The Protrainer XT is the answer for any athlete or crosstrainer who is looking for advanced feedback about his/her workout. The option exists to add on a speed sensor kit and give you speed and distance information along with heart rate. The coded transmission will ensure that the cyclist or runner that trains with a group never experiences 'crosstalk' with another heart rate monitor. Perfect choice for the serious runner.
Submitted by
nicholas silvestrone
a Cross Country Rider
from Dix Hills , New York ,USA Date Reviewed: February 7, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Stillwell
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$110.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
waterproof
Weaknesses:
BATTERY MUST BE CHANGED BY POLAR!!! Difficult to comprehend manual.Did i mention that the battery must be changed by Polar.Takes weeks to be serviced
Similar Products Used:
None yet but i'm open to suggestions
Bike Setup:
Giant NRS XTC 2
Bottom Line:
Why would anyone buy a heart rate monitor that must be sent back to the manufacturer to have something as simple as a battery replacement done? Unless of course the HRM was so good that you could justify this huge inconvience. In MHO the Polar Protrainer XT (or any other Polar that must be returned to service the battery) is not worth the aggravation
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a
from Fla Date Reviewed: January 24, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Gift
Weaknesses:
My Polar fail in less than 6 months. Forget changing the battery in the display You need to go to the jeweler to have the battery taken out.
Similar Products Used:
Cardio Sport Sill working like a timex.
Bike Setup:
Never mind the bike. Crash it trying to turn the alarm off.
Bottom Line:
It was easier to feel for my pulse while riding than using this product. By the way my heart rate went up just reading the complex manual for this product. Battery died again so I crushed it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Oz
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago, IL Date Reviewed: October 28, 2002
Favorite Trail:
anywhere fast
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike
Strengths:
Lotsa functions, it shows pretty much everything you would need to see/track while training..
Weaknesses:
Very complex to go through the menus, design problems (such as small buttons), which makes it very hard to use it while riding (I tested the Protrainer XT Cycle btw). Another inconvenience is, you have to send the hrm belt back to Polar to have the battery replaced.
Similar Products Used:
Polar S-510, Cateye Enduro 2..
Bike Setup:
Mountain Cycle, SA Cross Country Setup..
Bottom Line:
I think this product was designed for runners (small buttons), and then Polar Added the Cycling features. Thats why it fails to be a good HRM with Cycling Computer (S-510 is $100 more expensive but a better choice)..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug Hoffman
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: September 28, 2002
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Road Runner Sports
Strengths:
Easy to use Good features
Weaknesses:
Battery is really hard to change by user --> I broke mine trying to do it myself
Polar support sucks --> tried to get them to help me but they would not return my calls. I will get a Timex.
Bottom Line:
Get a Timex.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Philip
a
from Los Angeles Date Reviewed: August 24, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Cycling Computer is a cool addition, and the monitor has lots of extras. Doesnt look cheap.
Weaknesses:
Complicated to figure out at first, the cycling computer has a long delay time.
Similar Products Used:
Cardiosport TZ, Polar s210
Bike Setup:
Big Wheel
Bottom Line:
This heart rate monitors has the feature of the $200 plus models, but becuase Polar came out with a new series, you can grab one for about $100. That is great considering the file information that you can call up on this monitor after a workout. Avg rate, max rate, time above/in/out of zone...The readouts have been consistant and accurate for me, as well as my riding buddies that also have them. Dont be worried about your pals having the smae model, we have gotton no crosstalk since using them.
In addition, the bike mount that comes with this Polar is acutally made of hard plastic, instead of the foam turd that comes with the cardiosports. IT actually looks pretty cool on the bike.
The only problem with the mount is that every time I eat sh** on the trail, the monitor takes a thump. So far it has held up pretty well.
My only gripe is about the cycling computer. IT has been a little testy, and I havent been able to figure it out. My distance is off, and the time lag is severe. In addition, the computer transmitter is made of heavy metal, and for a weight weenie like myself, it was amazing to see how much heavier the transmitter was than my old specialized computer. To add insult to injury, the spoke magnet is the largest and heaviest that I have ever seen for a cycling computer.
