Cycle Computers (for Jake)

[Lazy-Commuter]

We were going off topic in the speedo vest thread so I thought I'd put my reply here. With apologies to all if I'm treading on toes.

wires do put me off, but i guess the wireless senser needs batteries?

.. yep, having to replace two batteries and getting the two components to "handshake" and the hassles and complexities in all that is one of the downsides of wireless. I have no experience of that, personally, but it seems to be quoted quite often. I guess it comes down to which is more annoying for you: wires, or having to mess about with batteries and so on.

The most important thing I want that my current cheapo job doesn't do is cadence. I always want to record laps - times mostly, but other information as well - and be able to analyse them later. Wireless is secondary .. it just happens that the two I've shortlisted are wireless.

 

[BentMikey]

Personally, I like the cateye astrale 8 - it's a wired computer and so doesn't suffer from interference. I have one on each bike.

 

[TheDoctor]

TBH they all seem prety good. The Tesco wired ones are certainly cheap and work OK.

 

[domtyler]

I see that you can buy a Garmin eTrex H for around fifty quid nowadays, you'd have to pay an extra tenner or so for the handlebar mount though.

For day trips out on the bike a GPS based device can't be beat. If you want something to leave on your bike permanently and won't get nicked when it's locked up around town then a cheap Tesco jobby would be best.

 

[Jake]

ah thanks, sorry about off topic'ing. Well it seems the cheap tesco thing does what i want. I'm not cycling over England, just to work and back, and the odd bit of pleasure or tri-athlon lol. So the wireless has problems docking like blue tooth? I guess the main computer can be detached like a light to stop it going walkies. (had my mudguard nicked, can you belive it! twats). Anyway, for £10 it seems like a bargain. Thanks for your help on this one

 

[biking_fox]

Never had a problem with a wireless. Follow the instructions and point the sensor in the right direction towards the reciever. Once you've got it set, no need to worry again. Battery last years.

Never looked at cadence - eyes on the road!

Every model the display head detachs. Always remember to take it off and away with you like you would lights.

 

[HLaB]

had my mudguard nicked, can you belive it! twats).

OT but I was speaking to somebody who had their seat post clamp nicked

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

ah thanks, sorry about off topic'ing.

No worries. I was just aware that you and I were having a conversation about commuters in the midst of the thread about that vest, and it was all getting muddled up, so thought we should "take if offline" as they say in meetings.

The Tesco one I have does its job perfectly well, was less than a tenner and has done good service for a while now. The "main" unit (which ain't all that big) does easily detach from the bike as an anti-theft precaution so no worries there.

It's just that I now need (well, want more than need I suppose ) a bit more info and functionality so will sort out an upgrade when all my aging rellies start asking what I want for Christmas. Bless 'em. And, for £6 for about 18 months / 2.5K miles use the Tesco one won't have worked out too expensive .. especially as I'll just fit it to Little L-C's bike.

This link is to Tesco Direct for their cadence model which is more expensive than mine (cost of the cadence sensor I guess). And they NEVER seem to have stock of it. But the mount and unit shown in the photo look a lot like mine. I can never find the one like mine on their website (maybe not looking hard enough) but my local store has a few in now for the first time in ages .. so they must still be about.

 

[BentMikey]

I say again - cateye astrale 8. It's a simple computer with cadence that works exceptionally well, and is cheap too, and is very popular. There's a reason that most people with bike computers have cateyes. They are not all created equal - many of the competition don't feel nice and have non-user friendly interfaces.

 

[4F]

There's a reason that most people with bike computers have cateyes. .

Got to agree with that. I have an old cateye enduro 2 which has been going years and stood up to whatever elements that have been thrown at me.

Easy to use and flick between screens and very clear display.

 

[fossyant]

Old original cateye Vectra's here - been brill !! 15 years old !

 

[Jake]

too many choices, so little time.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

too many choices, so little time.

There's a few listed here, if it helps ..

 

[Jake]

oh that complicates matters worse lol. thanks though.

 

[domtyler]

Jeez, if you're gonna spend £30 or more you may as well go a little further and get GPS functionality:

http://www.handtec.co.uk/product.php?xProd=739