masi61

I just did the install on a cordless Shimano FlightDeck today and am a little intimidated by the menus and the sleep function where you have to push a button on the back of the thing to wake it up.
And then I couldn't figure out if it even has an auto start/stop like a 15$ CatEye. Are you telling me that this $120 computer is less functional than a $15 el-cheapo?

DScott

It requires you to turn it on (like waking it up) when you start, and then will auto-start and stop trip time and mileage as you go. You do have to push the left button once to get it recording, but then it remembers that setting. Just be careful not to push BOTH buttons when it's on the first set of screens, or it will erase trip time and mileage.

Mine was acquired second hand with the bike, but the manual is actually pretty helpful...

It's here if you don't have one: https://bike.shimano.com/publish/cont...ight_deck.html

rickkko

Depends what functionality you want. If you don't want auto start then you could say the CatEye is less functional, hehee....

One thing you MUST remember using the FlightDeck. If you are stopped in the middle of a day's ride; stopped for more than 20 minutes, then the FD will automatically turnoff. Yikes! If you don't realize it when you jump back on your bike, you'll miss the mileage from that point on until you notice its off. (The main odometer will capture the mileage)

I have a FD and agree with you. I wish it had an option to turn on/off an Auto-start feature.

Dusk

The nice thing about the FD is that it doesn't turn on and run for 20-30 min if you just move the bike.

I have used a FD for 5 years and due to it being able to track 4 bikes. I means I don't have to have 4 computers.

Set up can be a bit of a bear (so to say) but once working it has never failed me.

Dusk

masi61

[QUOTE=DScott]It requires you to turn it on (like waking it up) when you start, and then will auto-start and stop trip time and mileage as you go. You do have to push the left button once to get it recording, but then it remembers that setting. Just be careful not to push BOTH buttons when it's on the first set of screens, or it will erase trip time and mileage."

Pardon my stupidity, but does it wake up automatically when you roll the front wheel for a period of time? When I tried this in the garage by spinning the wheel, it didn't wake up like my Cateyes normally do.
So when you push the left button to get it recording, do you only have to do that once on each ride?
When you stop at stop signs and red lights do you push the left button to stop or does it stop itself?
Also, these do keep a running tally of your mileage don't they? I could swear I entered a small amount of mileage into the odometer when I first started, to give myself credit for one previous ride, but after everything was programmed in and accepted my mileage is ZERO.
Thanks for any follow up you can give.

masi61

Thanks for your reply but I'm still confused. Does it have auto stop/start or not?

And a second question: When you're on the road and you take a 20 minute break, why doesn't the machine wake itself up? What steps do you have to go through to wake it up? My manual said I have to push button "A" or button "B" on the back once - this is ridiculous because I had to use a little tool to cleanly engage the little rubber button which squiggles sideways when you push it. I tried pushing it with my fingernail while in the mount and nothing happens - all you accomplish is to sideways flex the little button. What I've seen of the this Flighdeck so far gets a "D minus" in my book. Totally un-user-friendly from what I've seen. To lose your data in the middle of a ride just really STINKS royally.

masi61

So having the thing go to sleep is a plus? What triggers the thing to get started again. Please don't tell me you have to press those annoying little buttons on the back of the head unit.

DiabloScott

You do have to push one of the little buttons (they are way too small for my fingers) to wake the unit up after sleeping. So the FD does have auto start/stop, but not auto wake-up.

Older versions of the FD didn't have this feature and the batteries wore out too quickly so this was one of Shimano's fixes - deep sleep.

masi61

This is really, really DUMB. I had to use a little machinist's punch and really concentrate to engage those little buttons, there is no way I'm going to be able to consistently do this out on the road. I'm already carrying along lots of little tools as it is. I think I'll road test this a little bit, and update my findings here, but if this thing stinks as much as it sounds like - I'll be calling Shimano of North America customer service and complaining, then I'll return the thing to the LBS for a refund.

sniperracing

I have the same issue. I just set my wife up on a new custom RB and this was one of the things I wanted so she whould have an easier time and not have to take her hands off the bars. So far she has missed a couple odometer recordings because she did not want to fool with it. Thats not good because it should be easier. I am not going to give up but it is a learning curve. I did not know about the 20 minute sleep feature

Thanks

Wayne

DScott

Once again, just to be clear:

You push one button on the back (the right one when lookind down at the unit) to get it started, and you have to do that every ride, or after a break of more than 20-30 minutes. There is no auto-on function.


