| First Look | MIO Fuse and MIO Velo – Pre-release Review

Wrist based heart rate monitor. Accurate Optical HR.

MIO have developed 2 new improvements to their fantastic wrist based HR monitor, the MIO Link. These two improvements can be seen in their two new products due for release late in 2014:

Full review to follow but in brief now we have:

1. MIO Fuse – It’s all that the MIO Link is PLUS activity monitoring and a better display
2. MIO Velo – A bike version that can also enable your ANT+ devices to be seen by a Bluetooth-SMART-only receiver.
3. BOTH are based on the same ‘accurate’ sensor found in the MIO link.

The fuse has an activity tracker mode that lets you track your steps, calories, and distance. So it’s conceptually like the Garmin Vivofit BUT the optical HR is inbuilt into the device and a HR chest strap is NOT required (like it would be required on the Vivofit for HR data). It turns on for a while whilst you are asleep to track your resting HR…cool ! [Planned for release version].

It also records your HR whilst running, it doesn’t have GPS for pace but that is not where this product is aimed at. It has a timer as well. This is a useful addition to those who wanted a catch-all SIMPLE device. Some of the real simple stuff, like a timer, was one of those easy to add features. Apparently too there is also a vibration alert but foolishly I didn’t test that.

On-device storage – about 10-14 days of activity tracking storage or 25+ hours of activity storage. (HR is only turned on for run-mode and for night time resting HR to save battery).

IN THEORY THIS IS THE DEVICE THAT IS NEEDED TO STORE THAT PESKY HR DATA FROM SWIMMING AND THEN LATER UPLOAD IT. But it is water resistant to 30m, which should be enough!! 

Compatibility: iOS and Android NOT Windows Smartphone.

Price: Estimate GP150 (updates below) The MIO Velo is then a MIO Link with a bit extra. It’s NOT the MIO Fuse with a bit extra. The bit extra is providing the connectivity glue between your ANT+ sensors and your non-ANT+ watch ie Polar v800 or Suunto Ambit3. The released version should be able to re-transmit most commonly used ANT+ device signals including power meters.

Price: Estimate GBP110 (updates below). Summary: I’m excited about these products for two reasons. 1. Suunto are leaving their users in the lurch if they have lots of ANT+ kit from their Ambit2 who then want to upgrade to the Suunto Ambit3. This extra bit of kit from MIO (Velo) solves the problem.

2. I loved the MIO Link strap. But sometimes it would have been nice to have some data display visible on it. The MIO Fuse sorts this out nicely as well as potentially allowing HR data to be recorded underwater, stored and later uploaded! [Based on the MIO Link working underwater]

The Fuse’s Functionality From MIO’s Website

• EKG-accurate heart rate data, with no chest strap required
• Tracks steps, pace, distance and calories to provide a complete assessment of your daily effort
• Customizable display and configurable heart rate zones
• Connects to fitness apps with Bluetooth Smart (4.0)
• Sync heart rate to bike computers & GPS watches via ANT+
• Stores activity data and wirelessly syncs to the Mio GO app
• Water resistant to 30m (3ATM)
• Mio FUSE Crimson fits large wrist sizes: 156 -208mm / 6.1”-8.2”
• Mio FUSE Aqua fits regular wrist sizes: 149-179mm / 5.9”-7” View Sizing Chart