Cyclists with a "Running" Problem

[Jackes]

Gamin opinion if you guys don't mind please.

 

I had my mind made up on the 230.  You have 16 hours of battery life, so your good for the 12 of comrades and for the rest of the time you don't have to charge it as often.

 

Now the 35 is about to launch.  We also have the 15.   Quite frankly that is all we need, but the 15's battery life is about 6/7 hours.

 

The 35 actually has the same features as the 230, but with the optical hrm and only 13 hours battery life.

 

OHRM vs strap HRM does not bother me, anyone is fine.  I'm more about the battery life.

 

I can save quite a few bucks if I go the 35 route, but I'm just afraid that the 13 hours is more like (typical garmin and these things) 10/11 hours.   Also, if those figures is more than 13 for example if you disable the hrm just for comrades for example, then it is also fine, but the fine folks at Garmin RSA cannot tell me that.

[Stretch]

Gamin opinion if you guys don't mind please.

 

 

as a former owner of a 15 and a current owner of a 230..here is my opinion

 

15 was great and used it for 18 months...but at the end was just managing 5 hours - i used it as a stopwatch for comrades with my bryton bike gps in my back pocket (because if its not on strava...it didnt happen).

 

I would have probably kept it for a bit but I lost my Bryton in between some rocks in the berg.

 

Here are the negatives:

 - The strap started to crack at the most used pinhole. It will last a bit longer because the centre bit is more durable..but you get anxious about it breaking off during a run

 - You HAVE to go to garmin to replace the strap and a new strap is R600. because of this the best I could get for it was R450 bucks on gumtree - so I basically gave it away.

 

Positives:

 - for its price it does exactly what you want and will handle a marathon and fastish ultra

 - screens are clear and visible

 

Would I buy it again - no - because of the strap issue

 

The 230 on the other hand has a "standard" strap, or at least one that can be manipulated to work with it (i am even contemplating replacing it with velcro strap and keeping the original packed away for when i want to sell it one day.) It uses approximately 10% battery per activity hour...but that is with HRM and about 14 days of day to day use. I am really pleased with it and glad I made the jump (i did buy it from the uk though - so only spent R3000 odd)

[Lexx]

Buy a Suunto!!

[Jackes]

Stretch, The 230 is going to cost me R3.2k as well.  It seems like the 35 can probably be R1k less.

 

I guess you don't have to enable the HRM for comrades if that is the one race that you might not make the duration, be it Optical or strap.

 

On the other hand I'm more inclined to go for the ultimate battery life one once and for all, but not sure if I'm thinking wrong here. 

[Jackes]

Buy a Suunto!!

At a R1,000 more than the forerunner 230?  That is the ambit3, which seems higher spec?

Edited October 13, 2016 by Jackes

[Hacc]

Have you read DC Rainmaker's review?

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/11/garmin-fr230-fr235-review.html

Edited October 14, 2016 by Hacc

[Jackes]

Have you read DC Rainmaker's review?

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/11/garmin-fr230-fr235-review.html

 

I have yes.  What did I miss?

[Hacc]

I have yes.  What did I miss?

I see he is reporting 16 hours battery life.

I have the Forerunner 620. Unfortunately the battery life is only 10 hours, DC Rainmaker's review is accurate.

[Jackes]

I see he is reporting 16 hours battery life.

I have the Forerunner 620. Unfortunately the battery life is only 10 hours, DC Rainmaker's review is accurate.

 

That is on the 230 yes, hence why that is what I'm leaning towards.   The 235 (optical HRM) only has 11 (which a lot of forums report they have battery issues with and it's nowhere near that.

 

The 35 (currently launching) is rated for 13 hours.

 

He does not have a battery review yet unfortunately.

 

It seens the 35 will cost me R1,000 less than the 230.    But I'm still thinking go for the max 16 hours (230 model), even if it costs me a R1,000 more.

Edited October 14, 2016 by Jackes

[Hacc]

So sorry, misread your post.

11 hours is cutting it fine... I would go for the 230 then if the HRM is not an issue for you.

[Stretch]

That is on the 230 yes, hence why that is what I'm leaning towards.   The 235 (optical HRM) only has 11 (which a lot of forums report they have battery issues with and it's nowhere near that.

 

The 35 (currently launching) is rated for 13 hours.

 

He does not have a battery review yet unfortunately.

 

It seens the 35 will cost me R1,000 less than the 230.    But I'm still thinking go for the max 16 hours (230 model), even if it costs me a R1,000 more.

 

I think that is pushing it. Maybe without a HRM and bluetooth off. My sense is that the 230 will give you more like 13 hours...but that is still more than enough

[ScottCM]

Good luck for Sunday Stretch. Knock SC Marathon out the park.

[Stretch]

South coast marathon done and dusted on Sunday. Bit of a *** marathon with over 500m of ascent and some nasty hills in the last 4 or 5 km's. Added to that it was hot as heck with temps hitting the 30's. My goal was a sub 3:30, but realistically I wanted a sub 3:20. I went out strong and went through the halfway turn at 1:36..tight...but on course for a 3:20 and all was going well until about 32km when the heat started to take its toll as well as the hills that started to appear more regularly. In the end I limped home in 3:29:57 - which I was still pleased with considering the course and the temperature. Retrospectively, perhaps not the best course to go for my first sub 3:20 on, and I possibly went out a bit hard at the beginning.

 

1:36 - first 21

1:55 - second 21

 

OMTOM b batch - Check

Comrades c batch - check

 

its lekker to get the qualifiers out early!

Edited October 17, 2016 by Stretch

[Lexx]

Well Done Stretch. Awesome time

[Andrew Steer]

Well done Stretch... job done! Machine 

[Lexx]

Seeing all you guys times, I'm stressing my @ss off for my Qualifier at Kaapschehoop lol. I know I trained really hard. But there's always that little voice in the back of your head.

Edited October 17, 2016 by Lexx