Joe Taylor

I been thinking about getting a heart rate monitor. Who makes a good one.

Joe

michaelnel

Polar makes the best ones I think.

I have a Polar S720i I just got last week. It keeps track of heartrate, speed, distance, altitude, temperature, cadence and more. Comes with software to allow you to download all the data to your computer for analysis.

It's pretty exotic.

Performance Bike had the Polar "Beat" on sale last week for about $40. All it does is display your heartbeat, if that's all you want.

stapfam

Having tried several over the years, will agree that polar seems to be better than the others. Batteries last longer, easier to understand and get through the menus on the more complicated ones, and the range of different types done will mean you can get one that will cater for all your needs.
Unless you have a requirement for one of the all dancing, all singing models though, just go for the basic one, but get one of their special bike mounts so you read it at ease.

1jwill

I have used various brands over the years and find that the "Timex Ironman Triathalon" is best. It's cheaper ($49 - $79) than the Polar. Polar requires that you mail the outfit back to them for battery changes (about every 2 years for me); the batteries on the Timex can be changed at a local jewelery store - I use the watch repair guy at my local Sears.

You can also get a data recorder (the transmitter sends a digital signal) clip for your belt or pocket from which you can download your workout to your home computer; cost is about $75 and includes easy to understand software. Other brands with downloadable models cost much much more $$ and are more complex.

Bought my Timex at Performance but the Data Recorder was ordered from Timex on the Web.

I like the versatility of this set up - sometimes monitor heart rate for running, tennis, and gym workouts, not just biking.

TrailRider

I've got a 7 year old Acumen that works fine. I picked it since, like the Timex mentioned above, you can change the battery in both the watch and the electrode strap yourself with a watch lid type screwdriver and watch batteries. More important than the brand is how you use it - how you can train with it is the thing. That'll be included in the product instructions....

s2sherwin

I used a Polar A5 for about three years before I finally drowned it in a river in China. Now I have a Polar F6, which is a little pricier and not quite as handy. Does more stuff, but most of what it does doesn't seem particularly useful. I liked the A5 better because it was easy to navigate around on while riding, had all the useful information right at hand. I have found HRMs handy because you can be fooled about how hard you're working, but the monitor never lies... Except when the batteries start to go.

Enjoy

JavaMan

Polar is by far the leading manufacturer of heart rate monitors.

Whatever you buy, be sure and get a handlebar mount for it.

craigtrink

Polar is the best in the business. Timex is 2nd in the industry, more features for the money but the quality is almost as good as Polar. You can pick up a basix Polar A1 (heart rate feature only) for as little as $39.95 at www.heartratemonitorsusa.com
Timex does allow user changeable batteries, but the in the long run, the Polar's last a heck of lot longer.

johncc48

I have used the polar 520 and now the 720i and love it. I'm a physical measurement weenie and understand exercise physiology prettyy well so I love all the bells and whistles. Like I wnat to know my weekly totals of time in heart rate zones, total feet climbed, average pace, pace and average eart rate for each interval session ridden. All this gives me an idea of whether I'm progressing and how much to stress the system the next week. So far the control it has given me is great. probably could have done the same thing with "precieved exertion" training but the numbers give me an objective physiological measure. Joe Freil has a column and a couple of books that are great.
The only better thing is power meters because they measure what the final product is...POWER :-)

johncc48

But I don't type too well!!

glassman

Is the 725 that much better than the 720i?

bridgestone9

has anybody out there had any experience with a Ciclosport HAC-4 ? I got one , and the heart rate sending unit quit working,but when I'm not wearing the heart rate sending unit, and I go over little rutty bumps, it will display a heart rate, jeez! it's out of the warranty period, and I can't find a phone number or anything to ask questions about it. It's a great computer if you are an info junkie, it's too much for me, I'm sure there are better ones out there that are probably cheaper and that the heart rate function actually does..

wfo

Awesome idea. As was mentioned earlier, the Polar product has been making monitors for ions/ many years, and is the equipment used throughout in health, fitness and wellness facilities worldwide. Besides Polar this year is used as the primary heart monitoring device at the Tour De France, so it can't be too shabby.

With the heart rate monitor it keeps you training effectively with information that is good to know. It's also a way to keep you from under training (if you can imagine you ever undertrain, nahhh.) as well as over training (yeah more like it.).

Simply put, a monitor gives you effective heart rate training zones to ride within. Upper and lower limits and total time spent in these zones. Equipped with a little beep alarm indicating when you are riding too slow (if you can imgine that, who me?) or too hard (that's more like it) preventing an over-training syndrome. The watch does all this automatically, just by entering in your personal data. Very easy. As you become familiar you probably wonder how you did all this time without one. I've been using one since 1988.

Now, I Hope I didn't over complicate it.

Bottom-line though, Just ride.

jppe

I'm currently using a basic model of Ciclosport. It provides all the HR information I'm interested in: Actual HR, 3 Zones, Max, Average, etc. I got it shipped to me off eBay for $20. If I can get 1-2 years of use I'm well ahead of the game. I combine the HR with the Ciclosport Computer w/Altimeter and have lots of information at a very affortable price.

Artmo 

Why spend money on a handlebar mount when a piece of foam pipe insulation wrapped around the bar works very well?

Artmo 

Polar is the best. However, I have a Garmin Forerunner 301 GPS, the advantage of which is there is no need to attach anything to the bike, except the unit on the bars and you can easily transfer it from bike to bike or to your wrist, although it's a bit clunky as a wristwatch. You can also upload your exercise data to your PC.