shootingstar made me think about electronic gizmos.

[shootingstar]

This is going to sound nutty, but if there was a whole group of "senior" looking cyclists all wearing HRMs, that would be a different impression to outsiders, compared to a bunch of young hammering pups wearing them.

Even if the greying, cycling seniors were in top fitness shape.

[GLC1968]

When I first started riding, I bought the Polar with all the bells and whistles (HRM, barometric altimeter, cadence, etc) and I loved having all that info after a ride was over even if I didn't use it much during the ride. I actually used it both ways (during and after) depending on the ride and found it both motivating and helpful.

Three years later, it broke. I sent it in for service. It came back and didn't work right, but I wasn't sure if it was the watch/chest strap or the sensors. I was in the process of replacing the sensors when we moved across the country and life got in the way of biking. Over a year later, I finally get around to biking again for fitness (and not just for fun and transportation) and of course, it's still not working. Unfortunately, it's been over a year since the service, so I don't think I have any recourse should I contact Polar. I find that without any info, I feel not only blind, but I feel less motivated to ride. I'll still do my commute, but I certainly won't be trying to better my time or anything. I don't want to do weekend rides as much either (being as out of shape as I am) because without the numbers to see the improvment, it's again, less motivating.

My husband just bought me an Edge 305 as a gift a little over a week ago and now I find myself excited to get out and ride again.

I'm a numbers geek. I like the tools for motivation. Sometimes I don't care, but most of the time I do...even if I don't use it during the ride, I like having it all at my fingertips.

That said, I don't forsee using the HRM part of it for EVERY ride. I ride for lots of reasons and not all of them require that level of monitoring.