Electronics - Where Do I Start?
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JDB posted 1 year ago.
I am a big fan of the Garmin Forerunner 305 (w/ cadence sensor). I hear good things about their newer model, the 405, as well, with a few exceptions. The Garmin had just about everything you need except for the power meter compatibility.
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CadenceGuy posted 1 year ago.
I use a polar heart rate monitor with cadence and distance sensor you tie into your shoes for running. I like it a lot. Ive never tried the Garmin before but I hear a lot of good things about that set-up as well. I have a CatEye Wireless for my bike that monitors speed, cadence, distance all that jazz and have done quite well with it. I havent yet really considered buying a power meter because Ive been happy with what Ive accomplished soo far. But a heart rate monitor would be something that I would recommend just as it was recommended to me when I first started a couple years ago. Good Luck this season!!!
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TriSooner posted 1 year ago.
I think:
- Garmin has GPS (speed/distance) and HRM, but not power or cadence
- Polar has HRM but speed/distance come on a pod for the shoe, and power capability and cadence are add-ons
Don't get too bogged down with technology, man! I went overboard with gadgets (hence the term 'gadget geek') when I first started. If you go whole-hog, I promise in a few years you'll be down to just a basic wireless computer for your bike and a Timex Ironman watch from Wal-mart for your run. Using HRMs, cadence, etc. is great when you first start, but as you progress, you will rely less on power meters or HRMs to tell you that you did/did not have a good training session. And remember, technology is not a substitute for training.
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xc800runner posted 1 year ago.
Polar S625X gives you complete compatibility with HR while swimming; speed, cadence and power while cycling; and pace/distance for running. All can be sen on your wrist, which is good for tris since you have one device for everything. You can also record laps, and I believe the resulting files you download to your comp will show you average/max HR for each lap (discipline) so you know how hard you work on the swim/bike/run parts.
Basic system costs about $350 with speed and cadence sensors and coded HR strap. Another $100 or so for the running data and I believe the power function will set you back about $500-$600.
237
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904 days
burnman posted 1 year ago.
Polar RS800G3 was my splurge. It'll do 90% of what you're looking for. But like TriSooner says, "don't get too bogged down with technology, man". I use mine regularly to compare data, but it got to a point where it became more about data and less about performance. My best results come from effort-based workouts, when I'm not a slave to my HRM or GPS. They're great tools to have, but don't believe that they're essential. A cheapie bike computer, basic wristwatch, and one of the online tools like mapmytri, will take you pretty far. I've got months and months of data, but rarely look back at more than a week's worth.
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jsk85 posted 1 year ago.
burnman wrote:
A cheapie bike computer, basic wristwatch, and one of the online tools like mapmytri, will take you pretty far.
I've used a variety of other tools, but this is basically what I'm down to now. The Forerunner still interests me, but would probably be the only other gadget I'd get. I'm saving my money for gear, maintenence and race entrys.
As well as gas, house paayments, and food
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TryScott posted 1 year ago.
I've been using the Garmin 305 for a year now, and the excitement of knowing so many fields of information at any given point during a workout has worn off. However, the device is still worth every penny, and more. I'm not good at writing things down, but I love having the data available for all my workouts. With my Garmin, even if I don't take the HR strap with me, and I never once glance at the watch, the basic information is recorded to reference later.
736
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theShiba posted 1 year ago.
You are all way to conservative...
This thread is about electronics... First of all, you are going to need a 42"LCD to watch inspirational movies wile you are on your CycleOps trainer, and you might as well get an X-Box 360 to play games while you are on there too. You're doing sprints here. 40 minutes is a long time to spend on the trainer, so you want to keep entertained. Spare. No. Expense.
Second, you are going to need everything you can get your hands on to allow you to monitor Heart Rate, Cadence, Distance, Pace, Time of Day, UV Intensity, Air Quality, Elevation, Lunar Alignment, Humidity, Dew point, Watts, Ohms, Voltage, 5-Day weather forecast, and of course time for up to 100 laps. This must be waterproof up to 500m, and transmit your heart-rate while you are swimming... So, get good at checking your watch while you are in the water.
Third, if you are going to be uploading this data to your computer, you're going to need a new Government Spec. super-computer, and dual 30" monitors. All this data is going to take some serious processing power, so don't skimp out here. If you can, find a way for you to somehow wirelessly sync this data in real-time to your 42" LCD so that you can see this information while you are on the trainer.
This ought to be enough for a while, until you start training for Oly's... Then it's a whole other ballgame.
But seriously, you can do most of what you described with a Garmin 305, and a basic cyclometer that does cadence. Although, I'd be wary of using it in the water.
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tsilcyc posted 1 year ago.
TriSooner wrote:
Don't get too bogged down with technology
TriSooner wrote:
I promise in a few years you'll be down to just a basic wireless computer for your bike and a Timex Ironman watch from Wal-mart for your run.
TriSooner took the words right out of my mouth. The above describes me with the exception of Walmart was out of the watch so I bought it from Amazon.com
Get a Timex Ironman, get a wireless computer for your bike, and focus on your training.
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RV posted 1 year ago.
TriSooner wrote:
I think:
- Garmin has GPS (speed/distance) and HRM, but not power or cadence
- Polar has HRM but speed/distance come on a pod for the shoe, and power capability and cadence are add-ons
Don't get too bogged down with technology, man! I went overboard with gadgets (hence the term 'gadget geek') when I first started. If you go whole-hog, I promise in a few years you'll be down to just a basic wireless computer for your bike and a Timex Ironman watch from Wal-mart for your run. Using HRMs, cadence, etc. is great when you first start, but as you progress, you will rely less on power meters or HRMs to tell you that you did/did not have a good training session. And remember, technology is not a substitute for training.
