Cycling Computers Reviews

Vetta VL110HR HD HR SmartLite Cycling Computer

Maximize your performance, improve your endurance, and keep your cycling workout safe and controlled with the Vetta VL110HR HD Heart Rate Cycling Computer. The VL110HR HD uses a wireless heart rate transmitter to pick up reliable heart rate readings as you workout, while recording your speed and distance among other features. Allowing you to program targeted heart rate zone workouts, and with memory displays of time spent in, above, and below target heart rate zones, the VL110HR HD has 9 different heart rate readings, allowing you to control your workout and develop your fitness level safely. Programmable visual and auditory alarms provide added control, helping you remain in the safe zone. NiteLite and SmartLite screen illumination allow you to use the computer in low light and after dark, and the Auto Fire-Up function helps to prolong the computer’s battery life.

Combining heart rate functions with the ability to record and interpret your speeds, distances, and time make the VL110HR HD Computer is the serious fitness cyclist’s ideal companion. The with over 20 functions to help you track and record distance, speed, and time, operate a stopwatch, and follow weather conditions the VL110HR HD is more than just a fitness aid. Dual Bike Memory makes is possible to record and store information for more than one bike or rider, and Vetta’s exclusive Service Timer signals the rider when the bike or any component on it is scheduled for service.

The VL110HR HD is easy to use. The heart rate monitor communicates wirelessly with the computer, eliminating uncomfortable wires. It is equipped with an energy saving sleep mode so that you don’t have to worry about running the battery down, and also has a low battery warning so that you don’t run out of power unexpectedly. Auto Fire-Up functions save battery run time and allow you to reboot quickly. After dark and in low light conditions, the NiteLite illuminates the screen with the press of its button. SmartLite works in conjunction with NiteLite, to illuminate the screen when any button is pressed within a defined time interval that the rider sets. The computer comes equipped with all the necessary mounting materials, so that it can be installed with ease.

Specifications:

• functions: current speed, average speed, maximum speed, and speed comparator
• Distance functions: cumulative odometer, trip distance, and intermediate distance
• heart rate functions: current heart rate, average and maximum heart rate, percent of maximum heart rate, EZ-Set programmable upper and lower heart rate limit, time-in, above, and below target heart rate zone, average heart rate in, above, and below time zone, user selected audible and visible alarms, and wireless heart rate transmission
• Time functions: 12/24 hour clock, stopwatch, ride time/total time, and service timer
• Temperature functions: current temperature and maximum/minimum temperatures
• Memory functions: dual bike memory and freeze frame memory
• Speed functions: energy saving sleep mode and low battery warning on head unit
• Operational functions: energy saving sleep mode, low battery warning on head unit, auto fire-up (auto start and auto awake), and NiteLite with SmartLite function

What’s in the Box?
VL110HR HD head unit, Head Unit Battery (CR2450,3-Volt), Heart Rate Transmitter, Transmitter CR2050 Battery, Bladed Spoke Magnet (SPD Magnet), Spacer, Bracket Rubber Pad, Bracket Rubber Pad (Riser Handlebar), Alternative HR Transmitter Battery Pack(CR2032 battery & Rubber Shim), Wired Speed Sensor with Mounting Bracket, Wireless Transmitter Shim/Torpedo Shim, Wire Securing Tape, Zip-Ties

Manufacturer’s Warranty
Three-year limited warranty

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Polar F6 Mens Heart Rate Monitor Watch Black Coal New Design

