Recommending inexpensive bike computers

[mikesbytes]

Every so often we get asked about bike computers. My usual response to recommend a Garmin 500 as the minimum purchase however not everyone's bike computer budget stretches that far. And of course it boils down to requirements which can be a bit thin for those who haven't owned one before.

So here's some generic requirements;
- low price
- durability
- readability

In regards to capabilities suppose we can look at in levels;
1. Provides speed and distance and doesn't break at the first sign of water or a minor bump
2. Readability
3. Wired vs wireless
4. Additional basic inputs such as cadence
5. Ability to export summary info to a computer
6. Advanced inputs, ie heart rate and GPS
7. Ability to export detailed info to a computer and input into popular applications
8. Additional capabilities such as maps

So what about this budget one? http://www.velogear.com.au/cycling-acce ... puter.html

[mitchy_]

subscribed... also interested in a low cost option.
i currently just use my phone to track ride info, however am reluctant to carry it on the MTB as i can almost guarantee i'll land on it...

this one from Topeak looks like a decent option, ~$150 with a bluetooth speed/cadence sensor... anyone use one?
http://www.topeak.com/products/PanoBike ... r_w_scs_bk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Milar]

A Simple GPS unit is the Edge 200 http://www.99bikes.com.au/computer-gps-garmin-edge-200" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You get a GPS and course data but no ANT+ so no good if you want HR and cadence etc. It's also relatively cheap to get another mount if you have multiple bikes.

[Classikbike]

I only wanted rather basic info so I got myself a Cateye Padrone. Nice price, very large screen, bomb and weather proof (actually crashed on it really hard at high speed, only has a scratch mark) and all the basic info I needed.
http://www.cateye.com/en/products/detail/CC-PA100W/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[}SkOrPn--7]

subscribed... also interested in a low cost option.
i currently just use my phone to track ride info, however am reluctant to carry it on the MTB as i can almost guarantee i'll land on it...

this one from Topeak looks like a decent option, ~$150 with a bluetooth speed/cadence sensor... anyone use one?
http://www.topeak.com/products/PanoBike ... r_w_scs_bk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have one and going to buy a second but while I don't use all the added extras it's a neat unit and works well plus the mount is nice. I got mine from Velogear so all up sensor and computer delivered was $159.00. Pushys also have them but at the time Velogear was better priced.

Ricky

[mitchy_]

subscribed... also interested in a low cost option.
i currently just use my phone to track ride info, however am reluctant to carry it on the MTB as i can almost guarantee i'll land on it...

this one from Topeak looks like a decent option, ~$150 with a bluetooth speed/cadence sensor... anyone use one?
http://www.topeak.com/products/PanoBike ... r_w_scs_bk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have one and going to buy a second but while I don't use all the added extras it's a neat unit and works well plus the mount is nice. I got mine from Velogear so all up sensor and computer delivered was $159.00. Pushys also have them but at the time Velogear was better priced.

Ricky

cool cool. from what i can tell it doesn't have GPS built in, but can use it via your phone?

at ~$150 with the speed/cadence sensor, it seems more attractive than the Garmin 200, which doesn't have one (nor is it compatible)

[}SkOrPn--7]

Mitchy if you use your phone and the topeak app it opens up to a bunch of other uses and while I haven't paired it to the phone I can't give any jnfo. I got mine when it first hit Australia last year and many were saying that tbe app was buggy as hell but I guess by now things would have improved.

I also looked at Wahoo which is cheaper if you just want to use your phone and app plus sensor.

http://au.wahoofitness.com/devices/blue-sc.html

http://au.wahoofitness.com/devices/rflkt.html

Ricky

[}SkOrPn--7]

Every so often we get asked about bike computers. My usual response to recommend a Garmin 500 as the minimum purchase however not everyone's bike computer budget stretches that far. And of course it boils down to requirements which can be a bit thin for those who haven't owned one before.

So here's some generic requirements;
- low price
- durability
- readability

In regards to capabilities suppose we can look at in levels;
1. Provides speed and distance and doesn't break at the first sign of water or a minor bump
2. Readability
3. Wired vs wireless
4. Additional basic inputs such as cadence
5. Ability to export summary info to a computer
6. Advanced inputs, ie heart rate and GPS
7. Ability to export detailed info to a computer and input into popular applications
8. Additional capabilities such as maps

So what about this budget one? http://www.velogear.com.au/cycling-acce ... puter.html

Mike I got one of those but doesn't do 5 through 8 in your list. Having said that it's in like new condition and if you want it to use it's yours for free including postage.

Ricky

[Duck!]

Essential information for me is current & average speed, trip & total distance, and ride time.

Other features may become ncessary depending on an individual's specific targets.

GPS isn't a "must-have". In fact due to signal processing rates, and the fact that you're relying on satellites several hundred (thousands even) kilometres above the unit whose signals get bounced around or blocked by trees, buildings & stuff, a properly-calibrated wheel sensor-based computer can often be more reliable.

[bychosis]

Essential information for me is current & average speed, trip & total distance, and ride time.

Other features may become ncessary depending on an individual's specific targets.

