Polar has launched its first dedicated GPS cycling computer in the new V650, which boasts a large 2.8in colour touch screen, 10-hour battery life and Bluetooth Smart connectivity. It costs £174.50 on its own, or £209.50 with a heart rate sensor.
Polar was the first company to market a wireless heart rate monitor many years ago. At one time, its heart rate monitors, during a period when cyclists were just starting to embrace the idea of training with heart rate, were a ubiquitous sight on the handlebars of cyclists everywhere. In recent years though we’ve seen the rise of GPS enabled cycling computers, a market mostly dominated by Garmin, but there’s an increasing array of choice, including the new Lezyne range. The V650 is Polar’s response.
The new V650 is its first handlebar mounted cycling computer utilising GPS, after it brought us the multisport V800 and M400. The large colour screen is housed in a light 120g case, and that display provides all the typical data such as speed, distance, cadence, plus your route.
A barometric pressure sensor provides altitude data, and the V650 can display real time VAM (Vertical Altitude Metre) The display can be customised and different bike profiles can be created if you want to swap it from your road bike to your time trial bike, for example. It looks to use a similar quarter-turn mount to a Garmin, but according to report, isn’t actually compatible with Garmin aftermarket mounts.
Bluetooth Smart allows the pairing of compatible heart rate and cadence sensors, but a lack of ANT+ does mean it can’t be paired with most power meters. There are some power meters, like Stages, that utilise Bluetooth, so all isn’t lost, and many companies are embracing Bluetooth Smart as the standard. There’s also the Wahoo Kickr as well for indoor training.
Charging and data transfer ro to your computer is via a micro USB cable. Rides can be uploaded to Polar Flow, the company’s own service that provides analysis of your ride.
Lauri Lumme, the designer of Polar V650 said: “We are honoured to be recognised with our design work in relation to the evaluation criteria such as design quality, finish, functionality, safety, degree of innovation and universal design. The V650 has been engineered and designed to make it the highest quality product of its kind.”
We’re getting one in for review soon so we can put it through the test mill. More at www.polar.com/uk-en
46 thoughts on “Polar launches V650 GPS cycling computer, will cost £174.50”
no ANT+? Epic fail.
no ANT+? Epic fail.
It’s a little bit misleading
It’s a little bit misleading as it only shows the speed which is not ”GPS” All of that stuff and more you can get out of a smartphone app. The only reason to buy one is for gps and waterproofness. If it doesn’t have one, it’s just an expensive speedometer.
It’s reassuring to see that,
It’s reassuring to see that, even after all this time, Polar still really haven’t got a clue – although, to be fair to them, they don’t appear to have used their own private version of Bluetooth…
No navigation? Really? for
No navigation? Really? for £175?
Pass.
It doesn’t have have
It doesn’t have have turn-by-turn routing, but it can follow routes.
Seems much like Garmin Edge 500, but with a colour touch-screen, and added smartphone connectivity coming this summer.
Does your phone last 10hr with paired sensors & screen on?
The red area might be larger than you’ve drawn it, even if I don’t want it either.
I love my bike wrote:It
I’ve watched both product videos, and can’t see any reference to any kind of route following functionality.
Ergo, it’s not anything like a Garmin 500.
My 4-year-old Android phone (with the original battery, no less) can last around 8hrs with the screen on constantly, showing a scrolling map: http://road.cc/comment/reply/108899/225222 – granted this was not with a BTLE sensor attached, but the USP of BTLE is that it’s ultra-low power, so I wouldn’t expect any difference in performance were it to be recording cadence or power (speed/distance being taken care of by GPS).
I don’t understand what you
I don’t understand what you mean? It clearly shows that you can download the data at the end of your ride and it will show you on a map the route you followed. Am I misunderstanding what you mean by route following? If what you actually want is the equivalent of a sat nav then this clearly isn’t for you.
Legin wrote:I don’t
I said ‘no navigation’. Previous poster said ‘it can follow routes’.
