THE BAD NEWS

I have a few problems with this unit, functionality and ease of use notwithstanding.

CatEye has been a player in the bike accessory world since just after WWII, or about 50 years and tends toward a comparable aesthetic. Even though I, myself, would fit nicely in the ancient TV show, Rat Patrol––growin' up Southern, sportin' a red neck and ever present chin stubble, spoutin' slang and cussin' and ownin' a Jeep (which hasn't changed significantly form it's 1940's military heyday sans machine gun)––I still appreciate style, elegance and clean, smart design.

The MSC-2Dx HRM / Cycle Computer styling harks back to a day when Jeeps appeared modern and wireless communication was by short-wave radio. Not only that, its wired pickup mount is obviously intended to best wrap about a rather round, steel fork––today, a rare bird in multisport transition areas––or feel at home on a bike ridden in a pack where aerodynamics aren't so much a concern. I disposed of their mount and fabricated my own with some duct tape and several small plastic zip ties. CatEye can improve its product line by headhunting at Nike's accessory design team, letting their own industrial engineers retire and trade stories with the grayhairs from Newport News Shipbuilding and Range Rover and start making all of their bike computers attractive, areo and wireless.

There's more.

The wristband is sturdy enough, but it appears to be and feels like more of an afterthought than an integral piece of the design. If I were going to leave this on my bike I'd toss the watchband.

The girlfriend's comment: "It's ugly."

And there's more.

The MSC Interface (for downloading to a computer) is clunky, requires batteries (fortunately supplied with unit), doesn't accept the watch very easily, nor does it release it very easily either, and has an on / off switch. Isn't life complicated enough already? By way of contrast, Polar's interfaces, need no such batteries installed, do not need to be turned on or off and allow HRM files to be quickly accessed from mere (Interface Plus) or near contact (IR Interface and Sonic Link)––simple and effective.

#%&@!

You must download your ride data from three separate readout screens, scrolling from one to the next to the next. Then, you're required to save them as separate files. Finally, you must find and place each into one window to analyze. Surely this process could have been streamlined. (The MSC3Dx includes cadence, which makes the files even more useful--with no need for a 4th download! Yippee). I haven't yet used the Polar S-710 but expect that downloads are a bit simpler, as with the S-610.

THE GOOD NEWS

CatEye doesn't cram too much into their bike computer / heartrate monitor, so the MSC-2Dx manual is a quick and easy read. The watch mounts quite securely to its handlebar connection housing which makes the wristband wraparound redundant, but gets it out of the way. It snaps off effortlessly. The monitor picks up heartrate instantly and doesn't mind if you wear your Polar (or other HRM) chest transmitter. A larger display would be welcomed, but I had no problem reading it while in the saddle. The alarm sounds are adequately loud.

This watch has six buttons and three display windows, which may sound potentially confusing, but isn't.

ITS NUTS AND BOLTS

First, the AC button, recessed and located on the side of the watch at 3 O'Clock requires a paper clip or a ball point pen to depress clears lap data, record memory and clock time settings. More permanent settings––total distance, wheels circumference, speed scale and heartrate training zones––are not altered. To erase all data, say at the beginning of a training phase press the AC button along with the SET / AT button. (By the way, clearing training session data is done quickly by pressing the MODE and S/S buttons simultaneously.)

In the lower display, there are only three levels of function, and while riding you'll only deal with two: main function and sub function, which when navigated form something of a clock face.

Picture an analog clock face showing hour marks only for 3, 6, 9 and high noon. Twelve O'Clock is Current Speed and Clock Time. Step inside one level by pressing and holding the bottom left button––MODE––and your Lap Count appears. Press MODE again and you're returned to Current Speed and Clock Time. Another touch of the MODE button delivers you to 3 O'clock which is Average Speed. Press and hold the MODE button and proceed beyond the surface to Maximum Speed. Press MODE again and come back to Average Speed. Depress MODE once more, to 6 on the imaginary dial and find Trip Distance. Press and hold MODE to step into your odometer, or total distance. Pressing MODE again steps you back to Trip distance. Hit MODE another time, arrive at 9 O'Clock which is Elapsed Time. Another press and hold shows Maximum Heartrate, at 9 O'Clock. Of course to return to 12 O'clock high, press MODE, once more.

The S/S button, bottom right, starts and stops measurement of Elapsed Time, Average Speed and Distance. Or, if you've engaged the AT function (Auto Time) which begins measurement when you roll the Start / Stop button toggles between speed and clock in the top display. The top left button, SET / AT is used to select and set data in various screens plus flip, on and off the AT function.

The middle screen displays heartrate, whether AT is or is not selected, whether M (Memory Record) is or is not activated and which wheel circumference, A or B is being used to calculate measurements.