Are you getting the most out of your gym workouts? The Polar F6M is the optimal heart rate monitor watch for group exercises like spinning and dance classes. Coded transmission prevents crosstalk with other monitors so you’ll get a personalized workout, even in a class environment. More than just a stylish model, the F6 is an excellent exercise motivator. It includes guidance with OwnZone to automatically establish your personal target heart rate zone, and feedback with OwnCal to track your calories and percentage of fat burned, making it a perfect exercise companion. It also displays the time of day! Zone Pointer Fitness Bullets for every ten minutes in target zone Maximum heart rate of total exercise Average heart rate of total exercise Exercise Date SonicLink, exercise data download from wrist unit to Polar web service or SW Polar Precision Performance analysis SW Exercise file info page with date and time Exercise Time (total) Time in target zone Target zone limits Average heart rate of total exercise Calorie expenditure (Exercise/Total/Fat%) Fitness Exercise Diary Heart rate (displayed as bpm and % of maximum heart rate) Visual and audible alarm in target zones Heart touch, button-free operation of wrist unit Heart rate sets – pre-program favorite exercise settings Manual target zone (% / bpm) Automatic age-based target zone (% / bpm) Time of day (12/24h) with alarm Display text in English Polar T31 coded transmitter Polar WearLink 31 coded transmitter (changeable battery) compatible Polar T61 coded transmitter compatible

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars transmitter problems
I love this thing but I certainly didn’t get the life I was expecting. The transmitter no longer works and I have to get a new one rather than replacing the battery. I only got it in April and this is June. I am not even sure I can find where to get one! IU actually have two of them, plus an older one

5 Stars love it my first heart rate monitor
I love my polar black dimond heart monitor!

If this is the first heart monitor you will love it…the strap seems uncomfortable but is not! At the end of the day I barely notice since I put under my sports bra. And the cool thing is that it does send the information to the treadmill and you don’t have to watch on you wrist instead.

Also I like the fact that I can download my work out to the polar site and track how many calories I have burned. Is pretty easy.

I didn’t buy from amazon because they don’t have the best price yet.. I paid $ 94 because the site I bought price match jomashop site. 5/2009

I am only 5f short and not a super petite skinny girl.. and I like the way the watch looks!

1 Star Intermittent Operation – Disappointed
The Heart Rate Monitor worked okay for about two months then became unreliable. The heart rate goes in and out of lock. Wetting the chest band helped in the beginning. The watch display started to fade after about one year. I was so disgusted with the reliability I decided to try replacing the watch battery myself….don’t try it. I disposed of the watch/waste band in the trash…….no loss. The watch/chest band must be retured to a dealer for battery replacement. After reading HRM reviews I decided to buy the Timex Heart Rate Monitor at Costco for $39 (user replaceable batteries). All I need is a HRM that will show I have reached my target HR, I do not need all the bells and whistles, it’s on the workout equipment.

4 Stars Easy to Use & Helpful
I purchased Polar F6 because my trainer told me it was one of the best HRMs in the market, so I took his word for it! For a beginner, as myself, the Polar F6 was easy to use and program, it is VERY helpful with monitoring my HR during my workouts and I feel the benefits of working within zone. The F6 provides easy to access data and keeps a record of your workouts to note progress. Overall is a good quality HRM and I am sure I am not using it at its full capacity…but for my basic needs, the F6 was a great investment.

3 Stars Ok Product
I really liked this Heart Monitor but had major problems with the chest strap. I had to tuck it under my sports bra for it to stay in place and not end up around my waist. I had it the tightest it could go, if it could have been a little tighter maybe I would have kept it. However, after reading into the Motiva Mio heart monitor I realized that to get an accurate reading you need the chest strap. So I might purchase this one again….

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Polar CS200 Cycling Computer Heart Rate Monitor

The handlebar-mounted Polar CS200 combines all the features of a high-end cycle computer with a fully functional heart rate monitor–the Polar Wearklink 31 coded transmitter. It provides a full range of cycling computer functions, and adds three new features to Polar’s arsenal: the Polar Cycling Coach (a Web-based coaching program and diary), estimated time of arrival (based on your speed), and automatic display scroll, which switches the information on the display according to your preferences. The CS200 also adds a number of additional sophisticated functions, including memory of your last seven rides, downloading ride date to a PC via microphone, indication of whether you’re above or below your average speed, and the ability to predict your calorie expenditure. Features include:

