Best HRM for cyclist

[singletrek]

Maybe this topic has been discussed before, but I need to buy my wife a new heart rate monitor. We need something that we can transfer training data to a PC. Her current Polar uses the Soniclink process, which is rubbish. I have been using a Polar S720 for almost 6 years now and it works fairly well.

 

But I see that there are lost of nnew goodies on the market.

 

What do the Hubbers think?

Edited February 2, 2011 by singletrek

[MTB_Roadie]

i got me the Sigma ROX 8.0 from CWC, awesome unit, gives everything you need.....

[Bos]

you know what, Ive recently gone through a whole lot of ****, with my garmin, at a time that I really wanted to record new trails in the knysna forrest and Im training hard .. Ok whats my problem. I had a Forunner 305, the unit gave **** every 6 months over the 2 years I had it, untill it oneday just popped open by itself upon which I taped it shut(it was still working) That went on till it gave me the finger oneday and I had to do the dreaded thing of taking it back to the distributor. Why dreaded, Because it means 2-3 weeks without a clue as to how My training is going, so much so that the last time it broke I just got use to riding without a monitor or meter whatever you want to call it. The agents are so Clueless that they forgot to send the unit twice, then they sent the wronng Item, and then when I asked them to send it to knysna because I was going on holiday they sent it to cape town, capetown then sent it back to me in knysna but after a bunch of dishonnesty on who made the effup they finally supplied me with a tracking no, 5 minutes before they closed shop for the holidays, I drove to town into knysna maddness over festive season, the guy at SAPO told me thate was no such no. Luckely after some time of my being adiment that It had to be thee I realised they gave me the tracking no for the Joburg to capetown trip not cape to knysna. I made the oke at the postoffice go through hell and Finally after handsearching for each parcill we found one that just said, ""stefan"" not spelt right, its a miracle I got that thing at all.

 

Each time I had to take my older unit in they said all they did was a "software update" which I can now do myself so I dont have to phone them everyday to make sure they dont forget to send it in.

 

Its just that kind of Thanks for your money now F*ck off" attitude that is making my blood boil all over again. so...Ive had my new "upgrade" 310xt for a month now. a week after getting it it oneday just stopped telling me the distance, It was still giving me speed, so It had to somehow be reading satalites but no distance. then when I wanted to go through the painful and terrible Uploadprocedure via "ant software" It didnt want to download anything, then It didnt want to re- set on my next ride somuch did it irritate me that I couldnt take the unit back because that was like having a tooth pulled.

 

I read up and saw on a forum that one needed to do a "hard reset" wich wipes all information and personal + personalised settings off and you start from scratch, lovely!

So, yesterday Its a great day in capetown and the wind let up for just long enough, and Im pacing down the twelve apostles.. guess what?? the effing thing gives me the minger all over again...

 

So, thats all I have against Garmin..RAGE It feels like this picture..

[Just Keep Pedaling]

Just thinking...if he is careful he could probably get away with scratching with his thumbs...just saying.

[Just Keep Pedaling]

Just thinking...if he is careful he could probably get away with scratching with his thumbs...just saying.

[Spinnekop]

Garmin Edge 500

[Tiny K]

you know what, Ive recently gone through a whole lot of ****, with my garmin, at a time that I really wanted to record new trails in the knysna forrest and Im training hard .. Ok whats my problem. I had a Forunner 305, the unit gave **** every 6 months over the 2 years I had it, untill it oneday just popped open by itself upon which I taped it shut(it was still working) That went on till it gave me the finger oneday and I had to do the dreaded thing of taking it back to the distributor. Why dreaded, Because it means 2-3 weeks without a clue as to how My training is going, so much so that the last time it broke I just got use to riding without a monitor or meter whatever you want to call it. The agents are so Clueless that they forgot to send the unit twice, then they sent the wronng Item, and then when I asked them to send it to knysna because I was going on holiday they sent it to cape town, capetown then sent it back to me in knysna but after a bunch of dishonnesty on who made the effup they finally supplied me with a tracking no, 5 minutes before they closed shop for the holidays, I drove to town into knysna maddness over festive season, the guy at SAPO told me thate was no such no. Luckely after some time of my being adiment that It had to be thee I realised they gave me the tracking no for the Joburg to capetown trip not cape to knysna. I made the oke at the postoffice go through hell and Finally after handsearching for each parcill we found one that just said, ""stefan"" not spelt right, its a miracle I got that thing at all.

 

Each time I had to take my older unit in they said all they did was a "software update" which I can now do myself so I dont have to phone them everyday to make sure they dont forget to send it in.

 

Its just that kind of Thanks for your money now F*ck off" attitude that is making my blood boil all over again. so...Ive had my new "upgrade" 310xt for a month now. a week after getting it it oneday just stopped telling me the distance, It was still giving me speed, so It had to somehow be reading satalites but no distance. then when I wanted to go through the painful and terrible Uploadprocedure via "ant software" It didnt want to download anything, then It didnt want to re- set on my next ride somuch did it irritate me that I couldnt take the unit back because that was like having a tooth pulled.

 

I read up and saw on a forum that one needed to do a "hard reset" wich wipes all information and personal + personalised settings off and you start from scratch, lovely!

So, yesterday Its a great day in capetown and the wind let up for just long enough, and Im pacing down the twelve apostles.. guess what?? the effing thing gives me the minger all over again...

 

So, thats all I have against Garmin..RAGE It feels like this picture..

\

 

All righty then.... and i read this as I am in the process of buying an Edge 800. But maybe that is just your bad luck (karma) seeing that it has happened twice with two different models.

 

I know a guy who kept having issues with his Blackberry - went through 7/8 of them - ended up getting the Torch and it is still fine to this day.