The bottom line: If I broke it, I would buy another one for sure. ANd once I get the cycling computer to work, I will be thrilled.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Wentz
a Cross Country Rider
from Walnut, Ca Date Reviewed: June 7, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Snow summit
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Incycle bike shop
Strengths:
It has lots of features like 48 lap mem with average hr each lap, and it's a cyclocomputer too. 3 target zones are good, and it has a backlight.
Weaknesses:
When i use it with the bike computer it spazes out for a little while, then its ok for the rest of the ride. maybe it's normal because after a couple minutes it's ok.
Similar Products Used:
Pulse 2, polar basic.
Bike Setup:
Jekyll 1000 sl
Bottom Line:
This monitor is great because it does everything I need, except for download, which I don't need. Good memory and display that is user selectable. Becides the cyclecomputer being a little sketchy for a couple minutes it works great. Maybe I got a new model because my manuel was easy to read.
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Submitted by
mr polar
a Racer
from anyplace usa Date Reviewed: January 26, 2001
Favorite Trail:
all
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
tells you info
Weaknesses:
Bart Simpson
Similar Products Used:
all
Bike Setup:
many
Bottom Line:
This is the best piece I ever bought ! Bart Simpson (below) is a complete Idiot fro Tenn. No wonder, to much in-breeding
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott Simpson
a Weekend Warrior
from Mt.Juliet,TN,Wilson Date Reviewed: January 26, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Lock 4
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
Bikers Choice
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
manual,price,DOSN'T WORK PROPERLY,blue color
Similar Products Used:
SPECIALIZED BIKE COMPUTER (GREAT PRODUCT)
Bike Setup:
FSR/XC
Bottom Line:
The only thing about this HRM thats halfway desent is the bike computer.The manual sucks and took what seemed forever to figure out how to use the many features. Every time I used it, the heart rate would go crazy. Sometimes it was when I fisrt put it on my HR would be 200+, I tried reseting it several times and it would still read 200+. Other times it worked fine at first but after 10-20 min. on the trail it would start going crazy, 160-238-140-195-238 and sometimes staying on 238 for several minutes. I don't belive I,m getting interferece becase there is nothing around the trail system I ride to cause it. My LBS is great and took it back for a full refund after almost 3 months.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
zack
a
from stlouis Date Reviewed: January 14, 2001
Favorite Trail:
forest park
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$115.00
Purchased At:
wellquest
Strengths:
Lots of features
Weaknesses:
This product is a piece of crap. It broke right after my initial review.
Similar Products Used:
Timex,Sports instruments
Bike Setup:
Shimano Dura Ace
Bottom Line:
Anybody in the market for a Heart Rate Monitor would be better off buying a different brand!!!!!!!!!!Just after i purchased this monitor i joined a gym. It seems just about everything interferes with the signal.(The coded transmitter is a joke) I also started riding different paths. Been getting bogus readings from the monitor, sometimes as high as 240 beats per minute. This monitor only lasted about 6 months, in fact i just got done shipping it off for repair.It wont pickup any signal. I didnt even use it that much. Do yourself a favor and purchase a Timex or Sport instruments HRM. You'll be happy you did!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
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Submitted by
Duane Gran
a Racer
from Washington, DC, USA Date Reviewed: November 7, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Mt Vernon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$122.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Nice display Accurate HRM feature Comfortable to wear Excellent storage and retrieval of info
Weaknesses:
Cycle computer feature seems cheap Manual is hard to follow
Bottom Line:
I use this product every day in one form or another, be it to measure my waking heart rate or to monitor my training. Although I haven't used it for a long time it has aided my training immensely. This particular model is pretty easy to use, but the user manual is hard to read in spite of having illustrations. I have given up on the cycle computer features of the unit. As other reviewers have pointed out, it will reset itself with 4 minutes of inactivity and has an unnaceptable lag time.
I really like the unit, but the cycle computer features are no substitute for a real cycle computer. Because I bought this to monitor my heart rate and it does this well I'm not dissapointed by the shortcomings in the cycle computer issues. It does exactly what I wanted, and for that I'm very pleased with it.
I was able to get a good price on the unit by purchasing through eBay. I paid $122 and normally it sells for $150. Although I got a good price, I think $150 is too high for this device so I'm not ecstatic about the value, but I am very happy with the product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zack na
a Cross Country Rider
from stlouis,mo,usa Date Reviewed: September 29, 2000
Favorite Trail:
kati
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
wellquest
Strengths:
Lots of features reliable coded transmitter
Weaknesses:
User cant replace battery in the transmitter The user manual is worthless.
