Conference noted::bicycle

    	Doing a DIR/TITLE=COMPUTER gave me the following notes:
    
    	58, 108, 478, 923, 1203, 1461, 1522, 1817
    
    	These notes are the place to start.
    
    	Scott

    Re .1
    
    >    	Doing a DIR/TITLE=COMPUTER gave me the following notes:
    >    	58, 108, 478, 923, 1203, 1461, 1522, 1817
    
    Having done the same myself before writing note 1817, I can tell you
    that there's not much on heart monitoring and nothing that would help
    this questioner.
    
    Chris

    962 and 1374 both have the title "Heart Monitors"

    235.2,.3,.5 also have "heart" in the title.

>>    I'm in the market for a new trip computer.  Since I use my bike as a
>>    training/exercise tool I am considering getting one with a heart
>>    monitor.  Can anyone tell what is available and how reliable they are.

Get an inexpensive computer for the bike and a seperate heart rate monitor that
can attach to the handle bar with the wrist strap on a piece of foam. The
monitor can then be worn while doing other exercises. I use mine on the stair
master and when I used to run intervals.
 
I recommend getting a low priced *wireless* heart rate monitor. I have one that
Perfomance has discontinued. They might still have them under clearance for 
$99.00. It had no memory but I find those options are hardly ever needed. 

Anyway for $150.00 you can get both, a heart rate monitor and cycle computer.
The CIC/Polar intergrated cycle computer and heart rate monitor cost $400.00 
in the Perfomance catalog. Yikes!!! That's too much, unless your some kind of
spend thrift, that has to have the latest in techno-weene expensive gadgets,or
you have a light weight bike fully dressed in C-Record and the thought of
adding the weight of a cycle computer *plus* the weight of the heart rate
monitor is too much for you...
     
Also stay away from the wire pick up heart rate monitors that use finger
or ear lobe sensors. They are too inaccurate.  

Tom

    Thanks for the help. .4 sounds like good advice.  I'll look into
    separate units.

        CREATIVE HEALTH PRODUCTS  (Plymouth,  MI)  have  a  "90 Day Price
        Protection  Guarantee" (lowest-price-type guarantee),  plus  they
        claim to have IN STOCK all of the monitors  on  the market.  They
        sell  all the  kinds  that  Performance,  Nashbar,  etc.    have,
        INCLUDING the ones called "BioScan" by Performance (actually made
        by Nissei).
        
        Call  them  at 800-742-4478 and  ask  for  their  "Pulse  Monitor
        Buyer's Guide" --- it is interesting  reading,  since it outlines
        the  advantages  and disadvantages of every type,  and  discribes
        KNOWN BUGS with certain wireless  types.  VERY EDUCATIONAL!  I am
        about to buy a wireless type, and it will be from them.
        
        The CIC/Polar CycloVantage, referred to in -.1,  goes  for  about
        $329.  One clear advantage that this unit  offers is the built-in
        "Conconi" test features --- the Conconi Test is a  proven  method
        for obtaining a reliable measurement of one's MAX HR.
        
        Later,
        
        John

    I just ordered a "bioscan" pulse monitor from creative health products
    last week. The advertised price in their buyer's guide for the
    "bioscan" was $109. I told them that performance had the bioscan for
    sale at $99; they matched the price without any arguments. (performance
    no loner has the bioscan in stock.) An added benifit for ordering pulse
    monitors form creative health products is that they through in the bike
    mount for free; performance charges for them.
    
    bob

>    I just ordered a "bioscan" pulse monitor from creative health products
>    last week...

        Bob, weren't  you  concerned about the "bugs" which CHP describes
        in their "Buyer's  Guide?"  I'd  be  interested  if  you  see the
        following, particularly the _second_ one:
        
            *  ALARM PROBLEM:   "...the  alarm  portion  of  the  circuit
            somehow  interferes with the portion  of  the  circuit  which
            receives  the  pulse signal from the  transmitter...(causing)
            the pulse rate to become erratic or  inaccurate.  The problem
            only occurs when the alarms are set _and_  the  user's  heart
            rate is above or below the target zone set."
            
            *  FIELD OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEM:  "...there are blank  spots
            in  the  field of trnasmission from the transmitter where the
            receiver will not receive a signal.  If the watch is  in this
            area  or  passes through this area when a heart signal should
            be received, the watch  will  miss  it  and  the  pulse  rate
            reading will be low." 
            
            They add:  "These two  problems  are  usually not troublesome
            for cyclists...runners, however, often have trouble with this
            unit." Since  I  do  _both_,  I'm not very interested in this
            unit...
            
        The  unit  in question is called the  "BioScan"  by  Performance,
        "Wristcoach  II" by Elexis, "PT-180" by Tunturi, "8863"  by  CIC,
        but    fundamentally    is  the  "PU-801"  by  Nissei  (the  REAL
        manufacturer).
        
