General Cycling Discussion - I don't want to sound incredulous, but I can't believe this...

My cycle-computer, or at least the little unit that sits on the handle-bars, just went through the washing machine because I forgot to take it out of my jersey pocket. It still works! :eek:

My cycle-computer, or at least the little unit that sits on the handle-bars, just went through the washing machine because I forgot to take it out of my jersey pocket. It still works! :eek:

I've done that before with my old CatEye ATC CC-8000... tough little sucker that thing was. Mine also went through the dryer. I wish they still made those puppies.

My cycle-computer, or at least the little unit that sits on the handle-bars, just went through the washing machine because I forgot to take it out of my jersey pocket. It still works! :eek:

I'm surprised your surprised! with your milage, you punish your computer more than any washing machine can!! (just kidding :D :D :D)

I think these babies are designed to get wet, be sunbathed, and to absorb so much shock..

BTW, what computer do you use?

The older specialized computers as I know it are completely sealed. The battery compartment has a giant o-ring on it and both buttons are spring loaded with water seals like the buttons on watches. The 2 contacts are also spring loaded and form a good seal when not engaged. You can pretty much treat it like any water resistant watch, which I never take off, even when bathing or in the shower.

I've heard stories about people washing palm pilots by accident then drying it out and putting in new batteries to get it working again. :)

Believe it or not, it usually not the water that damages a piece of electronic equipment such as a cycle computer or a digital wath, etc. But the heat from the hot water used & or the high heat of a dryer, not to mention getting bounced around in the tumble dryer. As long as you let the unit dry out, maybe take the battery cover off, take the batteries out to let it dry faster, it will work. But if it doesnlt work it is probably from the heat of the hot water or the heat & getting bounced around in the dryer. I lost count of how mnay times my bike computer went through the was. But I always wash my cloths on cold & find my computer before it goes through the dryer.

But I always wash my cloths on cold & find my computer before it goes through the dryer. Sounds like you've got it down to a routine...

WRT water-resistance of cyclocomputers, I had one go hosed on my last year. A Trek, don't remember the model number, but it has cadence. (Stupid interface; buttons are "bars" on front and rear edge of the chicklet. No release "lever" on the bracket, it's an interference fit. So the natural way to grab it to remove it is by the front and rear edges. Which means you've simultaneously hit both buttons and BOOM!, reset the trip data!) Anywho, last year, the display gradually "clouded" each time it was exposed to rain. It would clear up gradually, but next time it rained, it was right back to cloudy. Then I had it on when I got caught in a gulley-washer (literally) late in the summer. That hosed it completely; display was almost impossible to read, and one of the buttons was "dead-keying", acting as if it were being pressed and held down. Lots of dry-air blasting helped, but only temporarily. Fortunately the LBS let me exchange it on the factory warranty, and exchange just the head, so I didn't have to R&I the mounting (extra work with a cadence machine). Now the new head gains time big-time (about 3 min/month!), and I'm waiting to see what happens when I get it wet.

So not all heads are that robust. My old Cateye Micro held up to a lot worse, but alas, its mounting hardware didn't last. Neither did the Astrale's.

My cycle-computer, or at least the little unit that sits on the handle-bars, just went through the washing machine because I forgot to take it out of my jersey pocket. It still works! :eek:

Many moons ago I had a VEtta computer that on a long wet ride, suddenly registerd 140 mph. Water had got into the casing, so quick look by taking the battery out, revealed about 2cc's of peat coloured liquid. drained out, finished the ride with the computer working fine, and it never let me down again, even with the same battery. Lost the damn thing last year on a ride.

A Trek, don't remember the model number, but it has cadence. (Stupid interface; buttons are "bars" on front and rear edge of the chicklet. No release "lever" on the bracket, it's an interference fit. So the natural way to grab it to remove it is by the front and rear edges. Which means you've simultaneously hit both buttons and BOOM!, reset the trip data!)
Musta had the same one except mine had a release button, but same thing, everytime I went to take it off the mount I either hit both buttons and reset it OR it would go flying to the ground. Good features and price, piss poor design. What WERE they thinking?

Ooh! That's good PR. What brand is it?

Oo I forgot to mention this, in the lab, when I'm bored, I've put my specialized computer in dry ice and liquid nitrogen before. It comes out all non responsive but the thing usually works after the LCD warms up. I get occsional crashing now and then but it's been working fine thus far. Tough little guys.

BTW, what computer do you use?

Sigma Sport BC 1400 right at the moment. I'm thinking of upgrading in the future to something that might track the amount of climbing I do.

Believe it or not, it usually not the water that damages a piece of electronic equipment such as a cycle computer or a digital wath, etc. But the heat from the hot water used & or the high heat of a dryer, not to mention getting bounced around in the tumble dryer. As long as you let the unit dry out, maybe take the battery cover off, take the batteries out to let it dry faster, it will work.

You may have something there. I actually washed on cold, and it never left my jersey pocket, so perhaps it was cushioned from the impacts pretty well. Of course, my last computer died in the "rain" back in 2002 (our driest year ever) -- so maybe that was hotter water. It wouldn't surprise me. :eek:

My cycle-computer, or at least the little unit that sits on the handle-bars, just went through the washing machine because I forgot to take it out of my jersey pocket. It still works! :eek:
I did the same with my Cateye Mity III once - still works, though I check my jersey pockets thoroughly now.