i just recently installed the Flight Deck 6501 (sm-6500-rs harness kit). I am using the ST-5510 levers. Everything seems to work except that the display for the chainring/cog combination doesn't ever change. It always reads large chainring, large cog no matter what gear I am in. I read about these "plastic strips" (in other flight deck discussions) that come with the installation kit, but what do i do with them? Any help would be greatly appreciated..thanks! - paul

duh...i figured it out...use them as shims to allow the contacts to connect...working fine now!

Paul, I'm having a similar problem with my FlightDeck. The indicator for the rear sprocket set is malfunctioning, does not display the correct cog. I plan to try the "sticker" remedy. I have the strip with four little squares die cut. How do you use or install the sticker(s)? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! - Mark

On the wired buttons, i used pencil to slighty bend the contact points outward, then slipped a clear spacer underneath. if i remember correctly, one side of the square is sticky, so it stays in place (i think i stuck it to the backside of the contact). that and bending the contacts outward made for a more "snug" fit once the wired buttons were attached to the levers. the contacts always touched the contacts on the levers after that.

good luck!

paul

Paul, Thanks for the quick reply and advice. It seems simple enough. I'll try to get to it before this weekend. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks again! -Mark

Paul, Well due to illness and travel schedule I just got around this past weekend to applying the "sticker" solution to the misbehaving gear indicator on my Flight Deck. Your advice was helpful. For other’s reading this, here is some additional information:

Remove the handlebar tape, lever hood and the signal cable module. Inside the body of the lever is a white rubber sensor pad. The contacts in this sensor pad make contact with the Flight Desk’s signal cable module (or at least they should). The sensor pad is loose inside the body of the lever but attached to a ribbon cable. There is sufficient slack in the ribbon cable to allow you to remove the sensor pad a few inches from the lever body. This will make installing the sticker easier. With the Flight Deck manual, you should have received a small yellow sheet with four small die-cut squares. Each of these die-cut squares is a sticker. When you remove one of the squares or stickers from the yellow sheet, you will find one side is sticky, thus the term ‘sticker’. Using a pair of tweezers or needle-nose pliers (or your fingers, if they are small enough), place one of the stickers between the contacts and the rubber sensor pad. I put the sticky side of the sticker toward the rubber sensor pad. Replace the rubber sensor pad in the lever body and tuck the slack ribbon cable in the space provided for it. Then reinstall the Flight Deck signal cable module, the lever hood and handlebar tape. The Flight Deck gear indicator should function properly. Good Luck!

-Mark

I'm thinking of buying the Flight Deck and the SM-6500-RS. How long do they take to install? Is it very hard? Most important, how happy have you been with yours?

Thanks.

I actually don't use the Flight Deck anymore...my HRM has a speed sensor, so I just use that now. I used the Flight Deck for about 6 months and was quite happy with it. I liked being able to control the unit via the buttons on the shifters and the gear indicator was handy, though i had to play around with the contacts to make certain it worked properly (see earlier posts in this thread).

I am still using my Flight Desk and I am very pleased with it. The installation is very easy and straightforward. I have the wireless version. You install the base unit on your handlebars, the sensor unit on your fork, a magnet on a spoke and then snap the computer into the base unit. The installation of the sensor modules in the brake/shift levers will consume the most time, probably 20 minutes each. The whole job can be done at home at a leisurely pace in about an hour. The programming of the computer for the specifics of your bike or bikes will vary based upon you knowledge and skill of this kink of “programming”. The instruction book is not that good, but once you figure it out, it’s pretty logical. What I like most about the Flight Deck is the gear indicators and the virtual cadence. Ride On!

-Spoke

Spoke,

Thanks for the detailed reply! I'm still picking myself up off the floor from the price my LBS quoted for the wireless system, $175 installed. Does that seem reasonable?

Does anyone know if the wired system is much less money? I'm having trouble finding any.

Phil