Plus one. A basic computer is enough to get started. Once you've ridden enough you can count your cadence a few times and estimate what it is easily morpst of the time. Cruising for me is 75-80, pushing 90-100, flat out at 120ish. HR is also nice to know, but can be reasonably estimated by perceived effort.

For ages I paired a cheap computer for the display with a separate HRM and used a phone app for GPS. Not as flash as a garmin, but unless you are following a specific training plan is perfectly fine for JRA (just riding along)

[SEQrider]

Before christmas I got a Magellan Cyclo 505 from 99 bikes for $299 that came with a free runners watch, which was used as a christmas gift to an inlaw. The 505 does everything, maps, cadence, speed, heart rate, ascent, temperature, time, etc, etc. very happy with it. It does pretty well everything the Garmin 810 does at about $200 cheaper.

[DavidS]

I just need a basic computer.

I have a Cateye Strada, ticks just about every box for me except that it occasionally drops out. The issue is clearly the electrical connection in the mount, especially in the wet. 2 things occur to me: 1) why is the connection so small, and 2) why bother making it removable at all? I'd prefer if it was hard wired to the sensor, would be far more reliable. I never remove it anyway and from what I have observed neither does anyone else. That said, I have had it for a few years and the contacts do look a bit worse for wear, maybe I've just had it too long. Looked at the Padrone but I like the Strada, small and easy to read.

As for wireless, tried that. It dropped out way too often, way too unreliable. There must be too much interference as there were certain places it always dropped out, every single time. I gave up on it.

Now, if they would just make a nice simple computer which has the sensor hard wired to the display unit it would tick all the boxes for me.

DS

[singlespeedscott]

I use a Cateye Micro wireless on the bars and as my phone comes with me everywhere I use Strava to track and record the ride in my jersey. I have several Micro's in use on various bikes and they have proven to be very reliable with no signal. Battery life is usually 18 months to 2 years for the head unit and sender. It does everything I want, current and average speed, trip distance and time and the ever useful clock function. I think I have got all of mine for less the $50 a pop from ribblecycles.

[Nobody]

I just need a basic computer.

I have a Cateye Strada, ticks just about every box for me except that it occasionally drops out. The issue is clearly the electrical connection in the mount, especially in the wet. 2 things occur to me: 1) why is the connection so small, and 2) why bother making it removable at all? I'd prefer if it was hard wired to the sensor, would be far more reliable. I never remove it anyway and from what I have observed neither does anyone else. That said, I have had it for a few years and the contacts do look a bit worse for wear, maybe I've just had it too long. Looked at the Padrone but I like the Strada, small and easy to read.

As you probably know by now, the Strada wired just needs to be removed from its mount and reseated now and then to clean the contacts. The cadence contact on the mount should eventually fail. I've had at least two go before I gave up on it.

I haven't had a computer on my bikes for a while now. Although I still manage to get enough exercise, I find my rides a bit more relaxing and/or less urgent between intervals as I'm not concerned about average speed. It also seems to make the ride a bit safer, since I'm mainly on bike paths. Not overly worried about being held up now, or having to slow down a lot to pass safer. If a put a computer back on, I just need to ignore the average speed.

[mikesbytes]

Thanks Ricky, that seems to of made him happy.

Such a range of options at the low end of the market and each of the recommendations seems to have its merits

I use to have one that was called something like MiniG or something, was wireless and cost very little, even less than the cateye one, which is an excellent low end option.

Looking in the middle, I didn't know the Garmin200 did gps. does it upload data like the 500 and above do?

[eeksll]

subscribed... also interested in a low cost option.
i currently just use my phone to track ride info, however am reluctant to carry it on the MTB as i can almost guarantee i'll land on it...

this one from Topeak looks like a decent option, ~$150 with a bluetooth speed/cadence sensor... anyone use one?
http://www.topeak.com/products/PanoBike ... r_w_scs_bk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have one and going to buy a second but while I don't use all the added extras it's a neat unit and works well plus the mount is nice. I got mine from Velogear so all up sensor and computer delivered was $159.00. Pushys also have them but at the time Velogear was better priced.

Ricky

cool cool. from what i can tell it doesn't have GPS built in, but can use it via your phone?

at ~$150 with the speed/cadence sensor, it seems more attractive than the Garmin 200, which doesn't have one (nor is it compatible)

I thought this quite interesting so I installed the app to have a look.

It does not appear to have a online repository you can upload to, nor does it look like you can export the rides at all e.g for putting on strava.

[Jean]

I use a Cateye Micro wireless on the bars and as my phone comes with me everywhere I use Strava to track and record the ride in my jersey. I have several Micro's in use on various bikes and they have proven to be very reliable with no signal. Battery life is usually 18 months to 2 years for the head unit and sender. It does everything I want, current and average speed, trip distance and time and the ever useful clock function. I think I have got all of mine for less the $50 a pop from ribblecycles.

This is my solution to a tee. I must say I'm a bit stunned at what some people think is an inexpensive bike computer or that someone would suggest the a Garmin anything is the basic starting point! Geez. I must be getting old & grouchy. I only use Endomondo on the mobile out of curiosity rather than for any real tracking value. Cateye's are dead reliable and the Micro Wirelesses I have have never suffered from water ingress or interference. As i recall I paid about $40 for each of mine from Wiggle at the time.

