Weaknesses: The transmitter has not user replaceable battery. Has not backlight
Bottom Line:
Very nice monitor. The strap could be a litlle more comfortable, but it is ok. Setup requires some patience and careful reading. A great value monitor.
Similar Products Used: Polar, Sigma Sport, Sports Instruments
Bike Setup: Specialized FSRxc '04
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Loren
a Cross Country Rider
from Eureka, CA
Date Reviewed: February 29, 2004
Strengths: Inexpensive Large Numbers
Weaknesses: The alarm never worked or it worked so only dogs could hear it. Less than 2 weeks old and watch goes completely blank. A battery should last more than 2 weeks. Had a little bit of rain on it, clouded in a spot, wouldn't dry out. I send it back and ordered a Polar s720i.
Strengths: Value - Performance, price, and durability
Weaknesses: A little bulky
Bottom Line:
I don't even remember which model Nashbar this is - doesn't say on the product either. I've had this for about 7 years now. Have actively used it during all 7 and this product is still going strong!. It's a no frills rock!!!
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2003
Strengths: Inexpensive, easy to use basic functions, very reliable, long battery life.
Weaknesses: Kinda confusing setting the various zones.
Bottom Line:
I got a basic CardioSport monitor years ago at the insistence of a buddy. He was right -- even though my basic unit showed only one number -- the pulse rate -- it helped my training more than any other single thing I've ever tried.
The Nasbar unit works with the old CardioSport transmitter, and vice versa, and includes training target rate zones. I usually just set one top-limit rate and set the lower limit rate to zero. I only worry if I start to go off the charts while grunting up some hill...
Comes with stopwatch mode also, which I use all the time.
This inexpensive monitor has worked perfectly every time for more than two years now. What makes a Polar worth $150 more? Beats me....
Submitted by
jeff
a Weekend Warrior
from brewster, ny, usa
Date Reviewed: June 26, 2003
Strengths: Cheap, tons of features
Weaknesses: not the coolest looking one out there, programming it is not all that intuative
Bottom Line:
O.K. After reading all the reviews I was prepared for it not to work. It seemed like only the monitors for around $200 got consistantly good reviews. May I just got lucky, maybe things like tramsmitter placment are critical.I'm glad I took the chance though.
This is the C12 model, not sure if that's the same one in all the reviews below. It's just a rebranded Impulse 12 for less money. So far I've not experienced any of the problems noted below. It always gives a reading and only once when I went under some low powerlines was it erratic. It shot up to 214 for about 10 seconds. Same with the waterproofness. I have a habit of spraying myself with my waterbottle during hard training rides, but so far no transmitter problems.
I made a mount for the handlebar and rarely is the distance an issue. A couple of times when I have taken my hands off the bars and stretched back the reading was temorarily interuppted. It came with a free sample of BuBump cream. I find that I don't even need it if I make sure to wet down my chest good where the transmitter goes.
In comparison to the compitition it has more features than others in the under $150 price range. 1 beat increments, recovery time, max and average heart rate, etc., even a calorie counter.
What are my complaints? Why doesn't it have more than one zone? Switching workout types requires reprogramming the zone, what a pain. The xtra chip technology couldn't cost more than 10 cents. I guess thats how they force you to buy the more expensive models.
The verdict? For value it gets 5 cigars. Overall I give it a 3.5 which I guess I have to round up to 4
Strengths: Gave my resting heart rate...otherwise it showed eratic heart rate readouts or none at all.
Weaknesses: Eratic Heart rate readout, transmitter is not water tight. I was getting no readout while on my indoor trainer and after the workout I took the screws out of the back of the transmitter (where the battery is) and it was full of sweat. I tried to seal it up but it never worked right. It did not last 2 weeks. I was rather upset because it was my first purchase of a HRM and wanted to use one. I ended up purchasing a Polar A3...what a difference.
Bottom Line:
This HRM is not worth the time. Unless Nashbar changes the design of the chest strap. Forget It. The receiver is too large also.
Bike Setup: Several...1 Road and 4 mountain bikes. Trek, GT, Cannondale
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Greenville, SC
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2002
Strengths: I like the rubber wristband and its general appearance. It comes with a handlebar mount, which is good.
Weaknesses: The transmitter was extremely uncomfortable and I was never able to get a consistent reading. In my attempts to solve the problem, I tried adjusting the strap tension from loose to very tight. Nothing worked. The strap often slid down - a problem I didn't have with my previous HRM. Transmission was poor, even when the electrodes where firmly positioned and wet. I don't think I ever got a consistent display in the several weeks that I used it. Sometimes it would work briefly, then it would cut out, then it would indicate a really high heart rate.
Also, accessing its features was cumbersome.
Bottom Line:
This is a review of the Sport 4 model, which has more features (and costs more) than the model reviewed by others in this section.
