Submitted by
JC
a Cross Country Rider
from FL,USA Date Reviewed: February 3, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
250
Strengths:
Downloadable data to PC, Lots of functions
Weaknesses:
Price... must read the manual and follow the directions contain in it for it to be "fit-for-purpose".
Similar Products Used:
VDO
Bike Setup:
SC Blur XTR Disc
Bottom Line:
I have had no problems with this monitor. After reading the manual, I took it out of the box, put it on the bike, strapped on the transmitter, and started riding. If this product is installed properly and programmed the way the instruction manual says, it will work as advertised. After the ride, I uploaded all of the exercises recorded that day into the Polar Precision Performance software on my computer through a USB infrared receiver without any problems.
If you are serious about training or racing you must have a heart rate monitor and software to track and assess your performance. The 720i did exactly what the manufacturer said it would do, and what I expected it to do. There are other comparable products on the market but they all do about the same thing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Annoyed
a Weekend Warrior
from London Date Reviewed: October 7, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Altitude sensor, lots of data storage
Weaknesses:
unreliable speed/cadence sensing. Have to dismantle sensors to change battery!
Similar Products Used:
VDO bike computer
Bike Setup:
Standard Trek 5200 / Scott MTB
Bottom Line:
Like one of the other reviewers, I bought this in relative ignorance, believing it must be a quality product if it's made by a big name in the HRM world such as Polar. I just wish I'd read and believed the reviews on this forum before I did. BIG AND EXPENSIVE MISTAKE!
The first unit I had lasted all of 6 hrs(!) before the altitude sensor went bonkers. 0ft one minute, 20000ft the next.
The second (current) unit seems ok, but like many other reviewers, I find the speed sensor is just too unreliable, making the whole (expensive) setup no more than a useless geeky looking watch.
The speed sensor unreliability seems to be getting worse too. On my daily 5 mile trip to work I rarely manage to record the entire 5 miles, usually 4, and often as little as 1 mile! This suggests to me that it cannot be being caused by power lines, etc otherwise the data loss would be much more consistent and anyway, if the device can't cope with a typical suburban environment, it's no use to anybody.
It's no good Polar stating in their manual that reliability is affected by just about everthing that you might come across on a typical ride. If this is the case, then the product is definitely NOT (in english consumer law terms)fit-for-purpose.
However, I don't think the problem is exclusively caused by interference (although undoubtedly some of it is). Like one of the other reviewers, the unit often stops and starts itself when changing speed, but not stopping. - I often get this at traffic lights, when I slow down to say 5 or 6mph behind traffic, the unit gets all confused not knowing if I'm stopped or going, beeping all the way and then it seems to give up, and if it thinks I'm stopped when it does, it takes about 300yds before it wakes up and starts again. - Obviously a crap auto-start algorithm - I never had this problem with the VDO.
Originally, I thought the heavy metalwork of the MTB suspension fork was affecting the signal, but the road bike is all carbon, so that can't be it. I have also tried the two different magnets and just about every different orientation of sensor and magnet that's practically possible, all to no avail. And anyway, if the positioning is that critical, it's a crap design.
I've used it with 2 different heart sensors (I lost the first one), and the same speed sensor problem occurs on both the MTB going to/from work in a suburban environment AND the road bike in a rural environment at weekends (two different speed sensors, both with new replacement batteries).
On the subject of replacement batteries, the design of the speed sensors is incredibly poor. On other products, you use a coin to unscrew the cover, pop out the old battery, plop in a new one put the cover back and you're done. On the Polar ones, you have to take the sensor off the bike, then get hold of a jewellers screwdriver set, dismantle the unit, fiddle around with the cheap and nasty coin-battery clip and then re-assemble the whole thing. To make matters worse, the screws are very cheap soft metal self-tappers screwed into hard plastic, so after a couple of battery changes, the heads shear off. I'm an electronics engineer and have a range of very high quality suitably sized screwdrivers,and the whole operation was an incredibly frustrating experience requiring drilling out the old screws and then replacing them with a bigger set. The whole operation took nearly TWO HOURS TO REPLACE THE BATTERY!
While I'm talking about electronics experience, this product (the radio part anyway) smacks of being designed by an amateur using rules-of-thumb and not understanding the theory required to design a reliable radio device, and thus unable to fix the design when it doesn't perform as expected. I've seen this kind of approach time and time again with exactly these results.
In summary then...
I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER POLAR PRODUCT EVER - AND I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY AS I DID.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Charles
a Weekend Warrior
from Manhattan, KS, USA Date Reviewed: August 1, 2005
Favorite Trail:
rural paved roads
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
heart rate monitors usa
Strengths:
great data logging
Weaknesses:
steep learning curve, poor design of speed/cadence senders, peculiar restirictions on display.
Bike Setup:
Motobecane 2004 team issue; Bacchetta Corsa.
Bottom Line:
I wanted to clear up some of the problems people have been reporting with the speed/cadence functions of the 720i. The units are fairly sensitive to alignment. First of all, for those who see their speed doubled, this is because the magnet is too close to the pickup. The sender is reading two pulses each time the magnet passes by; one as the magnet approaches the sensor, and another as the magnet leaves. To fix this you might try moving the magnet above or below the sensor snout. Intriguingly, when I first got the speed sensor working on my Bacchetta, it was reading 2x the correct speed until I got to 23 mph, then it would show the speed at 1x until I slowed down again. If your speed reading tends to drop out, you probably have the sender pointing too far forward. This is a matter of getting the antenna in the sender aligned with the antenna in the readout unit. As shown in the instructions, the long axis of the transmitter needs to be parallel to the axis of the cylinder around which the wrist unit is wrapped. Unfortunately, with the forks on my bikes, this was nearly impossible to do without making special adapters. On my Motobecane, with a semi-bladed Kinesis fork, I was able to saw off a piece of a wooden dowel that I could place against the flat portion of the fork blade while the speed sensor sat against the curve of the dowel and the whole thing was strapped onto the fork with the standard wire ties. I have had no problems with irregular data since making this modification. My Bacchetta was much more problematic. There was no way to get the speed sensor attached so that it would point inward enough to communicate with the receiver unit. I ended up carving a wooden mounting bracket that straps to the fork and has a peg pointing forward that the transmitter straps to with the Polar logo pointing down. With this setup, the unit is very reliable. But most people wouldn't be able to make this unit on their own. Polar really needs to fix this problem so that an average cyclist can get the units working on his bike right out of the box. One positive story about the monitor is that I bought it in winter and made a special bracket to put the speed sensor on the back wheel of my Motobecane while it was mounted in a resistance trainer. Even though the transmitter was over a meter from the receiver, I got reliable data and was able to make a systematic study of my pedaling efficiency at different cadences by maintaining constant wheel speed in different gears (and thus constant power) and comparing my heart rates for different pedaling cadences.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Cross Country Rider
from Cupertino, CA Date Reviewed: July 27, 2005
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Strengths:
Records all the essentials at 5s intervals, and data can be downloaded and analyzed on your PC.
