Cycle computers.

[Phil66]

Morning folks,

I’ve got a 4 month tour of SEA coming up at the end of the year and having just got the new bike, I need to think about a cycle computer for it. I was just going to get a basic for £30-£40 but I’m wondering if I should get something a bit fancier. I could spend hundreds on one but are they worth it? Just thought I’d ask what everybody else is using and what features are really useful to have.

Cheers Guys

[beardy]

If you are talking about just a non-GPS type speedometer then I would not spend that much.

I would buy something wired, cheap, reliable and battery friendly.

Like this as an example

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... igmcomp174

Or I would make the leap to a GPS system which will be both speedometer and navigation device.
I often have both as most of my bikes have a speedometer permanently fitted.

[Psamathe]

I can't comment on cycle computers with regard to touring, just day leisure rides. And I've been through quite a few thanks to my stupid preference for wireless ones (stupid as none of the many I've tried have worked properly - both digital wireless and analogue wireless). Problems with wireless ones include, having taken the computer off the bike or walking round a supermarket with the computer in my pocket I'd suddenly be moving at 15.3 mph ... 3 mph ... 0 mph, etc. A digital one I had (briefly) once recorded me doing 54 mph whilst I was stationary waiting at a junction (and the sensor magnet was opposite side of the axel to the sensor. (n.b. I ride alone so no "cross-talk" from other nearby cyclists). Another would periodically "get stuck" and have to riding at the same speed for around 5 mins; stop and still says you are riding along at the "stuck speed".

In the end I've found cabled is cheaper but more importantly works reliably.

The one I like is a basic (but not desperately cheap) model the Specialized Speedzone Sport (http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/speedzone-sport-computer-ec034604 but available all over the place). Just does the basic speed, trip, time, odo, av speed +/- on av speed, but has a clear easy to read display and has sensible "averaging" (had one where the lag was terrible and you speed-up and computer says no change so you slow right down and suddenly it catches-up with your previous speed increase - and that was an expensive digital one as well).

However, I've only done day leisure rides and whilst with a bit of thought it is easy to route the cable neatly, I don't know is 4 months in SEQ the cable might be just something else to get caught/cause problems.

Ian

[mercalia]

I have been using a cheapo £3.50 one from Ebay for the last year, never take it off the bike ( who is going to steal it? and no one has) Has been reliable but a couple of times I think the battery has been upset and reset to zero, but easy to set back to previous mileage. A cheap one means you can take a spare should some thing happen. Mine uses cheap alkaline button cells so maybe need to be changed after about a year

[meic]

The family fleet are all equipped with basic Halfords wired computers from about a decade ago. They need a new battery every six years as I use the slightly better silver oxide instead of the standard alkaline.

A lick of vaseline on the contact pins on the back and that is it for another six years*, totally reliable and automatic on/off.

*If you dont mind doing a BST to GMT conversion when reading the time.