Polar HRM software (SK? V?)

[SadieKate]

Another thought for you the computer geek, err, goddess. Export the files, isolate the date for the section you want and write some comparison program.

I think a few people over on bikejournal do this. Maybe ask your question there.

[bikerz]

SK - thanks for all your thoughts!

Another thought for you the computer geek, err, goddess. Export the files, isolate the date for the section you want and write some comparison program.

I think a few people over on bikejournal do this. Maybe ask your question there.

I know it won't surprise you to learn that I actually thought about this , but I haven't quite figured out how to get the data in raw enough form. I'll look into BJ one of these days and check it out.

We're doing 50 flat miles again today, so I won't have much chance to check out the ascent thing - maybe I'll just send an email to Polar and ask about the grade ranges for that summary info.

I can waste so much time messing around with the ride data!

[SadieKate]

You can open the files in Notepad but then you'd still need to get them into a CVS file or something. I bet someone on bikejournal would know how to to do this. The geeks are more openly public over there.

[Dianyla]

Chiming in late here (as usual) to second SadieKate's suggestion about laps. I always insert a lap marker at the base and crest of my "favorite" hills for each route. To mark improvement, I compare average mph and average heartrate for just the hill section. I usually make a little note of this in my bikejournal entry comments field.

[bikerz]

I've been using the auto-lap marker at 1 mile intervals - it just gives me a little "beep" at each mile - and I find it oddly encouraging! But I guess I can turn it off and add the laps after the fact (like SK). Dianyla, I am so bad at remembering to add the laps before an after each hill!

I now have several questions to ask Polar tech support:
1. How do they calculate time spent climbing, flat and descending?
2. Do cadence and speed averages take into account time not moving?
3. Why do I get the BSOD every time I remove the USB infra-red thingy? (Even after uninstalling and reinstalling the Polar USB drivers)

Again, thanks for the great suggestions! I have a huge amount of project work, and all I want to do is mess around with this stuff! But I will send an email to Polar today, and maybe snoop around in BJ ...

[SadieKate]

BSOD?

BikerZ, don't worry about laps while you're riding. Insert them manually when you get home from the comfort of your living room. I think you can un-insert them the same way so you could go back to all your old files and isolate the hill.

I'm pretty sure the speed is calculated only when moving.

[bikerz]

BSOD?

BSOD: Blue screen of death!

[Dianyla]

I've been using the auto-lap marker at 1 mile intervals - it just gives me a little "beep" at each mile - and I find it oddly encouraging! But I guess I can turn it off and add the laps after the fact (like SK). Dianyla, I am so bad at remembering to add the laps before an after each hill!

Oh, I never add laps when I'm actually riding. That's waaaaay too complicated! I just trace the altitude on the graph once I've got it on my PC and add the markers using the software.

I'm fairly sure that the cadence and speed averages do not include the zeroes or null values (which is what happens when you're not pedalling or moving). But now I'm suddenly suspicious... A good way to test this would be to get one of your graphs where you have a big descent. I'm guessing that most folks are like me - when I'm descending I'm either pedaling at a very high cadence or just not pedaling at all, only two states. I'll set up lap counters on a section of a graph that's about half high-cadence pedaling and half no pedaling. Checking that average should show an entirely high average. I think.