Benefits of fitting a Cycle Analyst ?

[averhamdave]

Contemplating the next project I'm wondering what the advantages of fitting a Cycle Analyst would be.

I already use a Turnigy Watt Meter and a common type of cycle computer.

I know the CA has cruise and speed limiting facilities along with a tidier wiring system, but as I'm not looking to incorporate these facilities and thinking I can afford to put up with the wiring, why should I buy a CA?

Thanks, Dave

 

[banbury frank]

Hi our NEW 1,00 kits have all these functions on the LCD display as standard


and our NEW 2,500 watt kit will be fitted with a CA as standard

A lot off controllers including ours have a 6 pin connector to plug in the CA direct so the only cabling is from the controller to the Handel bars

Frank

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Contemplating the next project I'm wondering what the advantages of fitting a Cycle Analyst would be.

I already use a Turnigy Watt Meter and a common type of cycle computer.

I know the CA has cruise and speed limiting facilities along with a tidier wiring system, but as I'm not looking to incorporate these facilities and thinking I can afford to put up with the wiring, why should I buy a CA?

Thanks, Dave

It's waterproof and it gives a running total of AHs used. It combines a cycle computer with battery statistics. It has a remote shunt, so no heavy wires all over your bike. It works really well - set and forget.

 

[103Alex1]

Can't really get past that monstrous display for a speedo and battery meter with throttle over-rides atm. Kalkhoff managed about the same complexity of outputs on a neat backlit display of about 2 x 2" max with great readable output and scroll screen buttons you can use easily whilst riding ...

Serious question tho ... if you wanted to insert a CA at later date and had taken 1-2 step-down converters and a controller isolator switch off from the battery to controller lead, would you need to insert the shunt before or after those splits ?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Coming from the battery, you put the CA or Speedict after the battery isolator switch otherwise it'd be on all the time.

 

[103Alex1]

... and would any lighting or 12V accessory circuits be taken off the battery before the CA or Speedict shunt but after the isolator switch to enable them to be turned off / on with a single mains switch ?

 

[103Alex1]

Have decided to get a CA rather than a Speedict, having rearranged my handlebar setup to allow it to be mounted on the handlebar stem.

Couple of questions ...

1. For using with a KU123 30A controller do I need the "Standalone" cycle analyst or the "High Current" cycle analyst ?

2. Also are there any of the accessories here that I need to order at same time ?

The Grin Cyclery

It looks like UK suppliers coming up on google search like On-bike are out of stock. I'd like the device pretty pronto so looks like I'll have to have it shipped from Grin Cyclery. If anyone needs accessories let me know ASAP and I can get them over together with the order.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You need the Standalone version with speedo cable CA3-DPS.

 

[Old_Dave]

It works really well - set and forget.

Yes...

But...

Once the bike is built, the motor / controller / battery is cast in stone and not going to be tinkered with, then apart from amps used / remaining, the rest of the info is kinda mote....

The speedict with all its features and gps mapping and logging other data is far more likely to be useful long term

 

[103Alex1]

Yes...

But...

Once the bike is built, the motor / controller / battery is cast in stone and not going to be tinkered with, then apart from amps used / remaining, the rest of the info is kinda mote....

The speedict with all its features and gps mapping and logging other data is far more likely to be useful long term

I just want a proper reliable speedo and battery meter, and don't want to have to take my phone on the bike to get that basic data output in a reliable way. £130 is is lot to pay for a decent battery meter on a 20Ah battery with speedo thrown in for good measure but that's basically what it boils down to. Voltmeter isn't going to be very reliable indicator of remaining range and battery use.

The rest of the data is kinda mote to me - not much interested in GPS mapping etc. but very interested in a battery monitor that works and I can rely on. I can get GPS stuff off my phone without a Speedict if I want it, no ?

 

[Old_Dave]

£130

As your minds made up to pay £130 for a 'speedo and battery meter' then its up to you

 

[Deleted member 4366]

If you buy them direct from Ebikes.ca, they're a bit cheaper than that. I wouldn't be without mine. They're just set and forget:

Very nice display and lots of other useful features like current throttle, which is more or less essential for crank-drive conversions; speed, power and temperature limits. The latest one now can work with the Thun torque sensor to give a workable PAS function for higher powered bikes and crank-drive conversions.

