Interesting stuff on the HRMs. I don't use one, haven't even been tempted to buy one which is surprising since I am a ubergeek. But, my bike is clean of most gadgets - I do have a cyclometer - but it is the cheapest I could find, really basic model.

I don't really check my heart rate. I do know resting I am around 45 BPM but I don't really worry about it as I am cycling since I find my weak link tends to be the heat - i.e. when I start heating up too much, it is time to back down. Maybe if I road in a different climate, I would do differently. Also, our roads tend to be pretty bad - so often I could go faster but I don't want to be jarred that much. Going up hill can burn out my legs before I feel my heart is working too hard. I have really strong legs, but thankfully, I seem to have stronger heart and lungs.

So, because my goal is transportation and site-seeing, I really don't worry about a HRM. I have lost a lot of weight and gotten a lot stronger just by riding - perhaps also IT is that I tend to push myself up hills. I love hills - but I don't particularly enjoy throwing up! So, it seems to be pretty self regulating.