Any recommendations on Polar's combined HRM/COMP

[bironi]

This sounds like a clean solution, wireless combined heart rate monitor and cycling computer with wireless cadence. Has anyone used this model? Can it be mounted on the stem rather than the bars?

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=20487#

Thanks,
Byron

[sfscott]

I have that one. Works fine. Only complaint is that sometimes it's hard to get the IR port on it and my PC to talk to each other,

[bironi]

Can this unit be mounted on the stem facing the rider straight on?

[neverraced]

Yes.

[Spectrum Bob]

Yes it can be stem or bar mounted and will orientate correctly on the stem or bar.
My wife bought me on for my birthday and it has worked great I really like it.
My only complaint is that the top row of data is a little small for my aging eyes.

[Ray]

I have the model below this one, the CS 100. It has the same basic features, but not as extensive. Fewer laps, less PC connectivity, only remembers the details of your last ride - not your last 10 rides, etc. I've had it since July or August and have been happy with it. Pretty easy to setup. I show speed, cadence, heart rate, and trip distance on the screen simultaneously, which is all the information I'd ever want (and frequently more than I want, so I leave the head unit at home sometimes).

The only problem I've had was that shortly after I bought the unit, it froze up on me two or three times mid-ride. I believe this happened because I was cycling through the various screens while paused during a break in the ride. Then when I restarted, the speed function wouldn't come back to life. I had to reset and lost the data for the ride up to that point. Once I stopped futzing with the computer during breaks, I haven't had any problems at all.

I particularly like the lap feature, which allows you to make the warm up and cool-down part of the ride separate laps to isolate the portion where you're going harder. Or if you want to check out how you do on a particular climb, or something like that, you can make it a separate lap and get all of the details after the ride is over. This stuff is all overkill for the way I ride, but I sort of like keeping an eye on trends over the course of the season, so its fun if not necessary.

-Ray

[chrisroph]

I have a 720 and it has been great. It presently needs a battery and I need to send it back to polar. I can't get it to talk with my laptop but so what? It is a nice, reliable, full function computer/hr monitor all in one package.

[jeffg]

and have had it for 3+ years now with no issues.

I really enjoy the software for tracking progress, miles, etc. It is neat to look at events you have done or climbs and see grade, speed, cadence, etc.

It is a shame the power kit has significant problems since that would be a real economical choice for power-based training, but that is a whole other story ...