Cycle computer interference

[addictfreak]

I bought a cheap cycle computer with heart monitor (new) for a tenner from Ebay.

Set it up and tested it, all fine. Cycled to work 14 miles, computer spot on. After work I headed home on the direct route which is 2.5 miles, got home and computer reads 6 miles. Bugger I bought a duffer.

Anyway the next day im on nights so of I go early, so I can get a 35 miler in. All seems well computer is working normally again, maybe not a duffer after all. During the last mile to work I glance at the speedo 46 mph! The timer is running like H G Wells time machine!

Later on that night, im telling my colleague (also a cyclist) about whats happened. Straight away he says 'did you have a flashing LED light on.'

The penny drops. On my morning ride in I had no lights on, but returning home I did. During my ride to work for nightshift its starting to darken so on go the lights and up goes the speed. Anyway I go to my bike and test the theory, lights on, computer on. 46 mph standing still!

Anyone else experienced this?

 

[Tynan]

read of this, it does hapen, I have a Blackburn Delphi that gets long with my falshing light fine although I do accelerate to 50mph at Aldgate every commute

 

[PatrickPending]

Yep, some of the pricier computers are supposedly immune though. I had a Sigma which suffered really badly, said I was going 245Km/h whenever I went through traffic lights. Its electromagnetic interference, and LED lights put this out when in flashing mode and low power mode (which is in reality a high rate of flashing - imperceptible to the eye). One reason I put a wired on my commuter

 

[addictfreak]

Im just pleased i didnt waste a tenner

 

[HLaB]

If my raleigh echo wireless computer is too close to the lights and the battery is weak it suffers from interference from the LED. Although mine doesn't pick up the sensor, for instance it only records me as 0-3mph when I'm free wheeling down a steep hill, surely I'm not that slow ;-)

 

[HJ]

Yep buy cheep, buy twice! Get a VDO next time...

 

[addictfreak]

Yep buy cheep, buy twice! Get a VDO next time...

Its only for the winter bike, wasnt really bothered about having a computer on it to be honest. But for £10 it was worth a punt, and I have other lights in the garage I can use.

Use cateye wireless on summer bike and MTB.

 

[mr_cellophane]

My cheap one used to be affected by train overhead power lines and I had to turn it after my ATC2000.