Polar RC3 GPS Heart Rate Monitor and Sports Watch with Cadence €80

ted1

Collected mine, first impressions is that it's no where near as polished as my garmin 110. I only got it for the cadence sensor and hrm. Not a chance I would have paid more for it. I cycle about 250km a week so will pist back in a week with a full review

cgc5483

If anyone has a reservation for Dublin south would appreciate it

AstraOwner

A shame it seems to be such a crap device for syncing to any of the popular fitness apps/programmes.

PaddyFagan

For anyone else having issues with the HRM my battery was dead too, a quick trip to boots and all is well (the battery is a CR2025 for reference). As noted by someone else the first GPS lock is slow to establish, I left it on a window sill for 5 mins last night to get lock, but this morning it locked in under a min. Going to try and sync from my cycle this morning to Strava and I'll let you all know how it goes.

Paddy

fletch

I have one reservation code left for Blanch for €64 (I'm not selling it, it's free for whoever PMs me first)

PaddyFagan

PaddyFagan wrote: »

Going to try and sync from my cycle this morning to Strava and I'll let you all know how it goes.

Ok, for anyone interested in the Strava transfer of rides - I uploaded from my RC3 to polarpersonaltrainer.com (Link) - used the export gpx and imported into Strava (Link)

So the heart rate data doesn't make it across (I suspect the cadence wouldn't either, but haven't set that up yet) - I think for me I'm OK with this - I can use the two sites and get the insights I want across the two. I'm happy with being able to see more of my stats on the road (verses using my phone and a BLE HRM with the Strava app - with my phone in my pocket I can't see anything).

Paddy

ted1

PaddyFagan wrote: »

For anyone else having issues with the HRM my battery was dead too, a quick trip to boots and all is well (the battery is a CR2025 for reference). As noted by someone else the first GPS lock is slow to establish, I left it on a window sill for 5 mins last night to get lock, but this morning it locked in under a min. Going to try and sync from my cycle this morning to Strava and I'll let you all know how it goes.

Paddy

Couldn't sync the hrm either, cadence got it first time. Will try a new battery later

ooter

Used mine for the 1st time this morning and both the GPS and the HRM worked fine.
Does anyone know how to set the alert on the watch to let you know if you go over a certain BPM?

ucd.1985

fletch wrote: »

I have one reservation code left for Blanch for €64 (I'm not selling it, it's free for whoever PMs me first)

Prob gone but would love this.

Thanks

whiterebel

Halfords in Mahon Point still have one, but they want €80 if anyone wants it. PM me for reservation number if you want it.

RossieMan

have a code for Castlebar, still undecided if i want it or not.

If anyone wants it PM me i'll send it on.

SteM

If anyone has a spare reservation in Dublin please let me know.

knipper

whiterebel wrote: »

Halfords in Mahon Point still have one, but they want €80 if anyone wants it. PM me for reservation number if you want it.

Just pmd you.

chris1970

ooter wrote: »

Used mine for the 1st time this morning and both the GPS and the HRM worked fine.
Does anyone know how to set the alert on the watch to let you know if you go over a certain BPM?

Page 14 online manual, you can adjust option using a computer, try that

whiterebel

knipper wrote: »

Just pmd you.

PM Sent.

deisediva

Picked it up today for €64.00 thanks op

ooter

Yeah thanks op,great bargain.
And thanks Chris,I'll check that out.
My only gripe with the watch is it doesn't give mile splits like my garmin but for the price I paid I'm not going to complain.:)

ooter

Does anyone know if the battery in the HRM is losing power by leaving it in all the time or does it only switch on when the watch hooks up with it?

PaddyFagan

ooter wrote: »

Does anyone know if the battery in the HRM is losing power by leaving it in all the time or does it only switch on when the watch hooks up with it?

I don't know for sure, but the quoted battery life is about a year, I'd guess it's losing power all the time waiting for a hand shake from the watch, but uses more power when active... I'm guessing the stock we're buying is 2-3 years old hence the number of DOA HRM batteries.

Paddy

ooter

DOA. :-)

rom

ooter wrote: »

DOA. :-)

You can get these batteries is most euro shops.

ooter

rom wrote: »

You can get these batteries is most euro shops.

Yeah,I have some already for my current HRM,I got 4 for €2.

Boscoirl

I think if you take the hrm off the strap, it prolongs the battery, I think I read that in one of the manuals

Isot10

[QUOTE=PaddyFagan

So the heart rate data doesn't make it across (I suspect the cadence wouldn't either, but haven't set that up yet) - I think for me I'm OK with this - I can use the two sites and get the insights I want across the two. I'm happy with being able to see more of my stats on the road (verses using my phone and a BLE HRM with the Strava app - with my phone in my pocket I can't see anything).

Paddy[/QUOTE]


There is a handy utility to do this , its called tcx creator that you can set up to monitor the files you export from polar web sync.
Basically you plug in watch , polar websync automatically loads , you go to training computer , training data , tick the files you want to export , it exports them to a pre configured folder. from there you can drag them to tcx creator which will merge them into one tcx file and you can sent them to strava , endomondo etc.
You can also set tcx creator to automatically monitor this folder , pick up the two files , merge them to one tcx file and even automatically upload it to strava with email notification. This only uploads to strava , nothing else. It works a treat.

one other thing , i believe the cadence sensor has a non replaceable battery so when its gone you need to buy another.

eringobragh

Isot10 wrote: »

one other thing , i believe the cadence sensor has a non replaceable battery so when its gone you need to buy another.