Weaknesses:
Heart rate is very sensitive to power line interference. File is closed after 5 minutes of in-activity (this has been extended to 30m in newer models). Speed sensing is flaky even though the sensor is as close as physically possible (on my front fork).
Similar Products Used:
Many inexpensive, non-recording computers and HRMs.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Epic Disc 2003, upgraded with Dave's Dream wheels, Race Face Deus Cranks, SDG I-Fly seat and post, Race Face stem.
Bottom Line:
I was excited about this initially, but its just too unreliable. Under power lines your HR shoots up to 225 and the speed goes crazy. You then have to edit the data afterwards to filter the results.
The speed sensor if flaky (I've replaced the batteries not too long ago, so that's not it) - I rarely make it through a ride with valid speed readings.
I've worked on the Linux decoding SW for this and they do some stupid things. Rather than recording the number of recolutions of the tire (which is the raw input), they record the speed and then derive the distance from this. This gives inaccurate distance measurements, even if you carefully calibrate the unit.
The 5 minute timeout is a pain. I was in a meeting a couple of years ago with a Polar rep. where we mentioned this problem - I hear this has been extended to 30 minutes in the newer units. Doesn't do me any good though.
The temperature readings seem to be quite a bit off as well.
There are lots of bells and whistles, but they just don't do the basics well. In designing something like this, you should focus on the basics: measuring speed, distance, HR, and altitude reliably, and then add features.
I really like the idea of recording all the keys stats about a ride, but I wish this thing was more reliable. It annoys me most of the time.
Unfortunately, there aren't too many alternatives ... and I hate to spend another $300.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jacob
a Racer
from Denton, Tx, USA Date Reviewed: July 26, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$275.00
Purchased At:
nashbar.com
Strengths:
Nice features, easy to use, not a signle interferance problem since I upped the signal strength of the speed sensor.
Weaknesses:
A little hard to read at fast speeds but not too bad. It was really hard to remove one of the screws on the speed sensor.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
'02 Trek 2300
Bottom Line:
Probably could have gone with a cheaper model, but I have money to blow so it doesn't mater.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
PAVO
a
from Krakow, Poland Date Reviewed: March 21, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Turbacz
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Our national distributor
Strengths:
Lots of functions Easy to use after setting up on your PC Data transfer
The manual may be a bit long (over 100 pages) but you don't need to read all of it and it does explain the monitor's functions - and there are a LOT of functions.
Of course it's going to pick up interference just like any wireless product. You have to be aware of this fact and it's not a defect. As mentioned by someone earlier, you can change the power setting in the speed sensor but be warned that a higher setting means shorter battery life.
Very good product overall.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
wannabeRacer
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne, VIC, Australia Date Reviewed: January 25, 2005
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
like NASA
Weaknesses:
too big....
Similar Products Used:
Sigma
Bike Setup:
standard
Bottom Line:
This is nice and you get what you paid for but really, there are far better HR out there for a fraction of the price. For me, I now have Sigma and work just fine, also better looking & I just want to see my HR & % levels. Shop around & do your research before you buy the HR or buy the Polar if you got the cash.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Derek Boyd
a Cross Country Rider
from Acworth Date Reviewed: November 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:
OAK MTN. AL
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
supergo
Strengths:
Cool Program features
Weaknesses:
constant interferance, irratic HR readings, speed readings irratic, for the price it should work properly. Customer service is a headache even though they were nice in helping me set up software for the IR.
Similar Products Used:
Suunto HRM, Nashbar brand HRM, Polar 500 series
Bike Setup:
Salsa Cabelero all race gear, Litespeed unicoi singlespeed, Salsa Las Cruces crossbike
Bottom Line:
If you need dependable equipment and correct data DON'T buy it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jim
a
from pontiac Date Reviewed: May 22, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
mtbr
Strengths:
720i, easy to read. lots of info. downloadable. cool charts.
Weaknesses:
interferance, on some rides the speed really goes wacko,for some reasons the speed doubles what it should be. some rides the milage is off by 20%. not easy to use.
Similar Products Used:
cate eye mdx3, great computer.
Bike Setup:
ritchey break/away, sc superlight
Bottom Line:
this review is for the 720i. if you dont need wireless do not buy this computer. i wish polar could figure out how to eliminate the interferance. the auto feature is a pain,if you're going fast then slow down it beeps, stopping, then beeps again 2 seconds later, starting again. on a ten mile trail it will beep over a dozen times. overall its a good computer, but very disappointing. i figured polar would have got it right, the wireless computers have been out for some time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Vos
a Weekend Warrior
from Philadelphia Date Reviewed: April 13, 2004
Favorite Trail:
love'em all
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Heart Rate Monitor USA
Strengths:
This is a correction from my earlier review. The product is good for the gym and for the bike. The data is great.
