Heart Rate Monitor advice

[firenze11]

I need some advice from all you heart rate monitor users. I got some money from grandparents for Christmas and have been looking into a HRM as my next cycling-related purchase. I'm a bit lost as to what would be best and what has good reviews. So far I've looked into some of the Polar models. And I'm intrigued by the stuff Garmin has. I'd prefer to have one I wear on my wrist because I'd like to use it for running in the summer. I'd like to have a bit more than just basic heart rate stuff, but that might just be me being a gadget dork.

I never thought the Garmin 305 forerunner would be in my price range but I found one at costco.ca for around $250. Would there be any drawbacks from me using the forerunner if it is more based around running? How is the reliability/accuracy of Garmin and Polar. Have you had any trouble with wonky readings or crosstalk?

Thanks for your advice.

~E.

[crazybikinchic]

A friend of mine had a Garmin for a short time. He was always messing (and cussing profusely at it ) with it because something on it would not work. The one time he really wanted it to work was the HHH in which it did not work at all. He has recently bought a Polar. I know for myself, I have had 2 Polars. I have had good luck with both of them.

[kelownagirl]

I have the Garmin Edge 305 which I use for cycling and running (I have to carry it when running though). I have had no trouble with it although I've had wonky HR readings at the very beginning of a ride a few times. I think it's because I didn't have the band wet enough or placed correctly. The Forerunner is pretty much the same features as the Edge, other than the wrist band and size of the readout. If you want to see an idea of the data you can get, take a look at my motionbased account. I haven't paid for the upgrade so you can only see my last 10 ride/runs and those are a bit boring because they were on the trainer. You can still get an idea though.

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/4609269

[ehirsch83]

I suggest Suunto.
I have a Polar, but wish I had a Suunto- they are cheaper and they hold up better! I also took a clinic with Sally Edwards(the founder of heart rate prettymuch- she wrote the first manual for Polar) and she even said that she prefers Suunto now.

[Mr. Bloom]

I only ride...I LOVE my Garmin 305.

Silver is a triathlete and she uses something ( I think a Polar) on her wrist in conjuction with a standard bike computer. She'll post something later on this...but she's out riding right now...

PM Silver to make sure she responds to this.

[aicabsolut]

I have an Edge 305 w/out the heart rate strap. I use a Polar F11 on the bike and in the gym. It's coded, so there's no crosstalk. It periodically does fitness tests which are supposed to estimate your VO2max. It does calories burned and calculates different training zones each time you turn it on if you want, which is good, because some days your HR can be abnormally high, for example if you're dehydrated or whatnot. It will adjust your training zones accordingly.

I put my Polar on my handlebars when on the bike, but sometimes that gets old. I was thinking of buying the Garmin strap and seeing how that does. The Polar has been very reliable, though, and I think it's user-friendly. Some models like mine also come in women's sized wrist units.

The Timex Ironman HRMs are supposed to be pretty good as well, and I think you can also get coded straps for those too. I think those tend to be cheaper. With the Polars, you can get all sorts of "stuff" though no GPS.

I've also been told that Garmins are less than reliable for calorie counting, but even though I don't use the Garmin strap, just based on my other workout data and my stats (age weight gender), I find that the calorie estimates it gives me are very close to what the Polar tells me, especially on longer rides. Indoor workouts are the most off, because well I'm doing slower on the trainer with the resistance and sweating buckets with a heat-induced HR spike.