HR Monitor

mtnbiker5

Active Member
Sorry if this has already been posted, I'm looking to get a new HR Monitor and was wondering if you all use them & if so which ones? I'm not really interested in the Garmin's maps and all that, seems like more perfecting needs to be done before dropping $400 on one. Just a good one I can wear to gym and ride with, Polar? Thanks.
 

TonyC

Active Member
Sorry if this has already been posted, I'm looking to get a new HR Monitor and was wondering if you all use them & if so which ones? I'm not really interested in the Garmin's maps and all that, seems like more perfecting needs to be done before dropping $400 on one. Just a good one I can wear to gym and ride with, Polar? Thanks.

I'm researching them, also.
The Polar FT series seems like the one for the gym. You can, also, get the FT series w/G1 for GPS to obtain speed/distance, etc...

If you find something else better please advise.

Btw, it's for the wife for the gym.

thx
Tony
 

BiknBen

Well-Known Member
I had great success with Polar in the past. I currently have an old S710 watch with bike functions (similar to today's s725x). I haven't paid attention to their recent offerings. If you are just cycling with it, get the bar mounted bike computer with HR. This way you get all the cycling functions without having to run a separate computer.

If you do multi-sport, get the watch with bike functions. I was never a fan of having my h-bars look like a cockpit. The Polar resolved that and put all my data in one place.

The Polar training software is no joke. It logs everything in a calendar type view. Very well designed.
 
Last edited:

Cyclopath

Shop Owner / Employee
Shop Keep
If you just need a HR monitor

Before I invested in the Garmin I killed a timex @ $55 on sale.
And picked up a Reebok(I know, but it was cheap) for $25 incl. shipping from Woot.com for a HR watch and chest strap.

I have to say I'm very satisfied with the Reebok. It's consistent and true and can be programmed for 3 zones with alarm tones to let you know when you've crossed into a zone and tracks average as well as time spent in zones. It takes your age, height and weight and gives calories burned. For me, calories burned don't mean crap, but you may find otherwise. I have yet to use it for swimming, but it does say, "water resistant to 35 meters". In fact, it was the gift I would have bought for my brother-in-law(runner, biker, overall fit guy) if I drew his name from the hat.

Only minor grunt(not big enough for a complaint) is with the chest strap. The plastic connection isn't as comfortable as the Garmin's, but it is certainly bearable. (Don't get a Garmin, and you'll never notice the difference.) I have been using it on and off for more than 1 1/2 yrs and just recently changed the first chest strap battery.

I still use my Reebok for resting HR, trainer and off bike activities when distance, elevation and global positioning don't matter. If I loose it(highly unlikely) or kill it, I'm only out $25.
If I loose the Garmin....:scared:
 
Last edited:

jkmacman

Complete Nonsense
I bought 4 heart rate monitors last year and broke them all.

Actually 3 are broke, the Timex 100 lap iron man has hrm function but did not come with the hr strap.

The sequnce of purchases went as follows:
  • bought a p.o.s. strapless hrm "Mio" at walmart, which was a real p.o.ps
  • bought a polar f4, later that week a polar rep gave a workshop at a lbs, and i learned that the f4 was a pos, so my 80 bux spent at target was a waste, polar f4 offically died last week, as i tried it in the pool, i think a missing button allowed water sepage and wrecked the thing
  • next i got a timex 100 lap iron man, it is pretty nice watch, it came with a gps device you strap on armm, but it never worked for me (acgtually worked once but not too great) it has a heart rate function, but not hrm strap, that retails for 50 bux
  • the garmin 305 has nice hr function, although the data ui collect on trainer does not upload to motion based, also, this thing has been dropped and cadence only works one bike, and i can't toggle throuhj functions

the POLAR FT40 looks cool, i dunno, i am a gps junkie, i waould mind dropping $350 for runner 405, but i heard it's a p.o.s. (piece of s%$^)

postscript: the list of broken gadgets is expanding. My ipod no longer gives sound, i think the sauna fried one of its diodes.

gps friendly ipod w/hr & cadence, now your talking.
 
Last edited:

mtnbiker5

Active Member
I think I'm gonna order the Polar F11 from Amazon. Free shipping and no sales tax which is nice. Has everything I would look for and then some. Also has a handlebar mount I believe you can buy seperately but pretty cheap, couple of dollars. I have some friends who bought that Garmin 405 and your right its a POS. $400 to have a gps unit on your bike and it breaks down and doesnt work. Please. I think I can find my way out of Lewis Morris Park or Allamuchy and if I cant I hope the bears like chewing on my legs. So many other companies coming out with new/better gps units if your a techy.
 
Top Bottom