Fact is, it doesn’t have any ‘navigation’, and it can’t ‘follow routes. It can *record* a GPS *track*, which you might then use in the future to make a route from, or just get a kick out of looking at. Or upload to Strava.
This is my point: in this day/age of every mobile having the ability to both navigate pre-defined routes as well as record any track you ride, I just don’t see the utility of a ‘GPS Computer’ that doesn’t do navigation, yet costs the price of a decent waterproof, shockproof Android mobile or Garmin (or Mio or… ) that can do proper navigation, as well as run BTLE sensors.
From probably the the best
From probably the the best independant sporting electronics review/information site, by somebody who actually has one:
( http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/01/first-look-polar-v650.html )
‘The unit includes route navigation based on routes downloaded from Polar Flow. [Update: At launch, only route tracking will be available, route guidance will come in a later update]. These routes are either routes shared by others, or past/historical routes. Note that at launch you will not be able to create your own routes on the site. Thus, the feature is kinda limiting. Initially the routes will be downloaded using your PC, but long term you’ll be able to do it with the mobile app (in a later release).
On the unit the routes will be shown both as a breadcrumb trail as well as with a little compass. The compass is GPS based, and not magnetic. Though, for cycling that tends to be fine. Below, is a screenshot of what the breadcrumb trail will look like:
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/images/2014/01/image_thumb23.png
Remember that this is different than ‘turn by turn’ navigation, it doesn’t provide street names, but rather just a little arrow to follow. This is similar to most other units on the market.’
I love my bike
Thanks for digging out the DCR review – It’s amazing that this device has taken over a year to come to market, yet still doesn’t have even basic ‘guidance’, that doesn’t (on the face of it) come close to ‘navigation’. And in the intervening year, ‘most other units on the market’ now do true turn-by-turn nav.
If I read this right, there’s no ‘heading up’ setting, with even basic left/right arrows. Just a questionable-scale arrow on a wiggly line (I assume North is up) that you’d have to get your head around.
All this for just £174.50
Looks to me like Polar should stick to what they are good at.
KiwiMike wrote:Looks to me
Over-priced electronics incompatible with all other communications protocols ? 😉
I’ve used Polar for nearly
I’ve used Polar for nearly thirty years; many excellent reasons for continuing to do so:
1. Quality of the products
2. Exceptional customer service
3. Continuous improvement in functionality
4. Does what it says on the tin.
This company have delivered year after year. People who need navigation make me laugh; if you don’t know where you’re going I suggest you don’t set out!
If a Polar product provides the functionality you want I’d suggest it will always be a better purchase than other options. If you like whizzy bang and a screen to watch while your cycling I’m told GGGGGG Garmin are fairly good.
Legin wrote:People who need
Just picking up on this, do you only ever go places you have been before?! I don’t have sat nav in the car, but would love it on my bike. I quite often go exploring and am always pushing the distance I have ridden. I would love a gadget to pop up with directions and turn indications, it is a damn site easier than printing off pages of maps, taking them with you, keeping them dry, and stopping to look at them every 200 metres. That can add a lot of time to a ride, which is something I don’t always have. I don’t want to use my phone for that, but occasionally am forced to.
I drive up to 20,000 miles a
I drive up to 20,000 miles a year and cycle up to 6,000; up until June last year never had a sat nav; I only use it now for the last mile or two to a destination. Apart from twice a month in the car I rarely go to the same place again.
Riding the bike I check the route out beforehand and off I go; there is a view that blokes are designed to be able to do that; bit unfair on women; but that may be the case. I do understand why some people like the navigation tools I just don’t 🙂
Legin wrote:I drive up to
I think the driving analogy is wrong – People don’t cycle on main roads willingly. You can get from the M25 to Edinburgh following just the M1/A1 signs. No satnav at all. Getting from Winchester to Newbury, you *could* do it using the A34, and make zero turnings.
Anyone with half a brain and desire for a nice ride would take the minor roads, which at a rough guess would require maybe 50-75 turns. I could do that as I’ve ridden that area twice a week for the last decade. But anyone – even a ‘local’ who didn’t have cycling experience of those roads – would be utterly lost within 10 minutes, and either at a dead end, on an A-road or going miles out of their way.
