Hi there,
I've been drooling around in the Timex/Nike threads having a toy attack. I'm very attracted by the idea of the Timex, but I don't like the idea of a heavy device to strap to my arm. Can anyone give me an idea of how heavy/large/generally intrusive that bit is?
Also, I do have a Garmin GPS that I bought for walking a few years ago and have hardly used. Has anyone used one of these for distance/pace measuring whilst running?
Finally, if anyone who's bought one from the US happens to be reading, can you tell me where you got it, please? I can't find any on ebay.co.uk right now (though there are a few on ebay.com).
Thanks
Comments
As for the weight, I've read tons of stuff about this watch and everyone says they don't notice it on their arm.
Andy
I think I'll have to have one...
I've been searching around for JoeTimex, as I'd read great things about him on other threads, but he doesn't seem to have any available at the moment on either the UK or the US Ebay site. I'll look again. If anyone else can see him there then please let me know - I'm probably doing something wrong
Thanks again!
He's a Timex dealer. Mail him if he isn't advertising the speed/distance models.
Andy
Have you thought about the Ciclosport SDM featured in last months RW mag? Looks interesting, I haven't heard of anyone who's got one yet. If it works, it looks like it gets over some of the problems of both the Timex and Nike SDMs
venom
(never knowingly missed a chance to talk about SDMs)
Hello Venom - I'd overlooked the Ciclosport in last month's mag - not quite sure how I did that! I'll go and look it up on the web. Thanks for the tip
One comment I would make though is that previous threads on this forum have said that if the gps system loses you for a while, when it picks you up again it will assume you've gone in a straight line, thus it can only ever under-estimate your mileage. This doesn't match my experience. In the rare instances where I've been informed that the "GPS SIGNAL WEAK", or it's gone back to "Searching", I've always found that the milage for that particular split is on the high side. The manual only refers to the system having a "technique to maintain reliable speed and distance information" when the signal is lost.
Another problem is that if you, like me, start your runs straight outside your house, you have to stand like a lemon for a minute or so when you first go out for the unit to lock onto the satellites. If anyone passes, I try to put on my best "waiting for my SDM to lock on" face, but I just get odd looks. The initial wait seems to get longer as the batteries run down.
I wouldn't want the above to put any one off the system, on the whole it works very well. I think I'm near to my my first battery change, however the battery monitor on the watch still shows 100%. Anyone know if that can be relied upon?
Humph3 - my timing device shut down in the middle of a run, just after the watch had told me the battery was low.
Guestie - after all my careful investigations into the Nimbus I've actually stayed with the Cumulus for now. I got the impression from people's replies that the Nimbus might not have as much room in the front of the shoe as I need, and I decided to err on the side of caution and stick with what is currently working. It's a pity, though, as I'd like to check out the Nimbus. I think I just like new kit...
As a puny armed runner I was a bit worried about the weight of the receiver myself but have found it no problem.(I would say it weighs about the same as my computer mouse?) I also used Joetimex for mine and thought the service was brill - I think I ordered on the Friday and it arrived on the following Tuesday.
I know that not everybody thinks they are massively useful but I am almost addicted to mine. Very useful if running a different route or for measuring intervals. Also good for motivation I find.
Good luck!
Many thanks, all of you, for all the advice and facinating info - I can't wait to get it now!
trot trot trot
trot trot trot
trot trot trot
squeal!!!!!
:-)
Thanks
M.
Wee Piglet, I ended up buying the Nimbus IV from Sweatshop. I have long toes and had no problems with them. Very Comfy.
I didn’t have any trouble paying via mastercard but I personally felt his ordering mechanism was a little cumbersome. I bought and paid for the watch on e-bay. I then received a mail from Joe Timex’s online store telling me I had to go and re enter my details on his site. When you go to the link on his site, you basically have to purchase the watch again except that this time you have credit to the value of what you paid on e-bay. You don’t have to enter your card details again but you do have to input you address and select the desired shipping options.
I've been reading the Timex SDM threads here for a week or so, and I've read several people saying that they were not approached by Customs for duty. Apparently Joe marked the box "gift" with a low value.
Seany - what a weird ordering procedure! This morning I went straight to PayPal after using the "Buy Now" feature and paid with my Mastercard. (I was already registered with PayPal.) In less than an hour I'd had an email from JoeTimex confirming that he'd received the payment and that he'd ship the watch today. I didn't have to visit his shop. Sounds as though you may have been unlucky.
Muzzer - oh no, more temptation... I do need a new pair of shoes soon, so maybe I'll risk the Nimbus IV if there's plenty of room at the front... Thanks for the update
What d'you think of the watch? Are you happy with it so far? I feel like a child waiting for Christmas...!
I've just taken another look on ebay.co.uk and I see that JoeTimex currently has two available at approximately £97 (using "Buy it Now").
At the same time a German vendor has two available for approximately £156 and £160 respectively (the more expensive one is in the new blue colour). These are all exactly the same thing, save that one of the German watches is the blue one.
Meanwhile, down the road at home, I can pay £220 (really!) for, again, exactly the same thing.
Anyone still thinking about these, do take a look at ebay. (That's what was there at 1621 on Friday 3rd, anyway.)
I'm still excited...
Don't want to get our friend Joetimex in to any bother but its safe to say that I didn't pay any excise duty. He must sell a lot of these to the UK and knows how to bend the rules a tiny bit. My conscience is very clear anyway and long may he continue to make such accidental mistakes.
Received the confirmation email straight away, so now I can keep up technology wise with Wee Piglet.
Thank you all for the comments about the SDM.
Can't wait for it to arrive
Have also tried it out, and think it's a great investment.
Andy
Andy
I've had my watch for five months and absolutely love it! It gives me the wonderful freedom to vary my routes ad hoc safe in the knowledge that I will be doing X number of miles - no arguments.
Alan