That will be HOW MUCH for the shipping? (Mini-Rant)

[Louis]

So the elastic strap on my Polar HRM has slowly been losing it's elasticity over the years and I've been gradually moving the sizing buckle in to take up the slack. It's finally gotten to the point where I can't make it any smaller, so it slides too far down my chest and every now and then looses contact. I've decided to replace it and I go to the Polar USA web site. Sure enough, they have it, and it's $5.95. Great. I begin the ordering process then I get to the shipping portion. My options are as shown below:

DHL Second Day : Usually arrives in 2-3 business days ($22.17)
DHL Ground : Usually arrives in 5-7 business days ($13.83)
DHL Overnight Delivery : Usually arrives in 1-2 business days ($45.03)

I decide on principle that I will not pay over twice the cost of the item on shipping alone, so I exit the web site. We'll see if one the the LBS's has one.

Louis

[SadieKate]

A friend recommended Sark a few years back for Polar battery replacement. They were fast and reasonable. Their site has pretty good prices for the straps.

http://www.sarkproducts.com/

[Needs Help]

How do you get a polar heart rate monitor to actually display your correct heart rate consistently? I have a CS200cad and some days it works, and other days I get readings of 34 or 223 my whole ride. I unhook the chest unit 5 or 6 times until the main unit shows 00, and then I reconnect the chest unit and lean down and touch my chest unit to the main until it displays a reading again--and it just shows 34 or 223 again.

I'm thinking about buying a hammer to fix it.

[Climb01742]

shipping prices have risen due to fuel prices. shipping companies are very fuel sensitive businesses.

[Mud]

for your HRM. Once I started using it I got consistant readings.

[steve575]

A lot of companies mark up shipping cost, but those cost actually sound reasonable. The price of the item doesn't matter to the shipper. Would those cost be out of line if the part cost $500?
I do get your point and agree with you, some items are just better off sourced locally (depending on how far you have to drive).

[Dave]

I'd probably cut off a few inches and sew the end back together.

[Volant]

Check Amazon. They usually carry, or have affiliates, that can provide what you need and shipping has always been reasonable. Here's a polar strap (don't know if it's the one you need - you need to varify that) where shipping is under $5.
http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Rate-Monitor-Replacement-Transmitter/dp/B0007ZFVNO/ref=pd_bbs_7?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1218545715&sr=8-7
Also, if you're an Amazon Prime member (which I admit is a little pricey for membership), shipping is always free on Amazon carried products.
If not, and Amazon is the provider, if you purchase more than $25, shipping is free for ground. I'll usually throw something I know I'll need down-the-road if I don't have an immediate need to get the free shipping.
I hope this helps.

[false_Aest]

I'd probably cut off a few inches and sew the end back together.

+1

But if you went the route of a new strap, there has to be a company out there that ships USPS (my carrier of choice because of low $$ and because both FedEx and UPS have consistently effed up deliveries AND I don't have to sign to receive the delivery---seriously, what do I care if a $5 item gets stolen. I'd rather it get stolen than drive 15 miles to the UPS warehouse to pick it up).

T.

[a100mark]

Shipping prices are out of control. I sold two versions of the same bike this past week and shipped them to California and Alabama respectively. The online calculators are a load of horse crap, as they were close to being 75% UNDER what the actual shipping was. The folks had already paid me via paypal and were kind enough to go back and make up the difference. That said, I was fed the line "Cost of oil has caused this"....I can buy that argument, but not when it's applied to why an online delivery is 75% less than an in store drop off.

Long and short, the shipping industry (in my opinion) is price gouging!

[toaster]

If it's the strap for the T31, T31C, T61 models then don't purchase a new one, instead go to the local fabric store and buy replacement elastic from a roll and then find a dress store or seamstress to stitch up a new strap using the plastic pieces from the original Polar strap.

The elastic on the Polar strap loses elasticity fast and the replacement elastic you get from the fabric store will last much longer.

If that's too much trouble PM me and I'll sell you a new Polar strap or even my new replacement model for $6 with free shipping.

[Steelhead]

Call them, they might work with you. They now have a service center in Dallas, not too far from where you are and a lot quicker turn around compared to when they had no US service cntr.

[ss-jimbo]

shipping prices have risen due to fuel prices. shipping companies are very fuel sensitive businesses.

Booooogus. The size of a heart rate strap means that Polar can drop it in a Priority Mail envelope and send it for $5.

[ClutchCargo]

Louis -- I hear ya and have two suggestions.

1) you might get a better result by calling Polar customer service and
describing the problem. you never know; they might say something like 'yeah,
we used to have a problem with those. what's your address, we'll drop one
in the mail.' at least you'll have a chance to say 'what?!?!?' when they state
what shipping will be.

2) hit the bench press ! :D

good luck in any event.

[BarryG]

Booooogus. The size of a heart rate strap means that Polar can drop it in a Priority Mail envelope and send it for $5.
Or drop it in an ordinary envelope and send it first class for $2.

