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Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS)
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I'm looking for a bike computer that supports ANT+ that isn't GPS. I want the battery life of an old school wireless bike comp, without having to put additional sensors on my bike. I record my rides with my Garmin watch, so I'm not interested in a GPS bike comp, or the limited battery life they have.

Giant made/makes the NEOS ANT+ computer, but it's unclear if it is discontinued or not. Since it's only in the store, and no longer on their products page, I'm assuming it's discontinued. If they had any of the black ones in stock, I'd buy it right now for the $35 price. Does anyone have any experience with that computer? Giant lists the battery life at around 10 months.

Ideally there would be a bike computer that just showed the data from my watch, like the Wahoo RFLKT, except getting data from the watch instead of a phone.
Last edited by: bufordt: May 21, 20 8:24
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [bufordt] [ In reply to ]
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It is not clear to me that the NEOS logs data. I suspect it doesn't. So if you wanted to store data then upload it for analysis or logging, it might not be for you.

Your Garmin watch doesn't have ANT+?
Last edited by: trail: May 21, 20 8:36
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [trail] [ In reply to ]
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trail wrote:
It is not clear to me that the NEOS logs data. I suspect it doesn't. So if you wanted to store data then upload it for analysis or logging, it might not be for you.

Your Garmin watch doesn't have ANT+?

Don't need data logging, I'm doing all of that with the Garmin watch. Just want to see my cadence, speed, distance, and time on the bike computer. And I don't want to have to charge it every few rides.
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [bufordt] [ In reply to ]
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any of your sensors able to do bluetooth? Cateye Padrone has like a 5 month battery life

the world's still turning? >>>>>>> the world's still turning
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [Callin'] [ In reply to ]
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Callin' wrote:
any of your sensors able to do bluetooth? Cateye Padrone has like a 5 month battery life

Unfortunately I have the Garmin Speed and Cadence v1 with only ANT+. But, that might be a decent solution, even though I'd have to buy new sensors.
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [bufordt] [ In reply to ]
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Bontrager has one: https://www.trekbikes.com/...830/?colorCode=black

Not sure how long the battery lasts though.
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [lsousa] [ In reply to ]
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That's a good option, albeit a touch expensive (But all of the options are more than I wish they were). At least it looks to be a current product. Wish they listed an average battery life for it.
Last edited by: bufordt: May 21, 20 9:11
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [bufordt] [ In reply to ]
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yeah, I hear ya. the new wahoo HR sensors can transmit cycling cadence as well, so you may get away with that + a BLE speed and be good to go

the world's still turning? >>>>>>> the world's still turning
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [bufordt] [ In reply to ]
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I'm quite sure they had a previous version. Couple of years ago I looked at the same thing, and I'm positive Bontrager already had one. Maybe it can be found on sale by now. (Never bought such device though).

Edit:
It might be this one: https://www.trekbikes.com/...ke-computer/p/12527/
The reviews aren't that good though....
Last edited by: lsousa: May 21, 20 9:15
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [bufordt] [ In reply to ]
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I have an old Cycleops (Powertap) Joule computer (not the super old one) sitting around somewhere that does Ant+ but not GPS. Not sure on the battery life of it now but it was good when I stopped using it.

Edited to add: Just looked it up, it is the Joule 2.0
Last edited by: jpay: May 21, 20 14:59
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [bufordt] [ In reply to ]
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Echowell makes a couple of units that fit your needs, but you'll probably have to buy from an overseas outlet if you're in the US.

Tech writer/support on this here site. FIST school instructor and certified bike fitter. Formerly at Diamondback Bikes, LeMond Fitness, FSA, TiCycles, etc.
Coaching and bike fit - http://source-e.net/ Cyclocross blog - https://crosssports.net/ BJJ instruction - https://ballardbjj.com/
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [fredly] [ In reply to ]
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Have a look at the offerings from both Sigma and Cateye, they make some nice computers.
Though I am not sure 100% if it is what you are looking for.
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [trener1] [ In reply to ]
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Sigma and Cateye are both (IIRC) BTLE. That appears to be the case for most of the products in this small niche.

Tech writer/support on this here site. FIST school instructor and certified bike fitter. Formerly at Diamondback Bikes, LeMond Fitness, FSA, TiCycles, etc.
Coaching and bike fit - http://source-e.net/ Cyclocross blog - https://crosssports.net/ BJJ instruction - https://ballardbjj.com/
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [bufordt] [ In reply to ]
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What you are talking about is called Extended Display by Garmin (data from the watch to the display). The Edge 130 is probably the cheapest compatible with this, and the 520 Plus also. You may be able to find these cheaper 2nd hand.

Just runnning the display (and backlight, depending on time of day) means pretty long run times.
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [mcalista] [ In reply to ]
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mcalista wrote:
What you are talking about is called Extended Display by Garmin (data from the watch to the display). The Edge 130 is probably the cheapest compatible with this, and the 520 Plus also. You may be able to find these cheaper 2nd hand.

Just runnning the display (and backlight, depending on time of day) means pretty long run times.

Yeah, but if I'm using those, I might as well use the GPS on them and charge them after the ride.

I ended up getting the Giant Neos Ant+, even though it seems to be discontinued, and it works great. Picks up my Speed and Cadence sensors, and also the HR from my watch. I bought it because it was the cheapest at $50. But the mount for it didn't really work on my bike (Felt S32 (2006)), so I ended up buying a Garmin Quarter-turn mount and an adhesive quarter-turn adapter for the Neos ($20 more). Looks decent, we'll see how long it lasts.

I'm still waiting to see on the battery life, but it still shows full battery after 5 hours of use, so I'm hopeful.
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [bufordt] [ In reply to ]
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Can you turn off the GPS function on your current unit and just use the data you want/need to view.
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [Pettrifier] [ In reply to ]
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Pettrifier wrote:
Can you turn off the GPS function on your current unit and just use the data you want/need to view.

My original unit was a wired bike computer (2006) that died this spring. My new unit is just an ANT+ capable bike computer, no GPS, so it calculates speed from wheel rotation and circumference. I record my rides on my Garmin 735xt.

I was trying to avoid using a GPS computer (I have a cheap Bryton), because I always forget to charge it. I've never tried turning off the GPS on that to extend the battery. I'm not even sure you can turn GPS off on the Bryton. If I do eventually get a GPS bike computer, I would likely get a higher end one that supported maps. That would be especially nice if I was doing more MTB trail riding, but right now I don't see the need.
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Re: Bike Computer with ANT+ (Not GPS) [bufordt] [ In reply to ]
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 You can turn off GPS easily on Garmin devices. Old Edge 500s are selling super cheap and I haven't tested it other Garmin device use 3-4 times as much juice when GPS is on so I would expect 50-60 hours of run time on a 500 based on the stated GPS run time of 18 hours. If you turn the backlight off I bet it would go even further.
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