Bike computer

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BlueBird

Active Member
Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a wireless bike computer that measures carbon offset and cadence? Any suggestions? Thanks. I mainly use my bike to commute.
 
never heard of a computer measuring carbon offset
is this just out of interest for you , or something more scientific?

there are loads that do cadence . i have a cateye velo wireless (no need for cadence myself)
i like their front wheel sensors
https://www.cateye.com/intl/products/computers/CC-PA400B/
 
My wife bought a device from either Lidi or Aldi which was to connect to your phone, however I found connecting the sensors did not work very well I assume due to my bike being a mountain bike, and speed worked OK but cadence often failed, I have a clip on holder for phone, that also caused problems, the large Samsung I only ever found one unit big enough, I have now moved to smaller phone, but it is so easy to forget and leave phone on bike when locking it up.

However it does seem some of the devices that use a smart phone do more than simple speed and cadence, exactly how much more not sure, as with many of the smart phone stuff, often you will not find out all it does until you buy and use it, and it could vary between windows, iphone and androde.

Moving over to electric assist and the speed is built in, it is so much easier to read the dedicated bike speedo to using a smart phone, I have no intension of using phone for anything but a map when I get new bike.

To measure carbon off set it would need to measure the effort put in or at least the gradient, with suspension on a bike gradient is non starter, so it needs to measure effort, so a strain gauge some where. When one stands on the pedals that would mean that would not work, so it would need to be in the rear wheel, just looking at the engineering side. So a device to do what you want would mean fitting a special rear wheel, it is possible an electric bike rear wheel has the ability to measure effort but you are looking at a really expensive bit of kit to measure the effort being put into the bike, even then speed will change effort used but not carbon offset. Phones can measure altitude and also your position, so it would be possible for a phone to measure what a car would likely use in fuel, however it would depend on what car, and how much energy is gained and lost up and down hill.

And that would not take into account bus and train where they travel even if you don't use them. I am sure some one could do a survey and work out how much energy used per mile, but clearly you also breath out carbon so if using a tram powered by electric from water wind etc you may be releasing more carbon using a bike to a tram, and also that would vary according to what you eat, if you eat meat then also have to take account of the CO2 the cow breathed out.

So just can't see how it would all be measured and calculated? best any device could do is by the mile, so if a standard car which on average carries two people does 70 MPH then there should be a average saving of carbon per mile, but very approximate as too many factors, even after death our body still gives off carbon.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
May I suggest this is quite simple and doesn't require a device of any sort.

Most of your cycling is to commute making the process simple. Your carbon emissions are zero on a bike. I accept there could be a discussion over the carbon impact of manufacturing and delivering your bike.

You are regularly travelling a known set route. It will be possible to find a calculation online which will show the carbon emissions/impact for car, train or bus for this journey. You only need to do the calculation once and you know the daily saving.

I'd be surprised if you can find a cycle computer which will make the calculation you require.
 
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