Similar Products Used:
polar
Bike Setup:
Shimano Dura Ace equipped Giant
Bottom Line:
The primary reason i bought this monitor is because its made in Finland. I get tired of buying the unrealible crap thats made in China and Hong Kong!!!!!Also, the price of Polars has been slashed recently, so their prices are alot more competitive. This unit has lots of features. It has 3 time zones so u can have different workouts and not have to change the limits. If it weren't for the horribly written manual and the non user replaceable batteries i would definitely give it 5 chillis.......................
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roti Chanai
a
from Malaysia Date Reviewed: September 21, 2000
Favorite Trail:
FRIM
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Fairly accurate readings, backlit screen in cool blue background
Weaknesses:
Not the most user friendly to use, the wrist band came loose on the first day of usage (the damn thing fell on the the floor, luckily no damage), does not measure your cadence and mine does not come with the bike speed measurement component (which I believe is std in US)
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Kona Muni Mula
Bottom Line:
The thing works fine for its intended purpose. The instructions booklet is terribly written (I guess the excuse is that it was written by a Finnish?)
It is not cheap and value for money is not all that great.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Simon
a Racer
from Rimouski, Quebec Date Reviewed: June 2, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Bromont World championships course
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Accurate readings Coded transmitter (no interference) Usefull functions Light weight Cycle computer was included with the package
Weaknesses:
Cycle computer transmitter has a data lag of about 2-3 seconds If you ever leave the monitor alone for more than 4 minutes, the monitor loses the transmitter’s frequency and you lose all stored data.
Similar Products Used:
Vetta HR-1000
Bike Setup:
XC-Race bike
Bottom Line:
This is the protrainer XT cycle, that comes equiped with the cycle computer ad-on. This is a very good piece of equipment. The heart rate readings are very precise and reliable. Good product. The cycle computer ad-on is great. Who wants to have 2 computers on their handlebars? The monitor’s functions are all very practicle : time spent above, in and below heart rate training zone, max and average heart rate, max, average and current speed, total distance, stop watch, lap counter, recovery time, etc… Also neat functions : you can choose rapidly between 2 determined wheel sizes (for different tire or wheel sizes) and between 3 different heart rate training intervals (for different training workouts).
On the bad side, the lag in the cycle computer shouldn’t be there for this pricy equipment. It doesn’t keep it from working well, but still at this price...
The only real anoying thing is that if you leave your bike for more than 4 minutes (the heart rate monitor being on your handlebars), the monitor loses the transmitter’s frequency. You then have to start a new training session in order to regain the frequency which erases all you heart rate data and stop watch info!!!! You lose everything accumulated to that point! This can be avoided by remembering to take the monitor with you if you leave the bike. You just need to change your habits!
Overall, this is a very good procuct. It gets 3 chili’s for value because it’s expensive and has some glitches that equipment this price shouldn’t have, and 4 chili’s for performance because of the anoying erasing of the data.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mark
a Cross Country Rider
from antioch,ca. Date Reviewed: March 4, 2000
Favorite Trail:
black dimonds
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
very accurate from the start
Weaknesses:
none if you treat it with respect
Similar Products Used:
polar vantage XL
Bike Setup:
poletti road with all the candy.gary fisher mtb joshua f1 with more candy
Bottom Line:
i think protrainer xt is perfect for someone who just wants thier heart rate,splits,night light,recall,heart rate limits & lots of storage, otherwise you need to be a total gaget freak to go for anything more,which is out there for more bucks.plus the bike odometer option is really cool. if you like to max while trianing a HRM is a must.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter
a cross-country rider
from Netherlands Date Reviewed: December 18, 1998
Bottom Line:
Here the new? Protrainer XT. The price is all ways a problem with Polar but the quality is oke. The XT does not have an interface so manual flashbacks on the training, If you hate to press the red botton each time you like to store don't take this one an go a price higher! I like this XT because of the possiblity to include a odometer (an extra $ 50). For the price its oke, coded signal so no interference, the only thing is pressing the red botton during a race?! But overal I like it!
Overall Rating:
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