and you can proceed to the next steps.

Turn On your Peloton

  • Select the "More" button on the bottom of the screen. It's to the right of the "Challenges" button.
  • Press the "start riding" button on the "Just Ride" tile. This is a great area to ensure HeartCast is connected properly.
  • Do not press "start". Press the "Heart Rate Monitor" button.
    • Here, the Peloton is attempting to remember HeartCast and may show it as connected, despite it not being connected.
    • You may see an empty Heart Rate Panel in the top left screen. With or without dashes where the heart rate should be. Note if you observe HeartCast under "Currently Connected" or under "Available devices"?
    • Critical: Be sure that HeartCast is open and visible on your iPhone. It must be visible during the connection process.
    • Sometimes the Peloton will automatically refresh the connection at this point. Wait a few moments, it may automatically connect and sync.
    • Otherwise, if HeartCast is displayed under "currently connected", press the refresh button on the Peloton in the top right corner. Wait a few moments as the connection changes. It may connect automatically or HeartCast will move to "available devices".
    • If it moves to "available devices", press the connect button. The Peloton should connect to HeartCast. Wait a few moments for the numbers to synchronize. Then you can let the iPhone display sleep.

From here, you should be good to start your ride.
This is a lot of information but typically take 10-15 seconds before each ride.

Important: iOS 14 and WatchOS 7 Updates

We've recently been assisting users with issues related to the recent Apple iOS 14 and WatchOS 7 updates, as well as our own HeartCast 1.5(3) update. Here's the solution that has worked for everyone.

  • Please do confirm you've upgraded both iOS and WatchOS
  • Please confirm that HeartCast is updated and the version matches on both the Watch and iPhone. You can confirm this by triple tapping on the heart icon in the middle of the screen on both devices. The version should match.
    • If they do not match: Please force an update from the Apple App Store. Typically HeartCast on the Apple Watch is a version behind.
    • If they do match: Please force restart HeartCast on your Apple Watch. No need to restart the Apple Watch itself. You can force restart by following the steps here: Force Restart

Please do not hesitate to contact us if these steps do not work.

Live Support

Update 2/2021: Response times impacted by a global pandemic and an unrelated full-time job. HeartCast is not a company, I am a solo developer, and this is a free app. Promise to reply asap, your patience is appreciated. :)

Please send a direct message for real-time troubleshooting.

Twitter: @HeartCastApp

Instagram: @HeartCastApp

Email us: contact@heartcast.app

We're also active on the Official Peloton Members Facebook Group and Peloton Subreddit.

Please submit any issues or feature requests through our contact page!

Supported Fitness Equipment and Bike Computers

HeartCast was developed and tested with the Peloton Bike. However, it uses an open bluetooth specification that is supported by a broad set of fitness equipment, bike computers, and related mobile apps. This list is not comprehenisve and is updated by users who are experimenting and alerting us. We do not have access to every device to confirm, but we are working to confirm with the community. Please email us with your findings!

  • Peloton Bike and Tread!
  • Peloton Mobile App on the iPad, click to see how
  • Peloton App on the Amazon Firestick: Confirmed by HeartCast Team.
  • TacX Smart Trainer Software for MacOS and iPad: Confirmed by HeartCast Team.
  • TrainerRoad Mobile App on the iPad: Reported by TrainerRoad Users. Confirmed by HeartCast Team.
  • Wahoo Fitness iPad App: Confirmed by HeartCast Team.
  • Bryton Rider 450: Confirmed by Users.
  • Lezyne Macro GPS: Confirmed by Users.
  • Echelon Fit iPad App: Confirmed by HeartCast Team. (iPad only!)
  • NordicTrack equipment that supports iFit. C2950 Treadmill & RW850 Rower: Confirmed by user George S.
  • Hammerhead Karoo 2: Confirmed by users Maxim S, & Will VdB.
  • FulGaz App: Confirmed by Fulgaz Support page and user Ernst H.

Unsupported Fitness Equipment - Working on it!

  • Echelon Bike's with integrated tablet: Unsupported. Please send us your findings.
  • Sufferfest Mobile App: Unsupported: Connects, but heart rate is inconsistently displayed
  • Garmin Edge 830 (and others): Unsupported: problems reported by Users
  • Wahoo Bike Computers: Unsupported: Elemnt Roam & Bolt - We've received mixed user reviews for these devices. In some cases users are able to use HeartCast with a Wahoo Bolt, but only when the iPhone is completely unpaired from the Wahoo Bike Computer. This of course limits some features of the Bolt. When the bike computer is paired to the iPhone it is unable to see HeartCast as a viable heart rate monitor.