 

edit: I want to 800 for the street maps as well so that (one day when I get one again) I can mount it on my m/cycle. In the mean time i'll just borrow my dad's m/cycle

Edited January 25, 2011 by SirK

[stewie911]

Sigma Rox 9 really does rock if you don't want gps.

 

Real value for money. Speed and Cadence sensor and handlebar mount cost me R250 or something.

[Bos]

Karma Bro its not my bloody fault... are you saying its me? I'll come over there and strangle you with a bikeframe, my blood is boiling at these okes!!:lol: Im just joking ofcourse. But I bloody will strangle each one of those okes in the Montague gardens office!

 

Its a flipping laugh these guys I swear.

 

Take from it what you want. Im not unreasonable, I work with incompetant people all day, guys from factories, factories in china where they cant speak English or even know where Souf Africa is. But these Garmin okes, Another breed altogether.

[stewie911]

Maybe a better response:

 

Value for money: Sigma

Service wise: Polar

Quality: Polar and Garmin(though some models do give a lot of sh!t)

[bontie]

While I have sympathy for Mr Bos here, the Garmin Edge 305, was their first foray into a cycle computer and from what I could gather the newer versions have seen vast improvements in reliability, datarecording, usability(is there such a word).

I sold my Edge 305 a while ago to another hubber - and he is using it without any hassles (it is now 3 years old and well used - I used it 10-15 hours per week,52 weeks per year). The gripes I ahd with the Garmin was:

- Poor battery life

- No wrist functionality for running (now there is a 405/410?)

 

So get a Polar - it fits on the wrist and the batteries last a long time?

 

Polar RS800 G3, for multisport. The G3 unit is MASSIVE, uses one AAAA battery every ten hours and is VERY unreliable.The unit itself is not as user friendly as the Garmin was.

 

I cannot vouch for the others, but between Polar and Garmin - the Garmin will get my vote.

 

BTW - The G3 footpod sensor is on its way and I will soon buy an Edge 500/800 for the bike. I do not know what I will do with the G3 sensor, chuck it in the cupboard I suppose... In term of price - not much difference.

[Tankman]

Garmin, to answer your question. And yes it has been discussed a million times here.

 

Why would you want to get and old 705 or 605 when you can get a new 500 for cheaper with an overall better design and functionality?

Or even the new 800?

['Dale]

Maybe a better response:

 

Value for money: Sigma

Service wise: Polar

Quality: Polar and Garmin(though some models do give a lot of sh!t)

Great response.

 

[i'm cool with ma Polar RS 8000 CX Pro - those Garmins are looking rather shaxxy these days.]

['Dale]

you know what, Ive recently gone through a whole lot of ****, with my garmin, at a time that I really wanted to record new trails in the knysna forrest and Im training hard .. Ok whats my problem. I had a Forunner 305, the unit gave **** every 6 months over the 2 years I had it, untill it oneday just popped open by itself upon which I taped it shut(it was still working) That went on till it gave me the finger oneday and I had to do the dreaded thing of taking it back to the distributor. Why dreaded, Because it means 2-3 weeks without a clue as to how My training is going, so much so that the last time it broke I just got use to riding without a monitor or meter whatever you want to call it. The agents are so Clueless that they forgot to send the unit twice, then they sent the wronng Item, and then when I asked them to send it to knysna because I was going on holiday they sent it to cape town, capetown then sent it back to me in knysna but after a bunch of dishonnesty on who made the effup they finally supplied me with a tracking no, 5 minutes before they closed shop for the holidays, I drove to town into knysna maddness over festive season, the guy at SAPO told me thate was no such no. Luckely after some time of my being adiment that It had to be thee I realised they gave me the tracking no for the Joburg to capetown trip not cape to knysna. I made the oke at the postoffice go through hell and Finally after handsearching for each parcill we found one that just said, ""stefan"" not spelt right, its a miracle I got that thing at all.

 

Each time I had to take my older unit in they said all they did was a "software update" which I can now do myself so I dont have to phone them everyday to make sure they dont forget to send it in.

 

Its just that kind of Thanks for your money now F*ck off" attitude that is making my blood boil all over again. so...Ive had my new "upgrade" 310xt for a month now. a week after getting it it oneday just stopped telling me the distance, It was still giving me speed, so It had to somehow be reading satalites but no distance. then when I wanted to go through the painful and terrible Uploadprocedure via "ant software" It didnt want to download anything, then It didnt want to re- set on my next ride somuch did it irritate me that I couldnt take the unit back because that was like having a tooth pulled.

 

I read up and saw on a forum that one needed to do a "hard reset" wich wipes all information and personal + personalised settings off and you start from scratch, lovely!

So, yesterday Its a great day in capetown and the wind let up for just long enough, and Im pacing down the twelve apostles.. guess what?? the effing thing gives me the minger all over again...

 

So, thats all I have against Garmin..RAGE It feels like this picture..

The "Post Of The Day" for me. Thanx, Bos!!

[MTB_Roadie]

\

 

All righty then.... and i read this as I am in the process of buying an Edge 800. But maybe that is just your bad luck (karma) seeing that it has happened twice with two different models.

 

I know a guy who kept having issues with his Blackberry - went through 7/8 of them - ended up getting the Torch and it is still fine to this day.

 

edit: I want to 800 for the street maps as well so that (one day when I get one again) I can mount it on my m/cycle. In the mean time i'll just borrow my dad's m/cycle

 

My girlfriends parents had loads of issues wth their garmins...the forerunner 305 been replaced 4 times...thing started freezing,etc. her dads brand new Forerunner 310XT broke after 2 months....waited 6 weeks for a new one....so no comment

[Tankman]

You can hardly compare a Triathlon unit with a Cycling unit.

If you dont know the issues of the 305 series by now, you will never know.

 

Interesting, how did the 310XT unit break?