Anyone use a bike thermometer?
 

For commuting, I've always wanted a stand alone thermometer that would mount on the handlebars similar to a computer. Some computers include a thermometer, but I'd really prefer a separate unit with a large digital readout. Anyone use one? Wouldn't want to spend more than $10-15.

have never seen one. Yes my bike computer includes temperature readout. Why would you want a separate piece of equipment for that?

Already have a computer that works great and I have figured out how to program it. Just looking for a separate unit that does nothing else but give a temperature readout.

My phone gives me the temperature ... as does the sign at the bank :)

Phone also doubles as my bike computer.

Nope, don't want to know, especially the high temps. Seems I do alright till I ride by a public thermometer like at a bank and see that it's reached triple digits and then immediately seem to melt. Same with lower temps, I see that it's below a temp I seem to feel comfy in and I immediately start to shiver. While it might be nice to know the psychological effects always seem more harm then good.

But whatever floats your boat. There are small digital temp gages out there, not necessarily for bikes, both electric and passive. Remember though being out in direct sunlight might skew the results a bit.

I use one.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...lwell90map.jpg


http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...rlNewCR008.jpg

Gives a good reading as the tip is out of the sun.

http://www.autopartsandstuff.com/fjc...FSdo7AodSAIAww

I have an iPhone, but that not really what I'm looking for.

You could try one of these -- a "Stem Captain" that mounts to the top of your stem. The thing I've wondered is that it seems like sunlight would cause inaccurately high temperatures.

http://www.stemcaptain.com/

http://www.stemcaptain.com/

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=343433

I've seen those analog gauges, but not sure whether sunlight would affect accuracy, which would probably apply to any thermometer. More concerned about constant jarring and vibrations with an analog gauge. And really would prefer just a digital number on a small computer-sized screen.

Can you easily rotate those 2 top lights down when you need to get in the drops?

Yes

I've got a zipper pull on my saddle bag (the one with the spare tube, multi-tool, and patch kit). Temperature doesn't vary quickly, it's usually the same out in the sun as it was when I pulled over under the tree to take a break.

I have one on my Planet Bike Protege 9, but it's just a curiosity. I wouldn't pay an extra dollar for it if it was a separate option. It's kind of fun to look at when it gets below zero or over 100 but I don't really care that much.

Honestly the only time need to know the temp is before I get on the bike and leave the house, while I can do something about it.

But I can understand the curiosity factor of having it on the bike, especially in the winter. I'm kind of smitten with the stem captain idea. They should make digital versions as weil.

I'd get a stem captain with a digital readout or something cheap that mounts on the handlebars.

I tried a digital readout, but found the thermal inertia of an electronic probe to be too great to be acceptable. I.e. in the middle of winter, many blocks from the house, the thermometer was still giving a reading that approximated the temperature in the garage. In addition, in the cheaper digital thermometers, the readout depends on the battery voltage. As the battery discharges, its voltage slips and so does the temperature reading - tests done using a reference bath.

In the end, I switched to an industrial bimetal thermometer, like 10 Wheels in the other post. It is precise and reacts very quickly to temperature variations. Its disadvantage is a long stem (not visible in 10 Wheels' photos) that needs to be pointed somewhere out of the way.

Regarding those motorcycle thermometers, there had been many complaints on the net about their thermal inertia. I would read reviews before jumping on any one of those. They seem to be made for looks and tend to be expensive.

I have a Planet Bike Protege 9.0 bike computer. It has a thermometer on it but I'm doubtful to its accuracy. I say that because it never matches the the thermometer on the bank sign. But who's to say how accurate that one is. But it does give mis-readings in direct sunlight.
But let me add. On cloudy days, and when I ride in the dark. It gives close readings that are pretty accurate or close to it.

Doesn't the air inside that black bag get pretty hot in direct sunlight, though? Seems like it would read high all the time, be it summer or winter, if the sun were shining directly on it.

No, the roads here heat up to 120*F in the summer. My car with the windows up gets up to 160*F with the sun out.

The stem inside the bag gives an actual real temp of the air.

The mechanical thermometers can also be calibrated in a glass of ice water.

Most bank signs have incorrect temps showing.

So if you hold the thermometer outside the bag, in the shade, it reads the same temperature as inside the bag with sun shining on the bag? Maybe so, but I don't see how that would be possible unless there's air flowing through the bag when you're moving.

Yeah when I worked at Starbucks we had a bunch of those mechanical thermometers, and every so often I would stick them in a cup of ice water and adjust them all to read 32°F exactly.

Get one from an auto parts store...About $5.00..See for yourself.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=343502

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=343519http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=343520

From Brookstone. I pulled off the back drilled a hole and bolted a piece of velcro to the back. Using double sided carpet tape i added foam to the inside. The velcro needs something to compact and keep tension on it like squeezing the foam pipe insulation. It fits all 15 of my bikes. It's accurate, the pavement is always about 5-10 degrees hotter than on the grass. The shade is always about 5 less. I use it in 115 f to 10 f almost all the time.
I learned what to wear before leaving the house with this.

The temps that bank signs and the weather channels show are not direct sunlight temps. Here in Vegas, those things were reading 112º but in direct sun it was 119º. I had to stop riding for about a week after that day. I drank over a half gallon of water on a 11 mile ride. It was just way to hot for me.
Sorry strayed a bit. Don't trust the banks for the temps.

Wow! And I thought Vegas was hot. Lol