Speedometers and gizmo's

[AndyPeace]

ok, I've been cycling for work and lesuire for many years now, but have never owned a speedometer or any other such gizmo. Occasionally I have 'timed myself' by way of using a clock, not a stopwatch or out, just to see where I'm at. Now I am more interested in pushing my performace I'm thinking a cycle computer will be helpful...but where do I start?

 

[Pauluk]

If you want a wireless one make sure it works on your bike or that you can return it if it doesn't.

You may want to consider getting one with cadence.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Try this one
Specialized Speed Zone Elite Cadence Computer 50%


£14.99, does speed, avg speed, trip time, distance, cadence, avg cadence, temp and has a clock ( though the temp on mine doesn't seem to spot on, I think its brill for that price, it is wired though, but I found it easy to fit.

 

[Muddyfox]

I use a Garmin Edge 205 .. gives good info whilst out on the ride and when you get home and plug it into your computer it gives alot of ride info and a map of where you have cycled

 

[RWright]

+1 on cadence. I don't have one but have been trying to get my cadence up anyway. I don't know if I am just going to get a lower priced one with cadence or go ahead and get a Garmin 500 with cadence and heart rate monitor, which is what I think I really want but they are sort of pricey.

I have not researched how the heart rate monitor attaches to me with the Garmin. I am not sure I want to be attaching wires to my chest if that is how it is done. I am not sure I need the GPS but it would be nice to just press a button and go and let the computer do the rest. Downloading the riding info to the web seems like it would be pretty cool too.

I currently use a Cateye wireless and a wired Cateye on my two bikes, I think with the Garmin you can install a mounting kit on multiple bikes and just use the same computer for the bikes.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

+1 on cadence. I don't have one but have been trying to get my cadence up anyway. I don't know if I am just going to get a lower priced one with cadence or go ahead and get a Garmin 500 with cadence and heart rate monitor, which is what I think I really want but they are sort of pricey.

I have not researched how the heart rate monitor attaches to me with the Garmin. I am not sure I want to be attaching wires to my chest if that is how it is done. I am not sure I need the GPS but it would be nice to just press a button and go and let the computer do the rest. Downloading the riding info to the web seems like it would be pretty cool too.

I currently use a Cateye wireless and a wired Cateye on my two bikes, I think with the Garmin you can install a mounting kit on multiple bikes and just use the same computer for the bikes.

I have just ordered a Bryton Rider 35, £108 from Evan at the mo., from what I believe its in the same category of functions as the edge 500, neither are what you would call Sat-Nav's though I believe they both have rudimentary courses you can follow, though I believe both have bugs with this function. Both the cadence and HRM will work in the same way as you're wireless cat-eye, I did read you cant use the speed/cadence sensor for both at the same time, I will need to look into that more when I have the unit.

Both Garmin and Bryton have websites to analaze your data, Strava will list you against others that have ridden the same section of road and create a table of best times, it will also show all your times on that section, so its useful to compare your own performance. I have been using an app on an old N95, keypad a bit iffy and sometimes it doesnt start properly or does but it stops because its like i have hit the start and stop button, this is why i am getting the gps, but in the short month I have used it its interesting to see my improvements on certain stretches of road, the more difficult ones, because I tend to do them less often, there seems to be more of a marked improvement between each one.

 

[Widge]

The sky's the limit with these sort of gizmos, Andy I reckon.
Depends on what use and how high tech you want/or need? Lots of peeps seem to have smartphone apps with all sorts of GPS and laptop/iPad integration with various computer software programs.......it gets pretty spendy!

I don't use a smartphone so I have yet to experience this level of gizmoness BUT if you want to try something out to see if you find it useful then I reccomend a basic 'wired' job. I have always liked something to give me speed, distance, time, averages and maximums, and even the most basic ones do all this. I think I would better trust a cheap WIRED one over a cheap WIRELESS one. The technology is pretty simple and bomb-proof.

I bought a Tesco wired comp that has these functions about 6 yrs ago for my MTB and it is still going strong after I think one' possibly 2 battery changes. They still do a slightly redesigned equivelant for less than £7.00 and I have fitted one to my new road bike. Works perfectly well-(a bit of a faff to set up but neat and tidy once all the wires/magnets etc are where they need to be!)

Just make sure you can reset your ride data whilst retaining the cumulative mileage, clock and wheel size setting.The Tesco one does this...but HOW is not immediately obvious. The instructions are misleading! If you get one and haven't been able to work it out, let me know? I scratched my head for a while with it but it's simples when you know!!

Best

w

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I don't use a smartphone so I have yet to experience this level of gizmoness BUT if you want to try something out to see if you find it useful then I reccomend a basic 'wired' job. I have always liked something to give me speed, distance, time, averages and maximums, and even the most basic ones do all this. I think I would better trust a cheap WIRED one over a cheap WIRELESS one. The technology is pretty simple and bomb-proof.