Weaknesses:
Small read out for a bike ride. You really don't want to be looking for data when your riding 25mph
Similar Products Used:
suunto
Bike Setup:
Litespeed Siena
Bottom Line:
I wrote a horrific review when I first got the unit. See above. As it turned out I was riding under high voltage wires for most of the 30 mile path. The ride is situated along an electric train path. Thus, the read out went wild on me. I thought it was the unit and it turned out it was the electric interf. from the overhead wires. Odd but true. I now know not to use the unit on that ride. Otherwise, I love the unit. I have been confined to a gym for the Winter and I still love to wear the watch. Another great feature is many cardio machines at the gym pick up the pulse from the chest belt and read out on the machine your on and the watch. I'm looking forward to spring and summer when I get back on my litespeed. I feel bad about the earlier review but I had no idea the overhead eletrical wires would make the unit go nutty.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MIke
a Racer
from Holly, MI. USA Date Reviewed: March 2, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$199.00
Strengths:
Great all around training tool. solid performer for 2 years.
Weaknesses:
Can't think of any.
Similar Products Used:
Polar
Bottom Line:
this monitor works as advertised. for those of you losing the signal regularly, there is a fix. the transmitters, either speed or cadence have 3 output settings adjustable inside the case. they come from polar set at the lowest output so they do not interfere with another riders monitor. if you open the case of the transmitter you will see a dip switch as i remember. just change the setting and give it a try, you'll not see an indication of what setting does what but trial and error will solve your problem. just make sure that the oring is seated properly when you close the case.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jorin
a Racer
from Frozen wasteland, Saskatchewan Date Reviewed: January 23, 2004
Favorite Trail:
A smooth road
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$330.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Lots of features, computer download, and power reading abilities.
A solid heart rate monitor. I have had only a couple of wacky readings due to interference. The computer download ability is a nice addition, as it allows for lots of analysis of ride data. 1 year, no problems. Just bought the power sensor...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Racer
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: December 12, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$250.00
Strengths:
- Has been very reliable so far. - Extremely valuable when combined with the Power Output kit - Software is ok and there are alternatives out there, even for my Pocket PC (check out MySportTraining.com) - Definitely helped improve my fitness
Weaknesses:
- The watch battery (CR2356) is hard to find (not to Polar's fault though) - Occasional spurious data - Connection shuts down if I am far from the monitor for a few minutes
Similar Products Used:
S510. I upgraded to the S710 because of the better sample granularity (5 sec), the extra goodies (altitude, etc.) and the Output Power kit.
Bike Setup:
Lemond Zurich 2000, mostly stock.
Bottom Line:
A must have for anyone serious about training. There is nothing on the market that comes close to it. It's pricey with the Power Output kit, but serious cycling takes commitment anyway. I not once regretted the purchase and in fact, I'm still amazed at how much this little watch can get so much data. To download in my Pocket PC right after the workout is the blessing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric Vos
a Weekend Warrior
from Philadelphia Date Reviewed: August 29, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Near Yosemite
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$270.00
Purchased At:
Heart Rate Monitors USA
Strengths:
Lots of bells and whistles. Documentation is better than most but still hard. Software is good. Yet, the graphics and navagating is "old school." With all of the great graphics and programs out there function and form should have been better.
Weaknesses:
While the manual is better than most you better have some serious time to read it. Close to 100 pages. The watch has too many features. That is coming from a tech nut. Unlike other like products the read out is small and you are glancing to get info. They have crammed so much info on the display that it is hard to read while biking 20MPH. At any given point the display will be providing you with 4 readings. The wireless reception is for hell. It quits out on me at least once per three minutes. When I used the mount for the bike it was near impossible to keep a signal. I had to wear it on my wrist. How dumb is that? There were also readings which were impossible. Unless of course my heart rate jumped to 225 and I was doing 56MPH on my road bike. If this unit isn't defective then they should give up.
Similar Products Used:
Suunto Advisor
Bike Setup:
Tricked out road bike w/ultegra. Klein Mtn. Bought two set-ups for one watch.
Bottom Line:
During my third ride trying to use the watch I had this overwhelming desire to smash the little bugger with a large rock. The watch beeps every time the signal is lost from the wheel sensor. Thus, you get reminded continuously during your ride that the watch is unable to keep data from the wireless sensor on your wheel. We are talking every 30 to 45 seconds. I doubt I ever got more than 5 minutes during the two hour ride with a constant signal. Then when you look at the watch and it tells you your going 56 MPH and your heart is doing 225 bpm you know you have wasted close to $300. I had a Suunto Advizor and bought this b/c of the biking components. My favorite flaw was that no signal can be received when the unit is mounted on the handle bars. It works on the wrist but not on the provided mount. There must be some alloy or something on my bars which interferes with the signal. Since my setup is not exotic who knows why? I have read the 100 page manual three times in the hopes of getting better acquainted with the unit. I know it well and it still works for crap.
I am running it with the IR USB on Windows 98 w/o any problems. The data gets through after two or three tries. The software’s looks is ten years old. With all of the great program designs and graphics you feel they should have gone the extra mile. One nice thing was I was able to get a person, rather quickly, at the company to help me with the driver for the USB. Not the most technical guy but we worked it out.
In the end if this product isn’t defective the company should be flogged for selling the unit. I love their by-line....”Train Like the Pro’s.” I don’t think so.
It pains me to leave this review b/c I wanted to love the product and spent close to 300 bucks on the unit, an extra sensor for my mountain bike and the USB IR. My Suunto Advizor didn’t have the bike interface or the software. Yet, at least I got data. I would seriously look to Ciclosport units. They are well priced and can’t be any worse than this.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chris s
a Racer
from sydney Date Reviewed: August 14, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Manali to Leh
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Woolies Wheels
Strengths:
This is actually a review of a S610 but as nobody will look there I'm posting it here as the strentghts and weaknesses are more relavent to MTBs. Strengths - keeps me motivated, manged to track my HR without a glitch for a 24hr race. Data logging is excellent.