• Wireless ECG accurate heart rate with Polar OwnCode (5kHz) to prevent cross-talk from other heart rate monitors
• Target heart rate zones with visual and audible alarms
• Graphical comparison of heart rate and speed
• Heart rate measurements: maximum of total and each lap, average of total
• Wireless cycling measurements: Speed (current, average and max); trip; distance
• Calorie consumption rate per kilometer
• Wheel size settings for two bicycles, speed sensor installation for different fork shapes
• Automatic lap recording (up to 50 laps) with exercise date
• Exercise file info page with date and time
• Semi-automatic backlighting
• Water resistance to 10 meters (protects against rain and splashes)
• SpeedPointer: Points out the difference between average speed/pace and actual speed/pace on the display by up/down arrows.
• Estimated Time of Arrival: Set the distance you are going to ride, and your cycling computer calculates the estimated time of arrival based on your cycling speed.
• Polar OwnCal: Shows your energy expenditure during one exercise session as well as your accumulated kilocalories during several exercise sessions. Because the OwnCal tracks both the energy expenditure during one exercise session and the accumulated kilocalories during a longer time e.g. one week, it helps in achieving both short term and long term goals.
• Cycling Economy/Intensity: Enables you to foresee your calorie expenditure and secure sufficient intake on a long ride. This feature is also useful for comparing and analyzing the loads of various training types.
• Compatible with Polar T31 and Polar T61 coded transmitters

Manufacturer’s Warranty
The original purchaser of this heart rate monitor is backed by a limited warranty that states that this product that the product will be free from defects in material or workmanship for two years from the date of purchase.

Note:
Polar heart rate monitors are precision instruments; consumers are not advised to change their own battery. Polar recommends that all service be done by an authorized Polar Service Center which will include a warranty for 90 days on repairs and 6 months for batteries.

About Polar
The first EKG accurate wireless heart rate monitor was invented by Polar back in 1977 as a training tool for the Finnish National Cross Country Ski Team. The concept of “intensity training” by heart rate swept the athletic world in the eighties. By the 1990s, individuals were looking to heart rate monitors not only for performance training needs, but also for achieving everyday fitness goals. Today, the same concept of heart rate training is being used by world-class athletes as well as everyday people trying to lose weight. Polar is the leading brand among consumers, coaches, and personal trainers worldwide and the company is committed to not only producing the best products, but also being the leading educator on the benefits of heart rate based exercise.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Excellent Product!
Owned since it first came out a few years ago, still performing well. Does everything it should and does it well.

5 Stars Works exactly as advertised
I have had the CS200 for a couple of months. It performs exactly as it says it will in the owners manual. Very impressive!

1 Star beware of non polar dealers with super low prices
yes your getting a great price but polar wont honor warranties from non polar authorized dealers. these people buy from 3rd parties thats why the price is so low. so if some tech prob goes wrong just throw it in the garbage because you wont be able to fix the problem.

5 Stars Did the research … and it paid off
This is a great product for those who are simply looking for a reliable, wireless computer that efficiently tracks timing, mileage, speed, and heart rate. As I am training to both compete as a road cyclist and maintain cardiovascular fitness, this product seemingly had all the details I required. Like all products/investments, I researched several computers and read countless reviews. Every product has its share of negative feedback. It all comes down to what you what parameters you require, and whether or not you want additional cables/wires vs. a wireless setup. If you seek the aforementioned parameters, I would highly recommend this computer. Great product! 400 miles to date.

1 Star Never worked
I bought this to replace a old but functional Echo W-1 that doesn’t have heart rate monitoring capabilities. Installation was as expected, though the mounts for the CS200 are cheap and cannot be adjusted after the unit and sensors are installed. This is disappointing considering that much cheaper cycling computers have better mounts. I was never able to get the speed sensor to work. The computer never got a reading, despite spending an hour trying different mount configurations.

