Training & Nutrition - Recommendations for HRM under $100

I am looking for a HRM and have a budget of around $100, but spending less would be even better. I have never used one before and the only features I really care about right now are current HR, average HR and max HR. Any other features I should look for? Any recommendations?

Thanks.

I am looking for a HRM and have a budget of around $100, but spending less would be even better.

I am quite satisfied with my Sigma (http://www.sigmasport.de/) PC1600. It has current, average and max HR, plus a 'programmable' HR zone, time in/out of that zone, etc. (You can only program one zone at a time, so if you vary your training types a lot, you will have to press that button...) It can also inform you about calories burned, but I do not even look at this function.

(The recovery timer of the PC1600 seemingly is not very practical: if you want to use it, it should be set to 'auto' and will start running once you stop the timer. The downside is that after that your timer is re-set and your data are gone. In other words, you cannot use this function and pause your monitoring during a break, puncture or other in-between stop.)

Go to www.polarusa.com and figure out the one you want (I chose M62). Then go to EBay, where you'll find they're a good deal cheaper than any retail offering. (mine was $128).

Good luck!

I am quite satisfied with my Sigma (http://www.sigmasport.de/) PC1600. It has current, average and max HR, plus a 'programmable' HR zone, time in/out of that zone, etc. (You can only program one zone at a time, so if you vary your training types a lot, you will have to press that button...) It can also inform you about calories burned, but I do not even look at this function.

(The recovery timer of the PC1600 seemingly is not very practical: if you want to use it, it should be set to 'auto' and will start running once you stop the timer. The downside is that after that your timer is re-set and your data are gone. In other words, you cannot use this function and pause your monitoring during a break, puncture or other in-between stop.)

The Sigma PC1600 and PC1300 look pretty good. Performance Bike has the PC1300 on sale for $39.99. Any comments on this unit or other suggestions?

The Sigma PC1600 and PC1300 look pretty good. Performance Bike has the PC1300 on sale for $39.99. Any comments on this unit or other suggestions?

The PC 1600 features:
Pulse, Clock, Stopwatch, Date, Alarm clock, Adjust heart rate upper/ lower limits, Audio alarm for out-of-zone heart rates, Training times in and outside the limits, Maximum heart rate, , Average heart rate, Calorie accumulation, Recovery time operation, Fat grams burned, Countdown-Timer, Lap counter, Light

The PC 1300 features:
The same, MINUS Countdown-Timer, Lap counter, Light.

Personally I don't use the last three functions. So you might be as satisfied with a PC1300 as I am with my PC1600 (which, however, has a nicer colour :) ).

I have the PC1600 too. It is a great monitor. You can't go wrong with the price. I got mine on Ebay for about $24.

I just bought the PC1300. Do you regularly use any sort of electrode cream or anything?

I just bought the PC1300. Do you regularly use any sort of electrode cream or anything?

No once I work up a sweat it works fine. I don't even start monitoring untill 10 minutes of warm up.

For just a little over your budget, you can get a Polar 150... These cost 119.00 and they are a full function HRM with cycling computer also.. I use the Polar 710 which has both function and they work great.. Here is a link:

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&major=3&minor=2&description=S%2D150&vendorCode=POLAR

For just a little over your budget, you can get a Polar 150... These cost 119.00 and they are a full function HRM with cycling computer also.. I use the Polar 710 which has both function and they work great.. Here is a link:

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&major=3&minor=2&description=S%2D150&vendorCode=POLAR

Why? I had a Polar and it is no better than the PC1600. Polar is highly overpriced.

Do you regularly use any sort of electrode cream or anything?

Not necessary. A bit of spit does the trick. And make sure the strap is tight enough.