Unless you are some sort of photographic-memory savant, there is no_way you are going to remember 50-75 turns over a 30-mile distance.
The alternative is paper. Which as many have pointed out, is pants.
I accept you may only ever ride on roads you know, or have the time/inclination to adjust routes on the fly when you are faced with an on-ramp or a farm track.
Modern cyclists are no better/worse than their forebears at ‘navigation’. It’s just that the tools now exist to plot a quiet-roads-only 200-mile route over totally strange country in a few minutes, be guided without slowing down, and never go wrong once.
And this device can’t do that 😉
KiwiMike wrote:Legin wrote:I
I think the driving analogy is wrong – People don’t cycle on main roads willingly. You can get from the M25 to Edinburgh following just the M1/A1 signs. No satnav at all. Getting from Winchester to Newbury, you *could* do it using the A34, and make zero turnings.
Anyone with half a brain and desire for a nice ride would take the minor roads, which at a rough guess would require maybe 50-75 turns. I could do that as I’ve ridden that area twice a week for the last decade. But anyone – even a ‘local’ who didn’t have cycling experience of those roads – would be utterly lost within 10 minutes, and either at a dead end, on an A-road or going miles out of their way.
Unless you are some sort of photographic-memory savant, there is no_way you are going to remember 50-75 turns over a 30-mile distance.
The alternative is paper. Which as many have pointed out, is pants.
I accept you may only ever ride on roads you know, or have the time/inclination to adjust routes on the fly when you are faced with an on-ramp or a farm track.
Modern cyclists are no better/worse than their forebears at ‘navigation’. It’s just that the tools now exist to plot a quiet-roads-only 200-mile route over totally strange country in a few minutes, be guided without slowing down, and never go wrong once.
And this device can’t do that 😉— Legin
No it can’t; but what market is Polar addressing? A basic knowledge of the company will tell you that it has always been about sports performance and coaching. If you critic the product from that angle; including the tools available on the website; it is a winner.
Legin wrote:KiwiMike
It’s being sold as a ‘GPS computer’. My point is that 99% of people will think that means navigation. By Polar’s own admission nav is supposed to be in there, was scheduled as an update for mid/late-2014, after the hardware was due to ship early 2014. They have missed both dates by a country mile. I shouldn’t have to have any knowledge of Polar’s track record to then set my expectation of what a ‘GPS computer’ can or can’t do.
If I based my expectation of the Lezyne version on track record, it would be that it’s got a stonking torch and pump built in.
KiwiMike wrote:Legin
It’s being sold as a ‘GPS computer’. My point is that 99% of people will think that means navigation. By Polar’s own admission nav is supposed to be in there, was scheduled as an update for mid/late-2014, after the hardware was due to ship early 2014. They have missed both dates by a country mile. I shouldn’t have to have any knowledge of Polar’s track record to then set my expectation of what a ‘GPS computer’ can or can’t do.
If I based my expectation of the Lezyne version on track record, it would be that it’s got a stonking torch and pump built in.— KiwiMike
Then 99% of people need to work out what they are buying before they buy. I really don’t follow your logic. GPS is GPS; Navigation is Navigation; the two are not the same. I know there has been a major bastardisation of the English language in recent years but people need to get the basic definitions right; if only for their own good! There are two things here:
1. For nigh on 30 years Polar have produced HRM’s for bikes focused on training and coaching.
2. The description of the planned functionality of the GPS is a clear indicator that it is not designed for those venturing in to the unknown on a long plod!
Therefore it is not a Garmin and not claiming to be one. So someone posting that Polar “just don’t get it”, actually don’t get it themselves; this is a different market segment!