[eeksll]

I use a Cateye Micro wireless on the bars and as my phone comes with me everywhere I use Strava to track and record the ride in my jersey. I have several Micro's in use on various bikes and they have proven to be very reliable with no signal. Battery life is usually 18 months to 2 years for the head unit and sender. It does everything I want, current and average speed, trip distance and time and the ever useful clock function. I think I have got all of mine for less the $50 a pop from ribblecycles.

This is my solution to a tee. I must say I'm a bit stunned at what some people think is an inexpensive bike computer or that someone would suggest the a Garmin anything is the basic starting point! Geez. I must be getting old & grouchy. I only use Endomondo on the mobile out of curiosity rather than for any real tracking value. Cateye's are dead reliable and the Micro Wirelesses I have have never suffered from water ingress or interference. As i recall I paid about $40 for each of mine from Wiggle at the time.

lol, when i read the OP about inexpensive quotes and then mikebytes linked a $90 computer I had a chuckle too.

But in his defence, when my cateye plays up (it constantly does) I start looking for a wireless copmuter with candence and they are not far short of $100, then its not far from GPS territory.

I just had a look on wiggle there is a cateye version of the topeak, it DOES allow upload to strava, atleast it appears that way. see http://www.this link is broken.au/cateye-strada- ... ce-sensor/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DavidS]

I just need a basic computer.

I have a Cateye Strada, ticks just about every box for me except that it occasionally drops out. The issue is clearly the electrical connection in the mount, especially in the wet. 2 things occur to me: 1) why is the connection so small, and 2) why bother making it removable at all? I'd prefer if it was hard wired to the sensor, would be far more reliable. I never remove it anyway and from what I have observed neither does anyone else. That said, I have had it for a few years and the contacts do look a bit worse for wear, maybe I've just had it too long. Looked at the Padrone but I like the Strada, small and easy to read.

As you probably know by now, the Strada wired just needs to be removed from its mount and reseated now and then to clean the contacts. The cadence contact on the mount should eventually fail. I've had at least two go before I gave up on it.

Removed many times and cleaned the contacts, still drops out sometimes. Mine doesn't have cadence, don't need it, so a slightly different model.

I'm now wondering if the micro wireless might be better.

DS

[Nobody]

I'm now wondering if the micro wireless might be better.

It might, depending if the newer transmitter receiver sets are better than they used to be at overcoming the noise in the same parts of your ride. Only one practical way to find out really.

[KGB]

Micro wireless was always my go-to until I moved to gps. Can usually be had for under $50, otherwise there is a similar sigma unit that I picked up for $40. Not as pretty as the cateye IMO but same features and still wireless.
I tried the phone thing for a while but the sampling rate wasn't great, leading to straight line sections on my ride maps, plus it chewed up battery.
For a while I used the cateye plus a garmin fore runner 110, their basic gps running watch. Worked really well just for downloading and logging rides.
Now I'm on a garmin 500.

[CKinnard]

If someone is really serious about budgeting, then they'll use strava on their smart phone. they even make waterproof brackets.

[Jean]

I just need a basic computer.

I have a Cateye Strada, ticks just about every box for me except that it occasionally drops out. The issue is clearly the electrical connection in the mount, especially in the wet. 2 things occur to me: 1) why is the connection so small, and 2) why bother making it removable at all? I'd prefer if it was hard wired to the sensor, would be far more reliable. I never remove it anyway and from what I have observed neither does anyone else. That said, I have had it for a few years and the contacts do look a bit worse for wear, maybe I've just had it too long. Looked at the Padrone but I like the Strada, small and easy to read.

As you probably know by now, the Strada wired just needs to be removed from its mount and reseated now and then to clean the contacts. The cadence contact on the mount should eventually fail. I've had at least two go before I gave up on it.

Removed many times and cleaned the contacts, still drops out sometimes. Mine doesn't have cadence, don't need it, so a slightly different model.

I'm now wondering if the micro wireless might be better.

DS

My older Cateye wired computers would behave like that sometimes. The Micro Wireless units I have now have been faultless.

[Jean]

lol, when i read the OP about inexpensive quotes and then mikebytes linked a $90 computer I had a chuckle too.

But in his defence, when my cateye plays up (it constantly does) I start looking for a wireless copmuter with candence and they are not far short of $100, then its not far from GPS territory.

I just had a look on wiggle there is a cateye version of the topeak, it DOES allow upload to strava, atleast it appears that way. see http://www.this link is broken.au/cateye-strada- ... ce-sensor/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

While not as sleek as Garmin and the like in terms of software interface etc, Cateye Stealth GPS enabled computers start at around $80-$90. It may not be what people want out of a GPS computer, but the Stealth 10 & 50 are worth considering for GPS computers.

[mikesbytes]

LOL eeksll, I try to steer towards the Garmin 500 package as the base level, which is what I use, but others don't see the need to shell out for it.

I've noticed Cateye getting into the same market as Garmin, do the cheapies like the Stealth record the ride so it can be uploaded to Strava or the like?