GADGET OF THE WEEK
Two decades ago, Polar popularized the use of heart-rate measurements as a training tool for athletes, both professional and amateur.
More recently, high-level cyclists have added another indicator: their actual power output, usually measured in watts. Cyclists generally capture that information with special hubs or cranks that contain tiny, if sensitive, strain gauges.
Polar is now reintroducing its alternative approach. The Polar CS 600 With Power relies on sensors that capture slight differences in chain vibration as well as chain speed to calculate power output.
The CS 600 appears to have overcome the technical problems that plagued a power measurement system that Polar briefly offered several years ago. While the Polar system does not require replacing any part of the bicycle, it does add several pieces of somewhat unsightly equipment. At $700, the CS 600 is exceptionally expensive for a bicycle computer. But that price is well below the cost of strain gauge-based alternatives, even excluding the wheel building or installation costs, potentially making it attractive to amateur racers or even some recreational riders. And, yes, the CS 600 still measures heart rate.
