Newbie needs a HR Monitor...



piagetblix

New Member
Aug 5, 2007
2
0
0
Hey all,

My riding goes like this: Go out 3-5 times a week and ride hard. The problem is that I tend to become chronically fatigued. Then someone tried to enlighten me by pointing out that I was just riding 'Garbage miles' and that I need to use a HRM to build base and prevent over training.

That said I'm looking at the Polar cs100, cs200 or the Cateye CD200DW.

Any recommendations?

Also any books, articles tips I need to start using an HRM?

Many Thanks!
 
Depends on what you want from you HR monitor. Ability to record data and download it to your computer? Or set HR limits, zones etc, or just monitor your rate during training. I used a 720i for close to 2 years and loved it. Downloadable data, training diary, HR, HR average, avg grade, speed, avg seed, max speed, ect. They are a bit pricey, but worth it if you want to improve. Now I'm using a Garmin edge.

AS for HR training goes there are a lot of folks who say it's useless now and that we should all be using Power meters for best performance. Power meters are pricey however and HR has been used for years with good results.
There are quite a few good books on HR training but Joe Friel's, The Cyclist's Training Bible, is a decent book to start with even though it leans towards power training. It gives you an idea how to set up heart rate zones, determine max HR etc. Everything pretty much feeds off of max HR.

Good luck.
 
Hello,
I recently received a trek 8i computer as a gift. It has all the features youd want except HR and cadence. Should i look into getting another HR meter or watch, or attempt to sell/return what i was given and buy an Edge or anything else that includes the other info im looking for (mainly HR, im not as keen on knowing my cadence, unless i should?) thanks
 
Diatad said:
Hello,
I recently received a trek 8i computer as a gift. It has all the features youd want except HR and cadence. Should i look into getting another HR meter or watch, or attempt to sell/return what i was given and buy an Edge or anything else that includes the other info im looking for (mainly HR, im not as keen on knowing my cadence, unless i should?) thanks
Personally now that I have the edge it's nice to have all the info in one place, downloadable and trackable for my training log. Having a separate computer on the bike and having a watch for HR is kind of a pain IMO.
 
piagetblix said:
Hey all,

My riding goes like this: Go out 3-5 times a week and ride hard. The problem is that I tend to become chronically fatigued. Then someone tried to enlighten me by pointing out that I was just riding 'Garbage miles' and that I need to use a HRM to build base and prevent over training.

That said I'm looking at the Polar cs100, cs200 or the Cateye CD200DW.

Any recommendations?

Also any books, articles tips I need to start using an HRM?

Many Thanks!

I highly recommend POLAR. CS200 is what I use but I would also recommend you get the cadence sensor. Also known as CS200CAD. This will help you see the coralation and changes between your cadence and how it affects your heart rate. Training is a numbers game. Also, get a book and read about training and racing cycles. Hope that helps.
 
+1 on the Polar 720i....it does everything I need it to, except power (which I can't afford right now :eek: ). It has been pretty reliable for the past 4 years, I also use it during the winter as a wristwatch during cross-training, ie xc-skiing, skating, running, etc. I also like that all the data I need is in one place, and I can download it to the computer, where it is automatically entered and saved to my training diary.
As for cadence....I use it quite often, it helped me to understand where I was most efficient and helped me to choose the gears I use in sprinting, TTs, and for track races. I also use it on easy days to make sure the gear I'm using is easy enough to rest my legs.

Caveat emptor: if you don't need all of that data, however, and especially if you don't (or don't plan to) race, it might be a bit overkill for you.
YMMV