Legin wrote:People who need
What a bewildering thing to say. Last year I cycled to many places that I’ve never driven to using the (limited) navigation facilities on my Garmin 500. What was I supposed to do, stop at every junction and look it up on my phone? Print a cue sheet out and stick it to my stem? Carry multiple OS maps with me?
vonhelmet wrote:Legin
So you just set out on a ride without knowing where you were going? Oh but you did know as you had to enter the destination in to your device. I do similar; I look at a map and once I’ve read the route off I go.
However all of this diverts from the fact that Polar traditionally are not targeting the navigation market they are targeting the sports performance and coaching market not the map reading sat nav market. As such the people criticising the product on the basis of limited navigation have missed the point.
Legin wrote:vonhelmet
So you just set out on a ride without knowing where you were going? Oh but you did know as you had to enter the destination in to your device. I do similar; I look at a map and once I’ve read the route off I go.
However all of this diverts from the fact that Polar traditionally are not targeting the navigation market they are targeting the sports performance and coaching market not the map reading sat nav market. As such the people criticising the product on the basis of limited navigation have missed the point.— Legin
You kinda missed the point when you opened with saying that if people don’t know where they’re going they should stay at home… When I rode to Holme Moss for the Tour last year I didn’t “know” where I was going. I’d planned the route on ridewithgps and checked it out on Google Streetview, but what was I supposed to do, remember every turn and street name? Don’t be ridiculous.
Legin wrote:
So you just set
sometimes, yeah. it’s kind of fun
Legin wrote:People who need
you’ve never done an audax? or gone touring? or simply set out from home and determined to take roads you didn’t know until you were thoroughly lost? that last one is especially fun, and also great for your local knowledge. and now you can press the ‘get me home’ button on some device and it’ll route you back to the start. or just pull up a detailed map and work out a nice way home. you should try it.
Dave Atkinson wrote:Legin
Absolutely I’ve done an Audax and gone touring; oh and set out from home and gone for a long ride not knowing where I am going. A basic knowledge of the local geography has to be the basis of starting any ride and if you have that you can always get back. I’m lost to understand what the issue is here; if you set a route in to your navigation you clearly know where you are going; I just check the route on a map beforehand and go for it.
Legin wrote:Dave Atkinson
Absolutely I’ve done an Audax and gone touring; oh and set out from home and gone for a long ride not knowing where I am going. A basic knowledge of the local geography has to be the basis of starting any ride and if you have that you can always get back. I’m lost to understand what the issue is here; if you set a route in to your navigation you clearly know where you are going; I just check the route on a map beforehand and go for it.— Legin
Legin, you don’t know what the fuss is about after you told people to stay home because they didn’t know how to get around? This is what happens when you stop taking your meds.
pullmyfinger wrote:Legin
Absolutely I’ve done an Audax and gone touring; oh and set out from home and gone for a long ride not knowing where I am going. A basic knowledge of the local geography has to be the basis of starting any ride and if you have that you can always get back. I’m lost to understand what the issue is here; if you set a route in to your navigation you clearly know where you are going; I just check the route on a map beforehand and go for it.— Dave Atkinson
Legin, you don’t know what the fuss is about after you told people to stay home because they didn’t know how to get around? This is what happens when you stop taking your meds.— Legin
You really take an off the cuff comment that seriously? Never mind my meds, what are you on?
Legin wrote:You really take
You do realize it’s hard to convey emotion and body language on the internet, so when you make the statement about people needing to stay home, you better make it so OBVIOUS that it’s taken as a joke or use emoticons. But you failed to do that, and as a result you had commenters jumping down your throat. So, Mr. I-don’t-need-no-stinkin-gps, stop with the damage control and learn to gather your thoughts before you type away. I realize you have half a brain, so that might be too difficult.
And as for what meds I’m on? I’m not on any. I’m beyond hope.
Apologies; I assume
Apologies; I assume everything written on internet forums is a joke as most of the comments plainly are. Even the comments that pull my chain I can’t be bothered commenting on because I always assume that if their is an element of doubt about the posters intent I will veer towards the positive view that they meant well.
With respect you need to sort out your attitude to the internet as imagine you let a lot of garbage and innocuous comment ruin your day.
