Polar CS200cad Cycle Computer

[warday]

Hi

My wife bought me one of these computers for XMAS - did a great job of doing her own research and buying on ebay!

What a great gadget!! I have only had basic computers in the past. The heart rate and candence features are so useful. I am an average "later in life" cyclist and I have found the ability to be able to measure the cadence and heart rate allows me to control my ride a lot better. It has a download feature which I haven't tried yet - not sure if I need to be that serious!

I would certainly recommend this from the short time I have used it.

R
WD

 

[46kgToDate]

I purchased one but the disappointing thing for me, and maybe this is because mine is wireless, is the auto off feature is a real pain when going up hills, cause it just switches off. I lose about 4k in a 100k ride. 4 k is a lot not to get recorded.

 

[DamianM]

I purchased one but the disappointing thing for me, and maybe this is because mine is wireless, is the auto off feature is a real pain when going up hills, cause it just switches off. I lose about 4k in a 100k ride. 4 k is a lot not to get recorded.

I don't have this problem going up hills, just how slowly are you going ? You can turn off the auto mode if you want.
I've been very happy with mine.

 

[rohc]

I have had the CS 200cad for 12 months now and would not leave home without it. I cannot believe I cycled for so long without it.
The heart rate monitor is an absolute must for us middle age cyclists.To also have the Summary file capability at the end of the ride is fantastic. I have set mine up so when I stop at red lights the CS automatically goes to pause mode and then kicks in again when I take off.
I have also turned the sound off which is a must as having the beep go off all the time really does my head in.

I absolutely love my CS 200 cad.
Enjoy
See you out there.

 

[scotty72]

I purchased one but the disappointing thing for me, and maybe this is because mine is wireless, is the auto off feature is a real pain when going up hills, cause it just switches off. I lose about 4k in a 100k ride. 4 k is a lot not to get recorded.

Can't you set the speed at which the auto off kicks in? My Edge 305 is set to pause at 4.5 km/h. If I'm going that slow up a hill, I'm liable to fall off anyhow

SCotty
(36 kgs to date - despite massive indulgence at Xmas)

PS. Just got a new road bike (yesterday).
Smile still plastered across my face.

 

[46kgToDate]

Can't you set the speed

Look I don't want to bag this thing I'm sure its a great machine and its me who can't work it. Going up the top of Mt Rockley, Bathurst, I'm not travelling real fast - also the Gong ride, the top of Bald Hill, I was moving and upright but hey, 6-7kph perhaps. We're talking big hills, long ugly hills (which weirdly I am starting to love), you can't go up these muthers at 20kph (unless you're Lance going up Boone Mountain!), I'm not stalling but I'm not exactly pumping and it beeps loudly and just stops recording. So my brother quips "Is that your heart stopping?". I find that it won't start again til I'm doing at least 15kph. These are parts of the ride I want recorded because they are the most farking difficult!!

I chose it because it was wireless, had a built in HRM and did cadence, but best of all it had a great big display and a large font in that display.I don't want to have to carry the reading glasses with me. But the menus are in tiny tiny writing down the bottom and I can't read them. I read the manual (which my wife has tidied somewhere into obscurity - I swear she is secretly a Borrower) and now that I've turned Auto Off, off when I stop for a coffee, or say a gym session, in the middle of a ride, I get back on the bike and I can't get it to start recording again except by starting a new session. Maybe its just me if I could get it doing what I wanted I'd be a great advocate for it cause it sure as hell looks nice. Has anyone managed an upload to their PC?

Hey Scotty how about that!!! 36kg brilliant. I put on 3.5kg over christmas that would be the Central Otago Pinot's, but I'm working on it - double session at Gym Wed, 50 k yesterday, gym + ride + walk today, hoping to do some k's at Port Stephens on hols next week
.
Thought I saw someone that might have been you at the Gong Ride - how did you go?

So when I write my book on weight loss through cycling, since you're an expert too, do you want to put in a few chapters?

 

[Wattsy Rules]

Can't you set the speed at which the auto off kicks in? My Edge 305 is set to pause at 4.5 km/h. If I'm going that slow up a hill, I'm liable to fall off anyhow

SCotty
(36 kgs to date - despite massive indulgence at Xmas)

PS. Just got a new road bike (yesterday).
Smile still plastered across my face.

So WTF did you buy...don't leave me in suspense...

 

[mikeg]

PS. Just got a new road bike (yesterday).
Smile still plastered across my face.

What did you get Scotty?

Mikeg

 

[46kgToDate]

Carbon fibre??

 

[scotty72]

So WTF did you buy...don't leave me in suspense...

Well, I considered Giants, Trek, Avanti etc. I didn't really have a favourite, I just went in wanting something that was going to be strong enough to carry my weight and that would still give me a great ride.

