Ok, so I got a Cateye Cordless 2 on sale. Good deal or so I thought. I spent 45 mins. trying to figure out the freaking instructions, printed in a dozen lauanges and no doubt don’t make a damn bit of sense in any of them. Anyway, I get it all set up and take a look and that big ass sensor looks way too big and way too bulky on my nice carbon fiber, bladed fork. I’m selling that piece of crap computer on Ebay and getting one with a small senor and a nice little wind-cutting, low profie wire I can run up my brake cable. Yet another case of “progress” slowing me down.
Oh yea, and if anyone can suggest a good computer/set up for a wide bladed areo fork – I’d be greatful. Rear mount seems like it could be problematic. It’s the fork that comes on the Felt s22, which I think is made by Kinesis and is more or less the same as the old QR Carbenero … although I could be wrong about that. You get the picture.
I am right with you skid marks. WE sell these damn things, I tell people they are crap, they don;t listen and they buy them anyway. I have owned one and had sporadic (at best) results from it. Normally, Cateye products are unbeatable. But the wireless stuff is totally unsat.
Just have to throw in my opinion on wireless computers as everything I read online regarding them is negative but I have had the opposite experience. I have a Vetta V100 with wireless speed and wireless cadence and it has exceeded my expectations. I’ve never seen it drop the speed and cadence readings although there have been a couple of rides on which the max speed reading was out of wack so it probably spiked somewhere along the way. I installed it 5 months ago and the speed and cadence transmitters are still on the original batteries.
It’s expensive though when there are good wired computers for less than $30. I paid $85 on Ebay for the V100 and I think it retails for $120+. You have to be a gadget freak to justify the extra cost to yourself.
I used a Vetta the last two years. It would not work consistently on the aerobars so I switched it to the base bar partially underneath the arm pads. Pick-up was good but it was hard to see. Mounting bracket broke, cheap stuff, so I’ll probably go without the computer this year.
I just realized my original post failed. I am using a Sigma BC1600 computer with optional cordless harware. It uses stretchy O-rings to mount on the fork. I ride a Cervelo Wolf fork and my pick-up is at the widest part (55mm wide). I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work on other deep section aero forks. On another note, the BC1600 is a pretty big computer. I’d recommend a BC1200 or BC 1400. While the sensor can be mounted near the dropout, I recommend mounting it up near the brake where it is less likely to be knocked out of alignment when the front wheel is off. Lastly, the standard corded mounting hardware lets you mount the computer on the bar or stem (or aerobar) - again using the o-rings. Cordless kit mounts only on the bar/aerobar nob. GB
I’m a reformed Cateye Cordless 2 user and a Felt Bladed Fork owner (on my '03 S32). I switched over to a Sigma 1200 cordless unit that I got from Excelsports.com for 41 bucks. The fork sensor is small, the computer itself is thin with very easy to read numbers, and setting it up was a snap. I noticed this past summer that most of the TDF riders use this Sigma setup with and without cords, so that was sort of the deciding factor for me and I’m glad I switched. That big sensor from the Cateye really started to bug me.
my experience: cordless suck. get a cable one and you never have trouble with interference from the environment. I personally have a cateye AT 100, comes with temperature and altimeter. http://www.cateye.com/detail.php?products_id=52 and I easily fit it on my carbon aero cannondale fork.
This may be a bit off topic but why do people mount the cordless sensor on the front of the fork instead of on the rear of the fork putting it in the slipstream of the air? I have a specialized speed zone pro and it works fine flipped upside down on the back of the fork.
It’s all about the spokes. If the sensor somehow gets bumped or otherwise moved toward the wheel (loose zip tie, bumpy road, flexing wheel on a climb, etc), a rear mounted sensor could catch the spokes and bad things would happen - broken spokes, endo, etc. Mount the sensor on the front and if it gets bumped, it may rub, but you probably won’t go down.
You mean mounting it on a seat stay or chain stay? Maybe, but the transmitter might not have enough juice to reach the receiver on the bars. I have a cheapo wireless from Performance Bike, and it has a range of around 15 inches at most.
I don’t know how much time a transmitter will really “cost” in terms of it’s affects on aerodynamics, but I imagine it is probably not worth worrying about. If you really want aero, and clean forks, you will never be able to beat the Timex Speed and Distance. No wires, no mounts, just a watch on your wrist and a receiver in your jersey pocket.
This is very timely since I am looking for a new computer. With all Dan’s talk about proper cadence, I feel like I need a computer with cadence. Also like the idea of a clean fork. What are the options? I have heard good things about the Vetta such as what one poster mentioned. Does the wireless version reach aerobars ok?
I still think the best bet to date is the Cateye Astrale. Yes, it’s wired for both cadence and speed, but the fork stays clean, the pickups are in the back where the air is already “dirty”, you don’t have to worry about losing the speed signal when going under power lines etc, and it will give you speed and cadence even when riding on the trainer. It’s admittedly low-tech but bomb-proof. I’m still waiting to hear if the new Mavic skewer/speed sensor will work off the back wheel. That would be ideal.
I have to agree with Ken. I went with the Vetta V100 (wireless speed & cadence) after I got sick of fumbling with wires on my cateye astrale. (not to mention the cadence didn’t work on the astrale if there was ANY precipitation at all) I have only been using the Vetta V100 for 4 months now, but it has been flawless, and my bike is cleaner than ever without having to deal with all the stupid wires running everywhere. My Polar HR monitor gets interference from houses with the electrical dog fences, but my V100 doesn’t miss a beat.
Check out the Garmin Forerunner 201. Complete GPS on a watch with speed and distance. No big receiving unit. It’s designed mostly for runners but works on the bike. Cheaper than the Timex. Net yet on sale. Looks interesting though.