Speedo or bike computer recommendations

[Tangled Metal]

Need to measure my current speed. Want to monitor mileage, average speed and am quite interested in heart rate. Don't like the price of Garmin edge units like 810, touring/plus, etc.

Anyone got any recommendations?

I'm thinking a basic speedo with a Bluetooth heart rate strap connected to my phone. I've looked at bike computers that can take heart rate data from straps but they seem to not include the straps which adds often £50. The ones I've seen cost £75 with a £50 HR strap separately. Perhaps a £20 speedo with a £50 or less HR strap to my android phone. I'm currently using Strava on my phone but annoying to turn it on then stuff it into rucksack to ride off. Simple speedo for mid ride speed and distance then logging track on phone with heart rate monitor strap. Unless you know a bike computer available for say £75 that can be uploaded, has included HRM.

Actual use is HRM for mid week.commute but speed and distance in the week plus weekend too.

Any recommendations? Budget is as cheap as possible yet still reliable.

[Tangled Metal]

Anyone got any recommendations for a cost effective bike computer?

Option 1 - speed and distance in a cheap unit (wired probably) with a separate HR strap to sync to my phone for solo rides where I want to train / push it a bit.

Option 2 - a more expensive unit that can sync to the phone (strava seems to be the best option right now) and can accept a HR strap signal. Ideally it comes with a strap but if not then cheap enough to allow me to afford a reasonable after market one (like the idea of Scosche Rhythm+ which I think is ANT+ and Bluetooth plus being accurate for an optical HR strap. Used on the arm which I prefer).

The above two options are my summary after thinking about it a bit more.

I may consider a GPS unit. I think a basic walking one with bike mount could even be used as I think some of them are cheaper than Garmin edge units with mapping.

[TrevA]

Hargroves Cycles are currently doing the Garmin Edge 500 (base unit only) for £119.99 post free - no mapping with the 500. You can use it with an ANT+ HRM strap and it will display and record your heart rate. You can then download all the info to Garmin/Strava/Training Peaks/Whatever. My son has one and it also connects wirelessly with his PowerTap rear wheel powermeter.

LIDL do a cheap cycle computer with HRM, but It only displays and doesn't record data.

[Des49]

A Garmin 500 is pretty good value now for what it does.

Not perfect, but does all I need, is small and light. Battery will last fine for a whole day ride.

Takes a while to acquire a fix compared to more recent models, the premium heart rate straps that they come bundled with seem notoriously unreliable. I would opt for the cheaper non Premium version or try the Premium one and if you get issues a change of just the strap part to a cheap Wahoo one seems to be a solution.

Shop around and see the best price for a 500.

[alanscoachdriver]

No experience of it myself but you could consider the Wahoo RFLKT range. I have had the Garmin 500 for about 5 years and it's very good. The prices above are good value.

[robgul]

I'd buy a Garmin 200 - use that as a basic bike computer for about £70 - no wires, no hassle, transfer from bike to bike - and it has crude navigation if you want to use it ... and wait for Aldi or Lidl to have their HRM watches in stock - usually about £10 or £15 - I have a Lidl one and it works a treat.

Rob

[markfh]

Following from robguls comment if you just want to see the current, min, average and max heart rates there are quite a few options that link a cheat strap to a separate wrist watch type unit for less than a chest strap that links to a android mobile. I got one from Aldi/Lidl (can't remember which) which cost around £15 including the chest strap. I think I read that some people have trouble with them but I have found that it works OK for me.

A year or two ago I got a simple wired cycle computer from Asda which came with two mounting kits, magnets etc and supports two bikes (different wheel circumferences) and gives distance, speed, time, average speed etc. The reason for choosing it was the large clear display which I can read without glasses - the main numerals are about 15mm high. It was branded as Bi-Tech, model = nine-o and I have found it to be effective and generally reliable. It started to be intermittent a while ago but removing it from the holder and re-inserting it a couple of times seems to have cured the problem so probably due to dirt/corrosion on the contacts. I was so taken by it that when I saw some on offer on ebay for £5 each I got another couple so that I have spare mounting kits and displays for the future.

[Tangled Metal]

My Lidl or ALDI HRM watch was very unreliable. Worst £25 spent. I gave up on it after recording a HR range from 33 to 226BPM!! Now I do know that my typical resting heart rate at that time as about 62BPM so 33BPM was impossible. The peak HR ofd 226bpm (could even have been higher) was also very unlikely indeed since it was reading that when I was sat down. I know ALDI and LIDL are usually very good for stuff, even electronic but I do not trust them again for such a product. Was unlucky I reckon but once bitten, twice shy as they say.

I seriously do not want to spend over £100 if at all possible. Perhaps I am best to just find a waterproof cover for my LG G2 with a bike mount (there is anything suitable) so I can use that directly from Strava with a Scosche Rhythm+ HR arm strap. Then get a Halfords special for sub £15 as a wired wheel sensor bike computer.

[fastpedaller]

My Lidl or ALDI HRM watch was very unreliable. Worst £25 spent. I gave up on it after recording a HR range from 33 to 226BPM!! Now I do know that my typical resting heart rate at that time as about 62BPM so 33BPM was impossible. The peak HR ofd 226bpm (could even have been higher) was also very unlikely indeed since it was reading that when I was sat down. I know ALDI and LIDL are usually very good for stuff, even electronic but I do not trust them again for such a product. Was unlucky I reckon but once bitten, twice shy as they say.

