POLAR CS300 sucks the big one

[BIGVAN3]

Reg met my van der Merwe

So hy werk 100%? as jy data op sit en alles?

[DJR]

Hi BigVan

 

Sorry to hear about your troubles, personally my polar has given me great service.

 

Talking of service, the Polar agent (IHF Products) in Johannesburg is excellent. Don't bother talking to shops about technical issues, just courier it to IHF and they will sort it out ASAP. It will cost a few bucks, but they will have it delivered back to you within a week. Send EVERYTHING to them, strap, unit, sensors etc. so they can test it all. Their tel. no. is 011 805 1028 and their address is P O Box 4021, Halfway House, 1685. All this info should be on a little card that came with your Polar (Service Return Card).

Some pointers I found useful:

1.Sensors should not be too far from the pick up unit or they will give erratic readings (Cadence sensor on chainstay gives poor results, on down tube 100%).

2. Wheel magnets should be tight enough on the spoke not to swivel around and away from the sensor (use LockTite if you have to. It is frustrating to have magnets move when they get bumped).

3.There should not be a lot of metal between the sensor and the unit (stem mount gives me on/off readings, but bar mount is 100%).

4.The sensors should be mounted tightly with cable ties and on top of their rubber fittings. That way they stay put in the right spot (mounted with the rubber bands, they tend to move).

5.Mount the unit on your handle bars with the rubber rings because if you crash the chances of the mounting breaking will be smaller. (It can "give" a little more than cable ties.)

6. Remove the heart rate sensor from the strap when not in use. It will make the strap last longer (something to do with the contacts deteriorating). Straps need to be replaced every so often.

7. Wash the strap (with sensor removed) after every few rides and it will work better and last longer (something to do with salty sweat and smells)

[Capricorn]

stop wearing your biggirl's blouse Super Van, and i dont really care how petulant u act, doesnt change my commiseration with your situation, despite your "petite nature".

 

I do actually understand your rather visible frustration with your polar device. I bought a brand new cadence sensor that failed right outta it's wrapping, and the store gave me crap when trying to return it for a refund. But that's more the store's problem than Polar. It's just a pity the cdence and speed sensors are sealed units. If they could make the batteries user changeable, it would go a long way to making them worth the $$$ spent.

Edited January 7, 2012 by Capricorn

[DJR]

Oh yes, I also meant to say, all please chill. This is the Hub, not a traffic jam!

 

You'll get your heart rates up so high, even a Polar will battle to register it.

Edited January 7, 2012 by DJR

[BIGVAN3]

Hi BigVan

 

Sorry to hear about your troubles, personally my polar has given me great service.

 

Talking of service, the Polar agent (IHF Products) in Johannesburg is excellent. Don't bother talking to shops about technical issues, just courier it to IHF and they will sort it out ASAP. It will cost a few bucks, but they will have it delivered back to you within a week. Send EVERYTHING to them, strap, unit, sensors etc. so they can test it all. Their tel. no. is 011 805 1028 and their address is P O Box 4021, Halfway House, 1685. All this info should be on a little card that came with your Polar (Service Return Card).

Some pointers I found useful:

1.Sensors should not be too far from the pick up unit or they will give erratic readings (Cadence sensor on chainstay gives poor results, on down tube 100%).

2. Wheel magnets should be tight enough on the spoke not to swivel around and away from the sensor (use LockTite if you have to. It is frustrating to have magnets move when they get bumped).

3.There should not be a lot of metal between the sensor and the unit (stem mount gives me on/off readings, but bar mount is 100%).

4.The sensors should be mounted tightly with cable ties and on top of their rubber fittings. That way they stay put in the right spot (mounted with the rubber bands, they tend to move).

5.Mount the unit on your handle bars with the rubber rings because if you crash the chances of the mounting breaking will be smaller. (It can "give" a little more than cable ties.)

6. Remove the heart rate sensor from the strap when not in use. It will make the strap last longer (something to do with the contacts deteriorating). Straps need to be replaced every so often.

7. Wash the strap (with sensor removed) after every few rides and it will work better and last longer (something to do with salty sweat and smells)

 

Thanks DJR. I have done all the things you mentioned. I phoned IHF Products 3 or 4 times. After 15min or so i hung up the phone. But i will give them a call again. Thanks for your help.

[Capcha]

So hy werk 100%? as jy data op sit en alles?

