Heart Rate monitor or not??

Do you use a heart rate monitor when riding?

Please specify what brand and type when you reply.

I use Sigma PC-14. It's very cheap and very practical.
Polars are overhyped and overpriced. I've got one but I don't use it.

Perhaps, but IMO Polar's reputation is worth it. They are real quality equipment.

I use a sigma sport hrm for rides but a cardiosport for interval rides, since it beeps when you exceeding BPM or when recovery rates have been achieved, set time zones (Tz), comes in handy since the limit you set warns you if your exceeding and then beeps when recover rates have been acheived then you can off again.

ciclosport HAC4 cycle computer with HR monitor gets my vote. Surprised you did not add it to your list

i use the cardio sport for running, but comes in handy with Tz's since the watch has a bar mounting, the sigma was a trial thing.

i'm still wondering how i go about measuring power \ watts used

Me too....the SigmaSport has worked great on all my rides for 2 years now. Just replaced the battery in the watch for the first time. It only shows HR, but it's easy to read and operate.

Have started to track time spent above LT though; this would be a good feature to have on a new HRM. Now I just estimate time above 85-90% when I get home to note in my training diary.

CardioSport Exel Sport PC. It's a bit outdated at this point but I like the sampling fuction which most of the others I've looked at don't have or require some action from the user in order to record a sample. I'm assuming some of the newer Polar monitors have this feature and probably offer far more features overall which is, of course, reflected in the price. I also like the replaceable battery in the transmitter belt. The Polar monitors I've seen require that you purchase a new transmitter belt when the battery dies. Is this still the case?

BTW, CardioSport's tech support is the worst. I bought the PC interface which has never worked properly and no one at their tech support has the slightest clue. It also takes several contacts with them to get a response.

thats what i like about the cardiosport the Record and Recall functions, plus the Tz for interval training. it is a bit out dated i guess since it is nearly 10yrs old now and i purchased it to run with originally. maybe i'll buy something new something that i can download data with but at the minute its all i can offord unfortunately, since i have family commitments which prevent me from going mad with gadjets to assist me.

just bought a ciclosport hac4. fantastic, easy to use, loads of features (countdown x2, temperature, altitude, climb steepness, heart rate, stopwatch, etc, etc, etc)

the plus kit also has loads of software and a cadence kit. all for around £200!

difficult to get your hand on in UK though. i have a link on my blogsite to where i got mine from if anyone is interested.

__________________
CHISABLOG

Ouch! thats out of my price range

you can get the HRM watch without the computer/cadence kit for about £140

__________________
CHISABLOG

its the cadenance thing i want that tells you your rpm does it not?

Definitely use an HRM while riding as well as other types of exercise.

I use a Sports Instruments ECG5 that I bought on closeout for around $50. It has a few nifty features that my Polar A5 didn't have, including:

• Time spent above and below target zone
• A lap function
• User replaceable batteries (very nice)

Sigma PC-14 also has audio alarms. It beeps once if you are below the zone and twice if you are over the zone. It also can record intervals/lap times with average HR.