Polar CS200cad Cycle Computer

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Check your wheel magnet is straightHmmm the wheel sensor for the cadence slips around like Mad Eye Moody's eye. I might just take it back to my good friends at Clarence street and get them to check all these things. This thing was not cheap and currently, I have to say, the wired Cateye one on the mtb I fitted myself is working a hell of a lot better....

So, how has the weight loss gone over the silly season?Well its been better over the last week. Up in the Bay of Nelson I stopped the Christmas slide and reversed it to what I was pre Christmas. Thanks mostly to the very big hill our accomodation slouched on.
Since return have been doing some k's some very ugly walking, ie walk to gym 6k and walk back another 6k. So I am hoping by next Thursday, my next official weigh in, I might be able to increase the figure in my signature.
Had a therapeutic massage last night - feelin' like garbage after its been through a compactor!

OK so today I ride to work with the auto off off and it says 7.8k but its 11.8!.I'm thinking it might be a battery issue...Perhaps repositioning your unit would help?

My Polar CS200cad has been having trouble registering the signal from the speed unit. On my last ride, I noticed it had "paused" while I was riding; intially I thought the trouble was with the speed unit/magnet alignment and/or spacing. Stopped and fiddled with it twice. Didn't fix it. Computer is mounted on the stem. When I rotated it part way around the stem so that it had a better "line of sight" to the speed unit, it began registering again, after which I had no problem. Though I could continue to use it in that somewhat strange position, I think I'll remount it on the bar where it should function better.

Perhaps repositioning your unit would help?

My Polar CS200cad has been having trouble registering the signal from the speed unit. I hadn't thought of that. I have a CS100 and have this trouble all the time and put it down to a magnet/sensor problem. Mine is mounted on the stem so perhaps that's the problem.

However I haven't had a happy experience generally. My CS100 when new came with a flat battery in the speed sensor which was replaced for me at no cost. Later bought the cadence sensor - same problem!

I thought it was just me!!!!

I've had mine for about 600km now. The Autostart feature works properly - ie, only stops when I'm stopped. I did have some strife with the cadence dropping out but being very fussy about putting the magnet in the middle of the sensor fixed that (I moved it 2mm :eek: ) and it's been reliable since. My main unit is mounted on the handlebar on the RHS of the stem (if that helps anyone).

Someone mentioned the heart rate strap - I've noticed mine needs to be properly wet too, but it's otherwise reliable.

The thing I'd like to turn off is the beeper - I push my heart rates all over the place and don't need it telling me I'm over my 'limit'. I've already manually pushed the top rate up higher than the machine thinks it should be to where I think it should be (after chatting with my doctor) but don't need the damned beeper yelling at me. Sure, I could turn all the noise off, but I also use the timer and want that beeping at me and as far as I can tell, it's all or nothing.

Richard

I've already manually pushed the top rate up higher than the machine thinks it should be to where I think it should be (So what is the new MHR you have set it to?

So what is the new MHR you have set it to?110-160.

I go up to 160 without any real strain - exceed it regularly with all the hills around here. My doctor didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with working at that hr, particularly seeing the maximum I've recorded is 185 and mid to high 170's is common (I'm 50). The doc didn't seem to think much of heart rates as a measure of impending drama - blood pressure is more important, which led to an interesting discussion about riding up steep hills using one of those blood pressure machines doctors use (no, we weren't taking it seriously ;))

Richard
it's hard to post coherently with a bored 5 year old rabbiting in your ear :rolleyes:

My Polar CS100 came with a flat battery and i put in a fresh CR2032 replacement. It starts up and picks up the signal from the wheel sensor.

It makes wierd crackling and screeching noises intermittently when switched on. I tried to switch sound off on all settings, but this did not help.

I am perplexed as to whats causing this unit to crackle !

Regards,

Karan Kapur - Biking in Kuwait

It makes wierd crackling and screeching noises intermittently when switched on.Karan,

The first time I replaced the battery in my CS100 it made cracking noises as well. That battery only lasted a few days. Now, I can't get more than one day out of a battery. Have you found a solution? I find it a bit rediculous that I'd have to mail this damn thing out to have the batter changed every time.

....I did have some strife with the cadence dropping.....I've already manually pushed the top rate up higher than the machine thinks it should be....
Richard

I've had mine for 2 years & 25,000km. Here are my experiences.

1. Positioning of the cadence sensor was critical. On the steel tourer, mounted on the seat tube did not work. Mounted on the down tube worked.
2. Positioning of the receiver is critical. On top of the stem works. On the bar same side as the cadence sensor works. Other side does not work.
3. I have had no problems with wheel sensor positioning.
4. Cadence sensor failed after one month and replaced under warranty. It appears this is not uncommon so make sure you buy from a local supplier to ensure your warranty is useable.
5. Don't park at the coffee shop with the wheel or cadence sensor adjacent to the magnet. According to the computer, I once rode 200km while having coffee!!!
6. Of course auto start will result in no-recording below a certain speed - that is how it is supposed to work. If you walk up a hill then there is no record. Turn auto start off and get used to not forgetting to manually start/stop.
7. Calorie burn is underestimated. Polar do it differently to everyone else and of course, they think their method is the best. It's all a guess anyway so don't get too hung up over it.
8. MaxMR used by the computer is based on the "formula" - 220-age. This is the wildest guess anyone ever invented. The history of this formula can be found on the web (and other sources). I have a graph of 10,000 maxHR figures for real people plotted against age. It looks like a mad woman's breakfast. Someone has drawn a straight line through it representing the "formula", and the line more or less sits arbitrarily in the middle of the cloud of data points.
I use this method - maxHR is the maximum you can achieve (this is the definition). It is mostly genetically determined and is not a measure of athletic performance. The value of the Polar is that you can keep redefining your maxHR as you find ever steeper hills, and so accurately determine your training zones.
9. Best feature - it always works and the battery is never flat. When I do a long Audax ride I take the Polar and the Garmin 305. When the Garmin's battery is flat (after 12 hours) the Polar is still going.
10. Data download to computer - I don't think it is possible with the CS200. You can upload from the computer to the Polar easy enough using the computer's speaker. There's hardly enough data to make it worthwhile anyway - I write it down in a training log book after each ride and it only takes a couple of minutes.

