Bicycle Mechanics - Speedometer-Recommendations?

New bie hee obviously. Picking up a Trek 7200. Pretty casual cycling I will be doing. Looking to accessorize. What speedometer would you recommend for calculating speed and distance. Not sure of other options but read that heart rate is an option which I do not need.

Any other suggestions for accessories would be appreciated. If makes and models could be added that would be great.

Thank you.

Cateye cyclometers are probably the most durable and reliable brand and most models are very inexpensive. They provide current speed, trip distance, ride time and a few more functions. They are accurate and battery life is extremely good.

Cateye's are widely available from nearly any bike dealer who could also install it and set the wheel calibration value if you need them to.

There are models with heart rate and other functions but they are more expensive. There are also "wireless" models that don't have a connecting wire between the fork mounted signal pickup and the display head but, again, these are more expensive and trickier to install.

As to other accessories, a waterbottle cage and waterbottle are necessities if you are out for more than a few minutes or miles. Also, buy a couple of spare tubes, tire levers, a small multi-tool and a small seat bag to hold them and get a frame or minipump and learn how to fix a flat tire.

Cateye Strada, with cadence. A big help when you are trying to get yourself back in the groove. Watch the sales at places like Performance and Nashbar for good savings.

Can't wait, run down to your LBS for instant gratification.

This is really a road bike question. You'll get more answers over there.

(and my $25 Cat Eye does everything I need)

I have a Sports Instruments SI90HR. I seldom us the heart rate monitor. If you can find one, they can be had for under $50 usually

I also have a Specialized Speedzone Sport Wireless that I like, as the mount uses the top cap of the steerer to mount. Very easy to install, set up.

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=41877&eid=380

Nashbar has (had?) an E3 Cycling comp. on sale for about $15. It has all the features including cadence, which IMHO is the most important parameter to have if you ever want to seriously cycle.

If you want to go cheap, Target from the bike department 9.99.

Sigma been very very good to me.

I think Cateye and Sigma are the most reliable for straight up bike computers. Vetta has been hit or miss in my experience. Planet 9 is a cheap alternative and I can't complain so far. I put the cheap ones on my kids bike if they ask for a computer.

I'd opt for a wired computer. Wireless is nice but can be finicky, not always, but they can be.


This is really a road bike question. You'll get more answers over there....

I'd say it's more of a general riding question. You'll probably do fine on answers here.

Cateye Strada, with cadence. A big help when you are trying to get yourself back in the groove. Watch the sales at places like Performance and Nashbar for good savings.

Can't wait, add tassles to your bars for instant gratification.

Fixed. And in that case, +1.

I would wholeheartedly recomment Planet bike Protege 9.0 on Amazon. (http://tinyurl.com/bejm5t) The biggest advantage it has that for the given price, it gives you the most information at a single glance without having to fiddle with buttons. It has an innovative design of just pushing the whole unit to change the information being displayed. So wether you are wearing gloves or not, you can be sure that you change its mode without having to feel around the unit to find a button while riding.

Basic bike computers are almost a commodity. The brands are nearly as similar as bushels of corn. My favorite basic bike computer is the Cateye Enduro. The thing that separates it from the crowd is a more robust wire. Harness issues is a common failure cause for bike computers, so for me at least, that gives the Enduro the edge.

I like the Cateye Astral 8. I have one on my 7300FX.

A road bike question?

Cateye Strada Wireless here. No complaints from yours truly. Works very nicely. I especially like the simple tilt one does to change the screens from speed to odometer to second trip-distance, etc.

What speedometer would you recommend for calculating speed and distance.

Sure, it all starts out innocently with speed and distance. But then you will want cadence, then heart rate, then altitude, then GPS positioning, then power hub, and next thing you know you are a full-fledged data junkie like the rest of us.:twitchy:

FWIW, I'd go with one from Target or Wal-Mart. Despite what several here have said, I'd skip cadence and used the saved cash to buy other items. An under seat bag of some type, spare tube, tire levers and an inflater of some type and a water bottle cage and bottle. That said, I do like my Cateye wireless that I have on both of my road bikes

Walmart $9.56
12,000 plus miles without cadence or heart rate reading.

Thanks for all the posts.
How is this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-SW654-17-Function-Bike-Computer/dp/B000DZD3FQ

Tb be honest have no idea what to look for-direct links would be kool.

Axiom bag for snacks on longer rides. http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/BA299A17-Axiom+Power+Bag.aspx
Topeak morph pump, is not the smallest but it works the best. It has a hose so there is no risk of damaging valves, and pushing against the floor is a lot easier. A floor pump like the Joe Blow is best for home use. Use it at the beginning of every day that you go out on your bike, then you wont have to remember if it was 3 or 5 days since you pumped your tires.

I've been using various Vetta models since 2001. Never had a problem.
Here's an inexpensive model that does everything you'll need.
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=26161&item=40-4032&slitrk=search&slisearch=true

Cateye Strada.

Why? Because the whole thing is one big button. You don't have to carefully poke the tip of your thumb into a particular recessed rubber button just to change from average speed to the time of day. Mash it with the flat of your thumb, or even with the heel of your hand. It's the one thing that I wish my newer Blackburn Neuro could do.

Wired or wireless, doesn't matter. Although I've had interference problems from running a Dinotte headlight's flash and low power settings, which made a Strada Wireless nonfunctional.

Planet Bike Protege 8.0. I really like mine, and it's also a 'one button' style design.

18 bucks at Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AO7JL4

Thanks for all the posts.
How is this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-SW654-17-Function-Bike-Computer/dp/B000DZD3FQ

Tb be honest have no idea what to look for-direct links would be kool.

Perfect. Any computer is going to meet your stated needs of distance and speed. Any bike computer can do these things well. It's like recommending which calculator to get for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing.