Here in the Bike Cycling Reviews Office we all use different Polar Heart Rate Monitors can’t ride our bikes without one. So when we had the chance to review The Polar 725 there was a fight, well I opened the mail first so I get the pleasure of testing this new bit of electrical wizardry!

The Polar S725X LOOK

Firstly they look much the same until you have a closer look, then you see that outwardly they are quite different, the Polar S725 has a Carbon effect upper case, which is very cool and along with the “Tour Edition” motif on the side, this makes it a much smarter looking Monitor. Were not saying the Polar S720i is drab and boring, but it is dull compared to the S725 with its smart shiny Carbon look.

Tour Special

What Technology Do They Both Have

OK, both have much the same functions, both have ECG wireless, 5 exercise sets, OwnCal, OwnIndex, OwnCode, heart rate max based on fitness test and age, Interval timers, maximum heart rate of total exercise, average and maximum heart rate of each lap, recovery measurement.

Then there are the cycling features, both have trip, average and max speed, distance based interval and recovery, wheel settings for two bikes, temperature and altitude, the speed sensor is wireless and there is the option of cadence and power sensors.

The connections between your PC and the two monitors are two way infrared and UpLink; both also have Polar Precision Performance and can be used with optional IR interface to a USB or serial port.

The recording feature on both have 99 exercise files, calorie expenditure, last OwnIndex, average heart rate, target zone limits, target zone times and total time, the basic features on both are heart rate (% of max/bpm), adjustable/automatic heart rate limits, large digits and a backlight.

The watch features are what you would expect with time and dual time zones, date, stopwatch, exercise reminder and low battery indicator, all the things you need for normal life.

Clear Text

So What’s Special About the S725 Then?

There are quite a few advantages to the Polar S725, the first is the target zones, both have three audible and visual zone alarms, but on the S725 they are expressed as a percentage of maximum bpm, which is a much easier way to set than having to work it out then setting the zones. It is water resistant to 30 meter as opposed to 20 for the S720i, also the S725 has Mobile connectivity, so that you can send exercise info via your mobile phone, Nokia 5140 and 5140i, also it can connect to your PC with the SonicLink.

Where the S725 comes into its own are the running features options, with the S725 you can have running speed and distance, running speed can be displayed in pace or in kph or mph and also it has a distance based interval trainer. You need the Polar S1 Foot Pod for the running feature, just like the power and cadence fitting for the bike. These running features combined with the cycling features makes this a perfect all round pulse monitor for tri-athlon use, which is great for me!

Good Looks

What Do We Think?

The Polar S725 is a step up from the Polar S720i, it has more very useful functions, mostly the running features and has kept all the top class uses of the S720i, the display is clear with all the information you need at your finger tips, telling you all you need to know at a glance.

The best difference we think is the WearLink Transmitter, it has electrodes built into the strap for comfort and the biggest advantage is you can change the battery, with the older strap this was not possible. The strap is made of machine washable replaceable fabric and it’s water resistant. The strap is more comfortable and will fit any body shape and will allow full freedom of movement, it’s a big step forward in strap technology, and you don’t feel you are wearing it, it’s that comfortable.

At under $400 you are getting the best possible training aid on the market, you can’t help to improve with a Polar S725 Carbon Tour Edition Heart Rate Monitor.

The Main Functions

Wireless ECG accurate heart rate
Exercise Set (5 extended exercise profiles)
Polar OwnCal
Polar Fitness Test
Polar OwnCode
3 Target Zones (% of max or bpm) with visual and audible alarm
HR max (Polar fitness test-based)
HR max (age based)
Interval timers
Max HR of total exercise
Avg HR of each lap
Max HR of each lap
Recovery measurement (HR/Time)
Exercise Date
Two-way infrared data communication
Polar Precision Software included
Backlight
Polar WearLink 31 coded transmitter

Bike Functions

• Trip
• Speed average and max
• Distance based interval
• Distance based recovery measurement
• Wheel size settings for two bicycles
• Bike Mount
• Wireless Speed Sensor
• Temperature and Altitude

A while back we reviewed the Polar S720i Heart Rate Monitor, which we loved, it had all the functions we wanted and probably more than we needed! So what are the differences between the two?