Polar heart rate monitor RS800CX Bike

[davidg]

http://www.polar.fi/en/products/cycling/RS800CX_BIKE/

I am looking to get a new heart rate monitor and also need a computer for my bike. I would also like to train for a triathlon next year, hence looking for a model that isnt just for bikes, ie can wear on wrist...

Basically am looking to train quite seriously as also want to do the Fred Whitton next Aug/Sept (the course rather than the run in May) and my training would definitely respond to this sort of techie self management.

I was attracted to this because it can do the job of the computer with speed/distance etc and looks to have really good training software/features on it.

Also and most importantly I can get it for £200 (when it retails for a lot more) and then put it through the bike to work claim that I am about to make....

Does anyone know anything about it? At £200 is there anything better out there that I should consider?

many thanks in advance

 

[Fiona N]

I don't know anything about that particular Polar model as I have currently the S725X. I have had only extremely positive experiences with Polar products. I'm on my second Polar HRM - the first sadly bit the dust after more than 10 years when Polar ran out of seals for the then long dis-continued model so when the battery was changed the unit was no longer waterproof and I went for a swim in the sea...but by that time I felt I'd had my money's worth.
In general the units seem pretty robust - I've used them climbing and mountaineering, in extremes of climate and swimming in the sea (not to mention occasionally dropping it on the hard bathroom floor) all with no problems whatsoever. The newer fabric chest belts are nice too compared to the old hard plastic ones but you do need to make sure you wet them well to get a good contact or they won't pick up the heart signal until you've sweated enough to soak the sensor.

I use the HRM also as a bike speedo and download the runs (speed distance HR altitude etc.) to the software and use it to track what I've done. As I no longer race, I'm not really interested in the finer details but am still sufficiently nerdy to want to keep a track Consequently I don't really use the software as well/fully as it could be but it's pretty straightforward unlike some other stuff I've seen (although there doesn't yet seem to be a MAC version, only Windows ).

I would recommend using the Polar service for battery changes as it does include replacing seals - as my experience indicates, even jewellers with experience of changing watch batteries can't do as good a job as Polar. People complain that it's expensive (they ought to try having a Cartier watch serviced: £300 for a glorified battery change) at ca. £20 a go but I find that pretty reasonable for the service and it's only every couple of years anyway.

Some people will doubtless recommend GPS (e.g. Garmin HRM model) for a similar price but I'm not convinced that I'd get any more out of the thing - I think it depends on what you personally need.

 

[davidg]

thanks for the reply. have used a really basic HRM before (Polar F6) and been happy with its basic use, but want to get serious!

The main thing that isnt on their is the GPS/SatNav side of things, but I cant see anything that would do this and the rest for similar money and I want the training aspect before sat nav....