Wireless computer for stoker?

[JayB]

I have seen several postings here about wired cycle computers for the stoker. But will wireless senders work? Or is the distance from front or rear wheels too far? Does anyone run a wireless unit on the stoker's bars?

[landstander]

I wanted to do this as well, but my LBS wasn't able to find a wireless computer which could accomodate the increased distance. :(

[zonatandem]

If captain has wireless 'puter, could you splice wire to activiate same info to stoker's 'puter?
My stoker doesn't want a 'puter.

[tandemracer]

The Cateye Double Wireless will "work" but ours have been less than reliable and I finally gave up on the second one recently. Other teams have been been happy with them. Do you feel lucky?

[sula]

I have said this before so sorry if it bores you.

Stoker wanted a computer. We were waiting for a ferry in Stockholm and had a couple of hours. Answer is get your self a cat eye. Put magnet on rear wheel run cable up to top tube mount cat eye aero bar adapter on top tube and away you go.

Looks a bit vonerable but has been ther for a good while with no problem. When I fly the bike I just loosen it a bit an place in line with the top tube for protection.

Ok dosent look that prity but hey, bueauti is as buety does.

Cheers

[JayB]

Thanks for the responses. What I REALLY want is a FlightDeck with altimeter. Why? Because I have used an Avocet with altimeter for many years until it went dud. Found it very useful. However, I like the way the FlightDeck shows which gear you are in and operates from Shimano brifters. Has anyone tried mounting TWO computers on the pilot's bars with two sending units on the forks? Will one interfere (radio waves) with the other? Not prity, as Sula would say, but will it work?

[tandemracer]

You could always just use one of these:
http://www.garmin.com/products/edge305/
No wires on this computer.

[Old Hammer Boy]

That's what we did, I bought a Garmin eTrex GPS with a handlebar mount for my stoker. Total cost was about $125. It clicks on and off easily, has a nice back light and lots of nice additional features. Now she has all sorts of things to play with, but pretty much stays with speed, distance, and altitude on the display. Of course, there's always the map. It's also handy for a lot of other uses, too. For me, the captain, I have a Flight Deck and agree, the gear indicator and switching buttons are really a nice feature, especially on a tandem. OHB

[bushbelay]

Has anyone has success doing this yet? I want wireless for the captain and stoker. I figure one transmitter, two receivers, but is the stoker distance to great? I am not really looking for the GPS stuff, just speed, distance, etc.

[la2sei]

The VDO C2 and C3 are supposed to have a range up to 16 feet. I have a C2 with the sensor on the back wheel and can walk more than 15 feet past the front of the bike and still pick up the signal. we have a computer for both of us using one sensor.

[cornucopia72]

You could always just use one of these:
http://www.garmin.com/products/edge305/
No wires on this computer.
+1. Wireless; cadence; HRM; GPS; altimeter; range is long enough to work on our triple leave alone a tandem; no cross talk with other computers/sensors; excellent software; the price has come down considerably

[djedgar]

I was in contact with Ibex Sports in regard to the VDO transmission range and yes the distance is 16 feet on the new C2 and C3 units. They also confirm that two heads will read off of one transmitter. However there is a lot of old stock out there so watch it. Performance indicated recently they still have the shorter range in stock.

I did talk to a LBS owner who tried the new VDOs however and said he had problems with getting obvious transmission glitches. Unrealistic speed readings and such.

We have not bought a stoker wireless computer yet as we are still waiting for our new Santana to come in but think the Garmin might be the way to go.

[oldacura]

We recently bought a VDO C3 for the stoker position on our tandem from Performance for about $90. In my opinion, the user interface is more complicated than Cateye but it works fine in the stoker position.

[esther-L]

Captain on my bike has a wired Sigma BC 1606L bike computer.

Stoker has a wireless Sigma BC 1606L. The transmitter for cadence is on captain's crankset. Stoker's body blocks signal for speed sensor on rear wheel.

The Sigma sensors and transmitter are larger than the Serfas sensors and transmitters.

In hindsight, should have gone with a wired bike computer. The stoker (me) strongly wanted cadence information, to use in avoiding knee pain.
Esther-L

[Team Godzilla]

We run Polar S725Xs on front and back. Each has a sensor on the respective wheel and cadence is off a common pickup from the captain's crank. The coded signal prevents crosstalk for the two HR functions.

In addition to all the bike and HR data, you also get altitude and the ride data can be downloaded to your computer (to see if both people were working hard enough!) Clean wireless setup.

If you really want clean, build up a Powertap SL 2.4 wireless hub into a tandem wheel and get two heads. No sensors (the hub transmits all data including speed, power and cadence) and the range is at least 15 feet. You also get HR functions but no altimeter (almost perfect) and all is downloadable...