Training & Nutrition - Best Hr monitor for price

I'd like to get a HR monitor or a watch that calculates my HR. I was wondering which kind has the best price/quality ratio? Also, the dealer I go to in my hometown (Quebec city) sells them for way too much in my opinion so I was wondering if you had any suggestion on where to get it from ?

thank you,
LOuis

Polar has the most accurate HR monitors for a very good price. I got mine for $60 and it's been fantastic. It allows me to set 3 HR zones plus a cool-down zone and will alert me when I am outside those zones (above or below). I have the Polar S120.

If you don't need lots of features, I'd go with the Sigma Sport PC3. It has a clock, stopwatch, and current heart rate.

Best $30 I've ever spent.

I bought a Sports Instruments ECG3 and it's great; I got it for $40(regularly $50) at Performance and it has the 3 zones, has the alerts when you're not in the desired zone, % of LT, and all the other standard measurements. It also records up to 7 different workout sessions and records how long in each of the three zones you were in.

It also has a replaceable standard battery on the heart monitor so you don't have to replace the whole thing when it runs out like some of the lower end Polar(which apparently costs $35). I'm sure you can get it or whichever you choose cheaply online from performancebike.com or nashbar. Also you can consider finding what you like at your shop, then looking for it on ebay

How do these compare to the polar s720? It seems pricey at about $250.00-270.00 (street price), but it also seems to do everything that an HR and cycling computer can do. It's not that I want to spend a lot of money, but if it's worth it compared to the others, then I'd be willing...

IMO, Sigma Sport makes the best and very reasonably priced computers and HRMs. Polar is for people who like to throw their money away. Go to sigma's website and find a hrm that you like featurewise. It will have good price on Amazon.

The Polar S150 has been at 50% off for a year now at various internet bike stores. Performance has a few on sale. You might wanna look at some for under $50. You really don't need much more than one which tells you your HR.

no luck with 2 cheappie sigmas - never showed a heart rate :(

nashbar 1200 - workes great, I use it every ride and even catches my arythmia :)

has a bunch of zone settings, Max/Avg/low HR, clock & stopwatch, Kcals used, time in zone, yadda yadda yadda
I got mine for $35...

i've got a sigma sport pc15 i bought it on ebay for like $45 shipped. it is just as good as my buddies ~$100 polar unit.

I have 2 Polars (520 & 720). Both have been very reliable and I would definitly recommend a polar.

I had a Polar A5 for a coupla years, worked great, gave it to a friend when I got my Polar F11, which I Love! I don't feel like I tossed my $ away at all. I especially like that it stores 12 workouts, and it has a vo2 feature (I don't know how accurate it is, but I like what it tells me) and their customer service is great too.

nashbar 1200 - works great, I use it every ride and even catches my arythmia :)

I was just looking at one of these at their site, and there's a little note that says "Batteries are not replaceable".

Cyclezen, can you confirm that?

My wife and I both have polars, wouldn't buy anything else. Quality is always money well spent. It's like saying that anyone that buys their bike anyplace but Walmart likes to throw their money away.

I was just looking at one of these at their site, and there's a little note that says "Batteries are not replaceable".

Cyclezen, can you confirm that?

yes & no
The actual computer unit does have a replaceable battery, the chest unit doesn't show any easy way to gain access - so that would be not replaceable ??? The chest unit seems about average on sealing and who knows, it may not be unreasonable to think one can eventually gain access (when the time comes for replacing the chest strap battery). re-sealing might be the issue.
Not sure what the expected life might be, but as of 2day, my bikejournal is saying I have over 280 hrs on the unit. So if I get 2 years, say 1000+ hours, it was well worth the $35 it cost.
As for the handbar mount, I;ve not used it since I've found that a small width section of pipe insulation has been the perfect mount for me for anything I need to mount to bars via a wrist strap.