WARNING cycle computers & your LBS

[jonny jeez]

I picked up a new cat eye wireless comp on the 19th Sept...its smashing. I looked at it last night to see how many miles I had achieved as I was dropping it in for its first service today so was curious.

It said I'd done 146 miles.

er... My commute is 40 miles and I've completed 9 of them since the 19th so the mileage should be at least twice that. Then I noticed my average speed was now 21 mph...I was proud..but sceptical. I mean I like to think I'm no slouch but really, 21 mph average? Then I noticed my top speed was 88 miles an hour . I felt warm with the glow of self satisfaction.

But it was short lived.

Took the bike in as planned and asked if the chap that had fitted it had done so correctly. LBS chap said, in a cheery voice,

"Oh its the store security, as you wheel the bike past the front door it sets these computers off something awful".

I tried it for myself, wheeled the bike towards the front door and instantly my speedo showed 88 miles an hour...a quick check revealed that all my other data had been wiped. He then tried to sell me a multi channel computer that apparently wont get interference from shop doors, Sash windows, passing cats, small children..... or other peoples computers or even (shockingly) some smart phones.

So, if you plan to take your bike near the high street, take the computer off first.

 

[BluesDave]

I think it's fair to say that these things really arnt all that good are they? (rhetorical)

 

[Crackle]

Wired, it's the future.

 

[Dora]

I have a cateye wireless comp too. It goes absolutely mental if you place the head unit near a mobile phone, computer, some of the Lights we sell at work, the photocopier, etc etc etc.

I DO love riding under the railway bridge on the way into work though - 65mph on the flat? yes please!!

 

[jonny jeez]

Wired, it's the future.

you've got to think bigger...I'll be fitting an abacus to mine tonight.

 

[sabian92]

My botrager one does the same with my front light, phone, iPod, the lot.

Either keep it away from stuff that interferes with it or buy a wired one (which are irritating). Not much you can do unfortunately).

 

[martint235]

Yep my wireless cateye used to have a fit every time I passed security on my way into work. I switched to a wired one which solved the problem. Now I've switched to GPS which is even better!

 

[Mad at urage]

Wired, it's the future.

I never could understand why people think all these generic wireless technologies won't interfere with each other!

 

[Zoof]

Just bought a wired cateye for speed and cadence on same screen.

A stop gap; cost being the main consideration.

I'm glad I did now.




Just what is the best wireless speed, cadence and navigation computer.

Full navigation being the prime goal or desire, that wont get scuttled by the hight St

phone beacon?

 

[BSRU]

I had the same problem with my blackburn but found the problems vanished when I placed the wheel transmitter as close to the computer as possible.

 

[HLaB]

Touch wood, I've never had a problem with my micro wireless but it is fitted to my turbo bike now and I use my gps on my roadbikes instead. My wireless Raleigh Echo was more prone to interference however, it occasionally went berserk and would take a while to return to normal or my LEDs would make it under record other than that it seemed reliable until I done some testing on roads with traffic jams, I found it went berserk more often.

 

[thnurg]

Mine is a dirt cheap Sunding. They are between £5 and £10 on ebay and I have no complaints. I managed to destroy one by giving it a soaking one day but at £5 I was not too bothered. I have never noticed anything interfere with it, although sometimes the max speed can be outrageous. I wonder if a rough stretch of road sometimes causes the magnet to trigger the switch in the transmitter too quickly.

 

[fossyant]

Never had any interferance issues with my Cateye Double Wireless. Coded signal though !

 

[Piemaster]

Wired, it's the future.

GPS, its the future.

Easy transfer between different bikes, different wheel sizes, no pickups to mess around with.

Even view it in google maps if you want (with some depressingly slow stats)

 

[Norm]

GPS, its the future.

Easy transfer between different bikes, different wheel sizes, no pickups to mess around with.

Even view it in google maps if you want (with some depressingly slow stats)

I was cogitating on GPS earlier but I think the show-stoppers for me would be the mileage that I do with, rather than on, my bike.

Do the units have easy on/off switches to use when you are on a train? Even if they did, I'm sure that I'd forget to turn it off (and do 95 mph) when I get onto a train and then forget to turn it back on again when I get off.
Do they have multiple trip functions so you really can easily transfer them between bikes without having to note the mileage down whenever you swap?