Weaknesses: Poor quality - Transmitter leaks and fills with sweat
Bottom Line:
This HRM seems attractive, but does not deliver. On my very first run the battery in the transmitter quit working after 12 minutes because of sweat. I never even got a chance to see how it responded during swimming, but I bet you can guess.
Buy a REAL HRM. I'm returning it to exchange for a Polar because of the sealed transmitter they use.
Value - 1 Chili - If it doesn't work, how much value can it have?
Weaknesses: Size, signal radious(only 60cm), signal indicator
Bottom Line:
the model is a PHR-12, is a cheap good alternative for the low budget rider. Gives constant reading, use w/ HRM Gel. First ride had problem w/ the reading I believe because the distance between the transmiter and the unit. But it was solve by tilting the watchin the transmiter direction. Have been using it for bike and running for about 2.5 week with out any problem in the reading or craftmanship. About the weakness, is quite big, economical construction and the signal reciver indicator is to small, macking it dificult (not imposible) to see it when riding the bike Overall, is a simple functional Hrm that is quite reasonable for the price.
Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Inyokern, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2000
Strengths: I have owned two different Nashbar monitors. I have used their basic $50 monitor for about 3 years. It has worked very well until just recently when it started to give incorrect readings.
Weaknesses: The band broke and had to be glued back on. I replaced the old monitor with a Nashbar PR-12. It was an absolute piece of junk. It wouln't transmit far enough to allow mounting on the bar - even after replacing both batteries. After replacing the battery in the receiver, I never could get the band back on. I sent it back after a few rides. I am concerned that Nashbar has let their quality slip.
Bottom Line:
The basic $50 monitor NA-HRM was a great deal and gets a 5. The NA-PR-12 isn't fit for anyone's use. It gets a 1. Based on my overall satisfaction and good service life from the NA-HRM, I'll give a combined 4
Similar Products Used: None, although I have just ordered a Performance HR400.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Y
a Weekend Warrior
from Holland, MI
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2000
Strengths: No strenghts as this product does not work as advertised.
Weaknesses: Extremely poor quality. Lack of transmitter range. Very difficult to get any reading from the transmitter.
Bottom Line:
The Nashbar NA-PR12 HRM is a complete piece of junk. Most of the problems seem to be with the transmitter unit. The contact electrodes are very small and close to the center of the transmitter, hence it's amost complete inability to get any reliable reading for me. They suggest using EKG gel, but I think that's just a band-aid for poor design. The transmitter is powered by an oddball 12v alkaline battery that isn't listed in any radio shack/MCM electronics catalog. The contact for the positive terminal for the battery is just a thin piece of aluminum that will obviously not last. If by some miracle the transmitter does work, the range is so short (60cm) hat you won't get a reading while your hands are on the handlebars. The refresh rate of the pulse display is too low and it is very difficult to troubleshoot if it is receiving a signal or not. The wristband unit is bulky, made entirely of plastic and is easily scratched. There is no audible out of pulse range alert. This unit is essentially worthless as it is highly unreliable.
Submitted by
doug
a Weekend Warrior
from california
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2000
Strengths: inexpensive,this is about one-half the cost of most other monitors, accurate I give blood regularly and I take it with me and have the nurse check it is usally right on, never more than 5 bpm off according to the nurse. She chcks the pulse for an entire minute so I get accurate check.
Weaknesses: None. I just leave mine on the bike except as noted above, therefore I have not had any wristband problems some others have noted.
Bottom Line:
This is an accurate inexpensive heart rate monitor, the display is large, the battery has lasted over three years both on the monitor and the transmitter. I have no complaints.
Favorite Trail: backroads of the sierra nevada foothills
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Similar Products Used: none this is my first heartrate monitor
Bike Setup: old bike cannondale r200 various parts. new bike Mongoose RX10.9 titanium, ultegra triple, litespeed seatpost, avocet seat, profile brc carbon fork, fsa uf headset, profile pro road stem 3ttt prima 220 bars, cinelli cork tape spox wheels with continental gran prix 3000 foldable tires
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Weekend Warrior
from Bellevue, NE, USA
Date Reviewed: April 30, 2000
Strengths: A great inexpensive HRM. It's held up for 2 years. Had to replace the transmitter batteries 3 times because of so many hours of use. Works great despite interference from TVs or powerlines.
Weaknesses: Not the smallest unit. Changing the heart rate zones or time settings requires a pen...and is not as simple as others. Need to wet the transmitter belt more than a Polar belt to get it to work.
Bottom Line:
Recommended buy. For the price, it beats Polar features and performance.
Strengths: Nice simple unit. Long lasting bateries. Gave me all the info I needed. Easy to read display. Good no BS Moniter. DEFinately worth the money. I am about to buy another one..............
Weaknesses: Strap broke within the first week. Not uncommon it seems!! Also, one of the side buttons popped out and I can't use the start/stop button anymore.
Bottom Line:
Absolutely worth the money. Wrist strap was a minor annoyance quickly remedied. Got lots of tough use out of it. Almost 3 years of hard use and I finaly had to retire it
