Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Cyclocomputers

What computer do you use?
What options do you look for when purchasing?

Polar CS200 cad

Cycling, heart rate, cadence functions

Minimalist...display's mounted on my stem...two small sensors you can barely see.

Wireless, and coded transmitter.

Garmin 302, GPS, Heart Rated, Cadence, and it has everything that others have!

Polar 720i

Heart Rate, Cadence, Altitude, Cycling Functions, ability to easily download data to computer, and ability to program in intervals at various HR zones.

shimano flightdeck.

used to have a computer/HRM combo by vetta, but the HRM only really worked for a season.

I have a Cateye Astrale 8 (wired) on my trainer..... It has a cadence feature, VERY nice for training!

Also a Sigma 1606L DTS (wireless) with cadence on my race bike. I like not having wires all wrapped around the bike (especially true when running cadence... makes cleaning easier).

A polar AXN300 heart rate monitor (altitude feature). A coded signal with a nice feature of altitude ascending and descending. (got really cheap on ebay).

I look for a computer that gives a good signal and measures cadence. It is also a plus to have a company that will stand behind their product. Example Within the first week of owning my sigma it fell off the mounting bracket during a descent and broke. I emailed the company and said that they noticed that the mounting bracket were not tight enough and shipped me a new one for free!

Sigmas... the low-end models... cheap, functional, inexpensive and available replacement parts/accessories (such as an extra long wired sensor for use on a trainer, or a universal wireless chassis)....

The one and only................Garmin Edge 305 with HRM and cadence! This thing will do everything but wipe your butt!

I have a Cateye Astrale 8 (wired) on my trainer.....

This is what I use, as well. It's wired, which is a negative to some, I suppose. But it's also just about the cheapest way to get cadence in a somewhat reliable device.

+1 for the Polar 200 CAD. This is one of the nicest computers that you can buy for the price. You can get them online from lickbike.com for 139.99. I also have a Garmin 305. It is awesome it is defiantly the king of cycling computers; however the down fall is the a $300.00 price tag.

You didn't mention your budget. Units with cadence and heartrate are expensive but if you can afford all the bells and whistles then go for it. If not, decide what you need; do you need a heartrate monitor or do you have a seperate one now or just don't care to want to use one...I don't use one! Do you need cadence to help you to pedal better? I've been riding for over 30 years and instinctly know my cadence so that feature for me is useless; and once you do start using the cadence feature after about a year (probably less) you won't need it either! Do you want wire or wireless, I opted for the wireless when my last unit died and like it for it's clean no wire look, but their a bit more expensive then wired so maybe you don't want to spend the $ for wireless.

For the money I think Cateye makes the best, their buttons feel more solid then competitors in the same price range, but more importantly their customer service is the best. My Cateye wireless sending unit died a year AFTER the 2 year warranty expired, so I called Cateye to buy a new sending unit, and instead they sent me a new one for FREE and got in 3 days! I will never buy a different brand of computer again...but that's just me, I tend to do business with those who have excellent customer service.

Cateye CD300DW. Double Wireless with the speed sensor in the back.

cateye astrale 8 is what i use and seems to be the standard for people who want pretty much everything on a budget.

Once you want wireless, HRM and other things it gets more expensive.

Planet Bike Protoge 9.0

I bought because it's cheap (under $30) and it displays speed, ride time, distance, actual time, and the temperature all on one screen. Also, it has a 2nd wheel size option which is nice as I use the same bike for road riding and mountain biking.

Question for the Astrale 8 users: Do you have to remove the wiring everytime you wash the bike? Is the unit itself waterproof, or at least for riding in the rain?

In my not so humble opinion, the single most important function if you want to work on going fast is cadence. Cadence is just like the tach in a race car or race motorcycle, its the guage that the driver looks at almost exclusively (race cars and motos don't even have a speedo). Bodies, like motors, develop the most power at a certain rpm (cadence) and with a cadence function, you can make sure you are always in your power band.

Wired cadence starts at about $25.

Sigma 1606L. Its realy nifty. Has a back light and big numbers.

Cateye Astrale, chose it for cadence. It's totally waterproof, no water gets inside, ever. However, in heavy rain occasionally water gets between the central unit and the base and you must wipe it.

cateye astrale 8, comes with speed and cadence (and the basics like distance, avg speed, max speed, time). it's also relatively cheap

If we are talking service then I must mention Garmin........my altitude reading was obviously wrong and would spike so I got an RMA from them and sent it to Garmin in Kansas I believe. They had the unit back in one week. Not only back but a brand new reprogrammed unit to the newest software and they even sent me the cadence kit for free! Damn, now that is customer service! Oh yeah, they paid for all the shipping!

Cateye Mity8

I just wanted a simple cyclometer that was cheap.

If you dont need cadence or HRM, I vote for Cateye Cordless 7.