As I made it clear I understand why some people like GPS; I don’t need it. That is the fundamental difference in my view to many other views; do I need this overpriced bit of technology garbage that cost £15 to make or shall I continue as I am. I do however need the functionality of a Polar HRM.
Perhaps I’ll get converted if I get lost on the road to Damascus (Flag: that’s a joke)!
Legin wrote:Apologies; I
So you’re admitting your comment was garbage. Who’s really the troll here? Now you’re apologizing because it didnt turn out the way you anticipated. You’re conniving or just plain cluless – either way, you’re living in a sad pathetic bubble. You see, I take an extremely irreverent attitude to these forums, so when I see an imbecile commenter like you, it doesn’t ruin my day, it MAKES my day. Folks like Dave Atkinson and Vonhelmet were civil in responding to you – I’m not. What I do is take that “stay home” comment of yours, sprinkle in a bit of seriousness and a whole lot of sarcasm, mix it up, and feed it back to unsuspecting dimwits such as yourself who don’t realize that your chain’s been yanked this whole time.
Legin, I too was born at night, but unlike you, it wasn’t last night.
Keep taking those meds.
pullmyfinger wrote:Legin
So you’re admitting your comment was garbage. Who’s really the troll here? Now you’re apologizing because it didnt turn out the way you anticipated. You’re conniving or just plain cluless – either way, you’re living in a sad pathetic bubble. You see, I take an extremely irreverent attitude to these forums, so when I see an imbecile commenter like you, it doesn’t ruin my day, it MAKES my day. Folks like Dave Atkinson and Vonhelmet were civil in responding to you – I’m not. What I do is take that “stay home” comment of yours, sprinkle in a bit of seriousness and a whole lot of sarcasm, mix it up, and feed it back to unsuspecting dimwits such as yourself who don’t realize that your chain’s been yanked this whole time.
Legin, I too was born at night, but unlike you, it wasn’t last night.
Keep taking those meds.— Legin
You’re a very sad case! At least while I’m recuperating I’m not wasting valuable time responding to your sad efforts 🙂
Legin wrote:You’re a very sad
Am I imagining things, or are you claiming not to respond to my posts by ACTUALLY responding to it? Oh the irony…
Just when I thought you couldn’t go any deeper, you take your shovel and dig some more. Congratulations, take a bow.
8} 8} 8} <---- that's you off your meds. Here, take two and call me in the morning.
Comprehension isn’t your
Comprehension isn’t your strong point is it?
Hope the BTLE is more
Hope the BTLE is more reliable than it is with sensors connected to smartphones. This could be an epic fail. Omission of ANT+ is really silly, as I don’t think it even requires extra hardware.
I’m sorry, but unless it’s
I’m sorry, but unless it’s got navigation, it’s NOT a true GPS device, so stop calling it that. I’m talking to you, Polar and Lezyne!!!
pullmyfinger wrote:I’m sorry,
Eh? What is the definition of a ‘true’ GPS device? If it contains a GPS receiver then it’s a GPS device – whether or not a feature of the product is navigation is down to the firmware that it’s programmed with.
Oolon Colluphid
Back in the day (and I’m talking 20 years ago) having a ‘GPS’ meant it told you where you *were*. It removed the need to triangulate or relate ground-to-map.
Fast-forward to today, and if you ask 99% of people (or cyclists, even) ‘what is a GPS for’ they will say something along the lines of ‘to show you how to get somewhere’. ‘GPS’ is now synonymous with navigation.
This new category of devices that simply log a GPS track should not be advertised as ‘GPS computers’. It’s borderline sale-of-goods-act breach, IMHO. I bet both Lezyne and Polar – or more to the point, their retailers – will see a load of returns once people realise that the ‘GPS’ they just purchased for themselves/spouse/relative doesn’t do what they thought it would.
These should be clearly labelled as ‘GPS loggers’, and further clarified as ‘Not for navigation use’.
Not to blow own trumpet (OK, yes – paarp), I was IT director for a mobile phone firm for 3 years and have offered punditry on mobile tech and particularly navigation devices for years. If I’m having trouble working out the raison d’etre for these things, heaven help the non-tech consumer.
