Bicycle Mechanics - Inclinometer

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AndrewP
10-16-02, 07:57 PM
While browsing in Canadian Tire I found a pair of spirit levels for leveling an RV. They seemed to give readings over a fairly wide range. I made a mounting for them so one gives a reading from level to 16% uphill, and the other for the same range downhill. They only give a good reading at a steady speed, and vibration can break up the bubble, but for $12 Cdn and a few hrs of cutting and filing it is a handy instrument. I you are already looking for a computer forget about this, and get a Specialized Classic Pro for $100. If I did it again, I wouldn't bother with the downhill one as I don't look at it while speeding down a steep hill.

P. B. Walker
10-16-02, 11:35 PM
Wow... that looks pretty neat.

I have a Specialized Classic Pro. It's wireless. I also have the cadence option. That part is wired. So you have a wire going down your downtube. The inclinometer works off the altitude. You need to find out the altitude of your start point. The altitude changes according to a barometric function. It's pretty accurate, but not 100%. Also, the inclinometer uses readings from the last 20 seconds. So if you are on a short hill, forget about getting an accurate reading, unless you go very very very slow.

Plus... you have to cycle thru the functions on this computer... so you don't see all of them at once. That is about the only complaint I have of this computer. It would be nice to multiple things at once instead of just speed + one other function.

Anyhoo...
PBW