[SadieKate]

Sheesh, all this effort when Sark (the link I provided) will send you an $8 strap for $5 shipping or $20 for 2 including the shipping.

UPS or US mail.

[Ahneida Ride]

frn dilution in action . ;)

[SadieKate]

How do you get a polar heart rate monitor to actually display your correct heart rate consistently? I have a CS200cad and some days it works, and other days I get readings of 34 or 223 my whole ride. I unhook the chest unit 5 or 6 times until the main unit shows 00, and then I reconnect the chest unit and lean down and touch my chest unit to the main until it displays a reading again--and it just shows 34 or 223 again.

I'm thinking about buying a hammer to fix it.I've heard that a flapping or loose jersey can cause this problem.

[victoryfactory]

My company ships a lot via UPS and Fedex.
Both companies have added a surcharge above the regular
rates for fuel. As of Aug 4th, the current surcharges are:

Air: + 34.5%
Ground: + 10.25%

Even though gas has fallen in the last 2 weeks, they are slow to
lower the surcharges. (I wonder why)

We have to deal with the customer's complaints as if we were
the ones overcharging.

VF

[Volant]

My company ships a lot via UPS and Fedex.
Both companies have added a surcharge above the regular
rates for fuel. As of Aug 4th, the current surcharges are:

Air: + 34.5%
Ground: + 10.25%

Even though gas has fallen in the last 2 weeks, they are slow to
lower the surcharges. (I wonder why)

We have to deal with the customer's complaints as if we were
the ones overcharging.

VF

Oil is off 25% from its highs; so why can't we take deductions from the rates?! (This is not a serious question.)

[Ken C]

Booooogus. The size of a heart rate strap means that Polar can drop it in a Priority Mail envelope and send it for $5.


Completely agree. I just ordered a new stem from Excel Sports and it is being shipped Priority Mail for $5. Just do what Sadiekate said and order it from tha place she mentioned or someplace like Excel and have it sent Priority for $5.

[Ginger]

Hmmm...if I remember right, that's an elastic strap threaded through two special end pieces...


Ride your bike to a fabric shop.

Pick up $5 worth of black elastic strap. That might last you for your next 3 straps...so you might want to just take the strap and figure out that you only need $1 worth.

thread it like the old one and sew the ends to the appropriate length. Use the old one as a guide.



Or, you could just make a fold in the old one and sew that. tack the other end and it will lay flat and not make you look any weirder than you already do as a cyclist wearing lycra. :)


I've been taken aback by some shipping fees lately...but paying for one of those straps is sort of insulting. While I understand the price of fuel and all that, some places seem to be taking a bit of an advantage of the situation.

[Steelhead]

Booooogus. The size of a heart rate strap means that Polar can drop it in a Priority Mail envelope and send it for $5.

And the vehicle that takes those kinds of packages runs on oxygen. :rolleyes:

[bagochips3]

How do you get a polar heart rate monitor to actually display your correct heart rate consistently? I have a CS200cad and some days it works, and other days I get readings of 34 or 223 my whole ride. I unhook the chest unit 5 or 6 times until the main unit shows 00, and then I reconnect the chest unit and lean down and touch my chest unit to the main until it displays a reading again--and it just shows 34 or 223 again.

I'm thinking about buying a hammer to fix it.

I had similar issues and now I put a bit of warm water on the "mesh" bits before each ride and it works fine. Recently it was constantly reading low HR, but a fresh battery fixed that.

[Tom]

Recently it was constantly reading low HR, but a fresh battery fixed that.

"Nurse, either this man is dead or my watch has stopped."

[Needs Help]

I had similar issues and now I put a bit of warm water on the "mesh" bits before each ride and it works fine. Recently it was constantly reading low HR, but a fresh battery fixed that.
I use warm water too. How long do your batteries last? I think my hr works a little better after fresh batteries, but I've been trying new batteries every month. It's pretty frustrating.

Do newer models hone in better on the chest strap? Do hrm's just get worse with age? Mine's about 3-4 years old.

[bagochips3]

I use warm water too. How long do your batteries last? I think my hr works a little better after fresh batteries, but I've been trying new batteries every month. It's pretty frustrating.

Do newer models hone in better on the chest strap? Do hrm's just get worse with age? Mine's about 3-4 years old.

I'm terrible at remembering things like this, but as far as I can recall mine is a year or so old; definitely less than 2 years old. This was the first time I needed to change the battery.

[67-59]

I've heard that a flapping or loose jersey can cause this problem.

That was the case for me. I was getting strange readings, and someone suggested a form-fitting jersey. Got a skin-tight Assos, and the strange readings stopped. When I used my looser jersey again, I began to notice that the strange readings often occurred on the descent, or on windier days.

The person who suggested the tight jersey believes that the flapping causes static electricity. Not sure if that's right, but if it is, the electrical interference would seem to explain the readings. Anyhow, try a really tight jersey and see how it works out....