Thats ridiculous I googled it and you can do a 'hack' to get the battery out - I'm sure if you seal it and wrap it in some insulation tape afterwards it should be fine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR1mY3ZUXDk

andrew1977

Whats everyones opinion with this after having it a few days ?
I thought I would be a lot more impressed with it, hit and miss with it locking on the GPS in a quick enough time.
Half thinking of returning it .

Isot10

thanks for the video , will have a go when the time comes.
as regards the speed of gps lock , it seems faster to lock if you are stationary rather than moving.

bk

This has to be in my top three bargains I've ever picked up here on this forum, thanks OP.

Cost €310 on amazon, so €65 for it an absolute steal

Yes I assume they are selling these off as slightly older stock as the future of tech like this is Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) so all the sensors etc. and watch can connect to smart phones and their apps.

However BLE is new, still maturing and it is expensive. For instance the BLE version of this watch and sensors from Polar cost over €500 on Amazon!

I was going to wait a few years for the BLE gear to mature and come down in price before buying a watch like this. But €65 for everything is a complete no brainer. It might not be as fancy or convenient as BLE, but it will do very well for a future years until I upgrade.

ooter

I have a garmin forerunner 10 and it can take ages to pick up the GPS signal,I've only used this watch once but it picked up the signal quicker.

chris1970

good watch & kit, new batteries off you go, gps locks fast ,spot on no difference with my s5, done 60 km, guide me home, function 9, basic but works, good for touring conemeara, stop whining the lot of yee

dhaughton99

Hi all,

Picked up mine from Tallaght tis morn. Thanks op.

Anyone any tips on the HRM, I changed the battery but I'm getting nothing out of it.. Just showing 00.

Thanks

ooter

dhaughton99 wrote: »

Hi all,

Picked up mine from Tallaght tis morn. Thanks op.

Anyone any tips on the HRM, I changed the battery but I'm getting nothing out of it.. Just showing 00.

Thanks

Did you moisten the strip?

blagards

Does anyone have any reservations for the Dublin area that they don't need please?

PaddyFagan

Hi Folks,

Used it a again today - delighted. Following the tip above, I have a Strava import including the HRM and cadence - link - I used http://polarconverter.azurewebsites.net/ worked (once I got the timezone right! - Summer Time => GMT+1)

Also worth having a play with the custom logos for anyone feeling geeky.



Paddy

ooter

blagards wrote: »

Does anyone have any reservations for the Dublin area that they don't need please?

I pm'd a reservation to a poster on here the other day but his last activity was April 1st so I doubt he got it.
If anyone would like to try it tomorrow let me know and I'll send the details.
It's for halfords in blanch.

GeneralC

Anyone with a reservation they're not using?

dhaughton99

ooter wrote: »

Did you moisten the strip?

Yeah I figured it out. Cheers

ted1

I did 100km this morning. Had to adjust the cadence sensor after the first 2km but then it worked perfectly.
As regards the HRM it showed 00 for the first 65km then it worked on off for the remainder which was a nuisance as each time it stopped the screen had a check heart rate monitor message which meant I couldn't see my speed or cadence.
I'll try one more battery till I get in to polar about the HRM. I did moisten it and was sweaty aswell. I did read that if your a big chest / fat you may need conductive gel to get a good read.

ooter

ooter wrote: »

Used mine for the 1st time this morning and both the GPS and the HRM worked fine.
Does anyone know how to set the alert on the watch to let you know if you go over a certain BPM?

Sussed out how to do this while on my run today,if you hold in the start button during an activity it will lock in to the zone you are in and will alert you if you go above that zone,hold it in again to cancel the function.
The alert/tone is not very loud to be honest.

Soarer

Anybody want mine?

Bought on impulse and never gonna use it. Plus the kid decided to wash my phone, so need cash to replace that!

Connavar

Looks like I won't be able to pick one of these up. I still have the reservation code from kildare75 if anyone wants it
(not sure if it goes out of date)

EDIT they do go out of date. Sorry to anyone else who was trying to get the reservation at the time.

uponthegad

Soarer wrote: »

Anybody want mine?

Bought on impulse and never gonna use it. Plus the kid decided to wash my phone, so need cash to replace that!

I'd be interested in taking it off you if it's still going. Didn't notice the alert until it was sold out.

Soarer

uponthegad wrote: »

I'd be interested in taking it off you if it's still going. Didn't notice the alert until it was sold out.

Are you in Cork? Would prefer not to post.

20 Times 20 Times

ooter wrote: »

I pm'd a reservation to a poster on here the other day but his last activity was April 1st so I doubt he got it.
If anyone would like to try it tomorrow let me know and I'll send the details.
It's for halfords in blanch.

Is this still going ?

uponthegad

Soarer wrote: »

Are you in Cork? Would prefer not to post.

Dublin. Would prefer pick up also, thanks anyway. If anyone else is having buyers regret let me know.

CZ 453

Soarer wrote: »

Anybody want mine?

Bought on impulse and never gonna use it. Plus the kid decided to wash my phone, so need cash to replace that!

Still available?

ooter

20 Times 20 Times wrote: »

Is this still going ?

Nah,it expired last Monday.
Battery life on this watch is excellent, way batter than my garmin.

chris1970

they messed me around in galway , said it would be in stock monday last, no sign, rang 3 times during the week, got not in stock , computers down, blah blah, today they said, 'it was sent to someone else in england', ordered last tues, offered me a garmin for 100. balls

John2002

Anyone having an issue where it's asking for the time and date to be reset regularly?

lanno

Got this for a friend who know not needed, would perfer to meet or send via parcelmotel. Can meet in Dublin 15 or close by, if anyone is still looking, hasant been taken out of box