Weaknesses:
Have twice lost buttons. Wearing it all the time has resulted in a badly scratched face. Face and surrounding plastic now have several cracks and it leaks water if worn swimming. Sensetive to train tracks, traffic lights etc and the error correction in the software is tedious to use. Strap has broken.
Similar Products Used:
Polar NV
Bike Setup:
Nasty old CAAD 2 cannondale with flaky paint. Giant TCR1 road bike.
Bottom Line:
I actually like this product a lot, it is just let down by being too delicatate. Am going to upgrade to a 710 and give the 610 to my wife.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle Date Reviewed: July 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
RSVP (ride from Seattle to Vancouver)
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$230.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Track your data on your PC; Altitude encoding; software to track your progress; polar support rocks; stores up to 30 hours of data (with 15s polling; less with shorter interval).
Weaknesses:
Expenses. Loses session if transmitter is away from the unit for ~8 minutes. Plastic exterior.
Bike Setup:
Trek, custom gearing
Bottom Line:
If you're seriously training, you should use an HRM. This model gives you altitude recording capability.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Charlotte, NC Date Reviewed: June 19, 2003
Favorite Trail:
does it really matter?
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Works well, looks clean on the bike, holds alot of data
Weaknesses:
Bulky for a watch. Can be confusing to use.
Similar Products Used:
just bike computers
Bike Setup:
03 carbon fuel, full xtr w/ disks, marathon sl 85mm
Bottom Line:
Good product, havnt tried the down load yet, hoping to find some palm software that will allow me to do this (any ideas anyone?)
I fell that the own index for me is somewhat off, i just think i'm a little more fit then what it suggests i am.
Kinda middleing ratings left because i've not gotten the entire chance i'd like to try the product, perhaps i'll update this later on.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Hayden
a Racer
from UK Date Reviewed: June 10, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Box Hill
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$280.00
Strengths:
Fantastic at recording data and east to download, does everything, no need for the standard computer
Weaknesses:
Anyone know how to analyse the data? Bulky
Bike Setup:
Colnago C40 with Record 10 speed
Bottom Line:
Well worth buying.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bill mahoney
a Weekend Warrior
from lake elmo mn usa Date Reviewed: June 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
afton alps
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$235.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Great overall monitor. Lots of functions, easy to use
Weaknesses:
USB interface on Windows XP
Similar Products Used:
Polar Accurex Plus
Bike Setup:
Colnago C-40 - Full Campy Record 10 speed
Bottom Line:
Great HRM. Tried USB interface with varied results, and many reinstalls. Just purchased serial port interface, worked 1st no problems. Highly recommend this approach for Windows XP users.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chuy
a Racer
from santa barbara, ca Date Reviewed: April 1, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$287.00
Purchased At:
heartmoniters.com
Bike Setup:
kona kapu
Bottom Line:
this is a help file for those having trouble setting up the polar IR usb device on windows XP.
1) install the polar software 2) get the update from polar site, file should be called p400021.exe 3) run the update 4) if win XP or the polar software installed the usb device and gave you an error, open up device manager and un-install the device. 5) now right click in device manager and select "scan for hardware changes" 6) if should find the device and ask you to install it. select the have disk option and point the path towards:
battery change in watch and belt. Seperate graphs for functions on computer like HAC4 would be better.
Similar Products Used:
S-510, HAC4 and long ago a Sigma PC7
Bike Setup:
Klein hardtail for cross country and race
Bottom Line:
Fantastic product - shame they couldnt make it a bit smaller on the wrist (thinner at least). Great to be able to store multiple files and upload when you want. Record feature keeps track of highest speed etc (that famous downhill) I use it for kitesurfing, windsurfing, running, cycling, circuit training and hiking
Best for ease of use
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Duncan
a
from North Vancouver, BC Date Reviewed: January 13, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Anything on the N Shore
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$255.00
Purchased At:
Joh Henry Bikes
Strengths:
Easy to read, set, great software
Weaknesses:
Nothing major, somewhat finnicky IR uplink
Bike Setup:
2001 Cove Stiffee FR
Bottom Line:
If you have the money to burn, this is a great tool/toy for tracking your fitness and progress on the bike. It has a huge array of features. It can take some time to figure out how use them. The software (Polar Precision v 3) really great. I've had no problem with wireless transmission, except under power lines.
About altitude measurements: You must set the altitude regularly (before every ride is probably best). You must set the altitude when the watch has cooled to air temperature. Accuracy is best above 1500 ft elevations.
About the uplink kit. I got the USB version ... much less hassle, but you MUST DOWNLOAD THE LATEST PATCH in order for it to work properly. I run it on WinXP and Win2K. On my Win2K laptop, I had to disable the built-in IR port before it would work properly. Takes a little tilting and fiddling to get the device and PC talking, but once you figure it out the IP uplink is pretty flawless.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James
a Weekend Warrior
from Jersey CI Date Reviewed: January 7, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Large easy to read display and good buttons, you can even use them with gloves on at a pinch.
Weaknesses:
Complicated menu system. Altitude recoding not very accurate
Bike Setup:
Scott G-Zero Pro. Riser bars, DMR V12 pedals
Bottom Line:
I find the 710 very good, it stops cheating and using the software provided does give an interesting picture of your actual ride especially with the altimeter on. No problems with usb infrared contection on Windows XP, I downloaded the latest patch and followed the instructions, it worked first time round, something that cant be said for it under W98SE.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ken wilhelm
a Racer
from wyoming Date Reviewed: December 31, 2002
Favorite Trail:
happy jack trails near laramie
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
awesome traing tool for the serious racer. Power meter, altitude, temperature, cadence, heart rate, etc.
Weaknesses:
almost too much information(is this bad???)
