Polar v650 (£209.50)
Polar v650 (£209.50)
Polar have made a recent resurgence into the bike computer market, releasing two units in the last six months after nothing for the last few years.
They’ve stated a determination to take back a share of the market from long-time rivals Garmin, and the v650 (along with the smaller m450) is their first shot at achieving that goal.
Polar v650 – first ride review
A recent firmware update added mapping to the v650, filling the one obvious hole in the device’s arsenal – although not totally. Instead of downloadable mapping like a Garmin, the v650 will download a 450km2 section of Open Street Map according to where you’re riding.
The v650 comes with 2.8” full colour screen, and features GPS and Bluetooth Smart functionality. But there’s no ANT+ on the device, meaning it won’t be able to talk to any ANT+ sensors or power meters, which is something that’ll likely factor into your purchasing decision.
But if you’re not already wedded to ANT+, or looking for something a little different, it’s a smart, easy to use unit with a great screen and tons of data. You can check out our thoughts on the v650 in this first ride review.