An oval with either an A or a B within indicates which wheel circumference is selected. Since it's pretty easy to swap this computer for your current CatEye speedometer you might find yourself using this one unit on both your road bike and mountain bike rides. Or, you may use it on your 650c time trial or 700c (tubular) tri bike, in season and on your 700c, (clincher) road bike off season. Whatever. Programming the different wheel sizes ensures accuracy in speed and distance.

Memory Record (M) saves elapsed time, speed, trip distance and heartrate, at intervals from 5 to 60 seconds, similar to some Polar monitors.

The watch provides 5 separate files––folders, if you will––with lap times which hold up to 2560 data points. This equates to a possible 42 hours and 40 minutes of recordable exercise at 60 second intervals or a little more than three and a half hours of recording every five seconds. Of course, a long flat ride with few riders to pass requires only 30 to 60 second monitoring of incoming data, whereas a time trial or maximum heartrate test necessitates 5 second intervals, for useful feedback.

This afternoon I set my unit to register every 15 seconds and it missed recording my top speed on a couple of short descents and top heartrate on a couple of climbs. At 30 to 60 seconds those descents and segments of the climbs may not have even shown up in the file. Because I anticipate various challenges during next Sunday's exercise session (LA Triathlon) I'll measure each 5 seconds so as to capture as much detail as possible: fleeting pace and heartrate changes when passing, for instance.

To record and store a training session (and not just a ride, either, as you may use your MSC2Dx as a normal HRM, running, swimming, etc. although speed and cadence are omitted) you must select a file, delete any data that's contained within and turn Memory Record (M) on. Again, the manual does a good job of leading you through the steps. Make sure the Memory Record function (M) is inactivated––press S/S for two seconds from any other function. Also, Elapsed Time cannot be running, and must be zeroed out, as well––simply press the MODE and S/S buttons together.

Pressing the large LAP button, at 12 O'Clock on your watch's faceplate records split times. Your training sessions can be reviewed data point by data point within the watch by pressing the LAP button, too. Finally, the LAP button activates the download to your PC or Mac, following a series of other steps. This is that third level of function I mentioned earlier. For instance, from Elapsed Time, press and hold MODE. This takes you to MxP (Maximum Heartrate). Press SET / AT and you're into the File Folders (uh, the LAP button scrolls from one file to the next, too). Choose your File and press MODE to access the Memory Record readout screen. Click through individual data points with the LAP button or press and hold the LAP button and the file is fast-forwarded -- really fast, numbers whirling like a twister Down Under -- to the end of the file, downloading if it's connected to the Interface unit. (Note, it seems the MODE button also scrolls forward over each data point within a file, too. It's possible I overlooked something, but I did not find a way to scroll backwards within a data file. Apparently only clockwise progress is allowed.) To return to the Elapsed Time in the Main Functions -- that's 9 O'Clock, remember -- press SET / AT twice and MODE once...and say, "There's no place like home. There's no place like home."

The Interface unit plugs into the serial port on your PC or the Printer or Modem port on your Mac, with an adapter (which I scavenged from my Palm Pilot's conduit cradle).

After downloading e-Train from the internet I found the software crashed every time I attempted a download. Maybe the serial port adapter I used was the problem. Maybe not. Nonetheless, plan B worked: I dragged one of the Sample CSV (Comma Separated Value) files to the application's icon, the program launched and I got to poke around some. Of course, the Mac version is easy to navigate, is laid out thoughtfully and allows for quick, intuitive file manipulation. The Windows '98SE installation went well and I was able to download successfully into the e-Train software which came on a floppy with the Interface unit. The Windows version is as functional or as frustrating as you'd expect, depending on your particular OS inclination.

Overall, the e-Train software is a no-frills application that can deliver some helpful insight into our riding (yours and mine) with the MSC-2Dx watch, but the MSC-3Dx with its cadence function adds significantly more to real world evaluation. If you decide to buy one of these get the MSC-3Dx. Before you buy anything download the e-Train software and have a look at its sample files. Your own files will be more illustrative, mostly because you know where you've ridden and can visualize the profile of the course and the conditions while viewing the file, but short of spending money and going through the process of downloading, their samples are a good introduction.

AND IN CONCLUSION...

We can all adapt to the limitations and shortcomings of our situations––I've been driving a Jeep for 10 years (and it doesn't seem to mind anymore)––if we get something worthwhile in the end. In this case, is the data collected worth the effort? I think it may be. The MSC-2Dx though far from perfect is still quite useful. If your local bike store carries the MSC-3Dx, consider that because it records cadence. Then, occasionally it happens that something even more worthwhile comes along without such shortcomings and limitations. So, before you buy anything make sure to check out the Polar S-710.