Views on Polar CS200 cad Computer/HRM

chickenlegs

Anybody out there used this Polar computer/HRM, I am contemplating purchasing one.
It seems to offer a reasonable range of features at a reasonable price £83 inc postage(this is discounted price on a website).

Having had a disasterous experience with a Sigma PC15 I am looking for a unit that does not suffer from external sources of interference, or cross talk from other HRM's.

It would appear that it offers pretty well all the common computer facilities plus a good range of HRM facilities. The bonus would appear to be that you can upload your data onto the PC?

You may of course know of another brand that offers similar facilities?

doyler78

No wireless hrm can guarantee you interference free riding so you will have to go for a wired system if that is your priority.

My CS600, which uses 2.4ghz to broadcast, is much better however at this (so much so I haven't noticed any interference yet) I think is only available on this model thus likely to be much more than you wish to pay.

Crapaud

The CS 200's a good piece of kit. I've not had any probs with interference, but I've not cycled with anyone who's had a HRM.

You can upload the data to Polar's web-site via a microphone, but you'll have to source one yourself.

The only probs I had was getting my head around the display and setting it up the way I wanted, but it was worth the effort.

£83's a good price - I paid £114! Grrr...

e999sam

I've got one and I certainly would never buy another. It's an absalute nightmare to set up. The positioning of the sensors, magnet and head unit have to be spot on or it will not work.
Mines been back to Polar but they said nothing was wrong with it!

JesseD

e999sam wrote:

I've got one and I certainly would never buy another. It's an absalute nightmare to set up. The positioning of the sensors, magnet and head unit have to be spot on or it will not work.
Mines been back to Polar but they said nothing was wrong with it!

I have had exactly the same issue, I have tried high powered magnets and playing about with the sensors, sent it all back to polar who advised that nothing was wrong. I have now given up and it is sat in my tool box not being used. I wouldn't buy another if I am honest.

I'm going to asave and splash out on a Garmin 705 next so I can have Sat-Nav as well as cadence and HR functions.

slunker5

Mine now only records 1 session instead of the 7 stated. Great when it works, not so when it doesn't.

The Mechanic

This is a bit disconcerting to hear. I have had one of these for 2 years with no problems. I admit that the sensors and magnets have to be just right but mine has been faultless so far..gulp...

preeby

I've had a CS200 for 3 years, and never had a problem with it. I have 3 bikes, all set up with the speed/cadence sensors etc.., and regularly swap the CS200 from one bike to the next, never a problem. I regularly cycle in groups where everyone has a HRM, and never had an interference-related problem!

Apparently the batteries in the speed/cadence sensors are only good for ~3 yrs, and a dying battery has similar symptoms to an incorrectly set up sensor/magent gap, the signal temporarily drops, speed goes to zero, and seems to fix itself again within a short time. So maybe the issues reported above are related to dying sensor batteries? Remember, you don't know how long the unit sat on he shelf before you bought it? These batteries are not replaceable too, a new sensor is required (nice one, Polar!!).

I'm considering upgrading from the CS200 to the CS400, and looks like I only need to buy the CS400 unit itself, all the sensors, and chest strap are compatible from what I can see...
Has anyone ever done this? Am I right in saying that the sensors are all useable with both the CS200 and the CS400?

Thanks...


.

LangerDan

preeby wrote:

Apparently the batteries in the speed/cadence sensors are only good for ~3 yrs, and a dying battery has similar symptoms to an incorrectly set up sensor/magent gap, the signal temporarily drops, speed goes to zero, and seems to fix itself again within a short time. So maybe the issues reported above are related to dying sensor batteries? Remember, you don't know how long the unit sat on he shelf before you bought it? These batteries are not replaceable too, a new sensor is required (nice one, Polar!!).

Not quite true. Hacked off with the cost of replacement sensors, I tried a little surgery and split the casing along the centre-line where it is glued together, using a Stanley knife. Once open, it is very easy to replace the battery. I then bonded the casing back together with epoxy, making sure it was water-tight all the way round. That was nearly two years ago and it is still working.
I don't know if the casing will withstand a second spltting for the next battery replacement.

fizz

I've got one I'm generally very pleased with it, but I've had the following niggles...