Similar Products Used:
Polar Accurex II
Bike Setup:
steelman with chorus 10 speed
Bottom Line:
I have had no difficulties downloading to my computer. I have windows XP. Just go to the polar folder in the program files, then to USB, then to usb setup. The polar folder will appear after you have installed the CD-ROM. This is an great training tool for the serious racer. The software is the coolest part of the tool in that you can analyze so much data and record and track your progress. You can overlay two workout oin the same graph to check for improvement. It may seem expensive, but if you are a serious racer, check out this tool, but not without the power meter.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jorge
a Racer
from Monterrey MEXICO Date Reviewed: December 30, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Polar USB infrared interface with WINDOWS XP ?
Bottom Line:
For all of you having problems to set the usb infrared interface with windows xp, here is how to solve the problem... go to http://heartrate.polar.fi/AS/PKBS-u.nsf/WEB/HRMSOFTWARE/42256BFF0032F76E42256B27003FEA5F?OpenDocument and update your software before plugging the usb interface, after is updated proceed to add new hardware theusual way and it will find the drivers on you hard disk.. and voila !! you can read them as usual Jorge Monterrey, Mexico
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay Auxier
a Cross Country Rider
from Muncie Date Reviewed: December 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Kirks-Muncie
Strengths:
Computer interface
Weaknesses:
people whom think they know, but are not computer savy
Similar Products Used:
x-trainer plus
Bike Setup:
road&MTB
Bottom Line:
I have had zero problems with my USB/WindowsXP set up.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Terry Squier
a Weekend Warrior
from Canon City, CO, USA Date Reviewed: December 26, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Monarch Crest Trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$260.00
Purchased At:
heartmonitorsusa.com
Strengths:
Loads of features. Ability to download multiple workouts.
Weaknesses:
DO NOT purchase the infrared USB connection if you are using Windows XP. That's what I ordered and after hours of attempts and downloading drivers, it simply does not work. Also, when I unplug the device from the USB port, my computer shuts down. I've ordered the infrared device with the serial connection and hope I have better luck. If not, I'll return everything for a refund. I've been using the S510 with soniclink and so far it's worked perfectly. I wanted the S710 because of added features and the ability to store multiple workouts. Another drawback of both the 710 and the 510 is the alarm. It is so weak, I doubt if anyone can hear it. So it's useless to set any of the timers because you'll be unable to hear the alarm when it sounds, anyway.
Similar Products Used:
Polar S-510 w/soniclink.
Bike Setup:
Trek mountain bike, full suspension
Bottom Line:
Again, don't order USB connection if you have Windows XP. I'll write another post when I try the serial connection. If you only need to download one workout at a time, stick with the S-510 with soniclink. If you need a heart rate monitor that has a lot of features and want to keep track of multiple workouts for manual entry, this is the monitor for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jay Auxier
a Cross Country Rider
from Muncie,Indiana Date Reviewed: December 17, 2002
Favorite Trail:
the one I'm going to next
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Kirk's Bike Shop-Muncie Indiana
Strengths:
This unit seems to do everything you might need. HR,VO-2,Cal. usage, overtraing,speed,milage,cadence,time,temp, all this is transferable to your PC.
Weaknesses:
power feature should be wireless
Similar Products Used:
X-Trainer Plus
Bike Setup:
Road & Mountain
Bottom Line:
This unit is really great. If you are having trouble with Windows XP, go to (www.polarusa.com) look under the product 710 and download the manual and the latest file. Then un hook your USB from your PC and reboot. Then plug USB back in. If the installation wizard pops up, cancel it. It should work perfect. It did on my PC. Hope this helps you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Martin Riis Anfinsen
a Cross Country Rider
from Lillehammer, Norway Date Reviewed: December 15, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Similar Products Used:
Polar accurex
Bottom Line:
The 710 model seems to struggle with computer connectivity and uglyness. The best way to avoid this is to get the new 720i, I got it a couple of months ago and I still have no problems with it. The option to use the IR-da(infraread port) on your computer removes the need for a USB-interface and works like a charm. It`s got a stainess steel finish rather than ugly purple. Still a bit big but no worries unless you`re extremely self conscious. Other than that it`s the excact same product as the 710, and a really amazing tool if you`re serious about training and want to use your computer to record your progress.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shaun A.
a Racer
from Comox, BC, Canada Date Reviewed: November 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Any long hilly ride
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$260.00
Purchased At:
WatchMeRun
Strengths:
Solidly built. Easy to read 3 tier display. Accurate HR, speed, altitude and cadence readings. Completely cordless. Easy Setup. Unlimited data. Easy USB interface to PC. Good software.
Weaknesses:
'Power unit' is more expensive (~$325US) than the whole HRM with cadence and USB IR interface (~$300US)...this makes the 'power' add-on very unappealing. Light stays on for maybe 1 second when used (Not used often anyways... I ride during the day) Data overload...lol
Similar Products Used:
Polar Accurex II
Bike Setup:
2002 - 58cm Trek 5200 2002 - 19" Trek Fuel 98
Bottom Line:
Excellent HRM with tons of data for analysis..... Easy to use and install.... Calender and diary are quasi-useful... If you have the ability to actually 'use' a computer, not just turn one on, this is an excellent setup. Perfect for a technophile. Well worth the cash if you get both a computer interface and cadence unit with the monitor.... and are willing to use it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lavs
a Racer
from Corvallis, OR, USA Date Reviewed: November 2, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Features, computer download, large digits on face, improvement on the Accurex Plus(good monitor and software).
Weaknesses:
HR Signal drops off regularly, to many features, XP-USB driver issues (I solved the XP USB issue by using my serial IR interface, just a shot in the dark and it worked, (I got my monitor before Polar sold the USB-IR interface,... I got the USB version as an attempt to improve the downloading performance and stability in Win98 (this worked),... In XP the USB-IR doesn't communicate,... back to the COM. solved the lack of XP drivers for the USB interface. Power unit doesn't work well.
Similar Products Used:
Polar Accurex Plus
Bike Setup:
Custom Calfee - road/TT bike
Bottom Line:
I'm a Triathlete, I found this site attempting to solve the XP driver issue,... something clicked when reading one of the reviews and I tried the Serial Interface I had in a box, it worked,.. I figured I would share this with you.