I seriously do not want to spend over £100 if at all possible. Perhaps I am best to just find a waterproof cover for my LG G2 with a bike mount (there is anything suitable) so I can use that directly from Strava with a Scosche Rhythm+ HR arm strap. Then get a Halfords special for sub £15 as a wired wheel sensor bike computer.

I have a Lidl one, and find that it sometimes gives errors when the weather is cold, or the sensor moves - I'm not sure this is an equipment error, and suspect all HRM's will suffer from this because it's due to poor contact to the skin. It's why Hospitals use connection jelly and sticky pads for their equipment. Once a sweat is present they seem to work better......... So the answer is GO FASTER (especially whilst reading)

[Heltor Chasca]

My 10c may or may not be helpful: I never have a big budget for anything unless I'm holding out for something pretty decent. My Garmin Edge Touring is an example. After 2 initial issues (1 was mine and the other was sorted out efficiently by the UK Garmin help desk) I don't see the point of cycle computers anymore and I have had a couple of nice ones. They have been usurped by satellite technology....b

[Tangled Metal]

My Lidl or ALDI HRM watch was very unreliable. Worst £25 spent. I gave up on it after recording a HR range from 33 to 226BPM!! Now I do know that my typical resting heart rate at that time as about 62BPM so 33BPM was impossible. The peak HR ofd 226bpm (could even have been higher) was also very unlikely indeed since it was reading that when I was sat down. I know ALDI and LIDL are usually very good for stuff, even electronic but I do not trust them again for such a product. Was unlucky I reckon but once bitten, twice shy as they say.

I seriously do not want to spend over £100 if at all possible. Perhaps I am best to just find a waterproof cover for my LG G2 with a bike mount (there is anything suitable) so I can use that directly from Strava with a Scosche Rhythm+ HR arm strap. Then get a Halfords special for sub £15 as a wired wheel sensor bike computer.

I have a Lidl one, and find that it sometimes gives errors when the weather is cold, or the sensor moves - I'm not sure this is an equipment error, and suspect all HRM's will suffer from this because it's due to poor contact to the skin. It's why Hospitals use connection jelly and sticky pads for their equipment. Once a sweat is present they seem to work better......... So the answer is GO FASTER (especially whilst reading)

My technique is to use salive or water (actually a salt solution is better but saliva is good too) to wet the sensors so sweat is not an issue. I wet it out just before I set out so the sensors have that connection to the skin and it is working. Then not being the fittest sweat production is not an issue as I only wore it when I was out for a blitz (whether that is on a bike or on foot). The connection was there, I was getting a signal but obviously there must have been some movement of the belt or it would have read it ok. I know it was the unit at fault because it was not my only HRM I have owned. I used to have a Cardiosport one which was a really good one in it's day and that read reasonable HRs and never spiked or dropped off like the ALSI/Lidl one. It was also easier to get a signal too. The process of putting it on and wetting the sensor to get a reading was immediate with the Cardiosport but the ALDI/Lidl one took a lot of attempts to get anything at all.

All I know is the unit I got was not working as it should and as they are capable of working. That was not down to my method of use but the hardware was not working as right. I was probably one of the few with a faulty unit. However it is a problem with these types of HR straps, albeit not a common one, and one reason why a good optical HR sensor could be better (IMHO but also others believe in that). The reviews of the Scosche Rhythm+ is just one piece of evidence to support that, people seem to rate it despite being optical and on the wrist.

[Tangled Metal]

My 10c may or may not be helpful: I never have a big budget for anything unless I'm holding out for something pretty decent. My Garmin Edge Touring is an example. After 2 initial issues (1 was mine and the other was sorted out efficiently by the UK Garmin help desk) I don't see the point of cycle computers anymore and I have had a couple of nice ones. They have been usurped by satellite technology....b

I did try to get one of the ALDI edge 200s for £70 but they didn't have any (not sure they got any at all). I've only seen them for £80+ online. I agree they are a better option and the touring is one I quite fancy myself, just not at that price.

[Vmlopes]

Got one of these sat in the box http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/APA-VSS438-37 ... 4878b441ce, used it for a month or so before the mrs bought me a Garmin for my B'day, does everything well and never lost signal. Make me an offer on pm if you want

[The fat commuter]

I've just been looking for a computer with altitude as well as a calorie counter. Most that I found also had a heart rate monitor along with a cadence option.

Some that might meet your needs are:

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/cicl ... aid:635432

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sigma-Sport-061 ... ma+rox+6.0

The Sigma one was the one that I was looking at. Need to buy a separate docking station if you want to upload the info onto the computer

[maxcherry]

I got the Garmin 800 with all the bells and whistles eg European maps and trail maps as well as HRM and sensors.
I just figured that if I am going to buy one I might as well get the whole lot. It has proved useful and served me well.
Never had any problems with it.

Getting the HRM with the package is proving useful now 4yrs later as I am getting into training, and planning routes
with Garmin is easy (I may be the only one who thinks this) The trail maps have saved me from curling into a ball and crying.