Comments on: Polar CS400 Cycling Heart Rate Monitor http://mountainbikebook.com/blog/2009/12/polar-cs400-cycling-heart-rate-monitor/ Mountain bike discounts, reviews and more Sun, 14 Nov 2010 14:34:23 +0000 hourly 1 By: H. Brittmann http://mountainbikebook.com/blog/2009/12/polar-cs400-cycling-heart-rate-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-156 H. Brittmann Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:52:47 +0000 http://mountainbikebook.com/blog/2009/12/polar-cs400-cycling-heart-rate-monitor/#comment-156 I just recently got the Polar CS400 as an upgrade for my CS200 and was quite curious since I had read some reviews prior to buying it...Being normally gifted I was sure I would get around it though, yet it took me a good two hours before I could see the speed showing on the screen!!! and that wasn't thanks to the user manual delivered in the box. First bad point is that speed and cadence were disabled by default on my unit, and there are two setup menus you can access (one before you start a training session / one after you have pressed the start button), but only one will let you enable speed and cadence (guess what? that procedure is not in the user manual). Once I had figured that much, I did not have to touch my speed and cadence sensor and the rest was just fine. So if you buy this unit be sure to do the following: <br />1. Buy the USB IRD adaptor that is not included in the box and without which you won't be able to upload your data in the training software. <br />2. Install the manual from the CD and read that one, the one provided in the box is pretty useless. <br />3. Once you have entered the wheel size and the rest. Before you start a training session. Press the down arrow on the right side of the unit to access the settings menu, go to the bike menu and make sure that speed (and optionally) cadence are enabled - otherwise this unit won't do you too much good. Rating: 3 / 5 I just recently got the Polar CS400 as an upgrade for my CS200 and was quite curious since I had read some reviews prior to buying it…Being normally gifted I was sure I would get around it though, yet it took me a good two hours before I could see the speed showing on the screen!!! and that wasn’t thanks to the user manual delivered in the box. First bad point is that speed and cadence were disabled by default on my unit, and there are two setup menus you can access (one before you start a training session / one after you have pressed the start button), but only one will let you enable speed and cadence (guess what? that procedure is not in the user manual). Once I had figured that much, I did not have to touch my speed and cadence sensor and the rest was just fine. So if you buy this unit be sure to do the following:

1. Buy the USB IRD adaptor that is not included in the box and without which you won’t be able to upload your data in the training software.

2. Install the manual from the CD and read that one, the one provided in the box is pretty useless.

3. Once you have entered the wheel size and the rest. Before you start a training session. Press the down arrow on the right side of the unit to access the settings menu, go to the bike menu and make sure that speed (and optionally) cadence are enabled – otherwise this unit won’t do you too much good.
Rating: 3 / 5

]]> By: Christopher Taylor http://mountainbikebook.com/blog/2009/12/polar-cs400-cycling-heart-rate-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-155 Christopher Taylor Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:01:39 +0000 http://mountainbikebook.com/blog/2009/12/polar-cs400-cycling-heart-rate-monitor/#comment-155 I've used this cycling computer for about 300 miles now and have found it to be both accurate and easy to use. The unit is compact and set-up is simple. This is my first and only cycling computer, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I have been completely pleased with this product. Rating: 5 / 5 I’ve used this cycling computer for about 300 miles now and have found it to be both accurate and easy to use. The unit is compact and set-up is simple. This is my first and only cycling computer, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I have been completely pleased with this product.
Rating: 5 / 5

]]> By: C. Pinto Coelho http://mountainbikebook.com/blog/2009/12/polar-cs400-cycling-heart-rate-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-154 C. Pinto Coelho Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:01:22 +0000 http://mountainbikebook.com/blog/2009/12/polar-cs400-cycling-heart-rate-monitor/#comment-154 This is my first cycling computer, having graduated from a Polar heart rate monitor watch. It's a fabulous product - easy to use and read while on a ride. I haven't used the software yet, but the idea of paying nearly $60 to buy an IrDA USB device with the poor ratings received to date is a real stretch. I'll stick to manual data transfer until they decide to use a sensible transfer method and support Mac OS X. <br /> <br />The CS400 computer is easy to use and even allows you to tailor the information it displays for you. The installation instructions that come with the product, however, are absolutely atrocious! If they could spend a bit more time on those instructions and use actual photographs instead of drawings the product would be a breeze to install. A note of caution, the product as described herein already contains a speed sensor and bike mount, so there is no need to purchase those separately. The one option to consider is the cadence sensor. <br /> <br />In summary a product worth buying! Rating: 4 / 5 This is my first cycling computer, having graduated from a Polar heart rate monitor watch. It’s a fabulous product – easy to use and read while on a ride. I haven’t used the software yet, but the idea of paying nearly $60 to buy an IrDA USB device with the poor ratings received to date is a real stretch. I’ll stick to manual data transfer until they decide to use a sensible transfer method and support Mac OS X.

The CS400 computer is easy to use and even allows you to tailor the information it displays for you. The installation instructions that come with the product, however, are absolutely atrocious! If they could spend a bit more time on those instructions and use actual photographs instead of drawings the product would be a breeze to install. A note of caution, the product as described herein already contains a speed sensor and bike mount, so there is no need to purchase those separately. The one option to consider is the cadence sensor.

In summary a product worth buying!
Rating: 4 / 5

]]> By: Shauna B. Richter http://mountainbikebook.com/blog/2009/12/polar-cs400-cycling-heart-rate-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-153 Shauna B. Richter Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:38:29 +0000 http://mountainbikebook.com/blog/2009/12/polar-cs400-cycling-heart-rate-monitor/#comment-153 Does not come with wrist band nor USB IR connection device. That would be helpful. Rating: 3 / 5 Does not come with wrist band nor USB IR connection device. That would be helpful.
Rating: 3 / 5

]]> By: paul_l http://mountainbikebook.com/blog/2009/12/polar-cs400-cycling-heart-rate-monitor/comment-page-1/#comment-152 paul_l Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:50:04 +0000 http://mountainbikebook.com/blog/2009/12/polar-cs400-cycling-heart-rate-monitor/#comment-152 My recommendation: just buy the cheapest bike compute you can find, and leave it at that. The computer software for this thing is just pathetic, and the fact that they choose to us IRDA as the transport is ridiculous. Everyone pretty much has to plunk down the money for a USB IRDA adapter to get anything into the computer. Granted, given that their previous method was "Sonic Link" which was, no joke, beeping at the mic to your computer to transfer data. I bought Polar thinking it was best-of-breed. Wow, was I wrong. <br /> <br />The main reason I'm giving it a bad review now is it worked for a week or so, then it blue-screened trying to download a workout. Now I can't get it to upload any data any more. No error messages, nothing. It just no longer works. How much time am I expected to devote to getting this to work? <br /> <br />This thing is pretty much going to turn into a speedometer and a stopwatch. Rating: 2 / 5 My recommendation: just buy the cheapest bike compute you can find, and leave it at that. The computer software for this thing is just pathetic, and the fact that they choose to us IRDA as the transport is ridiculous. Everyone pretty much has to plunk down the money for a USB IRDA adapter to get anything into the computer. Granted, given that their previous method was “Sonic Link” which was, no joke, beeping at the mic to your computer to transfer data. I bought Polar thinking it was best-of-breed. Wow, was I wrong.

The main reason I’m giving it a bad review now is it worked for a week or so, then it blue-screened trying to download a workout. Now I can’t get it to upload any data any more. No error messages, nothing. It just no longer works. How much time am I expected to devote to getting this to work?

This thing is pretty much going to turn into a speedometer and a stopwatch.
Rating: 2 / 5

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