Well, I got it installed (I think?) after some fussing with the Power sensor. Unfortunately, it would appear that this remains the achilles heel for installation, even though it probably only took about an 60-90 minutes total. Without being able to use the thing, it's hard to tell if it's currently set up correctly or not (it does indicate power readings, though haven't yet entered chain data). It was almost impossible to get set up perfectly parallel to the chain line (in any ring/cog configuration), as it would need to be angled in significantly toward the rear hub to be perfect, and I couldn't find a combination with the spacer pads that seemed to work. Also, the directions recommend a ridiculous 2mm space between the chain and power sensor when in the small/small, but the magnet in the sensor sucks the chain to it when closer than about 1/2 to 5/8". Seems like the power sensor is going to have to take a lot of abuse from the chain, and will suck down to it with any amount of slack. I have a feeling I'm going to have to revisit the alignment or spacing of this thing once I get on the bike to use it.
[BTW if anyone has any links for installation tips of the previous unit, I have a feeling the same issues apply, and I'd be grateful for any further info on this.]
At first I thought all the 'slack' in the power cord (going to the pulley) in the small/small would be a problem, but it actually ended up working perfectly when
completely zip-tied to the derailleur cable; it's much less conspicuous than I thought it would be, and naturally winds into a little circle that keeps it clear of the spokes. The battery 'cigar' is a bit of a bummer (visually), but oh well... The crank magnet is supposed to be secured with a goofy-lloking piece of Polar tape, but there's no way that's gonna happen. Not sure why they had to mess with their previous ziptie-able magnet, though this magnet is much heftier than any other cadence magnet I've ever used. Speed sensor is a no-brainer, works well, and is smaller than all previous versions.
Installation instructions are marginal at best, and the usage and features 'manual' (if you could even call it that) is positively pathetic. It really gives no info other than the basic setup stuff that is totally intuitive anyway, like height, weight, wheel data, etc. (my S720i at least came with a manual that described all the features and settings). I have a feeling I need to install the software to continue configuring it, but haven't done so yet. Unlike the S720i, there are apparently many setup functions only accessible from the computer. It doesn't even tell you what different 'views' are available on the display, even though it is supposedly somewhat customizable. It simply inane to expect us to go look something up on a computer every time we have a question, especially for a unit with this many features. The display is quite nice, higher resolution than the CS100/200 units.
Did I mention the new WearLink HR transmitter yet? It positively SUCKS!!! Why Polar had to go and 'improve upon' a perfectly functional transmitter design I have no idea. The snaps are ridiculous, since it's questionable as to whether you've got it properly secured. Furthermore, the way the EKG pickups (or whatever) are integrated into the strap now
requires wetting with water prior to use. And I do mean WET. I need to find out if my T61 coded strap from the s720i will work or not, but it did not seem give an HR reading. This really is a step backward, all for the apparent convenience of self-changing a battery that only died every 2 years or so...
If anyone has any other experience with this transmitter, please do share, because I'm not looking forward to using this thing.
Anyway, I guess I'm off to install the ProTrainer software and see what headway I can make with entering the chain data, and seeing what functions it has for power (display, etc.).