I bought a Tesco wired comp that has these functions about 6 yrs ago for my MTB and it is still going strong after I think one' possibly 2 battery changes. They still do a slightly redesigned equivelant for less than £7.00 and I have fitted one to my new road bike. Works perfectly well-(a bit of a faff to set up but neat and tidy once all the wires/magnets etc are where they need to be!)

Just make sure you can reset your ride data whilst retaining the cumulative mileage, clock and wheel size setting.The Tesco one does this...but HOW is not immediately obvious. The instructions are misleading! If you get one and haven't been able to work it out, let me know? I scratched my head for a while with it but it's simples when you know!!

Best

w

Got to agree, I have one of the above Specialized Speed Zone Elite and I will be keeping it for a while as I also have a spreadsheet I have done for mileages ect and use this as a basic guide to my improvements, i.e. charts ect.. http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=14292&categoryID=99

 

[AndyPeace]

The sky's the limit with these sort of gizmos, Andy I reckon.
Depends on what use and how high tech you want/or need?

For now, I just want to know where I am with top speed, average speed and candence, but I'd like something I can grow with. Long term I am interested in my heart rate and my altitude. I'm not training for Rio (or anything but myself at the moment) but high tech does appeal. I have tried 'smart phone apps' but my phone must have a rubbish gps unit, as it rarely finds any connection.

I want a Garmin but I think my budget is more like the wired candence/speed unit NigelNaturist suggested. Thanks for the suggestions

 

[Nigelnaturist]

For now, I just want to know where I am with top speed, average speed and candence, but I'd like something I can grow with. Long term I am interested in my heart rate and my altitude. I'm not training for Rio (or anything but myself at the moment) but high tech does appeal. I have tried 'smart phone apps' but my phone must have a rubbish gps unit, as it rarely finds any connection.

I want a Garmin but I think my budget is more like the wired candence/speed unit NigelNaturist suggested. Thanks for the suggestions

There is this Bryton Rider 20T GPS/HRM from evens at 99.99 with hrm, it will record hrm,cadence and speed with the right sensors so its a little more advanced than the garmin 200 I believe, screen can be customized to show what you want

 

[wisdom]

Both my bikes have cateye velos on them.1 is an earlier model the other is the latest.Both are wireless and do everything i want but dont have cadence on them.Easy to set up and seem very accurate overan official measured mile.Not too expensive either.

 

[Rob3rt]

There is this Bryton Rider 20T GPS/HRM from evens at 99.99 with hrm, it will record hrm,cadence and speed with the right sensors so its a little more advanced than the garmin 200 I believe, screen can be customized to show what you want

It looks big compared to the Edge 200. The allure of the Edge 200 is that it is small and discrete. Also I am not sure that the Bryton offers more features. The smaller Garmin devices (200 and 500) have 3-5 screens that can be customised, they also offer navigation by means of a course file and also support power meters, not sure if the Bryton device offers such features?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

It looks big compared to the Edge 200. The allure of the Edge 200 is that it is small and discrete. Also I am not sure that the Bryton offers more features. The smaller Garmin devices (200 and 500) have 3-5 screens that can be customised, they also offer navigation by means of a course file and also support power meters, not sure if the Bryton device offers such features?

Well I just picked up my 35 today, it has all you just mentioned about the 500it is 70mm by 50mm (edge to edge) so not much bigger than my current speedo ( I think I mentioned this one b4 Specialized Speed Zone Elite Cadence Computer 50% ) it displays 6 fields on a screen which can be modified to suite what you want, and three screens so 18 fields in all,I will list them if you want, but I am sure you can guess, it shows as the 500 does a bread crumb trial, turning way points and distance to said way point. HRM cadence speed and power, a barometer altimeter, my buddy rider (got to figure that one out) £108 at Evans at the mo, sort of knocks the 500 into a cocked hat really, though on the down side from what I understand using data straight of the garmins is easier. There other quirks toit too like it does need charging b4 you connect to the pc, I will let you know what its like after a ride tomorrow if you want, I have put an easy ride in that I all ready know so I can compare how it does to what I know., the 20 does pretty much the same but only 3 field per screen and i am not sure how many screens, but also hrm cadence speed (not sure about power) for 99 at Evans with hrm, 89 without. Now as you know the 200 doesn't do hrm or speed/cadence (or am I wrong) and again not sure about the course route thing ( I don't think it does) but really that's not what they are aimed at, if you want satnav the 50 will give the 705 & 800 a run for their money at 170 from Evans.
A couple more thins about the 35 you can have 5 screen 3 with data and 2 graphic ones the course trial and a gradient view, though the last two are only visible on the course route as it has the co-ords and data. As i say I only got it today and charged tonight so I cant comment on how it performs, from what others have told me its pretty spot on, it even gets a lock in the house where as my phone doesn't (yea I know old phone, but you would use a new one just for gps tracking would you, well since it don't get used as a phone anyway, cant stand mobiles)

 

[Nigelnaturist]

and one other thing, battery lasts upto 35 hrs ( long enough even for me to get to London from Pontefract)