Heart Rate monitor choices

[SadieKate]

Was just on www.polarusa.com. They apparently have a demo program with certain participating dealers.

Off to check it out some more.

[susan.wells]

Another vote for the Polar 710. You can also move the jumpers within the cadence & speed sensors to increase the functional distance range. The Australian Polar web site shows you how. This is the method I used. I would love to get the Power Option also.

[Veronica]

I know we have moved the jumpers on at least one of them. But on my mountain bike I couldn't get pick up when I was actually riding. The extra magnet definitely helped that.

The hard part for me is remembering to tell the watch which bike I"m riding. It's easy to do, but sometimes I forget.

V.

[SadieKate]

Whoopee!! It's on backorder, but I just ordered a Polar 720i from REI, got 20% off plus my dividend credit so it came to a much more attractive number. Now, I have to order the IR option as the home compooter doesn't have it, then bribe the Big Bother to upgrade it to XP, burn some back up disks and install/test the software. It is so much easier to just hand him the computer and cook him dinner.

I was reading www.mtbr.com reviews on the 710 and someone mentioned the transmission issues:

this monitor works as advertised. for those of you losing the signal regularly, there is a fix. the transmitters, either speed or cadence have 3 output settings adjustable inside the case. they come from polar set at the lowest output so they do not interfere with another riders monitor. if you open the case of the transmitter you will see a dip switch as i remember. just change the setting and give it a try, you'll not see an indication of what setting does what but trial and error will solve your problem. just make sure that the oring is seated properly when you close the case.

Not sure if this applies, Veronica, but I thought it might be a factoid to keep in the back of my pea brain.

[Veronica]

Yep - we did that and I still couldn't get the watch to pick it while I was on my mountain bike. I wondered if it had something to do with the forks. Whatever... the extra trick magnet trick worked.

V.

[fixedgeargirl]

Several of you raved about the Polars, but they are out of my price range. Not to hijack the thread, but what about monitors sized for smaller wrists? I would like to find one to use primarily for riding, so would need a handlebar mount, but would also use it for spinning and the (very occasional) run. I saw a Sports Instruments ECG5L (the L is for Lady) on sale on nashbar. Anyone use one of these?

[Dogmama]

I don't know about the Nashbar HRM, but I bought a Polar that ran around $120, I think. I just wanted something to measure heart rate and give me a few other readings. I'm not into downloading stuff onto my computer and I have a great cyclometer, so I went with the simpler version.

After dissing Polar on these boards, I have to admit that this one is a sweetie. The chest strap is flexible, so it makes contact much better. And the wristband does fit smaller wrists (like mine.)

I did a lot of research on the web, and it seemed that Polar always won, hands down.

[Veronica]

We got our magnets at kjmagnetics.com

V.