Heart Rate Monitor?

Question

I got a gift certificate to by favorite bike shop for christmas :) and I'm considering getting a heart rate monitor. I never really felt I needed one and to be honest I don't have a clue what sort of brand/features I want. Any suggestions and types, and in your experience if it is worth it to get one?

Answer 1

If you want to continue enjoying cycling, get something else. It's like taking a back seat driver along. Every time you hit a hill it tells you your going to hard and when you come down the other side your not going hard enough.
If your training for competition it's a must. But then, that is more like hard work that enjoyment. Most people get enough of a work out by pushing themselves only to the point where they start to pant. This is the best zone to burn fat and build condition.
If you haven't felt the need then in the past then it will probably end up an expensive ornament. But then some people like the bling

Answer 2

If you "train" rather than just ride you'll definitely appreciate one (once you learn about the "zones"). Desired features will depend on how much assistance you want from the monitor during your training (e.g. alarms when you breach a zone) and how seriously you want to analyse your sessions.

If you're curious to know what your heart is doing, want to track your progress, have health issues to manage, have a tendency to go too hard for your own good, want an early warning that you're coming down with a cold, or want to be able to ride while you've got a cold without making it worse, get a basic one. I'm in this category, and am generally happy to have no features other than to see my heart rate on the screen. If this is all you want then pay attention to the size of the numbers on the display - monitors with bulk features have crowded screens with tiny numbers. Mine has a single zone alarm, which I use occasionally, and I can see that if I was training seriously I would want to be able to store multiple zones in the thing rather than have to reprogram it all the time.

I would recommend getting one you can mount on your handlebar or wear on your wrist. I don't know what brands are out there now, but find out what you have to do when the batteries expire. I've used a Polar since 1998 - unobtrusive, reliable, and waterproof. Battery and transmitter replacement have to be done by post but I'm only on my second receiver battery and am still on the original transmitter. It gets jammed by overhead train (and often tram) wires, which I presume is normal.

If you're the sort of person who finds that data detract from the pleasure of riding, forget it.

Answer 3

I have 4 different brands of Heart rate monitors.

get a Polar hands down. They just work better with fewer problems.

I would suggest you get one that has at least
Average heart rate
Calorie counter (so you know how much to eat)
Then if you can get it
Max heart rate

Yes i train with one and it works, there are many books, just keep it simple. I'm a Cat 2 road racer if that's any proof. If you want training ideas or suggestions email me [e-mail]

Answer 4

it is good feedback to have, and you should look for one with high & low zone alarms at the very least, and for about $100 you can get a Polar F4 that will calculate your heart rate zones and calories burned for you. My wife loves hers.

You may find that what happens is that you learn to read how your body feels depending on your effort, and may eventually stop using your HRM altogether. It is still very good to use, and lets you know if you are having an off day; if you are working hard or simply breathing hard.