letour93

Just installed the cadence sensor and not sure if it is a battery problem in the sensor itself but when the install instructions ask to hit the reset button I believe u are supposed to see some flashing light on the unit and I dont get a thing at all no red nor green...just wondering if anyone has come across this problem and/or if I am doing something wrong...I will try and buy a replacement battery tomorrow...but just wanted to check with everyone here first...

Blue Jays

Resolving any potential power-supply problems is always an excellent approach. Before getting too involved, see if a fresh battery resolves the situation in one quick step.

jimblairo

I had to replace the battery in mine.

mx_599

+1

in fact, mine only lasted a couple weeks so i am going to bring the battery back and get another one at Walgreens. something makes me suspect that somehow the unit was "on" causing the battery to go dead so quick....?

Sooner Rider

The lights flash when the pedals & spokes pass in front of the sensors. You knew that, right?

mhuterer

When I got mine, the battery was dead out of the box. I then went on Amazon, and was amazed at how often people complained of dead batteries with their shipments.

As soon as I replaced mine, it worked perfectly (and has worked fine ever since), but the sheer frequency that people are complaining of dead batteries with a brand new product really is unacceptable.

rha600

when you push it, you should see it go red and then green. no flashing until you start to pedal and the two sensors go past the unit. but I have seen A LOT of people on here have units come with dead batteries. a few sent emails to garmin and got a whole new unit.

letour93

Thx guys I trust and hope it is a dead battery cuz it would really ruin my ride today if it isn't...I will keep everyone posted...this would be the second problem I have had with this unit out of the box just a few days old...have already had Garmin involved once and at the price we are paying for this product this really is unacceptable...at least in my thoughts...

teterider

I just installed my cadence sensor last night, and got nothing. I even checked to see if the test light wasn't working but the unit was still sending. Now I read this and clearly its a battery issue. Not good buying CR2032 batteries after buying such an expensive item.

Garmin clearly is stupid to ship this with the battery inside.

biker128pedal

So how long does a fresh batter last?

rha600

what was the other issue?

I agree, at $300 +/- it's stupid to have ao many problems. I have a feeling they are just cranking these things out so fast to keep up with demand that they have little or no quality control. I saw the same problem on my Canon camera when they came out. a lot of people were having stupid little issues that never should have showed up.

JayC

Ive yet to have to replace the battery in either of my cadence sensors although one was bad out of the box. I think they just used crap batteries.

mx_599

i'd like to know too. as mentioned above, i put a brand new energizer form the drugstore and it was dead in a couple weeks. i am sure i can get a new package of batteries when i bring it back. however, it seems like something drained the battery. usually batteries are fresh when new, but i suppose it could have been a dud.

PYRITE

This may be obvious, but make sure the battery isn't in upside down. They shipped some this way to save battery life (mine came this way).I have three sensors on different bikes. I've had to change only 1 battery after 9 months. The others are still fine (although I don't use the other bikes as frequently).

teterider

I didn't recall seeing a sign for which side positive should face, but I'll go look now. Nope, still didn't see which was the battery should go but it appears positive side up based on the contacts.

letour93

The battery was DEAD...finally found some replacements and sure enough everything is working fine now...carry a spare with me just in case RHA600 the other issue I had was when I first took the unit out of the package and went to charge it nothing happened...no screen confirmation saying it was charging nothing at all was about t return the unit when i decided to call Garmin and inquire sure enough they told me that some units batteries are so drained that when u go and charge for the first time there is a little spike which freezes the unit right up wont even power up so u need to reset the unit by holding the lap and mode button for about 15sec and then try powereing up...

MHR224

I have a 51cm 2005 Orbea Orca and the chainstays are too far from the crank arm (FSA SLK 172.5mm) to sense the magnet and the cadence sensor. I have to put a few rubber spacers between the crank arm and the magnet for the sensor to detect my cadence.

WheresWaldo

I have made this suggestion before and I will make it again. Go to your nearest hobby shop and get a few rare earth magnets. I got three 1/2" diameter magnets for $2.99 at Hobby Lobby. They are far stronger than the cheap magnets you get with any bike computer and they do not heed a stack of spacers to get it closer to the sensor. A little dab of silicone tub sealant and they will stick to the back side of the crank arm and can safely be removed without any residue left on the arm.

Sooner Rider

If installed correctly, you'll be looking at the positive symbol (+) if you open the sensor unit.

Ironic Mullet

I stole that suggestion, and was able to align the cadence sensor with my pedal. I didn't even need the adhesive, the magnet is sufficiently attracted to the pedal spindle.

WheresWaldo

I did the same with two of my bikes. As long as you don't have Ti spindles on your pedals it works great, just sticks to the pedal axle and triggers the sensor every time. I also bought a package of ten 1/4" diameter magnets for the same price and use them attached to the spokes with a dab of silicone adhesive. The magnets are so small that you don't even notice them there and the fit every kind of spoke. They are so strong that you can safely double the recommended distance from the sensor with no issues.

teterider

Just to add to the discussion for future searchers - I did get a new battery and it worked. BUT, here is what I found. Your results may vary.

First, you can't push that little white reset button with your finger. You need to use something pointed to push it. I used the point of a philips screwdriver head. It doesn't require a hard push, just past the point where a finger can get it.
The button then lit red then green as its supposed to. But for testing the magnet pickups, the light was much less bright than the initial activation light signal. There is no way I could see it outside or even inside in the light. I had to dim the lights to see the blinking light each time the magnet passed to know I was picking up the magnet.

Great suggestion on the earth magnet. I was going to use a removable clear window sealant to adhere it to my crank without the zip-tie. But when I read about the magnet I found a round one on the fridge holder for a Dymo label maker I wasn't using. Perfect round size that snapped onto the back of my Keo Carbon Cro-mo spindle and clearly wasn't going anywhere. Such a clean solution, as long as you don't have Ti spindles.

tornado

When I got mine, the battery worked fine (ie light on the unit lit) but I couldn't see the flashing light even with the light dimmed. I was sure I had it set up correctly but messed with it for at least 20 minutes before realizing that the way to check it was to put the Edge on the floor with the display set to show cadence and speed. Sure enough, it picked up both as soon as I started turning the pedals. I never could see the flashing light.

DocRay

Magnet alignment is important, make sure the center of the magnet crosses right on the line on the sensor. It won't work even a few mm away.

WheresWaldo

Hence my recommendation to scrap the crappy magnets that come with the Edge and get some rare earth magnets at the local hobby shop. Apparently they don't have hobby shops in the Great White North!