OK, so does anybody have any experience with this computer? I was planning on getting the Mavic Win-tech, but I realized that it doesn’t have an auto start/stop feature. This computer has every feature I really want: wireless, cadence, auto start/stop, as well as all the usuals. Any idea if it’s reliable?
Thnx in advance.
Link to excel sports: http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=CC-CD300DW+Double+Wireless+Computer&vendorCode=CATEYE&major=3&minor=2
I asked the same question here before I bought mine. Anyway, the ST’ers that have them seemed to like em so I went out and bought one. Am very happy with it. A few things I noticed with mine: Installing it was really easy. But when I turned it on the cadence was messed up. So I reset it and everything worked fine. And still does. Sometimes I’ll start riding and my heartrate will be like 220 or something (trust me this is wrong). At first I didn’t know what the deal was but realized that there must be some interference from the Cateye. Basically all you have to do is stop the HRM and re-start and it works. So this doesn’t bother me either.
So, I think it’s a good product.
Here is the link to my original post:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=248457;search_string=search_string;#248457
tom
I have it - LOVE IT!!!
Been using it for several m onths now - no problems - easy to use and is great for the fact that it is ok for use on the trainer too!!!
Wonderful purchase decision - and no - I am not affiliated with Cateye or the bike industry!
It’s ace. The only downside (and this is common with most Cateye’s) is that when it gets really wet the signal/info can temporarily disapear. This is very minor and unless you plan on riding in a monsoon you’ll be fine.
Rated and recommended.
I’ve had it for a few months. As one poster said, you might have to reset it once, I did. Probably something to do with setting it up incorrectly to begin with in my case. Zero problems afterward.
Oh yeah, unlike many other computers, the key to resetting the values to zero is a quick simultaneous click of two buttons…so many units require a “click and hold”…but, not this one…if you click and hold, it won’t reset. One weird thing they did is offer a function that tells you how many pedal strokes you just did…I don’t know if it just takes the average cadence (which it can display) and does the math using the total ride time, or if it really counts each revolution. Anyway, that’s just weird! I really doubt people are interested in total revolutions…and, if they are, they could just multiply the average rpms that are displayed and do the math themselves. Not a complaint, just a “hmmmm”.
Good unit…keeps that aero front fork clean, too.
LOL. It took me a while (and numerous checks in the manual) to figure out the ‘quick simultaneous click’ instead of the ‘click and hold’.
I resorted to calling them! The fellow knew instantly what to tell me to do. Felt like a real dummy…
I bought 2 of them right after they were introduced and I tell you what - the wife and I hated them! On our first ride, despite the fact that I really torqued the mounting screw, both of our computers departed the mount when that screw backed out. I think hitting the ground might of caused a problem with the circuit board inside because afterwards, neither computer would go more than a couple hours of riding without indicating the batteries were weak - argh. Well at the beginning of December while riding with a friend from Austin, I noticed he also had the CD300 and I enquired to him about battery life. He had owned his for about 4-months and never had a problem. So after nearly 6-months of frustration and countless battery swaps, I uninstalled and boxed them, and shipped them back to Cateye. About a week later we got an Express Mail package from Cateye and there were our replacements including some niffty improvements like thread lock on the moutning screw and a spring on the battery cover to keep the batteries from comming out of the receptacle when you hit a bump which caused the display unit to lose sync with the speed/cadence sensor! Since installing them we have had absolutely no problems and my faith is restored to the point that I am now patiently awaiting them to start shipping the TR100 which has Speed/Cadence/Heart Rate (all downloadable to PC/MAC) in one unit although my understanding is that it will use wired speed/cadence and wirelss heartrate! **Interestingly enough, Cateye did not have a TR100 on display at Interbike last year!
I bought one for Christmas and love it. The big plus for me was the absence of all those blood wires. Now my bike looks a lot cleaner and the wires at the headset don’t tend to get snagged on my bike rack (and yeah, I want a top mount eventually but I can barely afford new shoes, let alone a new Yakima or Zhule bike rack.)
Anyway, the cateye wireless is awesome. I’ve got no problems with it so far.