1. I droped it ( yes my bad, and the LCD screen has bled through on the corners

2. On bumpy roads it stops recording llike its lost comms witht speed sensor.

3. As mentioned above you have to get the magnet sensor position spot on otherwise it doesnt work.

4. My Cateve Single Shot EL610 totallly screws all the readings up and it stops working. ( solution was to move the computer away from the light )

These are more niggles than big problems though, I'd certainly buy another one.

chickenlegs

Oh dear! There was me thinking that I had solved the problem of the u/s Sigma HRM only to find that I have opened a can of worms on the Polar unit!!
It looks like a 50 - 50 split negative & positive for the Polar HRM, I obviously don't want to lash out £80ish only to find that it is no better than the Sigma unit.
It does concern me that all the pick up sensors are sealed units & unless you are used to wielding a scalpel one has to purchase a new sensor. As has been said "nice one Polar", a sure fire way of building in obsolescence & screwing the customer for more money.
Another issue that pushes the cost up is that I want to fit it to three bikes, that means 3 X bar mounts, speed & cadence sensors!
Back to the drawing board then, has anybody any suggestions for a reliable HRM that accepts programmed zones, preferably with both visual & audible display of these training zones. It does not necessarily have to have speed, distance functions as would a normal computer.
It does not require a Phd in advanced nuclear physics to programme & operate, it might be nice to have a calorie counter as well. I fully recognise that this latter function is not exactly accurate

magoo1311

I will not buy another Polar. I found setting the unit up an absolute nightmare. It took weeks before I could get a steady reading from sensors. A fraction of a millimeter is all it takes for the unit to stop registering. Why do they make units with such a weak signal?

I will be going back to Cateye as soon as this Polar unit is dead. I have never once in twenty years and many thousands of miles had problems with Cateye.

larmurf

preeby wrote:

I'm considering upgrading from the CS200 to the CS400, and looks like I only need to buy the CS400 unit itself, all the sensors, and chest strap are compatible from what I can see...
Has anyone ever done this? Am I right in saying that the sensors are all useable with both the CS200 and the CS400?

Thanks...


.

Yea
I have done that - Just stick it in and off you go speed cadence heart beat all work fine
A bit more difficult to get the hang of things . But specially like where can customise the display and you can zoom the display from 3 readings to 2 OK eyesight is not as good as it used to be Manual for CS400 at

http://www.heartratemonitor.co.uk/Manua ... index.html

richa

CS200 is all excellent.
(with the exception of the uplink that is not worth bothering with. just type the 8 bits of info in yourself).

doyler78

Well you can have sealed units in which the integrity of the unit can be maintained much better or you can user serviceable and then wait for the complaints because customers can't follow simple instructions regarding to how carry out the battery replacement and thus break the water seals causing the unit to fail. The sensors should last a couple of years so plenty of time to save up for a new sensor.

Polar are not the leading HRM manufacturer because they are sh1t. They have a much larger user base therefore they get more complaints. They have had problems with sensor failures on their non 2.4ghz units such as the CS200 however you just send it back and if it is faulty you have a new one within a couple of days. I had a problem with one of my units. From posting to getting back took 3 days so I have no complaints however there power unit is a different story all together. That is what you called difficult to setup.

James_London

Garmin Edge. Rock solid HR, no sensors (unless you want cadence) and PC download - just don't use their PC SW which sucks. Seen the 305 for £100. I have many riding buddies with failed Polars though warranty replacements are quick!

cookiemonster

Funny I've had the opposite experience. Couple of years with a CS300, totally faultless and trivial to set up on two bikes. I sold it to a friend who, when the battery went, sent it to polar and received a new sender for free within 3 days. Bought myself a garmin 705 - nightmare to set up, after a month of use I'm still tinkering with it to try and get a constant reading when it rains or i'm on a bumpy road.... (my new max heart rate is 250bpm and I saw 90mph )

HRM's feel a bit like tyres - you get a couple of punctures on pro race 3's then you believe mitchellen cant make tyres, while the guy next you is running on the same pair for a decade without a single puncture.

IMO, the big makes such as polar and garmin are much of a muchness when it comes to reliability. You're better off choosing on price and function as some folk find them perfect and some folk have problems.

jon

James_London wrote:

Garmin Edge. Rock solid HR, no sensors (unless you want cadence) and PC download - just don't use their PC SW which sucks. Seen the 305 for £100. I have many riding buddies with failed Polars though warranty replacements are quick!

James_London

Agreed - your mileage may vary! My experience was just another anecdote to throw in the pot!

HR straps: I've done around 15,000km on a Garmin 305 and subsequently 705 and 5,000 on a Polar strap (not with a Polar computer though) with 1 second recording. I found the Polar missed lots of data points and gave bad readings whilst the Garmin captures every single one with no dubious readings. Things like chest hair, moisture (or lack of!) and jersey zips and static can affect both. I do also mount my Garmin on a bracket which probably means it is subject to less road vibration than a direct bar mount and that could conceivably make a difference. Accuracy aside the Polar T31 is a more comfortable strap than the Garmin strap but you don't notice either of them are there after a bit.

Speed/ HR spikes: You do get speed spikes on the Garmin now and then, especially with one second recording but overall distances are accurate enough for my needs. If few satellites are in line-of-sight, positioning accuracy is reduced so this is to be expected. The Garmin GSC-10 cadence/speed sensor does help with this as wheel speed takes priority I believe.

Service: My 305 kept switching off at one point and within 48 hours of me sending it back, Garmin replaced the unit without question. Othewise I've not had problems.

The guy on the same Michelin's for a decade doesn't ride enough to listen to BTW :-)