KiwiMike wrote:Oolon
Back in the day (and I’m talking 20 years ago) having a ‘GPS’ meant it told you where you *were*. It removed the need to triangulate or relate ground-to-map.
Fast-forward to today, and if you ask 99% of people (or cyclists, even) ‘what is a GPS for’ they will say something along the lines of ‘to show you how to get somewhere’. ‘GPS’ is now synonymous with navigation.
This new category of devices that simply log a GPS track should not be advertised as ‘GPS computers’. It’s borderline sale-of-goods-act breach, IMHO. I bet both Lezyne and Polar – or more to the point, their retailers – will see a load of returns once people realise that the ‘GPS’ they just purchased for themselves/spouse/relative doesn’t do what they thought it would.
These should be clearly labelled as ‘GPS loggers’, and further clarified as ‘Not for navigation use’.
Not to blow own trumpet (OK, yes – paarp), I was IT director for a mobile phone firm for 3 years and have offered punditry on mobile tech and particularly navigation devices for years. If I’m having trouble working out the raison d’etre for these things, heaven help the non-tech consumer.— pullmyfinger
Bingo, KiwiMike. When I say “true” GPS device, I mean devices made TODAY with navigation capabilities, not when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth, where apparently Oolon is from. GPS today is, like KiwiMike said, synonymous with showing us where to go, how to get there, not limited to just telling us where we are. Jesus, Oolon, do I need to spell out everything for you? Go back to your black and white TV, 8-track tape, and hand cranking your car.
KiwiMike wrote:Oolon
Back in the day (and I’m talking 20 years ago) having a ‘GPS’ meant it told you where you *were*. It removed the need to triangulate or relate ground-to-map.
Fast-forward to today, and if you ask 99% of people (or cyclists, even) ‘what is a GPS for’ they will say something along the lines of ‘to show you how to get somewhere’. ‘GPS’ is now synonymous with navigation.— pullmyfinger
While what you state may well be true, it doesn’t detract from the truth that Oolon points out. The fact that many people equate ‘GPS’ with navigation device doesn’t make it correct (until the OED gives that as the definition of GPS I guess). Many people refer to vacuum cleaners as ‘Hoovers’ irrespective of brand.
Seems very, very expensive
Seems very, very expensive for its feature set.
probably i’d get home without
probably i’d get home without a GPS; here i’m using GPS in the sense of navigation device. But it doesn’t half make it a lot easier.
I’d like to see a physically
I’d like to see a physically robust long running GPS unit with “open” firmware/software, meaning other companies could write the firmware/software. Worked well for PCs. I suppose a smartphone is like that, but generally not so robust.
Frankly anything that causes
Frankly anything that causes Garmin to up their game a bit has to be a Good Thing. This market desperately needs some quality competition. Most of my circle of cycling friends would jump on any serious alternative to Garmin.
Apple watch with strava and
Apple watch with strava and maps will be killer. The 42 mm model will have a big enough screen.
snooks wrote:Apple watch with
How ?? When riding last thing I would want to is to look at a watch to see how I am going.
Garmin may need chasing up but the 810 I have IMHO is as good as you can get. OK price point is high but you get what you pay for. Also more important is I have all these ant+ only devices so to buy a polar would mean replacing everything including the Vectors.
This has been a long and
This has been a long and sometimes interesting debate, but I am hopeful it is nearing its end. For this is, after all, a cycling site and, in the same way that people who watch their sport on TV are telly fans not sports fans, people who can’t cycle without electronic assistance are geeks, not cyclists.
It’s a pity that Polar only
It’s a pity that Polar only bundled the H6 HRM with this, and not the H7. While the bundled version is now available for purchase, the head-only version is not.
I’ve been trying to figure which would be better for me, the Edge 1000 or the Polar V650. While nav is nice to have, it’s not essential for me. GLONASS would be a plus. The Edge 1000 is way more expensive for what I really want, but at least it’s available now.