Simple speedometer?

[mobi]

Why cycle computers are so complicated? I mean attaching sensor in wheel and programming etc?

Can it not be a small cheap device which you can fix on handlebar and will show speed via GPS?

The smartphone apps do it fine. But as my phone costs £££ don't want to strap it to handlebar. On other hand, Garmin GPS sat navs cost more than my bike!

I expected a simple device to show speed and distance via GPS which can be bought under £20 or so.

If I could buy a smartphone at that price, I might strap it to handlebar :-)

 

[MontyVeda]

why not keep the phone in your pocket?

 

[raindog]

I've got the smallest, neatest and most simple Sigma Sport computers on both my bikes. I only use them for distance travelled, although they indicate speed too. They cost me about €14 each a few years ago (about £11) superbly reliable - done 25500 k with one of them and it's never missed a beat.

 

[KneesUp]

Why cycle computers are so complicated? I mean attaching sensor in wheel and programming etc?

Can it not be a small cheap device which you can fix on handlebar and will show speed via GPS?

The smartphone apps do it fine. But as my phone costs £££ don't want to strap it to handlebar. On other hand, Garmin GPS sat navs cost more than my bike!

I expected a simple device to show speed and distance via GPS which can be bought under £20 or so.

If I could buy a smartphone at that price, I might strap it to handlebar :-)

Quite. Why go to all the complication of having a reed switch and a magnet so the computer can tell how many times your wheel has turned when you can instead simply receive broadcast messages from four or five mult-million pound satellites in space and use those to triangulate your location numerous times per minute, from which you can calculate your speed?

Aldi do a cheap computer every now and again. The basic model from any of the big manufactures will do what you want. I've had no problems with Cateye ones in the past.

 

[Cycleops]

There are plenty of bike computers about, some less than a tenner, try some of the supermarkets.

 

[mobi]

why not keep the phone in your pocket?

I do that but then I can only check it occasionally.

 

[FeistySquirrel]

Most cheap ones, the only programming you have to do is enter the circumference of your wheel (so it can calculate distance etc). Pick them up for about a tenner from Asda etc.

 

[User6179]

I do that but then I can only check it occasionally.

What are you checking for ?

Best thing I ever did was lobbing the computer and just recording run on the phone in my back pocket.

 

[MikeG]

So hang on, let me see if I have this right. The OP thinks that a magnet on the spokes and a £10 "computer" is complicated, but a device which receives signals from an array of dozens of satellites in geo-stationary orbit, (costing billions of pounds to build and launch, and made by rocket scientists), which does thousands of calculations per second, adjusting for time and elevation...........is simple?

Have I got that about right?

 

[morrisman]

Problem with getting a £10 GPS speedo is that it would consume far more power than a simple reed switch/magnet jobby so would either need replaceable batteries or built in rechargables. Either way it would either be not doable for low cost (buit in) or high cost of ownership (replaceables)

 

[Cycleops]

A GPS speedo for a tenner?

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

As mentioned above, if it's simplicity you want, surely a few minutes spent checking the wheel size and programming it in is worth it for lack of time spent replacing/recharging batteries on a GPS device. The batteries for the speedometers on my bikes were last replaced in 2011 and 2012.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Best price on a gps enable comp at the mo ( I think) I use one of these currently, though I got it for £45, just turn it on and go, or sp/cad/hr if you wish, tracks your ride.

Bryton Rider 20 £65

 

[jack smith]

Is it true that the Brytons fit on the same mounts as garmin @Nigelnaturist ? As I am after a computer I can. Out on an out front mount but want a cheap one, although the bryton would be way over budget still but could be considered later thisyear

 

[vickster]

Cateye velo wireless for me. It's hardly hard to set up...I mean even I can do it!