Bike computer

[alp1950]

I'm a bit confused about different types of bike computer. Anyone care to give an introduction?

FYI: bought one of the cheap ones from Aldi, but rubbish screw on magnet which meant I couldn't secure it reliably to the spokes & it failed to maintain its position.

And what is an odometer anyhow?

Apart from expensive kit that works by GPS, do all the others (whether wired or wireless) rely on a sensor detecting a magnet attached to the spokes?

Will probably ask santa for an expensive one for Christmas: any suggestions? Meanwhile, any suggestions for a cheaper, but reliable version?

 

[punkypossum]

Odometer just tells you the overall mileage...

What to get depends on what you want from it... I really like the cateye micro (wireless), but it doesn't do cadence if you want that.... AFAIC it measures everything I need and can be had for about 25 quid if you are lucky...

And yes, a magnet on the spoke is the usual way of measuring.

 

[Plax]

I have a wired Cateye Enduro 8.
Does everything I want from it - daily distance, odometer, average speed, max speed & time/duration. Can also put two different wheel sizes in and switch between the two which is really useful for me - I have two bikes and swap between the two (got a spare mounting bracket & wheel magnet for the other bike for about £9).
I was very kindly given mine, but I think they retail at about £25.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

I'm a sucker for computer threads .. too much of a geek, I guess. These are the two of the other threads I've participated in: One Two, which might be of help.

The only difference between wired and wireless really is that a wireless one doesn't use a wire to communicate between the sensor that counts how often the magnet goes round and the bit on your bars. A wired one does.

Wireless is good because it doesn't have wires, but bad because it can pick up radio interference (less of a hassle with new ones I think) and uses more batteries.

Wired is good because there is no chance of interference, less batteries but you do end up with wires over your bike.

There's a bewildering range of makes. Cateye seem to be highly regarded from reviews I've seen here and elsewhere and have a good range from basic, inexpensive models up to some posh stuff. I've got a hankering for their V2c (like you, it will be on my letter to Santa) 'cos I want cadence and also like the lap recording and data saving that it offers.

The other potential candidate for me is the Garmin Edge 305 GPS jobby, which offers far more data saving / PC connectivity / basic route planning and all that stuff over the V2c, but is typically twice the price.

For a cheapy one to tide you over, you could do worse than the one that Tesco sell, which I'm currently using. Mine cost about £6 and does the (admittedly very basic) job.

 

[John the Monkey]

I like the Sigma BC1606 (I have the wired one). Planet X are doing these for £15 at the moment.

 

[Amanda P]

By the way, am I the only one who can never remember how to work the damn things?

I've got two or three on different bikes, and sometimes I'd like to reset the average speed or trip miles, but I can never figure out how. I usually end up resetting everything, including the wheel size, then having to figure out how to put this in again.

So usually I just leave them all on "scan".

 

[Plax]

By the way, am I the only one who can never remember how to work the damn things?

I've got two or three on different bikes, and sometimes I'd like to reset the average speed or trip miles, but I can never figure out how. I usually end up resetting everything, including the wheel size, then having to figure out how to put this in again.

So usually I just leave them all on "scan".

I bet you don't read instructions or ask for directions either do you?

 

[Amanda P]

Directions, yes. (Well, when I need them).

Instructions - yes - when the computer is new and I still have them. Four years later, who knows where they went?

I've just had delivered two bits of work kit that have instructions printed on their backs - where you need them when you're in the field and the manual is a long way away.

I supppose if instructions were printed on the back of a bike computer, they'd have to be very brief. Or perhaps they could just be intuitive? Or at least all work the same way.