I have found that the download works best if I keep the monitor on my wrist and put the IR interface on something about 1" thick (off the table) then launch the download in the software then the monitor. Angle seems to be vital.
Good Monitor, to much monitor for most. I'm starting to like the software better than the Advisor Software (which I thought was good),.. it does take some getting use to b/c there are many options.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe
a Weekend Warrior
from Baltimore, MD, USA Date Reviewed: October 11, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
Eddy's Stow Ohio
Strengths:
Great functionality when you can use the provided software. Comfortable.
Weaknesses:
Lack of workable interface for Win XP/USB limits functionality to that of products costing a boatload less.Bar mount is pretty not very slick but watch works most of the time if turned inward on wrist. Technical support doesn't have a clue on the pc side. Audible alarm too weak to hear on bike.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Moots Psychlo X YBB, XTR, King, Avid, Dura Ace, Time, Brooks
Bottom Line:
If you have Win XP and want to use the usb connection forget this product. The software patch available on line doesn't work. Without the ability to use the interface and the polar software, the product is way overpriced. Company needs a major improvement in the computer technical support area. These guys are clueless.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Arnold
a Weekend Warrior
from Cape Town, South Africa Date Reviewed: September 26, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Tokai Forest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Strengths:
Works as expected. Reasonable documentation, easy to install speed sensor. IR sync works very well once the upgrade is installed, software is quite easy to use and effective.
Weaknesses:
Big and clunky, unattractive (I think). Watch functions take some getting used to, not always intuitive. For example to reset the trip distance is a hassle. Software doesn't work 100% out of the box (Windows XP) and free upgrade needs to be downloaded.
Similar Products Used:
Polar M51
Bike Setup:
Gary Fisher, Sugar 3 with upgraded bits.
Bottom Line:
Definitely the market leader. The functions are outstanding and, if used with the software, provide an easy to use, effective training diary. The watch is a bit too big to use as an everyday wrist watch but I guess they needed the space to fit all the functions. I suggest spending a lot of time familiarising yourself with the software because that the products real strength. The IR transfer to the software is the real killer app, without it the watch is a waste of money and you should go for a cheaper option. In conjunction with the software the product provides information on a scale which was unimaginable even a few years ago. Lost one value chili due to expensive price and the fact that the extras (IR adapter, power and cadence sensors etc) are expensive and should be included in a value package. Overall rating lost one chili due to poor aesthetics and very average ergonomics for such an advanced product.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Flyer
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago Date Reviewed: September 23, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$260.00
Purchased At:
Enet Retailer
Strengths:
Well developed by company who has done heartrate monitors for a long time. Fairly bullet proof product which gives more information that I could use, but it is nice to have the options if I want it.
Weaknesses:
The only thing I don't like is you can't change the chest transmitter battery yourself, which means sending it back to Polar for replacement.
This definitely the answer to a technogeek's prayer. The unit will act as your bike computer and give you heartrate to boot. If you decide to buy one of these, you are nuts not to buy the IR interface. Yes, you can program it using a computer's speaker, but it doesn't work nearly as well as the interface. With it, you can program intervals, heartrate limits, and form multiple files of different sets of exercises, and program the monitor in a matter of seconds. It takes just a bit to learn all the features, but once you have them down, this thing will give you all the information you could possibily imagine. A superb training tool. I did notice that it can have problems with indoor equipment that has an LED display panel as a part of the equipment, however I can't ding them for that, as they are upfront about stating it in the manual. I wish polar would come out with a chest transmitter so we could change our own battery, still, it's a great piece of training equipment.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick
a Racer
from Nevada City California, usa Date Reviewed: August 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Rim Trail Tahoe
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
CTS
Strengths:
All the information you get, speed, calories, cadence etc. ALso the weekly totals for everything is great!
Weaknesses:
I found it very hard to figure out how to use and set up this product, but that could just be me.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized p-Brain
Bike Setup:
Merlin road bike, Ellsworth Trith MTB BIke
Bottom Line:
I've been using this product for almost 1 year now and love it. I should say that I use CTS coaching system, and follow a traing routine. If you are just a casual recreational rider then this product is more then you need. If you want to get faster and need to know what you are really doing then this product is awesome. It's great to have all of your workouts stored on the software so you can compare rides. I really like having the weekly totals for miles, hours, calories burned etc. This lets me know when I'm over or under training. I use the 710 on both my road and MTB bikes as well as the dreaded spin bike in the winter. But it sure make sthe time go faster.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Dooley
a Racer
from Staffordshire, England Date Reviewed: August 27, 2002
Favorite Trail:
The Peak District,
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Parker internatoinal.U.K
Strengths:
Reliability,its waterproof(U.K.weather)
Weaknesses:
Limit alarm is not loud enough to be heard whilst time trialing
Similar Products Used:
polar beat
Bike Setup:
Giant OCR,road bike,giant OCR time trial bike, and a voodoo djab mountain bike
Bottom Line:
I have found this product absolutly invaluable for training and race analisis.The amount of information that it is able to store is incredable,It takes the guess work out of training.It also eases the bordom on the long base fitnes rides.I feel sure that used corectly it will provide an advantage over fellow competitors.I cant recomend this product highly enough,a must for any serious athlete.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim Hurst
a Weekend Warrior
from Allentown Date Reviewed: August 16, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Center Valley
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$220.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
Outstanding product. I just wish I could wear it all the time without feeling like a dork. This product has DRAMATICALLY improved the quality of all my workouts in an amazing and profound way. I am a total novice on the cardiovascular side but the lessons this little device has taught me are worth the money all by themselves. I use it all the time!
Weaknesses:
Looks, and it would be nice to have an upscale version with a monitor that sticks on or something so you could wear it all day just for the learning curve of how your body and heartrate responds to various activities.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Cannondale hybrid
Bottom Line:
I just love it, love it, love it. Thanks to Polar. Oh, excellent website also, check it out!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Brodie
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney, Australia Date Reviewed: August 4, 2002
Favorite Trail:
'The Convict Trail'
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$650.00
Purchased At:
($AUD) Panther Cycles (LBS)
Strengths:
Great feedback. Great Software. Great Features. No wear so far. Simple to use.
