What Bike Computer

[flecc]

Reminds me, Flecc, of the amusing response by Eric Morecombe in the skit with Andre Previn when asked "who wrote that piece of music?". His reply: "Mozart! But not necessarily in that order",
Anon

Yes, I remember that Anon, one of their best moments.
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[Footie]

I have notice an underlying obsession with speed within the forum. Unfortunately I have not been able to catch the speed bug because I don't have a speedo.
So, based on the suggestions in this thread I have just visited Wiggle and ordered a Cateye Velo 8 Cycle Computer. I should then be able to join the ranks of the speed quoters
I also got a mirror, as I have had two close calls looking behind and turning back to find I am close to mounting the pavement
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[Ian]

I have notice an underlying obsession with speed within the forum.

Speed's not everything footie, I prefer long range. The computer is handy for monitoring that as well though.

The mirror is also handy. For me there was no looking back after purchasing one.

 

[Footie]

When setting it up, after putting in the battery, use the push button to choose Km or Miles, then press in the recessed button on the rear to set that.
...... but if the Km to Miles isn't done straight away, the only way it can be reset later is by taking out the battery and losing all the records.
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My Cateye Velo 8 Cycle Computer came today.
It's a lot smaller than I expected. On the website it looked a lot bigger. I suppose it's like short people on TV always look taller
Unfortunately, some bright spark had already fiddled with it and it was reading in Km. Thanks to flecc above comments, I removed the battery and it’s now re-set to read in mph.
Beware of bright sparks....
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[Ian]

Unfortunately, some bright spark had already fiddled with it and it was reading in Km.
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The bright sparks in question are probably the Asian manufactures who seem to think the whole of Europe uses km instead of the 90% that actually do.

 

[Kenny]

All the Cycle Computers I've seen are pretty small.

Does anyone know of any make that have a slightly larger display?

Ken (McGoo)

 

[flecc]

The Sigma one that 50cycles do has a slightly larger display Ken, very clear to read. I had several days with one recently, but it is yet another of those that's a bit slow in updating the road speed.

You can be riding at a steady 12 mph, accelerate a bit to 15 mph, but it first drops the speed shown, perhaps to 7 mph for a moment, then catches up to the new speed.

A lot of them are like this, but I find it irritating. In my experience the Cateye Velo models are the fastest updating, but I haven't tried all makes.

Sigma
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[Kenny]

Thanks Flecc
I guess a slow reacting display would be a little irratating but at least I'd be able to read the thing.
Ken

 

[lectureral]

I am sure I should be able to work this out but can anyone tell me what wheel size setting I should be plugging into my new cateye velo for my Raleigh - same bike as 2008 Tasman Pedelec electric bike?

 

[flecc]

Nominally 28", which may not be shown on your Velo, but physical measurment on an Agattu gave 705 mm, just below that mark.

You can set the millimetre size on the Velo computers.
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[ElephantsGerald]

I have some un-branded thingy which came with my Wisper (it says Model:JS-204 on it).

It seems to work ok, but its wireless (which I can't really see the point of!?!).

Anyway, last week I took it off the bike and chucked it on my desk where it landed next to my mobile phone (an ancient Nokia 5210e). The next time I looked the speedo was going nuts (it said I'd done another 30 odd miles at an average speed of 85mph - pretty good if I'd actually been on the bike!!).

So my advice is to keep your wireless speedo's well away from your mobile phones.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Regards,

Elephants.

 

[lectureral]

Thanks Flecc - you are right it does not offer 28" - would 700 be close - otherwise it asks you to input a length in the range 200- 220 mm - am I going to have to get a figure for pi and multiply by 705 - that gets me 2214?

 

[flecc]

700 is close enough for practical purposes, and the same as 220, less than 3/4 of a percent out, or just over 100 yards on a 10 mile trip, nothing to worry about.
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[MaryinScotland]

otherwise it asks you to input a length in the range 200- 220 mm - am I going to have to get a figure for pi and multiply by 705 - that gets me 2214?

If I have to put in a circumference, I put a chalk mark on the ground and on the tyre at the same place, wheel the bike forward until the tyre mark touches ground again and mark the place, then measure between the ground marks. Seems to work okay.

 

[lectureral]

Thanks guys - I went with 222, after figuring out that there was a misprint in the instructions - mm for cm - and it all made more sense. Mary, I may try your method as a check - thanks.

 

[bunbury]

Comp suitable for 24" wheels

I have been having a problem of finding one that will fit properly on the fork. As Bunbury has 24" wheels the 60cm required between the sensor and the comp means that it is nearly on the nuts and cannot get the magnet correctly fitted as it needs to be where the spokes cross !!. Ok I could raise the handlebars a few cms, but they are nearly on there highest now and I don't want to be uncomfortable just to fit the gadget. I have been thinking of a wired one if it can be fitted higher up the fork and calibrated for both circumference and position on the wheel. Or am I expecting too much.
Tim.

 

[flecc]

Wired ones can be fully calibrated for your wheel without any problems Tim, so that would solve your problem.

However, have you tried the wireless one closer since it might still work ok?

Give it a try and if it doesn't work, post back and we can try screening it a bit.
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[bunbury]

Thanks.
Can't expriment with wireless one as I got that cheesed off with it I threw it in the pond to join several other gadgets, mobiles, remotes etc !!
However as soon as I get a wired one will post results.
Tim

 

[scobo]

It seems to work ok, but its wireless (which I can't really see the point of!?!).

The next time I looked the speedo was going nuts (it said I'd done another 30 odd miles at an average speed of 85mph - pretty good if I'd actually been on the bike!!).

So my advice is to keep your wireless speedo's well away from your mobile phones.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Elephants.

Yes, I noticed this when I had mine in the car with me the other day.
It was sitting in the passenger seat next to me but well away from my phone yet was going crazy showing similar speeds.
The manual states it needs to be within 5mm of the magnet to register.
Very odd.

 

[Phil the drill]

The ultimate bike computer.

I got cheesed off with cycle computers generally a while ago, both wired and wireless varieties. I now use a small sat nav unit (garmin foretrex). It fixes securely to bike bars, gives accurate speeds without having to calibrate the wheel, and a whole host of other info of dubious value, but nonethless fun to browse. I use the same unit on my bike, my off road motorbike (I did a lot of adventure motorcycling in India), and cross country trekking (on foot). They cost a bit more (mine cost about £80), but a couple of brackets lets you easily clip it from bike to bike, and it comes with a wrist strap so you can actually wear it on your arm - so you only ever need one unit. The bike brackets are secure but quick release so you can slip it straight off the bike and into your pocket when parked up and the unit is fully waterproof. The batts. have about 8 hours life on a full charge, oh and you can illuminate the LCD display at night, so you can still see it then.
I didn't even bother to fit the freebie computer that came with my bike. Too much effort, for too little reward - and I don't like tying things down to my forks, very close to the spokes with zip ties!