        Note that the "BioScan II" has more features, does _not_ have the
        alarm  problem,  but  still has the dead-zone problem.  Also more
        expensive...
        
        Have a GREAT one!
        
        John

      <<< Note 1822.6 by CREVAS::ERICKSON "John Erickson, DTN 232-2590" >>>
                           -< Heart Monitors etc... >-

re:
        "Conconi" test features --- the Conconi Test is a  proven  method
        for obtaining a reliable measurement of one's MAX HR.
        
The Conconi Test establishes one'a Anaerobic Threshold (AT), not MAX HR.

Kevin

    re:.8
    	I was a little concerned about the bugs reported in the buyers
    guide. However, the problems didn't sound that bad to me. If the
    problem with using it for running is just intermittent, I can live with
    it. The measurments don't have to be perfect; I just want some feedback
    on how I'm performing. And as far as the other problem that concerns
    being either under or over the tarket heart range, I hope to keep it
    within the tarket range anyways. And basically I wanted it for biking
    to give me an idea of how hard I'm working since biking is new to me.
    
    Anyway, I just received it yesterday and I'm going to use it when I go
    out running to day and see how it works. I'll let you know if I have
    any problems with it.
    
    bob

    Here's a challenge...
    
    How can 2 people on a tandem each use a heart monitor without
    interfering with the other's receiver?  As far as I know, all HR
    monitors are on the same frequency.  I was hoping to use the HR monitor
    attachment from Ciclomaster (I think that's the make) but the problem
    that you can imagine is that the captain is actually closer to the 
    stoker's receiver (on handle bars) than the stoker is.
    
    Another possibility is to get something like a Polar (wrist model) and
    to attach the receiver close to your body (shirt, shorts) in order to 
    ensure that the receiver and transmitor are close.  But then, it
    would be a b*tch to glance at the "board".  What to do?  Cyclists out 
    there:  How often do you check the data while riding?  Is there something 
    out there with a different frequency?
    
    Eric

        RE: -.1
        
        Wow, what a problem! 

        There's probably a couple options, but one of the options you may
        not be able to do without proper instrumentation.
        
        (a)  If the  transmitters  and  receivers  in  these  things  are
        _crystal_controlled_, chances are it  is  a  STOCK item from some
        crystal  supplier.  If this  is  the  case,  there  are  probably
        _several_ similar frequencies --- you buy a set that is close but
        not  TOO  close  to the original, swap them  in  to  one  of  the
        transmitter/receiver pairs, and you'll be all set.  I betcha this
        is how they do it. 
        
        (b) If they are _not_ crystal controlled,  they  must  have  some
        sort of  tuning  mechanism  to  compensate  for  de-tuning  do to
        component variation.   Both  the  transmitter  and receiver would
        have tiny tuning adjusters, cranked by a small screwdriver.  They
        would have to tune them at the factory.   I _doubt_ they actually
        do it this way, since the room for error  is  very  large --- the
        transmitter  and receiver would almost have to be a matched  set!
        A labor-intensive approach!
        
        Incidently,    you    might    call  Creative  Health    Products
        (800-742-4478)  and  ask  about  issue.  They say  "we  know  and
        understand all monitors thoroughly". Well, _how_ thoroughly?
        
        Later,
        
        John

            <<< Note 1822.11 by MARKS::FRERE "Ellas Danzan Solas" >>>
                        -< Heart Monitors and Tandems >-

re:

    How can 2 people on a tandem each use a heart monitor without
    interfering with the other's receiver?  As far as I know, all HR
    monitors are on the same frequency.  I was hoping to use the HR monitor
    attachment from Ciclomaster (I think that's the make) but the problem
    that you can imagine is that the captain is actually closer to the 
    stoker's receiver (on handle bars) than the stoker is.
    
Eric,

I doubt if you'd have this problem, because the captain's body would be between
the captain's sender and the stoker's receiver.  This is exactly the
'transmission dead zone' problem mentioned in an earlier note.  (No, we haven't
tried this... we don't have 2 HR monitors).

Kevin

    I have not yet purchased the computer part of this duo bu I just
    recieved a CIC pro trainer from CHP.  Their literature is excellent and
    really help me chose the right product.  I picked the pro trainer
    because I wanted to be able to track time in, above and below target
    zone.  I get lazy or sidetracked concentrating on traffic during my
    rides and lose track of this.  (I can't walk and chew gum either).  So
    far I like it a lot.  The only thing I would change is that you cannot
    turn the alarm noise off and still have upper and lower limits for
    recording.  You have to set them at 240 and 10.  I just don't like
    listening to the constant beeping during warm up, cool down and over
    max periods.

    rep: .14
    
    >  I just don't like listening to the constant beeping during warm up, 
    >  cool down and over max periods.
    
    check out note 962.13 - it may help you.
    
    /Larry