Polar HRM

dexty

Hi,

wanted to get a computer for the bike that would include a heart rate monitor. So looking at the polars.

My needs would be trip distance, average speed, current speed, and current heart rate (plus average rate if possible).

Dont want anything too fancy, the CS 200 CAD looks ok for my needs? Or is that the CS 200? Dont really understand the CAd bit, is it worth it?

Also, where's best place to get it?

Cheers,

d

alfalad

The CAD stands for cadence which is how fast you turn the pedals (cranks) it is a seperate sensor and is good to have. I have the Polar CS200 CAD and it's good but you have to turn it on manually everytime you hop on the bike and if you get off for a coffee etc on a long run you need to pause it or i find i have to reset it when i jump back on the bike!

blorg

CAD= cadence. So if you want to know how fast you push the pedals around you want it. If not, you don't need it. Personally I like to have the figure but heart rate is much more important.

JacksonHeightsOwn

blorg wrote: »

CAD= cadence. So if you want to know how fast you push the pedals around you want it. If not, you don't need it. Personally I like to have the figure but heart rate is much more important.

why is heart rate so important?

im a newb, dont beat me

Bunnyhopper

chrisbonnie wrote: »

why is heart rate so important?

im a newb, dont beat me

Short of buying a (very expensive) power meter, heart rate is the best way to get some objective feedback on how hard you're working on the bike. That can be useful for monitoring your training.

For example, this site will give you an estimate of your maximum heart rate and then give you training zones based on the percentage of maximum that you're working at.

So if you're 25 year-old male, it gives a max of 194 BPM and suggests that if your aim is to build endurance then you'll want to be working in the 145-159 BPM range (or 75-82% of maximum).

JacksonHeightsOwn

Bunnyhopper wrote: »

Short of buying a (very expensive) power meter, heart rate is the best way to get some objective feedback on how hard you're working on the bike. That can be useful for monitoring your training.

For example, this site will give you an estimate of your maximum heart rate and then give you training zones based on the percentage of maximum that you're working at.

So if you're 25 year-old male, it gives a max of 194 BPM and suggests that if your aim is to build endurance then you'll want to be working in the 145-159 BPM range (or 75-82% of maximum).

oh right, i see, so would this fella be of use then?

dexty

ok cheers, heart rate is more important to me, cant see how i would use candence, so will go with the cs 200 model, dont need a GPS as I wont be getting lost! This price seem ok?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Polar-CS-200-Cycling-Computer-NEW_W0QQitemZ300339559133QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Sporting_Goods_Activity_Monitoring_MJ?hash=item45eda1fadd&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

andun84

Bunnyhopper wrote: »

Short of buying a (very expensive) power meter, heart rate is the best way to get some objective feedback on how hard you're working on the bike. That can be useful for monitoring your training.

For example, this site will give you an estimate of your maximum heart rate and then give you training zones based on the percentage of maximum that you're working at.

So if you're 25 year-old male, it gives a max of 194 BPM and suggests that if your aim is to build endurance then you'll want to be working in the 145-159 BPM range (or 75-82% of maximum).

Sorry but that's a rubbish generalised formula which often gives misleading results which means any heart zones based off them could be out by a long way. It may be that you just happen to conform to the formula however how will you ever know unless you test for it.

If you are going to base training zones of Maximum Heart Rate then there is no getting out if it and you will just have to a max heart rate test which is very, very hard.

Another method of working out heart rate based training zones is to to a lactate threshold test which is described here along with a bit of background info on what they will do for you:

http://www.endurancefactor.com/Articles/Lacatethreshold.html

Still very hard but you aren't taken to the point of fainting with this type of effort so for older people or those with no training background it may be a better approach.

Just as an example I am 36 with a maximum heart rate of 198bpm which if I went with the formula used in machinehead software I would have a max of 185. 13bpm is enormous in terms of training zones hence my dislike of such formulas.

Bunnyhopper

andun84 wrote: »

Sorry but that's a rubbish generalised formula...

I don't disagree with what you're saying, but it was a straightforward question ("why is heart rate so important?") asked by someone who identified themselves as a newb so landing them with the intricate complexities of heart-rate calculations and lactate thresholds didn't strike me as the best idea.

I'm not suggesting that the site I linked to is the most physiologically accurate training resource, but it does give a straightforward illustration of a straightforward answer to a straightforward question

@chrisbonnie I know there are people on here who have Garmin Edges of one sort or another but I'm not one of them so I can't really comment. If you search the forum you'll find some discussions of their pros and cons.