Weaknesses:
My wifes one has trouble with picking up chest strap and always turns itself off. Esp during running. I sometimes have it turn off when used on the bar, np when on the wrist when riding.
Similar Products Used:
None.
Bottom Line:
Wifes Observations: -Stops recording when running. -Stops recording when riding tar roads! -Replaced check strap, problem occurs less frequently.
-My Observations: -Stops recording when bar mounted on MTB, hill climbing a firetrail. -No problems recording same trail on my wrist??? -No problems when running.
It's a bit on the big side, I hope this is for durability.
The Altitude sensor is a great way of 'seeing' your fave trail. It's also great to look at the day's climbing total.
All that recording (it does normally work BTW) is great. Riding a racing track and seeing where your cadence, speed or HR can be better is great to improving lap times.
HR training has taken me from a '5km and pass out(literally)' guy 6 months ago to now when I am much faster and can hold 80% for hours(6,8,+?). The other day I did a spin class and managed to pull >90% MHR(lab tested) for over 30 mins(45 min class). I've also lost around 15kg of fat(at least). Now I'm considering and Iron Man and a solo 24hr.
HR training is GREAT and this is a great tool to get you to your goals. If you don't believe me, then rewatch the Le Tour tapes and look at the arms of the top sprinters, I'm sure I saw one of these on all of them...
The software is quite easy to use and has only a few failings. You should be able to clear the watch memory without having to download it first. There should be a 'save all' function if your too tired to add details.
Don't bother putting a cadence sensor on unless you ride only firetail. I tore off the magnet 4 times before the sensor got moved to the road bike. Glue on magnets don't like sticks\branchs etc.
Despite some quibbles with my wife's unit and my speed sensor quibbles I think this is a solid product and if I was to buy a new HRM I'd buy this model again.
Expensive, but well worth it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dudley Dorite
a Weekend Warrior
from Farout, ND Date Reviewed: July 25, 2002
Favorite Trail:
the one I'm on
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$390.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike
Strengths:
Software used to analyze data is nice.
Weaknesses:
packaging stinks speed and cadence wireless transmitters are huge and will not stay where they are put very well. reset button works intermitantly data stream starts and stops seemingly at random
Similar Products Used:
Axiom cycle computer and Axiom HRM, none that record data
Bike Setup:
Gary Fisher with LX components for mountain trails Litespeed Appalachian Cross bike with XTR shifters and derailleurs, Chris King rear hub, Hugi front hub, RaceFace cranks and rings, Woundup carbon forks for Triathlon racing
Bottom Line:
When I got this thing home, the packaging stunk so badly that my wife made me take it out in the garage. After three days in the garage, she made me take it outside on the back patio. The smell was starting to make me sick also. I had difficulty setting up the cadence because on anything but a road course the transmitter is so large that bumps move it around and the signal goes away. The thing is impossible to use on the trainer because there is no position where everything can be placed to get the speed, cadence and heart rate to register on the receiver. The reset button quit working on the first one that I had. I let the LBS manager order another with the hopes that the packaging would not smell so awful. It did, so back outside to the porch. The second one lasted about 30 days before the display quit recording sporadically. It would record for anywhere from 5 to 80 minutes, then stop recording any data (all zeros) and sometimes start up again after 5 to 20 minutes, or sometimes NEVER start again. I took it back and swore I would never buy another Polar product again. Purchase one of these flamers at your own risk.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason D
a Weekend Warrior
from Rocklin,CA Date Reviewed: June 21, 2002
Favorite Trail:
sticks n stones
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$210.00
Purchased At:
performace w/ 20% off
Strengths:
Altimeter/Temp sensors Multiple HR triggers for Intervals Interval trainer can be programmed thru computer and downloaded to your watch via a .wav file (Very KEWL!!!)
Weaknesses:
Light is not very bright and needs to stay on longer Software is a little wierd to use.
Similar Products Used:
Vetta HRM 50-100
Bottom Line:
All in all this HRM is one of the best on the market today. If you like to see how your training workouts are going for you, this is the ultimate personal trainer.
There are tons of things to confugre on this watch which can make it a bit overwhelming. Read the manual several times before attempting to figure out how to record your workouts.
You can record your altitude/temp/mileage/speed/& HR Min/Max/Avg and download them into your computer. how killer!
THIS THING KICK @SS!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Corcoran
a Racer
from Calgary, AB, Canada Date Reviewed: June 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
The track!
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
EVERYTHING! The features are great from the exercise memory to well everything.
Weaknesses:
None!
Similar Products Used:
Sports Instruments... good heart rate monitor but little customer service behind it
Bike Setup:
Cannondale R2000 (x2) and F3000 along with a Cramerotti track bike
Bottom Line:
The best heart rate monitor ever! Altitude + cadence + speed = very nice chart! Worth every penny! Also to make it even cooler it calculates your approx VO2 max and max hr in a 5 mins test which when you use it everyday like I do helps tell me when I'm overtraining or undertraining. Very cool!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Fontana, CA USA Date Reviewed: May 31, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$300.00
Strengths:
Reliable and interfaces with their PC software, which is FANTASTIC.
Weaknesses:
The max distance of the wheel pickup to the watch is 18". Therefore, you probably won't be able to wear the watch, but MUST mount it onto you handle bars.
The software is VERY EASY to use, however, there isn't a manual and the online help is limtited. I keep stumbling into great features, but had I been able to read a manual, I would have KNOWN of the feature sooner.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized P-Brain- I returned this. The software is not good and I couldn't get the technical specs from Specialized to write my own. Specialized OEMs the P-Brain.