Connect HeartCast with your Fitness Equipment

Execute these steps before every session. 10-15 seconds.

  1. Open HeartCast on your Watch and iPhone
    Open HeartCast on your Watch and iPhone to and allow them to synchronize your Heart Rate. This may take a few of seconds.

  2. Press Start on HeartCast on your Watch
    On your Watch press the HeartCast Start button to begin broadcasting your Heart Rate over Bluetooth. This tells HeartCast on your iPhone to initiate the Bluetooth connection process.

  3. Connect your Bluetooth Equipment
    Open Heart Rate Monitor settings on your Fitness Equipment (Peloton). Look for "HeartCast" in the available devices list and press connect. If you do not see HeartCast press refresh on your fitness equipment. Press connect and please wait 10-15 seconds for the numbers to sync between your iPhone and your Fitness Equipment.

  • Important: HeartCast must remain open and visible on your iPhone until your heart rate is synced between your iPhone and fitness equipment.
  • Important: It is not necessary to pair your phone or HeartCast in the same way you would pair a Bluetooth speaker. HeartCast will be automatically discoverable in your fitness equipment's Heart Rate Monitor settings.

Connect HeartCast to an iPad for Peloton App workouts

Watch a HeartCast Instagram video demonstrating steps 3-5 on the iPad.

  1. Open HeartCast on your Watch and iPhone
  2. Press Start on HeartCast on your Watch
  3. Begin a Peloton workout on your iPad. Optionally, pause your workout immediately to save valuable workout time.
  4. Click the heart rate icon on the right side of the tablet.
  5. Select your iPhone from available devices and wait 15-20 seconds for your Heart Rate numbers to sync on screen. Then close the Heart Rate Monitor window.

Common Connection Issues - HeartCast Disconnects

The most common connection issues are related to the initial connection process. It is important to connect HeartCast to your Peloton before each workout session. HeartCast will stay connected between Peloton workouts in the same session.

  • Ensure that HeartCast is open and visible on your iPhone while connecting to your Peloton tablet. Wait 10-15 seconds for your numbers to display on the Peloton before allowing your iPhone to sleep/close. Once connected you can allow your iPhone display to sleep. Reason: HeartCast on your iPhone is responsibile for transmitting your heart rate data to your fitness equipment over Bluetooth.

  • Ensure that HeartCast and your iPhone are not paired with your Peloton Tablet in Bluetooth Settings. When paired directly users have reported consistent disconnect issues. HeartCast does not need to be paired with your Peloton to function. Instead, connect to HeartCast before each ride by opening Peloton's Heart Rate Monitor settings.

    • Please confirm that HeartCast is not paired directly with your Peloton. Open Peloton's bluetooth settings and press forget on "HeartCast-xxxxx"
    • Please confirm that the Peloton tablet is not paired directly with your iPhone. Open your iPhone's bluetooth settings and press forget on the Peloton Android tablet.
    • If/When Peloton prompts you to pair with your iPhone, press cancel. HeartCast will continue to connect and function properly with your Peloton.

Peloton Bluetooth Crash

On rare occasions the Heart Rate display on your Peloton tablet will freeze with only a spinning loading graphic and will likely require a Peloton restart. Indicators:

  • The Heart Rate window on the Peloton display remains on the screen for longer than 20 seconds with no data or a spinning graphic.
  • When you disable Bluetooth on your Peloton and the Heart Rate window still remains on the Peloton display.
    In this scenario you will need to restart the Peloton tablet. Fortunately restarting the Peloton tablet is a fast and harmless operation.
    Restart your Peloton by holding down the power button on the back of the Peloton tablet for a few seconds. Follow the on screen instructions to shutdown your Peloton. Once off, hold down the power button again to restart your Peloton.

HeartCast version is out of sync on Apple Watch and iPhone

  • Occasionally the HeartCast Watch App is not updated when HeartCast iPhone app is updated. This is likely due to "auto update" being disabled on the user's Apple Watch.
  • Please compare versions on your Watch and iPhone by triple tapping the heart icon in the middle of the HeartCast screen on both your Watch and iPhone. It will flash briefly.
  • If these versions are out of sync, you can force update HeartCast on your Apple Watch in the App Store App.