To start recording mileage and time for that trip, you have to have pushed the button on the left hand shifter. Once you do that, the unit will remember to auto start/stop recording trip info, even if it goes off. So you don't have to do that every trip, but it's a good idea to check just to be sure you haven't accidentally turned that function off.


Be careful not to press both shifter buttons at the same time while you are in the first (default) set of screens, or it will reset trip mileage and time to zero. If you hold the right shifter button down for a few seconds, it will shift to the second set of screens, where you can track cadence, speed, laps, etc. There's no way to accidentally erase anything there.


It's actually a very nice, well-thought out unit, IMO. I was confused by it at first, but if you take your time and learn the different functions through using it, you might come to appreciate it too.


What I have found is that the virtual cadence feature is really cool, and without the added sensor and transmission problems of other units. Hope you can work it out, or find what does it for you.

The G

Did you program each gear? You know there is a cadence that is based off your mph....Cool stuff

R900

We have a Flight-Deck on our Tandem and my wife has one. Pushing a button to wake it up before starting a ride has never proved to be a problem. Gear display is awesome for the tandem.

John

Dusk

Notice I haven't told you that you have to press the easy to reach button on the back.... I just don't find it is problem.

CrimsonKarter21

Not to hijack, but does anybody have any tips for putting the speed senson on my Cannondale Slice Premium fork? It's tear drop shaped, and the zip tie thing doesn't seem to want to stay on. Also, the sensor/magnet doesn't want to work, even though I lined up the sensor and computer and everything. The manual offers no help.

masi61

Thanks for your reply. I took a long ride yesterday, and got rained and sleeted on. I was really nervous about not being able to get accurate data. I think I'll follow your advice and try to take the time to learn the various functions. Too bad it doesn't have an audible alarm like the original Cateye Solar did.
After my 3 hour ride, I would say I was pleasantly impressed that the machine didn't shut down on me , nor did I lose my data. Once it was started with the left ST/SP button, I just periodically scrolled through the 2 main menus. I wondered if the average speed was based on the total time, or the elapsed riding time with the starts and stops. Anyway, my average was like 16.4 mph for the 44 mile ride, a little slower than normal for me, but it was really cold and windy.

Dusk

Avg. speed is based on elapsed riding time. If you check when you stop at the coffee shop and spend 10 minutes not riding when you come back to the bike and check you will find that the avg speed will not have changed.

Dusk

Dusk

I have it on my Cannondale SI Slice Ultra fork. No problem. The center of the strap is 4.75 inch above the wheel drop out. I have Flightdeck pickups on 3 bikes. Aiming the pick up to the Fightdeck head unit is very critical.

If the sending unit is slipping, it sounds like you don’t have the soft rubber strap between the fork and the wire tie. You have to have something that will compress and is a bit sticky to hold. I have never had one slip on a road, MTB and Cyclocross.

The manual shows how to like up the magnet to the line on the sending unit. The magnet is just a magnet. You have to get the sending unit close enough to “feel the magnetic field”.

Put the bike on a stand so that you can see the computer read out. Hold the sending unit with your hand and move it around (while the wheel is spinning) and you will find the position/angle that it has to be in to work. Once you get the unit from moving from that position you will be fine.

Good luck
Dusk

grahny

Since this seems to be resolved (hopefully) for the OP, I'm hijacking...

Everything worked great except the gear read out (this replaced my cateye double wireless which didn't work during 1/2 my usual ride due to to massive radio antenna's casuing interference... the FD worked fine though). I set up the sensor on the left fork to put it behind the fork (I have bladed forks) like I've done with a cateye wireless on my cross bike.. it picks up speed just fine yada yada... So the gears seem to be about 3 off... so when I'm in a 53 - 12, it's reading 53 - 15... I took it off, reset it, set it up again... same thing. I couldn't find anything in the manual (or just plain missed it) saying that you had to start out in a certain gear or something, but I'm guessing this is the case. I tried it starting in my 53-12, then set up the computer... same thing again. Any ideas?

Thanks

masi61

HiJack away!
Mine is set up pretty good now, I even custom entered my wheel circumference.
I now understand the start stop part alright.
I don't really understand some of the lap counter functions.
Get out your manual and reprogram the unit for all the correct cogs. I takes a little patience but I thought it was pretty well thought out and mine is always displaying the correct cogs. Its kind of wild that the cadence function gives your rpm's with one tenth rpm accuracy, i.e. "89.4" might be displayed.
You DO still have the manual DON'T you?
Good luck.