I’m in need of a new bike computer and am wondering what you guys use (and what you like/dislike). I’ve had the type that records candence/speed etc with the wires running to the back wheel, but have not had good experiences with it (kept knocking the sensors, so would lose the readout within a few k’s of the house…). so I figure I have 2 choices: 1. wireless or 2. wire sensor to the front wheel (but no cadence on this one). has anyone had good results with a wireless computer??
thanks,
kas
I have the Shimano Flightdeck.
Overall very happy with it. It has a wire sensor to the front wheel with “virtual cadence”. All the other standard stuff plus lets you know what gear you are in and you can control it from the brake hoods.
Only draw back is that it does not work when I’m on the trainer.
My $29 wireless Perfomance brand 4dW(or something like that) shows Speed, Avg, Speed, Distance, and Time all at the same time, mounts up great between my aero bars, and loooks very clean. Just doesn’t have cadence, if a I wanted to spend $125-$150 I would have gone with the Cateye CD300W that includes cadence but sometimes I just have stop and wonder why I am spending more money on stuff for my bike than I spent on the bike itself : )
I’ve got a Cateye Astrale 8 and must admit it hasn’t been very good. It seems to work when it feels like it and takes frequent breaks where it will just display zeroes across the board. I don’t know why it does this. I don’t bang it or anything but it just seems to phase in and out. It is fully wired with cadence, etc but these items don’t do much good if they don’t work. I’m very interested to hear what people have to say about cmptrs that do work.
good luck in your search
robert
robert,
yeah, my old one is an Astrale as well…never really pleased with it. it would also “phase out” for periods of time (without my big feet smoking the sensor!). the search begins today!
kurt
ah ha!! I’m not alone! I also have problems with my Polar HRM while on the bike and was starting to wonder if I was giving off some bad vibes or inducing some anti-electronic juju energy field. I’ll follow this thread with eager anticipation of a solution for us both.
BTW my last cmptr was also a Cateye and had the same problem.
robert
Robert,
you want to talk about strange HR values on a polar? there are a few places around here (I figure it must be the wires in the area), where my HR will jump to 230b/min for a while, then drop back to normal. makes for great data recording!
I’ll let you know what I come up with. probably hit the stores (MEC and the LBS in the area) tonight or tomorrow.
kurt
I second the flight deck. I share your “mysterious energy field” problem (I burn out watch & HRM batteries with a frequency that would blow your mind… ) but the Shimano has not succumbed yet. I also like the ability to cycle through it’s functions with the little buttons on the hoods, but the fact that it doesn’t work on the trainer sucks.
Was an Avocet user for years with good results. With a recent new bike purchase, I went with the Cateye Astrale. I haven’t had any of the problems noted here.
It offers cadence, with a rear wheel sensor which is great for the trainer (on which I still do the bulk of my training, unfortunately). It’s not wireless but a pretty good value, me thinks…I tried wireless - to much of a pain…
The Echo F2 has all the features of the Astrale plus a few; shows three displays simultaneously (ie: speed, cadence, distance); and unlike the Astrale, the F2 works well in the rain.
You can buy an optional rear wheel kit if you desire to mount to the rear wheel.
scott
train in vain,
what do you mean by “controlling the computer from the drops”? is there a little button/lever on the drops? is this difficult to install? I have bull horns and bar-end shifting. think the flight-deck would still work?
kurt
kurt,
check out roadbikereview.com they have quite a few reviews of the flight deck. I’m still undecided and not sure how it would work with bar end shifters.
robert
I use the Mavic Wintech. The sensor is integrated into the front skewer. http://www.nytro.com/product297.html
It has a cadence sensor too, but I didn’t buy it.
It works well so far but I’ve only had it for two weeks.
thanks, I’ll check it out.
kas
After several tries with the Vetta V100 wireless with wireless cadence, I gave up on it. The cadence still works perfectly , but after several trips to the factory, the speed sensor still doesn’t work right. I just bought a Ciclosport 436M with the datalogging/computer interface. I can now download and look at speed vs time vs altitude vs temp, which is a really nice feature. The 434 is the same computer without the interface. The only problem that I have is that the cadence kit makes it wired (it comes with wireless speed), which is just annoying to run wires and tape them in place.
My brother has been using a Ciclosport HAC4 for a couple of years with no problems. Before the Vetta I used an old Ciclosport with altimeter for a long time. The contacts eventually corroded beyond any hope of redemption (after about 7 or so years).
Robert,
you want to talk about strange HR values on a polar? there are a few places around here (I figure it must be the wires in the area), where my HR will jump to 230b/min for a while, then drop back to normal. makes for great data recording!
I’ll let you know what I come up with. probably hit the stores (MEC and the LBS in the area) tonight or tomorrow.
It’s the electrical wires.
I just switched to the Forerunner 301 and love it. It doesn’t need wires or magnets. And you can customize the display. The only draw back it it does not have cadence. You should check out the 301 (with heartrate monitor) or the 201 (without heartrate monitor).
I’ve had the same high, 230+, readings with my Polar HRM and found out it was the invisible dog fences creating the problem.
Hey robert,
I picked up a Cateye cordless 7 today at the LBS. I have a 3.5hr ride in probably wet weather tomorrow, so we’ll see how it works!
thanks for the help, everyone.
kurt
thanks kurt,
does that one have cadence? hope it works out.
robert