Apple Watch stuck at "Loading" or displaying "Please permit access to heart rate data"

Peloton Tablet displays "not connected" while Heart Rate is visible on screen.

  • This is a known issue and does not affect HeartCast operation as long as the numbers match on your iPhone and Peloton and you have a solid connection. We're not sure why the Peloton sometimes reports this message while connected and stable. We're continuing to work on optimizing the Bluetooth connection process.

Restarting HeartCast on your Apple Watch

Standard Restart:

  • Press the the side button (below the digital crown)
  • Swipe right over HeartCast to display the red close button
  • Press close
  • Press the side button again to confirm that HeartCast has actually closed. If not, perhaps try Force Quit, below.


Force Quit (When a standard restart doesn't work):

  • Open HeartCast so that it is visible on your Watch.
  • Press and hold down the side button (below the Digital Crown) until the shutdown screen appears. Release the side button. Do Not Press Shutdown.
  • Press and hold the Digital Crown to force quit the active app. You should see HeartCast minimize and close. Restart HeartCast

Trouble installing the HeartCast Watch App

Some users have reported being unable to install the HeartCast Watch App even though the iPhone App is installed. A bit of research shows that this is a not-too-common Apple Watch issue.

First try our quick HeartCast Watch install video on Instagram

If that fails, refer to this very detailed article on iKream which outlines a few potential solutions: How to fix an Apple Watch 4 that can’t download apps

Apple Activity App Exclusivity

HeartCast and the Apple Workout Activity are exclusive** and will interrupt each other. When an Apple Activity starts it will stop the HeartCast workout and then disconnect from Peloton. Similarly, HeartCast will interrupt an Apple Activity in progress. The same behaviour is demonstrated when you start a Peloton Workout, it will interrupt the Apple Activity.

** This is a technical Limitation imposed by Apple.

HeartCast Heart Rate data will be synchronized to Apple Health with your Peloton ride information. No need to use the Apple Workout Activity. Let us know your thoughts!

Apple Workouts & Health

HeartCast does not explicitly save workout data to Apple Health. However, the action of monitoring your heart rate does flag as activity with Apple Health, which automatically contributes to closing out your activity rings. This activity is not a duplicate workout.

Apple Health aggregates data from multiple sources (Watch, iPhone, 3rd Party Apps) and normalizes it, removing any potential duplicate activity.

For more info, please see some related Apple "recommended" answers in Apple community discussions, here.

Example response: "Steps taken during a workout will still be reflected in the Activity app on your watch, but the Health app does not double count them by adding data from the Workout app to data recorded in the Activity app."

HeartCast Watch and iPhone Settings

HeartCast requires permission to use Bluetooth and HealthKit. Please check these permissions if you're having connectivity issues.

  • On your Apple Watch HeartCast asks for permissions to HealthKit to monitor your Heart Rate.
  • On your iPhone HeartCast asks for permissions to use Bluetooth. This permission is required to connect to your fitness equipment and to broadcast your Heart Rate.

Apple Watch and iPhone Settings Locations

  • iPhone: Settings > Privacy > Health > HeartCast

  • iPhone: Settings > Privacy > Bluetooth > HeartCast

  • iPhone: Settings > HeartCast > Bluetooth

  • Apple Watch: Settings > Health > Apps > HeartCast

  • Apple Watch: Settings > General > Background App Refresh > HeartCast

  • Apple Watch: Settings > Privacy > Bluetooth > HeartCast ( Managed from Phone )

Heart Rate Zones

HeartCast uses the "Karvonen method", otherwise known as the "heart rate Reserve (HRR) formula, to calculate your heart rate zones and display them on your Watch and iPhone. This formula takes your Resting Heart Rate (RHR) into consideration. We believe this method more accurately depicts which heart rate zone you're actively in.

HeartCast only sends your Peloton your current BPM.

Peloton displays the incoming BPM, but calculates your heart rate zones independently for display on the Peloton tablet. Peloton does not consider Resting Heart Rate data because it does not have access to it. Adding RHR to the equation means that the zones displayed in HeartCast are slightly different than the zones displayed on the Peloton tablet.

To accurately match the HeartCast zones with the Peloton zones simply leave RHR empty or set it closer to zero.

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