acidfast7

One of my colleagues just hit 50,000 miles commuting on the same cyclocomputer.

Some info:

Since 1989.

4 bikes (current one is 1 year old ... Trek CrossRip and hates it) ... so each bike lasts about 5 years or 15000 miles.

One bike written off after riding home from pub and hitting the chicane/zigzags to force cyclists to slow down head on (over the bars with a huge head gash). Pushed front wheel back into frame. Cyclocomputer survived.

Doesn't have so much gear ... one set of summer clothing, one set of layered winter clothing.

No helmet since living in holland from 14-16yo.

Full prof and good for the students to see "wealthy" people riding.


Me:

I just hit 1000km on my cyclocomputer ... the other had 5000km when I forgot to take it off when washing the bike.

Only 79000km to go in order to catch him!

muzpuf

even though I passed 100,000 miles years ago .... this is still my most prized accomplishment



on a 20 inch 5 speed banana bike while still in elementary school

I-Like-To-Bike

Dunno exactly as I never have used a cycling odometer but probably have over 50,000 miles on the one bike that I have used as my daily year round commuter as well as local transportation for the past 12 years. You should appreciate that I bought the Ragazzi 7speedIGH equipped bike at the Real store in Hockenheim, Germany for 268DM (aprox. $130) in 2000.

I still use it every day in retirement to go to the gym/swimming pool for an 11 mile R/T commute as well as local shopping and getting around town. It shows no sign of getting ready to quit or need for an upgrade.

acidfast7

Those German bikes are built to last!

fietsbob

All 9's of course.

Andy_K 

I keep my computers set to the mileage on the bike. The highest I've recorded so far is 9121, on the 2008 Kona Jake which I sold last year because it had fallen into disuse. My current leader is 2610 on my 2013 Jake, so I don't think I'll be seeing a new PR anytime soon. Overall I think I'm around 27,000 miles since 2007 spread over 13 bikes.

JReade

I've upgraded computers at least 3 times since I got into cycling. Currently I use a Garmin 510, but that only has ~400 miles on it this year as it was a present.

sandy79

packrat

jeffpoulin

Two of my bike computers roll over after 9999.9km. The others will go to 99999km, but after 9999.9, they lose their 0.1km precision. When that happens, I simply reset them. I've ridden over 70000km in the last 5 years, so a 10k rollover is no big deal.

How did your friend's bike computer last 25 years on the same battery? Or can he/she change the battery without losing the odo?

acidfast7

One can change the battery without losing the ODO. I know that I can with my Sigma but he has a Cateye and I assume that he can as well.

I'm more impressed that someone can have the same cyclocomputer for that long without losing it (15 years!).

lhbernhardt

I reset my bike computer every year, so it never goes beyond about 22,000 km (I think that's the highest it's been, but 20,000 km range is pretty typical).

I started off using Avocet computers, but switched to Sigma when the Avocet would reset automatically when in my jersey pocket, especially when it was wet. The Sigmas have been more reliable, but they changed their mounting system in 2003, so I had to get one with the new rotary mount. And since then, I usually buy a new computer from Sigma every couple of years. They make model changes about every three years, and the year is incorporated into the computer name, such as "1009" (2009) or 8.12 (2012).

Had I not reset each year, my fixie that I use for commuting and everything else would have close to 88,000 km on it since November 2009. I should be over 100,000 by the end of October, knock on wood, the five=year mark. Then another three years to reach 160,000 km (100,000 miles).

Luis

acidfast7

Damn! Nice job getting so much out of the fixie!

I rock a Sigma 1009 ... quite cheap in Germany (€12 or so) and they're quite solid.

spare_wheel

there is no greater compliment in germany.

Mr. Hairy Legs

I've logged over 10,000 km on my Garmin Edge, but its file system gets corrupted once or twice a year so it shows something much lower. Software glitches aside, it's sure a durable thing.

jeffpoulin

I'm more impressed that the wire assembly still works. I've never lost a bike computer, but have had to discard several after their cables broke and I couldn't fix them or order new ones.

Can you post a picture of it with the odo showing? It would be fun to see.

acidfast7

Sure ... I'll see if it's in the bike locker today when I ride in

edit: shoot ... just checked and I forgot that he's over in Amsterdam/Bonn/Mainz for 10 days ... if this thread hasn't sank away into an abyss, I snap a photo when he's back in town

alan s 

I reset my computer at random times, and never track how many miles I ride. I don't find such information useful or interesting.

acidfast7

That's cool. However, there are certain tax breaks in several countries which are mileage dependent. However, I believe that in the US, it is mileage-independent and only worth $20/month maximum.

Andy_K 

I think it's worse than that even. Your employer can get a tax break for giving you some kind of bike commuting benefit but most won't bother. I don't think individuals can get any kind of tax benefit. Bike messengers could probably deduct the cost of their bike and supplies, but most of us get nothing (unless you count the huge tax break of living in the U.S. versus most European countries).

acidfast7

I'm not a tax expert but I think that one can enact tax deductions even when the employer doesn't participate.

https://www.nctr.usf.edu/programs/cle...mmutebenefits/

I-Like-To-Bike

An employee can not take (enact?) an additional tax deduction if he receives the $20 bike commuting subsidy from an employer.

No individual can take a Federal tax deduction for commuting expenses, no matter what the mode of commuting, period.

noglider 

You can deduct travel expenses when you are a freelancer.

I-Like-To-Bike

"Commuting" expenses cannot be deducted as job related travel expenses by anybody.

Everything is "deductible" until audited and asked to explain by the IRS.

acidfast7

I don't file with IRS any longer nor with the UK govt.

It's been a relaxed year.

jeffpoulin

Did you renounce your U.S. citizenship more than 10 years ago or are you under the income limit for filing? If neither apply, then you might want to reconsider your stance. Especially since you live in a country with so many bilateral agreements with the U.S...