heart rate monitor

jwshooter · 03-09-2009, 09:09

as above im thinking of buying one ,possibly from argos as i have some thing to return .

im looking for one for under 200 bucks .any ideas ?. they sell polar and garmin in argos .

thanks jw .

DJsail · 03-09-2009, 09:31

If all your looking for is a heart rate monitor, Tesco sell Polar FS1 HRM for Eur30, got one for running and the T31 sensor that comes with it can be used in conjunction with my CS200 cycling computer which was going to be replaced until I found out it was compatible!

blorg · 03-09-2009, 11:02

Indeed, if all you are looking for is instantaneous HR any reputable brand will do the job including that Polar which seems like a decent price.

The higher end ones do stuff like recording your data over the course of a cycle.

Personally I would not be without my Garmin as I also value the other features on it... Others will swear by Polar (although they are wrong.)

tunney · 03-09-2009, 11:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by blorg

Indeed, if all you are looking for is instantaneous HR any reputable brand will do the job including that Polar which seems like a decent price.

The higher end ones do stuff like recording your data over the course of a cycle.

Personally I would not be without my Garmin as I also value the other features on it... Others will swear by Polar (although they are wrong.)

I've a high end polar and a high end garmin.

Polar does some things excellently.
Garmin does other things excelleently.

Both need significant work. I'm keeping polar for some sessions, garmin for others.

blorg · 03-09-2009, 11:24

I would be guessing for specific heart-rate related training the Polar is superior?

I do a lot of cycling other than racing or training for racing, touring, audax and long cross-country cycles in particular so I value the mapping functions on the Garmin, these may not be so important for others.

What functions do you like on the Garmin in particular for your own use out of interest.

RedB · 03-09-2009, 11:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwshooter

as above im thinking of buying one ,possibly from argos as i have some thing to return .

im looking for one for under 200 bucks .any ideas ?. they sell polar and garmin in argos .

thanks jw .

Slightly off topic but you'd get more bang for your buck buying online from wiggle or even the argos UK site if you had someone travelling rather than the local argos especially in the 200 bucks range.

austinbyrne21 · 03-09-2009, 11:56

Sorry for hi-jacking but has anyone any experience with the Garmin Forerunner 405? I don't need any mapping features so don't need the 705 and I want it for running as well as cycling so don't need an Edge. Any advice?

OP- I've got a Polar F6 (I think it is) and find it excellent, can't find a fault for what I need it for. Great for training within zones etc. and unlike some other similar products with awkward looking chest straps, the Polar has a very subtle chest strap.

blorg · 03-09-2009, 14:32

I think the key thing with the 405 is that the screen is going to be a lot smaller and thus not able to display as much information.

Obviously would be a lot better for running though.

austinbyrne21 · 03-09-2009, 14:40

Blorg - That's the sacrifice alright but I don't think I'd get the benefit of the map features of the bigger Garmins. Also, is the seperate cadence device handy enough to install myself or is it a LBS kinda job?

peterako · 03-09-2009, 14:54

I've bought two Polar Cycling Computers on eBay now.

One for myself (S710 with a speed and Cadence sensor) for £90 (ebay.co.uk)

One for my brother (S720i with a speed sensor) for €90 (ebay.de).

I love my S710

Maybe because I'm an information junky

Old tech now....but so am I!

I mounted all teh sensors myself.

The Speed sensor is a straight forward zip-tie job to fork and magnet on the spokes.

The Cadence...I used a small magnet removed from and old wheel spoke magnet which I have stuck to the inside exposed axel end of one of my pedals. (Sensor on the seat stay).

Easy peasy...

Peter

blorg · 03-09-2009, 15:13

It's not just the mapping features though, the size of the screen on the 705 is big enough that you can display lots of stuff on it at once (up to 8 variables) while with the 405 you are going to be a lot more limited. The 305 lacks the mapping features but it had the same amount of room on the screen for 8 parameters.

I would find it annoying if I had to start chopping down the amount of stuff I could display, and the thing is these devices have a lot of interesting stuff in there.

At the moment I have it displaying:

Heart Rate
Cadence
Elevation
Grade

Speed
Average (Lap) Speed
Distance
Time of Day

If I have an end point programmed I am interested in:

Distance to Next
Distance to Dest

On the training courses there is a whole load of other stuff you may be interested in, such as your time vs goal time, how far ahead or behind you are from your "virtual partner" etc...

Battery life on the 705 is also far superior if you do longer cycles.

Having said that while it is superior for cycling you can't really run with it, so if you want that the 405 is the obvious choice.

The cadence sensor is very easy to add yourself, you just strap it on to the chainstay with zip ties and zip tie a magnet onto your crank. I wouldn't bother personally with attaching the rear speed magnet to the wheel unless you are using it on a trainer as it ALWAYS uses GPS for speed when it has signal and ignores the magnet.

**Lumen** · 03-09-2009, 15:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by blorg

Battery life on the 705 is also far superior if you do longer cycles. Having said that while it is superior for cycling you can't really run with it

On the odd occasion that I run I take my 705. Handy for speed, HR and distance. It moves around in my chest pocket, which is annoying. There is probably some sort of armband iPod thingy I could use to keep it in place. Suggestions welcome. Sorry for thread hijack.

scottreynolds · 03-09-2009, 15:19

Anyone mentioed the 310XT -- a hybrid both big enoigh for cycling and 'small' enough to wear on the wrist for running. Doesn't have amps but does have mapping features (so I've been told).

tunney · 03-09-2009, 15:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottreynolds

Anyone mentioed the 310XT -- a hybrid both big enoigh for cycling and 'small' enough to wear on the wrist for running. Doesn't have amps but does have mapping features (so I've been told).