Bike Setup:
1999 Specialized FSR-XC
Bottom Line:
This heart rate monitor is the best I've ever seen. The software that runs on your PC is also a fine piece of work. I blindly purchased the S-710 because of the features of the heart rate monitor, but the software ties EVERYTHING together. This product is GREAT! Basically, you download the data to your PC and your workout gets automatically stored in YOUR calendar (my wife is another user and her data gets stored into HER calendar). The software will graphically display your heart rate, speed, altitude, distance and time. You can get stats on the entire workout OR you can select only the time frame you're interested in (i.e. the excercise time of an interval; disregarding the resting time)
Anyone interested in seriously tracking their workout should get this!
My only comment to Polar is they need to better market the software. It is BARELY mentioned on their website, but is SUCH a valuable piece to this heart rate monitor.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from UK Date Reviewed: May 8, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$285.00
Purchased At:
Julies Cycles, Leicester
Strengths:
Great all-in-one unit. Software quite good with lots of heart rate analysis tools. 5 second datalogging of speed, cadence, HR and altitude for over 8 hours gives a good picture of how a ride went.
Weaknesses:
Looks too odd as a wrist watch. Speed and Cadence sensor shape only suits certain rare fitment conditions. I ended up having to strap the speed sensor on with tape! The cadence sensor range was only 530mm on the bike i.e. useless, (it did 1070mm on the table) this was mentioned in a previous review. Polar UK have said they can do a hardware mod which will double the range. The Speed sensor was ok at 480mm on the bike and did 730mm on the table). Interference sometimes puts spikes in the data. Come back wires, all is forgiven! The PC sonic link nearly but never quite worked, so I had to buy the IR link for £28. This works fine but its another plastic gadget to clutter up the desk :-(
Similar Products Used:
Echo12 cycle computer Polar M22 HRM
Bike Setup:
Stock Marin Mount Vision '97
Bottom Line:
A great product if only Polar could design the sensors to to fit a broader range of situations and get the radio range long enough.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Edward
a Weekend Warrior
from Parma Heights, OH, USA Date Reviewed: April 8, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$280.00
Purchased At:
heartmonitors.com
Strengths:
1. Collects data on every important riding parameter (heart rate, cadence, speed, altitude, power w/addon, etceteras). 2. Collects and stores data at 5 second intervals during entire ride. 3. Really easy download to computer. 4. Really easy plotting and review of exercise over the days-weeks-months. 5. THE tool for a serious performance enhancement program.
Weaknesses:
Very short range of cadence and speed transmitters meant I had to mount the "wristwatch" on the top-tube of my Jekyll 2000 to get it to work. Must buy $40 computer interface to use it with the computer.
Similar Products Used:
Several Polar brand heart monitors over the years.
Bike Setup:
MTB with Polar S710 mounted on top-tube of Jekyll 2000. Mount on top tube with plastic electrical tie-straps available cheap at Radio Shack. I made bracket for speed sensor on Lefty Shock using 2" and 1" PVC tubing which fits perfectly around the shock -- also held on with electrical tie straps.
Bottom Line:
I ride for serious cardiovascular improvement -- and fun. Now that I have the S-710, I cannot imagine training without it.
I recommend it to those who are deadly serious about getting fastest possible training effect -- you spent thousands on your bike and hundreds of hours a year riding -- now spend $280 to get the most out of that time/money investment. I would suggest a good book to tell you how to do that. I found "The Lance Amstrong Performance Program" to be the best overall among several books I bought for that purpose.
Casual and semi-serious riders can do just fine with a cheaper unit (and the same book mentioned above). My girlfriend uses the dirt-cheap Polar Beat heart monitor and a standard bike computer to good effect.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mikael
a Racer
from Copenhagen Date Reviewed: January 17, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Alps
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Bikebuster
Strengths:
This HRM has it all. If you want to be scientific about it, this is the watch. Lots of features and memory. Easy to use, and very nice userinterface. Downloading your data to your pc is a breeze.
Weaknesses:
Big watch - but it has to be that way in order to read all the information of the display. The big red start button cracked after 3 months but was replaced while waiting. The button is still sometimes slow getting back into initial position after pressing it.
Similar Products Used:
Polar Vantage, Acurex plus, X-trainer.
Bike Setup:
which one - use it for road - xc - freeride
Bottom Line:
This is a great product. It has the quality Polar feel and all the features you can find in any similar product on the market. But nothing comes close. The altitude and temperature measuring works best on your bike not on your wrist. They have improved the features of the Polar X-trainer and addede a lot of new ones. You have to buy the interface if you use anything older tha windows 95 (who dosn't) - not sure if it works with Mac.
Buy this product if you want to analyse your training and use som quality time on the PC. But be carefull not to use to much time with the pc - go ride instead.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tommy
a
from Kingston, PA Date Reviewed: January 11, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Giants' Dispair
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Excel Sports
Strengths:
Tons 'o fun data. Generates cool graphs. All the info I want on my handlebar, then in my computer. Very entertaining. Nice graphing and training log software included. Fairly easy to set up and use. No ugly wires. Electrodes taste great when you lick them.
Weaknesses:
None of the seperate parts seem designed to work together. The data wand doesn't sit well on the reciever wrist band. The reciever doesn't fit all that well on the handlebar mount. Also, the speed and cadence sensors stick way out at ackward angles from the bike. Also, they should make the reciever IR work directly with computer IR ports rather than making us buy a $40 com port wand.
Similar Products Used:
Cateye, other bike computers.
Bike Setup:
C'Dale SL2000; Giant ATX-770; Giant TCR-0 road.
Bottom Line:
I've been using the S-710 for a month, and it makes dreary winter base training much less boring. Looking at the graphs after a ride lets you know what you really did. You see things like where you couldn't keep your cadence up on a climb. The included software makes it easy to keep a comprehensive training log. This thing is gonna be even more fun and useful when the real riding starts this year.
Note that NiteRider Digital headlights swamp the chest transmitter signal so that HR doesn't register. HID lights don't do this. Also, a friend with one of these needs Ba-Bump creme to make his work.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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