Ultimately, I chose to return this. Lots of message boards complain about broken/erratic Polar speed sensors, so I’ve remounted my old but reliable bike computer.

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Polar FS1 Heart Rate Monitor Watch Dark Blue

The FS1 monitor is designed to help users achieve their personal fitness goals and to indicate the level of physiological strain and intensity during an exercise session. It has added features beyond the basic heart rate monitor to give a complete workout.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Polar Heart Rate Monitor for idiots
Excellent purchase. Very easy to set upper a and lower target zones. I am technologically challenged and setting the time and heart rate zones was a breeze. The price is very good and the brand is excellent.

5 Stars best purchase this year!
I bought this to hlep keep my all too rapid heart rate under control when exercising. It works wonderful! The trainer at the gym said Polar is one of the best and this was a great choice. As an added benefit, when I am on the elipitcal or treadmill, it links in to their system and I don’t have to keep looking down at the watch, it shows up on their counter.

5 Stars Works just like it should
I’ve been using this HR monitor for a couple of weeks now and am very happy with it. When I first got it, I found the instructions for setting it up a bit confusing. The set-up is non-intuitive, but since there’s only a single button on the monitor, there’s probably not a lot that can be done to simplify the process. Anyhow, after about 15 minutes, I was able to figure out what I needed to do in order to get it to work.

Several reviewers complained about the chest strap. I don’t find it to be a bother and in fact, after a while, I don’t even notice it’s there. I don’t cinch it down very tight and it works just fine. The monitor seems to be rock solid. I really like the large readout since I don’t wear my glasses while exercising. Even without my glasses, the numbers are clear (to me). I also keep the beeping option ON so that the monitor beeps when I’m above or below my target heart rate. The beep is soft enough to be background noise, but loud enough to let me know that I am not within my targeted range.

When first beginning an exercise session, the monitor will read zero for a short while, until it has collected enough data to accurately show your heart rate. After a minute or so, the numbers don’t jump around, except as one might anticipate with changing exercise levels.

This monitor tells the time, length of exercise session, average HR for the most recent session, and your current heart rate. Not a lot of other bells and whistles, which is exactly what I was looking for.

4 Stars Heart Rate Monitor
This is a great tool for monitoring your heart rate. With it’s one button function makes it an eaze to use. The only problem is the chest strap. Sometimes it slips out from under my chest and stops monitoring. Other times it would feel too tight during workout even though I loosen the tension alittle bit. I wish they would make one that don’t require a chest strap, and display continuous readouts when just worn around your wrist.

5 Stars Good HR monitor watch!
This HR monitor watch is very basic and it does what its supposed to do, nothing too complicated about it. Good price

Buy/More Info

Polar CS100 Cycling Computer Heart Rate Monitor

The handlebar-mounted Polar CS100 combines all the features of a high-end cycle computer with a fully functional heart rate monitor–the Polar T31 coded transmitter. (The similarly featured CS100B offers heart rate monitor compatibility, but does not come with a monitor.) The CS100 provides a full range of cycling computer functions, and adds three new features to Polar’s arsenal: the Polar Cycling Coach (a Web-based coaching program and diary), estimated time of arrival (based on your speed), and automatic display scroll, which switches the information on the display according to your preferences. Features include:

• Wireless ECG accurate heart rate with Polar OwnCode (5kHz) to prevent cross-talk from other heart rate monitors
• Target heart rate zones with visual and audible alarms
• Graphical comparison of heart rate and speed
• Heart rate measurements: maximum of total and each lap, average of total
• Cycling measurements: Speed (current, average and max); trip; distance
• Calorie consumption rate per kilometer
• Wheel size settings for two bicycles, speed sensor installation for different fork shapes
• Automatic lap recording (up to 50 laps) with exercise date
• Exercise file info page with date and time
• Semi-automatic backlighting
• Water resistance to 10 meters (protects against rain and splashes)
• SpeedPointer: Points out the difference between average speed/pace and actual speed/pace on the display by up/down arrows.
• Estimated Time of Arrival: Set the distance you are going to ride, and your cycling computer calculates the estimated time of arrival based on your cycling speed.
• Polar OwnCal: Shows your energy expenditure during one exercise session as well as your accumulated kilocalories during several exercise sessions. Because the OwnCal tracks both the energy expenditure during one exercise session and the accumulated kilocalories during a longer time e.g. one week, it helps in achieving both short term and long term goals.
• Compatible with Polar WearLink 31 and Polar T61 coded transmitters