Hope this helps someone.

I've had mine for 2 years...
Hope this helps someone.Great post thanks.

I had actually forgotten about this thread.
I have new news on my Polar. I went to a reliable LBS and they told me they had sent 4 units back to polar, to get checks on the batteries etc because of unreliability and Polar charged $80 for each:eek: - nice earner!

However,
the problems I was having have been solved by two things:
1. My trainer at my gym, who is an elite mens cyclist, removed the Polar magnet and put a bigger, Cateye magnet on the wheel, suddenly its now recording speeds as low as 2kph. Friends, you can get one of these for under $10 at the LBS and it solves all the problems!!

2. Ride faster.
It records better at higher speed than lower speed.

:)

8. MaxMR used by the computer is based on the "formula" - 220-age. This is the wildest guess anyone ever invented. The history of this formula can be found on the web (and other sources). I have a graph of 10,000 maxHR figures for real people plotted against age. It looks like a mad woman's breakfast. Someone has drawn a straight line through it representing the "formula", and the line more or less sits arbitrarily in the middle of the cloud of data points.
I use this method - maxHR is the maximum you can achieve (this is the definition). It is mostly genetically determined and is not a measure of athletic performance. The value of the Polar is that you can keep redefining your maxHR as you find ever steeper hills, and so accurately determine your training zones.


.
Bang ON!
It is pure fluke that mine is actually 220-age!

10. Data download to computer - I don't think it is possible with the CS200. You can upload from the computer to the Polar easy enough using the computer's speaker.
Should be.
I have the RS 200 (running watch) and do it via a microphone.
The software is downloaded from the site.

find it very useful....
Well, a useful toy.

...bigger, Cateye magnet on the wheel...
:)

Great. You just reminded me of a neat trick for cyclists if you lose your sensor magnets. Dead CDROM drives are plentifull. Dismantle the laser head and inside you will find four small focussing magnets. They are rare earth magnets and exceedingly powerfull and work just fine taped to a crank or a spoke.

Polar CS200 - really like mine. No problems with it turning off up hills(my lowest speed is say 11kph). Only once it blanked out after a ride(cell phone tower near it?) and I had to reset the clock etc.

As I train on a SingleSpeed(not fixed gear) its good/interesting to see the ave cadence and top cadence too.

I like the way it fits on the stem - looks better centralised.

I think the calorie counter over rates cal used(see other thread) but otherwise its great:)

I also have a CS200CAD, i have done just on 700Km's with it and it has been faultless, only about 2 months old. I have recently upgraded to a GPS, so my CS200CAD is for sale if anyone wants one-Perfect cond, and purchased locally for $340-open to reasonable offers.

The Polar CS is unreliable. Its quite easy to change the battery with a small jewellers screwdriver and a 2032 battery - but if thechines made unit is malfunctioning it will suck a new battery dry in 24 hours.
Polar has terrible support and if this is the quality fo their products dont buy POLAR again. My watch and belt worksfine but the bike sensors and bike computers are a DISASTER.

The Polar CS is unreliable. Its quite easy to change the battery with a small jewellers screwdriver and a 2032 battery - but if thechines made unit is malfunctioning it will suck a new battery dry in 24 hours.
Polar has terrible support and if this is the quality fo their products dont buy POLAR again. My watch and belt worksfine but the bike sensors and bike computers are a DISASTER.==========================================================
I can agree....a friend had a CS200 that played up so he went away from them for a couple of years(partly because the shop were not helpful). I see he's got one again and its doing fine:) .
My Polar S150s speed sensor has packed it in....:o

CS200 is rubbish! I bought one and have sensors on both my MTB and racing bike.

On the MTB, the wheel and cadence sensors have to be so close to the wheel and the pedal arm that they are always getting pushed out of the way. Move them further away and they don't work. I've had some success with bigger magnets from other applications but these are difficult to mount.

On the racing bike it is just plain unreliable. The unit switches off "paused" sometimes when I'm barrelling along.

The calorie counter must be something of an approximation because I rode just less than an hour last weekend with my Polar F55 watch and got 700 calories and 1042 with the CS200 (same heart band).

I'm thinking of changing to Garmin Edge but isn't it a pity to be carrying a GPS that doesn't navigate. Sooner or later someone will figure out one unit that does all and it will probably have a wire to the cadence sensor!

That's pretty unlucky. I too have CS200 on both my road & mountain bikes - it has never failed, stalled or anything similar. I don't use the cadence sensor on the MTB as that's a bit optimistic given the activity that goes on, otherwise all good.

As far as service is concerned, I managed to break all the mounting clips off the base of the actual unit - my fault, pushing the bike under a gated entrance and bashed the unit - the local distro replaced the case for me free of charge nothing much wrong with that for service. (I skipped the LBS & went direct as I though it unlikley I could get a replacement at all - I was obviously wrong!).