Oh, one silly question, do you all have it mounted on your tri bikes, if so, where did you mount it. I couldn’t really find a good place to mount it so I can read it. Between the aerobars didn’t work because I can’t put my aerobottle in?
Thank you very much everyone for all of the responses. Guess what I’m buying today!!!
I’ve been a loyal Astrale user for four years but the wires are just barely long enough for my bikes. I’ve also had some problems with the new Astrale 8 losing its connection. I’ve been through enoung computers and computer mounts that I believe spending the extra dough for wireless is justified. The transmitter mount on this unit looks pretty slick too.
I have it and have used it for about two months now. While it looks great and I really like the display, I have experienced two major problems. First, this thing is a battery hog. I have already had to replace the batteries in both the main unit and the remote sensor. Second, the remote sensor does not fit properly on my chainstay so I am limited to receiving only speed data. I cannot fit the sensor close enough to the crank to get cadence function, so basically I ended up with an expensive speedometer. Part of the problem is that my winter bike is a cross bike, so the chainstays are quite a bit wider than on a road bike, which greatly reduces clearance between the crank and the chainstay. On a typical road bike I would think this would not be a problem though. Anyone else blow through batteries on their CD300DW?
Legion, I bought a little plastic nubby thing for 5 bucks and put it around the stem, then put the computer on the nub. Works well, but, it is probably a little more “bouncy” sitting on that plastic nubbin.
First, this thing is a battery hog. I have already had to replace the batteries in both the main unit and the remote sensor.
Although I do not know what to tell you about chanin stays - I mount mine further back on the chain stay so that the sensor is aligning at a point where the spokes are spaced wider as they approach the hub in order for the computer to work with both my AM Class Sprinters and AM Class 58mm Carbon race wheels. As for the computer itself, your battery problems sound familiar as we at first went through batteries about 2 every 6-12 hours and eventually it got so bad that the display was flashing after only 15-20 minutes on the bike.
So, when you take the battery cover off the speed/cadence sensor, is there a spring attached to ithe cover to hold the batteries in place? If not, you have a Rev 1 model (my terminology, not Cateyes). The problem is not that it is blowing through batteries but that road shock/vibration causing the batteries in the battery compartment to move around a little bit. In minor instances they separate momentarily just enough so the lo voltage indicator is triggered larger movements cause the display to reset or the speed/cadence sensor to lose sync with the head unit - consequently you get no data and 10-minutes later the head unit goes to “sleep”. If you have a Rev 1 then you should get it replaced either at your LBS or send it directly to Cateye - the difference between the early models and the new ones is night and day!
Anyone else struggle sometimes to read the cadence display? I find the blue background makes it hard to read.
T,
I think I’ve got the little nubbin thing you’re talking about. I had to get that to get it on my tri bike even remotely in a position for me to read it but it still isn’t ideal, sort of sits on the left just underneath my left arm and I’ve gotta kinda hike my forearm to read it.
I’m having a little trouble imagining where you mean on the stem, any chance you could get a snap shot or try to give me a bit more orientation as to which direction your 'puter faces if it’s on the stem? I’m orientationally challenged. (and yes, I know where the stem is. ;))
I just put the nubbin right in the middle of the stem…the nubbin is against the right side of the stem sticking out like a mini-handlebar, and the clamp for the computer then centers the computer almost dead center of the stem directly on top of the stem. Sorry, don’t have a digital camera.
does this computer also have HR? If so would it work with a non-coded polar strap?
Great comp, been using one since they first hit the shops.
The reset thing isn’t what you might think. Rest is accomplished on the release of the buttons not whilst being pressed. You need to release all buttons at once.
The Mavic only resolves wheel circumference to within 10mm whereas the Cateye goes down to 1mm.
You can sometimes have interference with heart rate monitors (especially Polars) but there’s 16 different transmission channels and chaging to another one solves the problem.
Yes its a battery hog but thats the price of the comp not going to sleep all the time and not waking from wheel rotation like most of the oposition. The manual tells you it eats batteries but I use mine about 10 hrs a week and haven’t replaced the batteries within 6 months.
Only thing that pisses me off is the really small icon sizes on the display.
Has anyone tried the Mavic with cadence?
I picked one up last night and installed it. It is really freaking cool, much better than I was expecting. I have high hopes.