Manufacturer’s Warranty
The original purchaser of this heart rate monitor is backed by a limited warranty that states that this product that the product will be free from defects in material or workmanship for two years from the date of purchase.

Note:
Polar heart rate monitors are precision instruments; consumers are not advised to change their own battery. Polar recommends that all service be done by an authorized Polar Service Center which will include a warranty for 90 days on repairs and 6 months for batteries.

About Polar
The first EKG accurate wireless heart rate monitor was invented by Polar back in 1977 as a training tool for the Finnish National Cross Country Ski Team. The concept of “intensity training” by heart rate swept the athletic world in the eighties. By the 1990s, individuals were looking to heart rate monitors not only for performance training needs, but also for achieving everyday fitness goals. Today, the same concept of heart rate training is being used by world-class athletes as well as everyday people trying to lose weight. Polar is the leading brand among consumers, coaches, and personal trainers worldwide and the company is committed to not only producing the best products, but also being the leading educator on the benefits of heart rate based exercise.

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star Didn’t work…
Bought it for a Trek 4500 mountain bike. The heart rate monitor worked with no problems. But the speed sensor would not work on my bike. The manual said it might not and it certainly didn’t.

4 Stars Good Cyclo-Computer
I don’t think the negative reviews of this are fair. I have never seen the problems the others have described. It took about 10 minutes to install, and worked the first time out, with one small adjustment to move the speed sensor closer to the spokes. The HR monitor, as expected with Polar, works perfectly. The computer functions are not “Apple like” intuitive, but after about 5 minutes you should be able to use most of the functionality. The only complaint I have is that the setting function (time, bike, date, etc) only seem to go forward, so it is a pain to set the time to something like 7:49. It does far more than most riders will really need, computing calories burned based on entry of the persons weight, average speed, lap feature to divide a ride, total mileage, etc. I am very happy with mine and glad I made the choice. I do wish they included the rubber o-rings the manual mentions as options (probably more paint friendly) to using the zip ties.

1 Star Not up to Polar standards
I am not happy with this product. The cycling functions are OK but not really intuitive. The heart rate monitor consistently gives erratic readings that are often WAY above my max heart rate. I often see heart rates as high as 220; I know from years of using a monitor that my max is around 185-190. As a result, summary data such as maximum heart rate and time in “own zone” is useless. I also agree with one of the other reviewers regarding the buttons; they’re too stiff. My main regret is not returning my CS100 prior to the return expiration date…

2 Stars Disappointed
I am one of those who likes to see all the little facts and figures to show progress of my workouts. I purchased a POLAR product because I have had good luck with this brand in the past. However, this model (CS100) is one I cannot recommend. If you chuck down $100+ for a bike computer, you would expect it to work properly. I doubled and triple checked the installation (very straight forward) and everything is correct. I think the engineers need to go back to the drawing board.

Pluses:

* Very Easy Installation

* Fairly solid construction & design

* Instruction manual is well written

Minus:

* Looses speed signal often

* Rarely registers any speed below 8 mph.

* Online Customer Support/Warranty support not great.

1 Star VERY disappointed
Bought the CS100 with 2 speed sensors – one for each of my road and mountain bikes. The performance on one is inconsistent – on the other it simply doesn’t work. Have replaced both with basic computers, and wear a separate (NON-Polar!!) HRM.

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