Cheap HRMs -- any experience?

jswba
jswba Posts: 491
edited January 2009 in Training, fitness and health
Hi all, am thinking of getting my first HRM (under 50 quid). I've narrowed it down to three:

Sigma Onyx
Garmin Forerunner 50
one of the cheap Polar ones (either the F4 or the CS100 if I can find it cheap enough!)

I've seen all three recommended but I've also seen some bad reviews of the Polar ones (notably on roadcyclinguk) that suggest they're unreliable and a bit of a pain to use. I was wondering if anyone has any experience or advice on these? I'm not bothered about fancy bells-and-whistles, just an alarm to ensure that I'm not getting lazy when out on the bike!

Thanks

Comments

  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Do you want it to be a bike computer too? If so I'd say the cateye strada is very nice, even if the instructions are a bit iffy.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • jswba
    jswba Posts: 491
    Thanks ride_whenever

    Is that the HR200? TBH I'm not too worried about it being a computer as well, although I wouldn't rule it out (I already have a computer). Do you know how reliable the Cateye sensor is?
  • tonyw43
    tonyw43 Posts: 249
    I've got the forerunner (currently on Amazon for £29.99), and is a pretty good bit of kit. Works well, and the software that you can download for it is easy to use, and gives you a graph of each workout. You can also get a speed/cadence sensor for it, so if at a later date you want to use it as a cyclecomputer as well, you can.
    TonyTwitter
    Ribble 7005
  • nottscobb
    nottscobb Posts: 147
    The forerunner is good because it automatically logs the heartrate over time and can then be uploaded to your PC so you get pretty graphs of your heartrate during a ride.

    The speed/cadence sensor doesn't turn the watch into a bike computer as such. It doesn't display the data on the watch but it can be uploaded to the PC and viewed as a graph showing speed and cadence alongside heartrate. Good fun if you like to play with the facts and figures, probably overkill if you're not bothered by that sort of thing.
  • brucey72
    brucey72 Posts: 1,086
    I'd second the Garmin Forerunner 50. I bought one two weeks ago through Amazon for £29.99 as Tony above pointed out.

    It's fairly basic but does everything I need well. You can set your own training zones and it will give you an audio and visual warning if outside them. You can then upload all the information (Max HR, Avg HR, Time spent within each training zone, exercise time) just by placing the watch near your computer as long as it has the USB stick provided inserted in it.

    I only wanted it to complement my Cateye Strada cycle computer and didn't want anything too complicated and for this purpose it is ideal. The only thing I would say negatively is that you need to put it on a bike mount as the "start/stop" button is on the right hand side of the watch and I somehow managed to press it a couple of times accidentally when bending my wrist.
  • crabstix
    crabstix Posts: 61
    My kids got me the Forerunner 50 with HRM and the speed/cadence sensor for xmas. I rather like it. It provides what seems like very accurate HR as well as any combo of HR+Cad, or HR+Speed, or HR+lap times... well, you get the point. It does not replace a computer, and for trip measurement, average speed and odometer purposes I have a Cateye Stada as well. My only gripe is that I would like to use the Forerunner for running as well but for some reason the footpod sensor costs £20 more on its own than a whole other F50+footpod! Does not make sense to me, but if I really want one, I will get the pair and that will give me a spare F50.
  • jswba
    jswba Posts: 491
    Well that's pretty conclusive! 30 quid seems a steal to me. thanks everybody for the input.
  • edhornby
    edhornby Posts: 1,780
    following on this topic kinda... There is a cheap PRM in Decathlon for £15 !!! has anyone used one ???
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    Just to clarify folks re the Garmin.....does it :-

    1.This records Average HR

    2.It comes with - (or you can freely obtain) software to upload your ride data to a windows pc

    3.The USB stick comes with it ?
  • tonyw43
    tonyw43 Posts: 249
    Hi Rollo,

    In answer to your questions:

    1. It does record average heart rate, but you have to remember to save each data session, but it records avg hr and max hr.

    2. The software is free to download from Garmin website.

    3. The ANT usb stick comes with it (based on Amazon.co.uk).
    TonyTwitter
    Ribble 7005
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    I've been using the cheapest Polar made(the model name eludes me right now). Had it
    for 4 or 5 years now. Put a battery in it a while back. Bought a new chest strap last year
    because it's battery was dead. Some real cheapie brand(not even a Polar). Works fine.

    Dennis Noward

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