 

Ja Van hy werk goed. Soos wat een van die ander ouens gese het, jy moet die strap skoon maak en waneer jy dit opsit moet jy water op die sensors sit. Spoeg werk ook as jy water vergeet. Praat van die download na jou rekenaar toe, dit is maar n' bietjie moelik. Jy kan jou laptop se mic gebruik maar 5/10 gaan dit nie gebuer nie. Die beste is as jy incredible connection to gaan en vra vir n' mic. As jy hom in plug gaan dit goed werk.

 

Dit is maar al probleem wat ek gehad het. Ek sal se as hy nie reg werk nie vat hom terug. hy het n waarborg en kry n ander een.

Edited January 7, 2012 by exclusive

[Active Monkey]

Hello guys and girls

 

 

If sum of you want to buy the Polar CS300 hart rate monitor for you bike ......DONT!!

 

I have had bad luck with technology like we all do. A cell phone that breaks after a mount

or a hard drive that just stops working. But with the CS300 i have had just problems. Every

single ride i have done sins i have had the watch sum thing has not worked. Every time i go for a ride on my mountain bike its like i have to do a pre dive check. 90% of the time i have to move sum thing to get it working.Sum time in the ride its stops working as well..... and before you say... "it must have moved"... no its not the case1 Its in the same place it was when i stared. If i stop and start a new exercise it works again.

I have had it for 8 mounts now and i have to replace 2 batteries on the HR sensor and replace the strap it self because it stop working as well. The magnets they give you with the speed sensor and the cadence sensor dos not work! You have to get a bigger one sum where else and when if you get one its the size of a speaker magnet and it has to be so closes too the sensor a piece of paper must not fit in-between them or else it dos not work. Sum times when its hot and i have bin riding a long time the numbers on the face of the watch fade.

 

 

THEN there is the after sale services. The people who sell the polar's too you know less then you. I could not take it back because i was away on business a lot and there was no retail shops near me that could swap or give me my money back so i used it so it got scratches on it cos i ride a MTB so now i am stuck with it. Finding a strap took me half a day because 3 shops did not have straps in stock at all and the other did not have XL. The magnets dos not get sold on its own they want you to buy the sensor to get a magnet and i am sorry that is not on. Don't tell me they did not know people will lose there magnets as they ride so that was a deliberate decision by sum one at polar to make even more money of us.

 

LAST BUT NOT LEAST there is the very very very faulty upload software. FIRST you need to know is.. IF YOU DO HAVE A MAC IT DOS NOT WORK ON MAC OS!!! The people how sell you this don't know cos i asked and i was told "yes no problem" that was NOT true as you go on the website just before you are about to click "download software" there stands in small red letters "not supported for Mac".... not on the box or Manuel only when you go on the website. I send them a email and ask why not?! Its not like mac is a small brand these days. The head office send me sorry they do not make software for mac i must run Windows OS to upload my data. MY eye twits and i had a nerves tick for a couple of seconds. Then i said okay let me go to my friends that have a windows based OS....Gauss what.... it did not work on one of the 3 notebooks i tried it on.(vista and 7) Did all the stuff they said i must do even there interface sound meter shows that it can hear the watch making a sound but it dos not want to upload the data!! They guys at the sportsmanswarehouse(how is the main retailer of polar SA) could not get it to work and if you are Discovery member like i am you don't get the work out points cos you cant upload the data and they wont take the work out if you do it manually.

 

So save you self money... time... and frustration and don't buy a polar!!!!!! I will never again!!!!

 

 

PS..... JUST HAD A CHAT WITH MY FRIEND.His brother spend R10 000 on polar GPS bike mounted units for him and his wife and they are not uploading on there windows based notebooks as well. So even the Hi-end polar's are not working.

had the same and took it back after a day... Have to mount watch or it doesnt work ... Very happy with my garmin

[johannrissik]

stop wearing your biggirl's blouse Super Van, and i dont really care how petulant u act, doesnt change my commiseration with your situation, despite your "petite nature".

 

I do actually understand your rather visible frustration with your polar device. I bought a brand new cadence sensor that failed right outta it's wrapping, and the store gave me crap when trying to return it for a refund. But that's more the store's problem than Polar. It's just a pity the cdence and speed sensors are sealed units. If they could make the batteries user changeable, it would go a long way to making them worth the $$$ spent.

 

Cautious use of a Stanley knife will open the unit. Batteries available for about R20. Replace. Seal with Pratleys Auto. Neat job. If I can't open it, I don't own it. Beats paying nearly R300 for a sealed unit. And by the way, Polar in Finland are very dour.