This is the one I have, I have issues with the recording rate and its missing some of the features for ease of use that polar have.

tunney · 03-09-2009, 15:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by blorg

I would be guessing for specific heart-rate related training the Polar is superior?

I do a lot of cycling other than racing or training for racing, touring, audax and long cross-country cycles in particular so I value the mapping functions on the Garmin, these may not be so important for others.

What functions do you like on the Garmin in particular for your own use out of interest.

Polar one is vastly superior for HR - and my polar is a few years out of date. The new Polars do beat by beat recording and measure the heart rate variability which is the best way to detect overtraining.

On the Garmin (310xt) I use it solely for running as its not going to usrup my SRMs. If I had wireless SRMs I'd get a 705 and then happy days but I don't. I had thought the pace/speed aspect was excellent but now I jsut think its better than polars.

I think if you took the Polar top end HR stuff combined it with the Garmin GPS and made it ANT+ then that would be perfect.

03-09-2009, 09:09	#1
jwshooter Banned Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: wexford Posts: 2,790 Adverts \| Friends	heart rate monitor as above im thinking of buying one ,possibly from argos as i have some thing to return . im looking for one for under 200 bucks .any ideas ?. they sell polar and garmin in argos . thanks jw .

03-09-2009, 14:54	#10
peterako Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: A Bog, in Ireland Posts: 280 Adverts \| Friends	I've bought two Polar Cycling Computers on eBay now. One for myself (S710 with a speed and Cadence sensor) for £90 (ebay.co.uk) One for my brother (S720i with a speed sensor) for €90 (ebay.de). I love my S710 Maybe because I'm an information junky Old tech now....but so am I! I mounted all teh sensors myself. The Speed sensor is a straight forward zip-tie job to fork and magnet on the spokes. The Cadence...I used a small magnet removed from and old wheel spoke magnet which I have stuck to the inside exposed axel end of one of my pedals. (Sensor on the seat stay). Easy peasy... Peter Last edited by peterako; 03-09-2009 at 14:58.

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03-09-2009, 09:31	#2
DJsail Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Portmarnock Posts: 149 Adverts \| Friends	If all your looking for is a heart rate monitor, Tesco sell Polar FS1 HRM for Eur30, got one for running and the T31 sensor that comes with it can be used in conjunction with my CS200 cycling computer which was going to be replaced until I found out it was compatible!

03-09-2009, 11:02	#3
blorg Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Dublin Posts: 11,884 Adverts \| Friends	Indeed, if all you are looking for is instantaneous HR any reputable brand will do the job including that Polar which seems like a decent price. The higher end ones do stuff like recording your data over the course of a cycle. Personally I would not be without my Garmin as I also value the other features on it... Others will swear by Polar (although they are wrong.)

03-09-2009, 11:24	#5
blorg Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Dublin Posts: 11,884 Adverts \| Friends	I would be guessing for specific heart-rate related training the Polar is superior? I do a lot of cycling other than racing or training for racing, touring, audax and long cross-country cycles in particular so I value the mapping functions on the Garmin, these may not be so important for others. What functions do you like on the Garmin in particular for your own use out of interest.

03-09-2009, 11:56	#7
austinbyrne21 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 36 Adverts \| Friends	Sorry for hi-jacking but has anyone any experience with the Garmin Forerunner 405? I don't need any mapping features so don't need the 705 and I want it for running as well as cycling so don't need an Edge. Any advice? OP- I've got a Polar F6 (I think it is) and find it excellent, can't find a fault for what I need it for. Great for training within zones etc. and unlike some other similar products with awkward looking chest straps, the Polar has a very subtle chest strap.

03-09-2009, 14:32	#8
blorg Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Dublin Posts: 11,884 Adverts \| Friends	I think the key thing with the 405 is that the screen is going to be a lot smaller and thus not able to display as much information. Obviously would be a lot better for running though.

03-09-2009, 14:40	#9
austinbyrne21 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 36 Adverts \| Friends	Blorg - That's the sacrifice alright but I don't think I'd get the benefit of the map features of the bigger Garmins. Also, is the seperate cadence device handy enough to install myself or is it a LBS kinda job?

03-09-2009, 15:13	#11
blorg Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Dublin Posts: 11,884 Adverts \| Friends	It's not just the mapping features though, the size of the screen on the 705 is big enough that you can display lots of stuff on it at once (up to 8 variables) while with the 405 you are going to be a lot more limited. The 305 lacks the mapping features but it had the same amount of room on the screen for 8 parameters. I would find it annoying if I had to start chopping down the amount of stuff I could display, and the thing is these devices have a lot of interesting stuff in there. At the moment I have it displaying: Heart Rate Cadence Elevation Grade Speed Average (Lap) Speed Distance Time of Day If I have an end point programmed I am interested in: Distance to Next Distance to Dest On the training courses there is a whole load of other stuff you may be interested in, such as your time vs goal time, how far ahead or behind you are from your "virtual partner" etc... Battery life on the 705 is also far superior if you do longer cycles. Having said that while it is superior for cycling you can't really run with it, so if you want that the 405 is the obvious choice. The cadence sensor is very easy to add yourself, you just strap it on to the chainstay with zip ties and zip tie a magnet onto your crank. I wouldn't bother personally with attaching the rear speed magnet to the wheel unless you are using it on a trainer as it ALWAYS uses GPS for speed when it has signal and ignores the magnet.

03-09-2009, 15:19	#13
scottreynolds Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,963 Adverts \| Friends	Anyone mentioed the 310XT -- a hybrid both big enoigh for cycling and 'small' enough to wear on the wrist for running. Doesn't have amps but does have mapping features (so I've been told).