The Garmin 305 does do cadence for the bike and has a foot pod for the run cadence as well. And of course distance, pace, GPS and HR.
Agree with not using the HR.
But definitely disagree regarding the comment on powermeters. I think it is just the opposite. The more that you get into the sport and training and wanting improvements then the more valuable a powermeter becomes.
1037
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ChunkyB posted 1 year ago.
As was mentioned, the Garmin 305 actually does do run and bike cadence, as well as indoor speed on bike and run. The only problem is that you're not really supposed to swim with it.
Also, the newer Garmins can sync with your power meter, but pretty much any power meter is going to come with its own computer anyways, so you might not need this option.
"The melting point of wax means nothing to me": Thrice
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kylie posted 1 year ago.
For Garmin + powermeter, last I heard there were limited (or even at one point no) supported power meters... have they changed their stance on that?
I love having my Garmin for run pacing, and my powermeter on the bike. In the pool I use a basic sport watch or even just the wall clock.
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Anton posted 1 year ago.
A watch. A bike computer. After a year, get a HRM to make sure you don't go too hard.
Do everything you can to not get caught up in "paralysis by analysis."
"A little nonsense now and then is cherished by the wisest men."
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953 days
TryScott posted 1 year ago.
theShiba wrote:
You are all way to conservative...This thread is about electronics... First of all, you are going to need a 42"LCD to watch inspirational movies wile you are on your CycleOps trainer, and you might as well get an X-Box 360 to play games while you are on there too. You're doing sprints here. 40 minutes is a long time to spend on the trainer, so you want to keep entertained. Spare. No. Expense.
Second, you are going to need everything you can get your hands on to allow you to monitor Heart Rate, Cadence, Distance, Pace, Time of Day, UV Intensity, Air Quality, Elevation, Lunar Alignment, Humidity, Dew point, Watts, Ohms, Voltage, 5-Day weather forecast, and of course time for up to 100 laps. This must be waterproof up to 500m, and transmit your heart-rate while you are swimming... So, get good at checking your watch while you are in the water.
Third, if you are going to be uploading this data to your computer, you're going to need a new Government Spec. super-computer, and dual 30" monitors. All this data is going to take some serious processing power, so don't skimp out here. If you can, find a way for you to somehow wirelessly sync this data in real-time to your 42" LCD so that you can see this information while you are on the trainer.
This ought to be enough for a while, until you start training for Oly's... Then it's a whole other ballgame.
But seriously, you can do most of what you described with a Garmin 305, and a basic cyclometer that does cadence. Although, I'd be wary of using it in the water.
Shouldn't he get a powerful sound system to listen to while on the trainer? Trainers make a lot of noise.
539
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924 days
cjhoffmn posted 1 year ago.
Like many here, I'm a fan of the forerunner 305 - with the cadence sensor and the footpod, its really quite complete. I added a powertap recently and its taken my training to a whole new level. I think the the FR first with the accessories, then move to add a power meter when you're ready to plunk down that level of commitment.
I also second the thoughts about not getting too caught up in the tech. The data is great, but I've found that I'm getting faster and stronger by using it to design my training plans, execute on them, then compare them to the results. It's really easy with tech to use it live to constantly monitor HR, Pace etc. but I have found better training gains by trying to go at my target pace/HR without actually watching my pace at the same time. The analysis seems to be more meaningful that way.
Oh, but a SwimP3 is a pretty cool device for the long practice swims ;)
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Leroy Bonkers posted 1 year ago.
Anton wrote:
A watch. A bike computer. After a year, get a HRM to make sure you don't go too hard.
Do everything you can to not get caught up in "paralysis by analysis."
darn tootin'
Make sure the computer reads cadence and spend your savings on swimming lessons.
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TriMyBest posted 1 year ago.
Thanks to everyone for the advice. I've just been using a $15 waterproof watch from Rite Aid to time my training sessions and monitor my pace. I think I'll just get a bike computer for now and maybe upgrade my watch to one with HR to keep me from pushing too hard (I have a tendancy to go all near my threshold rather than pace myself in the aerobic zone).
20
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661 days
chefsmith posted 1 year ago.
I use a 3 year old ironman for splits in the pool. It works perfect and only cost like 30 bucks. For the bike I have a 30 dollar trek incite that tells me everything but cadence. I usually only wear my heart rate monitor on the run to keep in the right zones( Polar F11). I agree with the above statements, I think technology reaches a point where its just too much. I think it is in human nature to get more than we really need.
"Continuous effort -- not strength or intelligence -- is the key to unlocking our potential."
I am new to triathlon (2 sprints this year), have my basic equipment, and I am now ready to begin investing in some of the electronic gear to improve my training efficiency and race performance. So far, I haven't bought anything. I don't even have a bike computer.
Here's my problem: Where do I start? Everything I've been reading has just given me information overload. I think I need/want:
1. A watch for time & HR during swims.
2. A bike computer to measure speed, HR, elapsed time, cadence, distance, etc. (And the ability to tie-in a power meter if I can afford one some day)
3. A running computer to measure speed, HR, time, distance, etc.
4. The ability to upload all of this data into my pc for managing my training and tracking my progress.
I can't seem to figure out how all this goes together. Everything that I read makes it seem like I would need several different devices kind of cobbled together to accomplish all this. I would like to either buy one package of components that are 100% compatible, or purchase a series of components that are compatible as I can afford each one.
What are my options?