The Polar s720i Heart Rate Monitor: The Best of the Best for Cyclists

Endurance sports training is all about putting in the miles, putting in the sweat, and getting the most out of each beat of your heart. Doing this takes discipline and accurate data over the course of your workout, and this has driven the rise of heart rate monitors like the Polar s720i. The Polar s720i is one of the top models on the market at the moment, and is rich in features, albeit somewhat intimidating to set up.

For the latest Polar models, check out the wider range of Polar Heart Monitors.

Features

The primary readout device fits on your handlebars, rather than as a wrist mounted gadget like a runner's heart monitor is, though there are options for putting it on your wrist. The handlebar bracket is pretty standard, and the speed sensor clips to the front of the bike pretty easily and there's a small light on the sensor that flashes when the magnet (put on one of the spokes) swings by. Overall, the mechanical setup of the polar heart monitors is pretty good and doesn't require a lot of technical knowledge.

The sensor strap goes around your chest; for women there's a bit of adjustment to do, but this is one area where technology has made significant strides. It doesn't pinch or ride up or make it hard to wear a sports bra, which used to be a concern. The monitor communicates with the display unit by very short range FM transmission, which is a significant improvement over unencrypted communication links or running a wire.

Beyond the Rest of the Field

The monitor is fully programmable, with multiple exercise routines and targeted heart rate zones, allowing the Polar heart rate monitor to inform you of exactly how you're doing in your workout. For example, you can tell it to set an alarm when your heart rate exceeds or drops below a certain rate, and set a timer for how long your heart rate stays within those ranges.

Your pulse rate shows up at the bottom line of the display, and it will also keep track of your trip mileage and your average speed; the display has several bits of information it shows, all of which are useful. You do have to be able to work some of the buttons to change display modes on the device, which shouldn't be a problem to anyone who has used a cycling computer before.

Added Features

The top line of the display is where most of the really interesting information is displayed; lap times, total times, speed, distance for the trip, maximum speed –even altitude. If you put in your weight and a few other bits of information, it'll even tell you how many calories you're burning.

That said, that's more information than you may need while holding the handlebars. Fortunately, the Polar s720i logs all this information and makes it (relatively) easy to download to your computer through an IR port or a USB IR dongle. There's even a cable that can transfer the data through the speaker input ports to your computer.

Once there, you've got more data about your workout than an accounting junkie could juggle. Seriously, bike enthusiasts are gadget freaks, and the Polar s720i is designed to scratch every performance metric possible and if those aren't enough, there are additional optional sensors – ones that count your pedal cycles, which are good for replicating a pedaling rhythm if you're at home and unable to train outside due to bad weather. Another one is the Power Output sensor which measures vibrations on your chain as a way to help you condition each leg individually.

For the latest Polar models, check out the wider range of Polar Heart Monitors.