Computer? Cadence Sensor? Power meter? Are they worth it?

[figbat]

I have a cadence sensor because it came bundled with my Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt. I use it but rarely look at it. Never when riding and not often in post-ride analysis. Heart rate, yes, all the time (in fact I have the LEDs on the Bolt set to show me my HR zone, as well as having the numerical display available). I don't train though, I just ride, so have no use for or interest in a power meter.

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

I have a smart trainer with the numbers flashing in front of me, as for the power meter, what does that mean in real life? Yes it’s hard getting up the hills 🤣
Cadence meter, yep it’s fast and slow. As for my heart meter it tells me I like to red line it going up the mountains, as does my breathing!
On my road bike, I have nothing but a Garmin computer !

 

[wafter]

I like the GPS for the logging of route, speed and distance, which I find useful / interesting for both facets of individual rides and overall trends (such as distance covered in a week / month / year). I also like it for allowing me to explore with less fear of getting lost, or for getting to specific destinations.

I like heart rate data for indications of exertion / general fitness.

I'd take a cadence meter for passing interest if if was gratis and did look into buying one, however saw limted use and the Polar ones were disposible / had non replaceable batteries, so sod that.

I would like a power meter again to satisfy curiousity and gauge how my fitness changes over time in terms of peak output and output relative to exertion (HRM), but not enough to pay for one or stomach the compromises this would bring in terms of kit.

So yeah, happy with where I am currently with GPS and HRM

 

[Mike_P]

I find a cadence sensor useful on hills.

 

[philipgonzales3]

It sounds like the general consensus is mostly computer = useful, cadence sensor <> useful, power meter <> useful. I'm over simplifying but doesn't seem like that data is that useful for the weekend warrior so to speak lol. TBH the computer was the thing I was least excited about. I don't see much benefit other than for when I need to follow a planned route for a long time. My watch already does heart rate and GPS. Maybe it isn't the most accurate but seems OK to me. Seems to match my zones based on my breathing from what I can tell. Of course with a little lag due to the ol' ticker taking a bit to spin up and down.

Hmm Any tips on which computer to get?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Hmm Any tips on which computer to get?

Depends on your budget.

Garmin and Wahoo are the leading brands and people tend to just recommend what they have and can be a bit tribal.

TBH they are all really good these days and whatever you get you're unlikely to be disappointed.

Incidentally I wouldn't rate a power meter as "not useful". As a number, power is as useful if not more useful than speed, and unlocks a whole load of post ride analysis if you're interested in that. No, the problem is that you have to pay such a large amount of money for that one number.

 

[figbat]

I prefer a computer over a watch simply because I can easily see the computer at any time. The data I have on screen is current speed, HR, time of day, ride time and I can ‘zoom out’ to show things like ambient temperature, battery %, elevation climbed and average speed. I can also change pages to a map page and a climbing page - this automatically comes up when a climb starts and shows me the climb profile, remaining elevation to climb, remaining distance to climb and current gradient.

Any incoming text and WhatsApp messages also briefly flash up on the screen, as well as incoming phone calls.

 

[EckyH]

It sounds like the general consensus is mostly computer = useful, cadence sensor <> useful, power meter <> useful. I'm over simplifying but doesn't seem like that data is that useful for the weekend warrior so to speak lol.

Incidentally I wouldn't rate a power meter as "not useful". As a number, power is as useful if not more useful than speed, and unlocks a whole load of post ride analysis if you're interested in that.

Where I have to sign?
The good thing is that the cadence, heart rate sensors and power meters are optional to modern bike computers.
Basically you can add those features over time and then you have all the data within one device and no hassle with synchronising data from different devices.

Any tips on which computer to get?

TBH they are all really good these days and whatever you get you're unlikely to be disappointed.

That.
Even the "lower end" models offer lots of features.

Therefore I'd add additional criteria like user interface, prices for map updates, dependencies to an app, whether it's mandantory to have an online account at the manufacturers web site, whether the manufacturer wants to force you in a subscription model for some features, availability and price of spare parts, repair service etc. and rate them.

E.

 

[Paul59]

Is there any phone app, which have the same features as bike computer?

 

[Dogtrousers]

I find a cadence sensor useful on hills.

Yes, I find it can be handy to indicate that you have ground to a halt and are about to fall over.

 

[Alex321]

Yes, I find it can be handy to indicate that you have ground to a halt and are about to fall over.

Mine says "Ride auto paused" when I'm about to fall over

 

[cyberknight]

Mine says "Ride auto paused" when I'm about to fall over

instead of is my bike ok , is my garmin ok ?

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

Just to chime in ...

I have a cadence sensor on one of my bikes that broadcasts to my Garmin watch - which I bought for a loss less than most 'smart' bike computers.

I don't find it useful - but novice cyclists might if they haven't yet got a feel for when they need to change gear?

I use the watch for logging my rides. I'm still using an old Garmin Etrex Vista HCx for navigation. The work flow for setting up routes is a bit pants, but it is useful having a display on the handlebars. This is where the watch really falls down to be honest.

Now that I'm cycling more, and trying to get fit, I find knowing what heart rate zone I am in useful. Especially when I should be doing a recovery ride or saving my legs for a longer / harder effort at the weekend ... it is a good reminder that I need to slow down. I think this matters more with age too, when recovery can take a lot longer. And stops the inevitable burn out of doing too many hard efforts without enough recovery.

I don't have a power meter - I can't justify the cost at the moment, but I have been tempted to pony up for one. Why? Because at the point you are improving fitness, it would be good to see that progress (power output versus heart rate). But you can also measure that progress in other ways - for instance looking at average speed or time taken for a route/segment that you regularly ride.

I'll probably get a cycling computer next year and maybe, if things are going well, some power meter pedals but these are essentially both luxuries I could live without. The watch on it's own, combined with the old Garmin Etrex are good enough.

 

[kingrollo]

I've never gone for a power meter due to cost.

But other stuff isn't so expensive. I brought a used a Garmin edge explore used for around £100 - a HR strap for £25 - thats enough for me.

I did briefly have a cadence sensor - but my cadence was pretty much in the average range so it wasn't that useful a measurement for me.

Average speed, and HR is enough for me.....until power meters come down in price.

 

[Bristolian]

When I got back into cycling (Feb. 2023) I was, like the OP, rather overweight and unfit - still am but to a lesser extent - and struggled to ride any significant distance at much more than a fast jogging speed. BUT I'm a data freak and wanted to know all the metrics about my cycling so fitted speed and cadence sensors and bought a heart rate monitor - a power meter was outside of my budget and still is. To start with I connected the sensors to my mobile phone via Bluetooth and used Strava to record my rides and provide route information.

I soon realised that I wasn't treating the phone very well as it isn't designed to endure the shock and vibration it got being mounted to the handlebars. I saw that Garmin were about to introduce a new range of computers so managed to get one of the outgoing models (Edge 530) at something around 50% of retail. The benefit I see of using the computer is that it is more robust, more water resistant and has a longer battery life, otherwise it doesn't really do anything more or better than the phone.

In the early days I spent almost as much time looking at the screen as I did the road ahead but these days I go miles without looking at it. What it does do though is allow me to use Strava after the ride to compare rides over the same route over time, which gives me an idea of how I'm progressing (or regressing).

Recently, I have been thinking about power meters but TBH it would be a pointless purchase just to satisfy my data-geekiness