Description: HRM + CycloComputer
All normal HRM functions + calories used estimates and ownIndex fitness test.
cyclocomputer has all normal functions also.
download to pc coach light (included) via microphone
I've been a fan of Polar HRMs for 15 years. However, I am truly dissapointed at their S 510 ("S" product line) for many reasons.
Firstly, the battery casing has writing that scapes your wrist when wearing the HRM.
Secondly, the fork mounting transponder for measuring the cycling portion cannot be optimally positioned on the road fork for optimal transmission feedback with the spoke magnet.
Thirdly, their dual time (T1 vs. T2) has no differentiation within their calendar software.
For example, if T1's date and time is set as Boston's-Sunday May 2nd/23:59 (11:59 pm) and T2 is set as L.A.'s-Sunday May 2nd/20:59 (08:59pm); you'll have the following result:
When T1 turns to 24:00 (12:00am) Monday May 3rd, T2's time remains accurate except it's Sunday becomes a "Monday" calendar date.
I've called Polar in N.Y. and emailed Europe many times to address their software glitch since 2001. Now it's almost 2004 and they still haven't corrected the problem for their entire new generation of "S" lines.
Unfortunately, Polar has no current priority to solve this glitch for its many customers. Bicycles stores have little power to help it's customers because Polar refuses to correct what they deem as an "Acceptable" facet within their product line.
I've been a fan of Polar HRM's since my days in college, when I actually took notes rather than buying classroom books to budget for a fine Polar HRM.
Thus, it's been difficult for me to downgrade my perception of Polar's esteemed reputation as a quality maker of HRMs. However, sometimes Reality reveals a clearer perception called "refund" (I was a value customer at my LBS so they refunded me), as if a higher law of Satisfaction auto-corrected the value of inferior products, rushed to market with irregard to customers.
My Satisfaction occurred last Sunday, when I stepped into a Target store and paid $150 less for a Timex Ironman HRM that worked fine and kept accurate dual time.
Do you know what I did with the additional $150 that I saved? I went to the nearest bicycle store and bought an Avocet cyclometer for $45 bucks and still had $100 bucks left over for my darn mother inlaw.
Well, it was supposed to be able to down load to your computer but that is a joke. The software was not working with me to download my workout info so I have lost an important function of the watch and this is one of the reasons why I got it! If they made the watch any bigger your training partner could read your info from across the street. You would have figured Polar would of made a better product than this!
This has everything. The HRM is great, I have had no big problems with it. It is easy to program. You can enter weight age, sex, max HR, and activity level and it will estimate the calories burned on each ride. That is useful for refueling during and after long rides. The cyclocomputer is standard.
The display is easily readable and you have 3 peices of info to see at all times (eg HR, Lap Time, Speed).
My only problem is with the interval timer:
if I want to do 3*15 minutes @ 170-175 with 4 minutes rest between each interval, there is no way to set the rest heart rate. so, the monitor beeps at me for the entire rest period (because I am below 170). Now I just set it to 135-175 for the intervals. Polar says that the rest HR is programmable but I have yet to see someone do it.