 

[103Alex1]

As your minds made up to pay £130 for a 'speedo and battery meter' then its up to you

If someone sold a standalone proper battery monitoring device with LCD display and reliable user-friendly output I'd buy it and fit a basic £6 Raleigh cycle computer. That's all I really need. Unfortunately no-one has come up with one so not sure I have many choices - seems to be Speedict or CA. Both of which cost a fortune and give me a load of stuff I don't need and one of which requires me to have a 2nd phone I don't want or to have to take one when I don't want to. Been going round in circles over it for weeks now and seems I have little choice but to pay up if I want the BM output.

 

[Old_Dave]

Unfortunately no-one has come up with one

I can think of 3 that would do

Watts Up (that's a hint )

 

[jackhandy]

The speedict with all its features and gps mapping and logging other data is far more likely to be useful long term

But... Only if it works proper with your particular phone.

I have tried it with a Samsung galaxy note on 4.0.4, a galaxy apollo on 2.2, an Htc flyer on 3.2 & an Htc salsa.

It doesn't work properly with any of them - gps data is missing, cadence also: I sometimes have to download trip data multiple times to get sensible data & it regularly drops connection when on the bike.

I'm tempted to ask Danny Chan for a list of phones it definitely works properly with in hopes of picking up a cheap one, or swapping the Apollo; but things have gone quiet on the support threads both here & on ES since the last lot of problem reports.

 

[Old_Dave]

a list of phones it definitely works properly with

I use an old HTC wildfire which I think is on 2.1

Here is a link to some 2nd hand (pre owned) ones

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B003NCWVH2/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

[url]http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=HTC+Wildfire&rt=nc&LH_BIN=1
[/URL]

 

[103Alex1]

Gave all this a lot of thought today. In conclusion, I've read about too many problems to have enough confidence in Speedict to adopt it right now. Plus buying a £40 phone on top of Speedict to run the thing and then not being able to walk away and leave it mounted without it being a "nick me now" radar just doesn't suit the particular application and user parameters well (that's mine and me, bye the wee).

Also looked into Watts Up and similar solutions but most need significant modding to avoid big cabling running up to handlebars and more tinkering / weatherproofing than I can be bothered to cobble together on this round. A "fit-and-forget" solution that's easy to splice in and install is what I'm after so CA fits the bill well. Plus as it's backlit, my (deliberate) lack of an LED on my switch isolating battery from controller, having decided I don't want keys, means it's less likely I'll walk away leaving the bike switched on by mistake when it's all built in and I'm out and about.

The final cost was £116 for a standalone CA 2.3 at today's appalling exchange rate, using airmail delivery. Might be a bit more to pay on arrival - we'll see. Not going to sink the ship for a ha'penny worth of tar (relatively speaking) at this stage in the game... rest of the bike spec on every component and accessory has been very high. it's one of the last pieces of a very big jigsaw and reckon it'll be a good fit all in all. So decision made and fingers crossed for a speedy delivery .

 

[Deleted member 4366]

£116 isn't too bad. Mine was £107 nearly two years ago. Compared to the nearly £300 for the v3 with Thun torque sensor that I just ordered.

 

[103Alex1]

£116 isn't too bad. Mine was £107 nearly two years ago. Compared to the nearly £300 for the v3 with Thun torque sensor that I just ordered.

Ouch !! Guess your shipping was a lot higher due to the BB torque sensor. Hope you don't get hammered for too much clearance costs on top of that . I selected CAD when ordering as it was ever so slightly cheaper than USD using PayPal conversion but USD and CAD are virtually on a parity now. Last time I ever looked CAD were significantly weaker. Must be Canada's high credit rating relative to the US that's strengthened their currency or something.

What bike / motor / controller are you planning on trying the V3 out with ? Be interesting to see how it fares compared to the Speedict in delivering an intuitive pedalling response.

 

[Old_Dave]

A "fit-and-forget" solution that's easy to splice in and install is what I'm after so CA fits the bill well

I'm sure your right.... but without modding and leaving a £100 + item on the bike bars kinda goes against the grain.

My reasoning is that as modding is required then it may as well be a £15.87 + uk P&P watt meter that's at risk.

The link if maybe you want a spare meter is... Here