Hello peoples, I am in need of a new heart rate monitor. Here's the functions I need:

-HRM, altitude (preferably recorded as altitude gained), computer interface.

Here's what would also be nice, but not absolutely necessary:

-Compass, wireless bike speed function.

Thanks...

It does everything and the best part is you can download all the informaiton on your PC and you have a training log. Been using it for over 2 years now and love it.

merlin - that's one of the models I was interested in, but I have heard that on some of the Polar's you have to send them to the factory to get the battery replaced. Does that apply to the 720?

merlin - that's one of the models I was interested in, but I have heard that on some of the Polar's you have to send them to the factory to get the battery replaced. Does that apply to the 720?
but only something you need to do every couple years. I send mine to Polar when I'm going on a family vacation for 1 week or so, then I have it by the time I get back. The Polar is not without it's downsides. However, it your seriuos about training it gives you lots of great information. The thing I like best is the software. I download all my ride and it totals up for me total hour, calories, miles etc for each week, month etc...as well as time in each HR zone. I have 4 bikes, and they are all set up to use the Polar. The road bike also has the cadence and power functions set up.

Hello peoples, I am in need of a new heart rate monitor. Here's the functions I need:

-HRM, altitude (preferably recorded as altitude gained), computer interface.

Here's what would also be nice, but not absolutely necessary:

-Compass, wireless bike speed function.

Thanks...

I have to second the motion on the 710/720 - it's pretty $$$$, specially if you want to set up all your bikes with it - but it's a great unit. Looks ugly, but what Polar doesn't.

I have the S710, but that's hard to find since its been replace with the S720. It's one of those purchases the serious biker won't have ANY regrets. The software for tracking your training is UNDER rated. It's great.

After 2 years, mine died after a hard crash. I sent it back and authorized $100 of repair work on it. I got it back in about 7 days; it cost me TOTAL $1.76 in postage. They replaced the entire watch with a new one. Amazing!

If you've got the bucks and don't mind waiting a bit longer till it hits the market, you can always look at the new Polar S725i. (http://www.polar.fi/polar/channels/eng/segments/Cycling/S725.html) Of course, it costs something like $680 from what I've heard.

It tracks HR, speed, cadence, altitude, power output (optional), and a bunch of others. Just earlier today I was reading a comparison of this against the Power Tap and SRT units for power monitoring, but I can't find the link right this minute. It did reasonably well.