My wife suprised me when she allowed me a $3000 budget. I thought she'd freak if I asked for that much but, WOW! This was going to get me a good machine. I guess she recognised that the 11,000 kms I rode this year saved a packet in fuel and servicing for the car (4,500 km); and she's happy that I'm about 25% less of the man I was last year.

So, I was about to buy a Giant when the guy (who didn't know my name at this stage) suggested a non carbon frame (he suggested they were a waste - esp for big guys (which I had heard)) and use the cash for better wheels and groupset.

So you're thinking, 'What is the significance of him not knowing your name?'.

Well, he suggested (and I ended up buying) this

http://www.woolyswheels.com/listman/listings/l0335.html

It has the Ultegra groupset whereas the Full Carbon models in my price range tended to come with 105.

I paid a little extra and bought a stronger set of wheels until I get my weight down. (Ultegra Hubs 32H, OP rims)

Anyway, it is nice that my bike has a built in name tag. No excuse for riding off on the wrong bike

Scotty

 

[scotty72]

Hey Scotty how about that!!! 36kg brilliant. I put on 3.5kg over christmas that would be the Central Otago Pinot's, but I'm working on it - double session at Gym Wed, 50 k yesterday, gym + ride + walk today, hoping to do some k's at Port Stephens on hols next week
.
Thought I saw someone that might have been you at the Gong Ride - how did you go?

So when I write my book on weight loss through cycling, since you're an expert too, do you want to put in a few chapters?

Yeah, Well.

I have been rather disrupted for most of Dec.

Still done about 1000 ks but the gym has been a no go for about 4 weeks now. I've had a bit of a health scare (ok now) and the lead up to Xmas has been busy. Back again tomorrow (assuming they're open). Need to work off Christmas.

The gong Ride was good. I did it easy. Flew up to Bald Hill much easier than I thought. All that practise around Brooklyn and Bobbin Head paid off.

The only bit I didn't enjoy was the final 10k of cycleway. The wind was a little tough but, worse was the mass of cyclists (especially the once a year wobblers) made it impossible to get into any sort of rythym.

Overall, it was good - pity about the weather.

Scotty

 

[Wattsy Rules]

Well, he suggested (and I ended up buying) this

http://www.woolyswheels.com/listman/listings/l0335.html

Great buy, well done. I'm not sure I agree that CF is not good for bigger guys given I've dropped from 103kg to 91kg and have riddeen two CF bikes and love both of them, but the Scotty looks awesome...enjoy!

 

[scotty72]

Great buy, well done. I'm not sure I agree that CF is not good for bigger guys given I've dropped from 103kg to 91kg and have riddeen two CF bikes and love both of them, but the Scotty looks awesome...enjoy!

I'm still a little bigger than you ever were. I'm hoping to get to somewhere around where you are. Maybe if I do, my wife will be so pleased that my next bike will be even better

Scotty

 

[warday]

I purchased one but the disappointing thing for me, and maybe this is because mine is wireless, is the auto off feature is a real pain when going up hills, cause it just switches off. I lose about 4k in a 100k ride. 4 k is a lot not to get recorded.

Hi

Mine is wireless as well. I have tried to simulate your problem without success. I use the auto on/off and it works well. I've got down to "fall off" pace and it still works.

The only problem I have had is occassional the H/R stops reading. I think it it to do with how damp I have had the electrodes.

Regards
R

 

[OldGoat]

Gave myself one of Christmas! Agree it's a great gadget. Still trying to familiarize myself with the various buttons & functions. But I love the constant HRM readout, and for the first time have a way to monitor my cadence, which--to my surprise--is consistently higher than I'd imagined. A big step up from my previous speed-only unit.

Got mine for $149US from Sunrise Cyclery at this link. If you use the code MY10 at checkout, you may get another 10% off. Oh....they ship for free anything over $30, at least within the US and maybe Canada. I've placed two orders with Sunrise and gotten superb service/quick shipment.

https://shop.sunrisecyclery.com/display.phtml?Keyword=polar

 

[46kgToDate]

I have tried to simulate your problem without success.

OK so today I ride to work with the auto off off and it says 7.8k but its 11.8!.I'm thinking it might be a battery issue...

 

[matagi]

Just to restate the bleeding obvious, but have you checked that you have your wheel diameter set correctly?

 

[scotty72]

OK so today I ride to work with the auto off off and it says 7.8k but its 11.8!.I'm thinking it might be a battery issue...

So, how has the weight loss gone over the silly season?

I can happily report that while the loss stopped, it didn't reverse. Now back into the serious stuff.

Scotty

 

[DamianM]

OK so today I ride to work with the auto off off and it says 7.8k but its 11.8!.I'm thinking it might be a battery issue...

Check your wheel magnet is straight. I once had a lower distance reading when the magnet had been knocked about.

 

[46kgToDate]

the bleeding obvious

Good point but that would maybe account for the 4 k over 100 not the 4 k over 12k