Mountain Biking - Good cyclecomputer under 40? wireless or not?

Im looking for a good computer thats under $40 bucks. I would like to track miles, max speed, current speed,average speed, and maybe caydence (is it needed?). Also, what about wirless? is it somthing thats needed for a MTB?

Thanks!

I've trashed more Vetta's than I care to remember. I don't know why, but they never last. A few years back, someone told me to try Cateye - and, sure enough, they keep a lickin' and keep on tickin'.

In reality, unless you're training for competition, you'll need few functions - and you'll prbably leave it on the tripometer/odometer most of the time anyway.

But if you are serious about training, then the opposite is true - and you'll probably want everyitng including cadence. But if you're serious about training, then you'll also want a heart-rate monitor.

So, to me, it's always been kind of an all-or-nothing decision.

I'm not sure about wireless, though...anyone else?

Dave:beer:

For a good bang-for-buck MTB computer, I would recommend the Cateye Enduro line of computers. You can generally find them in the $25 range. Actually Nashbar has them on sale right now for $15. You really can't beat that.

Hmm, cool. ill look into the cateye.
I just got a HRM the other day and its great (Sigma Sport PC 1600), I just got started racing XC this spring so...

My Cateye Cordless 7 is a thing of beauty. Installed in 10 minutes are works great.

I've got a Sigma Sport BC1400 (last year's model) that I'm quite happy with. I selected it because it was the least expensive cyclometer that I could find that had a cadence function. I just checked Nashbar's current prices and you can get the BC1600 (this year's model) with the optional cadence sensor for less than $35.

IMO cadence is the most important function of a cyclometer because many people tend to ride in too high a gear and measuring your cadence is the best way to show this. In general, it's better to spin at 100 RPM than labor at 50. Of course, if you're riding for fitness the HRM is more important.

Just my 2¢ worth,
Mel

i usually spin fast mainly becuase i dont have the strongest legs, so is that all cadence is good for in a computer(seeing if your spining to slow)?

I went shopping for a computer last month and looked at a lot of them. I bought a Sigma Sport BC1200 and am very happy with it. If you want/need the cadence feature, buy the BC1600 model. Both are wired, but either can be used wireless with a $19 wireless mounting bracket. Anyway, the BC1200 works great, is easy to read, and is easy to program. I got mine for under $20 from Performance Bike.

I have had great luck with my Cateye Enduro (2 I think?) It comes with a heavy-duty wire and has tken some falls and tons of moisture and rain. It just keeps on working. I don't like the Sigma on my road bike as much as the Enduro. The Enduro is easier to use. I wouldn't worry too much about cadence on a mountain ride - it is constantly changing with the terrain/obstacles. A cadence sensor would just be something else to tangle/break/repair on a mountain bike anyways.

-Moab

I'm a fan of sigma

Planet Bike! I have had it for 2 years and it works great. I was riding at Tanasi this weekend and hit a tree pretty hard. It knocked the 8.0 off and relocated the the mount. I figured it was dead. Wrong. It has one of the best designs out there. Runs around $29 for the 8.0 and $39 for the 9.0(temp).

Perhaps you should also check out Ciclosport. And yes, if it's affordable, cadence functionality is worth having. Automatic start/stop (standard, these days, I believe) saves some brain power as well.

Good luck!

Also a fan of sigma. I have four, two 800's and two targas, they have all performed flawlessly and the 800's are many years old.

I purchased a cateye astral, with cadence, and suggested retail is 39.95. My wife has it on her new giant iguana, and it seems to perform well so far. I want to put it on my road bike in the future, I really like the cadence feature.

I believe in the past to get the cadence feature, you had to pay much more, maybe around $70.

I never liked the Idea of using computers with ur bike.... Especially with the wired ones.... i would be held back from riding by thinking that if i go over and trash the bike i will wreck the comp too.... but i like to know how far i have gone so thats the only good thing i can see with them :)

i just got a planetbike 8.0 and put it on this weekend. havent had a chance to try it out yet because it has been raining ever since, but looks like a nice getup. its got a pretty thick wire too, so not to worry about ripping it off on some underbrush. its also got settings for two different tires, so i can use it on both my knobbies and a slick i use for street riding.
i was going to get the 9.0 which has a thermometer, but decided to save the $5. I got it at jenson for $19

Originally posted by Transparent
I never liked the Idea of using computers with ur bike.... Especially with the wired ones.... i would be held back from riding by thinking that if i go over and trash the bike i will wreck the comp too.... but i like to know how far i have gone so thats the only good thing i can see with them :)

Bike computers can be tougher than you think... at least in my experience. I have damaged plenty of components in crashes... mostly in mountain bike crashes but have yet to trash a computer. I once had a Cateye CC-8000 "ATC" (http://www.bikepro.com/products/computers/arch_cateye.html#atc) (gave it away when I handed the bike down to my brother) and was out riding one night on a mild trail. I got caught up with looking at the stars and didn't notice the big bar/road-block at the end of the trail until too late. I slammed on my brakes and slowed down a tad but the bar was right at the correct height to smack my handlebars. I endo'ed over the roadblock, my bike was wedged against the bar and still standing upright. The bar had also kissed the tops of my hands and they were hurting. For the first few minutes, I thought maybe I had broken some bones. My cheap CateEye HL-500 light was smashed and my computer... nowhere to be seen. It had been ejected off its mount by the impact. I spent quite a bit of time search around for it and eventually found it. There was a slight scratch at the front of unit where it impacted the bar but it was no worse for wear and functioned fine. Sadly, the ATC is no longer made and admittedly it was quite an expensive computer (and at US$85 would still be even today). Actually, one of the reasons I suggested the Cateye Enduro 2 is because it's constructed along the same design principles as my old ATC yet is fairly inexpensive... although it doesn't have all the nifty features of the ATC.