 

More..http://fiforiders.blogspot.com/2011/09/not-user-serviceable-like-hell.html

Edited January 7, 2012 by johannrissik

[BIGVAN3]

Ja Van hy werk goed. Soos wat een van die ander ouens gese het, jy moet die strap skoon maak en waneer jy dit opsit moet jy water op die sensors sit. Spoeg werk ook as jy water vergeet. Praat van die download na jou rekenaar toe, dit is maar n' bietjie moelik. Jy kan jou laptop se mic gebruik maar 5/10 gaan dit nie gebuer nie. Die beste is as jy incredible connection to gaan en vra vir n' mic. As jy hom in plug gaan dit goed werk.

 

Dit is maar al probleem wat ek gehad het. Ek sal se as hy nie reg werk nie vat hom terug. hy het n waarborg en kry n ander een.

 

Glo my ek weet van die band nat maak en alles. Ek het hom mooi gewas. In n kous gesit en alles. Maar elke liewe ding gee probleem. Jy is die eertse ou wat ek "ken"wat happy is my sy CS300. Toe ek in die winkel was het hulle een oop gemaak daar en hy het ook nie gewerk nie. My vriend het gedog ek sit aan en toe wou hy ook een gaan koop. Toe vir hulle gese "okay ek wil hom hier toets" toe haal hulle hom ook uit en soos ons sit hulle n paar fake rides op hom en probeer hom laai op hulle notebook wat in die winkel was en my buddys sin en hy het nie gewerk nie. Ek is jammer maar dit se vir my die CS is nie goed nie.

 

Maar regtig bly jou een werk. Jy is lucky. Ek dink as my een gewerk het sou hy wonderlik gewees het. Hy het al die basiese goed wat jy nodig het.

[flymango]

Thanks DJR. I have done all the things you mentioned. I phoned IHF Products 3 or 4 times. After 15min or so i hung up the phone. But i will give them a call again. Thanks for your help.

Of jy kan hulle epos by Service_Centre.IHF_PRODUCTS_CC@polar.fi

 

Sterkte. Ek glo dis darem nie so n slegte produk soos wat jy dink nie.

[BIGVAN3]

Cautious use of a Stanley knife will open the unit. Batteries available for about R20. Replace. Seal with Pratleys Auto. Neat job. If I can't open it, I don't own it. Beats paying nearly R300 for a sealed unit. And by the way, Polar in Finland are very dour.

 

More..http://fiforiders.blogspot.com/2011/09/not-user-serviceable-like-hell.html

[BIGVAN3]

Of jy kan hulle epos by Service_Centre.IHF_PRODUCTS_CC@polar.fi

 

Sterkte. Ek glo dis darem nie so n slegte produk soos wat jy dink nie.

 

Ek het emails van SA kantoor en FI kantoor. Maar sal plan maak om hom in te stuur. Waar oor ek aan gaan is dat alles my probleeme gee van dat ek hom het.

 

Maar dankie vir jou hulp.

[DJR]

......If I can't open it, I don't own it. .....

I have the same thing, believe it is called curiosity and it is in the DNA, so no use fighting it. Sometimes it saves me a little money, other times it costs me big time.

[Capcha]

Glo my ek weet van die band nat maak en alles. Ek het hom mooi gewas. In n kous gesit en alles. Maar elke liewe ding gee probleem. Jy is die eertse ou wat ek "ken"wat happy is my sy CS300. Toe ek in die winkel was het hulle een oop gemaak daar en hy het ook nie gewerk nie. My vriend het gedog ek sit aan en toe wou hy ook een gaan koop. Toe vir hulle gese "okay ek wil hom hier toets" toe haal hulle hom ook uit en soos ons sit hulle n paar fake rides op hom en probeer hom laai op hulle notebook wat in die winkel was en my buddys sin en hy het nie gewerk nie. Ek is jammer maar dit se vir my die CS is nie goed nie.

 

Maar regtig bly jou een werk. Jy is lucky. Ek dink as my een gewerk het sou hy wonderlik gewees het. Hy het al die basiese goed wat jy nodig het.

Nee goed. Koop ma n Garmin liewers dan se jy vir ons hoe werk dit.

[BIGVAN3]

Nee goed. Koop ma n Garmin liewers dan se jy vir ons hoe werk dit.

Dis die plan. Almal wat ek ken wat Garmin het is happy. ANT werk ook op mac. So dit kan net beter gaan.

[Squier]

I've had my CS300 for a couple of years now and have had almost no issues. IHF has also always been super helpful. When I had problem with my HR strap not registering my heart rate they replaced it under warranty, no questions asked.

 

I'm uploading my rides to polarpersonaltrainer without any hassles.