Garmin Edge 305 HR/CAD

In my not so humble opinion, the single most important function if you want to work on going fast is cadence. Cadence is just like the tach in a race car or race motorcycle, its the guage that the driver looks at almost exclusively (race cars and motos don't even have a speedo). Bodies, like motors, develop the most power at a certain rpm (cadence) and with a cadence function, you can make sure you are always in your power band.


+1

Cateye CD300DW. Double Wireless with the speed sensor in the back.

ditto

Mavic Wintech....super clean set-up.

Question for the Astrale 8 users: Do you have to remove the wiring everytime you wash the bike? Is the unit itself waterproof, or at least for riding in the rain?


The computer is more likely "water resistant". I wouldn't describe anything as waterproof except the 500+ dollar dive watches..... however the problem I found was dirt getting caught within the zip ties etc. I personally found using packing tape to tape the wires down underneath the frame worked well and kept the bike looking tidey (no zip tie bands).

I have since swithced to a wireless Sigma (1606L DTS, with cadence and avg. cadence) to use on my race bike and have put the astrale on my trainer bike and rainy day bike.

The astrale is a great computer if you don't mind wires... but for 20 bucks more the sigma is wireless has an avg. cadence, a stopwatch for intervals and a backlight.

Both companies have exceptional customer service, you can't go wrong with either. :)

You will eventually want both HR and cadence, it therefore makes sense to have a cyclocomputer that does both, if only for the weight savings. The Garmin Edge 305 does both, and much more. Interestingly, I find my Garmin to be a much more reliable HRM than my Polar. The Garmin provides HR nearly all the time, whereas the Polar about half the time.

You will eventually want both HR and cadence, it therefore makes sense to have a cyclocomputer that does both, if only for the weight savings. The Garmin Edge 305 does both, and much more. Interestingly, I find my Garmin to be a much more reliable HRM than my Polar. The Garmin provides HR nearly all the time, whereas the Polar about half the time.


That is good for biking.... but what if you are into other activities? Solution? Buy a heart rate monitor separately to your bike computer.

Lets you use the heart rate monitor for other activites other then just biking.

I really like to know how much I've climbed, so I got one with a barometric altimeter.

I really like to know how much I've climbed, so I got one with a barometric altimeter.


+1, I just bought a heart rate monitor with an altitude/barometer

Polar AXN300.

cateye astrale 8 is what i use and seems to be the standard for people who want pretty much everything on a budget.

Once you want wireless, HRM and other things it gets more expensive.

+1 except for the budget part. It may make sense to have the heart rate monitor separate if you want to use the HRM for other sports like walking or running, indoor trainers, test your resting heart rate, etc.

That is good for biking.... but what if you are into other activities?


This is a cycling forum. The only running BF members should be doing is running after the guy who took his bike from in front of the coffee shop. ;)

Actually, I do use my Polar for running. It didn't register my HR during the 5K I was in. :mad: For use on the treadmill I use my Garmin, because it works so much better as a HRM.

I use the Polar CS 300 with cadence sensor and it's great. I mount it on the bars or wear it when I do non-cycling exercise. So far - no problems since July. :D

Cateye Mity8

I just wanted a simple cyclometer that was cheap.

Get's my vote too.

Time, distance, average speed, max. speed, and very reliable.

That's all I need.

jw

Currently use the Mity / Enduro 8, next one will go up to the astrale 8

The one and only................Garmin Edge 305 with HRM and cadence! This thing will do everything but wipe your butt!

For an extra thirty bucks you get the wipe your butt option.

Re: Cateye Mity 8


Get's my vote too.

Time, distance, average speed, max. speed, and very reliable.

That's all I need.

jw

Mine has been easy to use and 100% reliable. I will probably go wireless soon, but I don't care about a cadence function and I have a seperate HRM. Is there a simple, reliable wireless without the bells and whistles? Stress on "reliable"...

Garmin Edge 305, with cadence. Time, distance, speeds, altitude.
Still have a wireless VDO on my wife's bike. I originally bought it because it had the longest distance between sender and computer around 9 feet. Most of the wireless that I looked at were only about 2-3 ft.

torgrot

Cateye Astrale. (for the cadence feature)
Cateye hr20 for Heart Rate.

(I'm brand loyal)

Looking at the Garmin 305 (not edge) so I can get the cool mapping feature.

Very disappointed with the CatEye CD300DW model. Returned it on warranty and I'll probably take a credit and get a simpler model for enhanced reliability. My CD300DW advised me I was riding over 400 m.p.h., flashed all sorts of nonsense on the screen, and had buttons that only worked on occasion. I'm a loyal CatEye person, but they are severely testing my goodwill these days!

More and more I'm thinking of selecting a much more basic model with speed, maximum speed, average speed, ride time, tripmeter, and odometer and being done with the search for a new computer.

Cateye CD300DW. Double Wireless with the speed sensor in the back.

I have the same and really like it.