Wireless cadence computer (to replace Cateye Astrale 8)?
 

I've been an extremely satisfied user of the Cateye Astrale 8 (wired w/cadence) on several of my bikes. It's simple to use, reliable, has long battery life (several years, even with extended use such as months a year of all-day touring), and updates very rapidly (I would guess it as <0.5 second, possible significantly less than that, i.e. near real time rather than with a substantial lag as with many computers).

Most importantly for me, it doesn't clutter the display with a lot of distracting data I'm not interested in. It shows 2 metrics at a time, and allows any of them to be set as the primary (larger) display. I keep it set with cadence as the primary display, which I use constantly to gauge shifting (it's my "tachometer") to ride more efficiently, know how tired I am (my intuitive sense of my cadence gets distorted as I get tired), maintain constant pace when someone is drafting me, etc. I keep the secondary display on trip distance for navigation, following cure sheets and maps and road signs. I care very little about speed, since I don't race.

My impression is that even though it is discontinued, the Astrale 8 remains the standard choice for folks like me for whom cadence is primary. I have a spare set aside.

BUT... I've recently acquired a bike with S&S couplers (Rodriguez "Wilie Weir" UTB). I don't want to have to rewire the sensors every time I break apart or put together the bike. I've tried to solder Supernova or similar connectors into the rear-wheel sensor wires (as I have done for the taillight connections), but I can't solder the ultra-fine stranded wires (with the metal strands twisted together with nylon strands for strength) used on the Astrale 8.

Does anyone know of a wireless computer that allows cadence to be set as the primary display?

Failing that, one that has a large cadence display with a minimum of other unwanted data -- not with cadence as one of multiple tiny items in the corners of a display overwhelmed by a huge fixed speed display and/or multiple other items? And one with real-time cadence, not a full second or two (or more) lag to update. Cadence changes more quickly than any other parameter, and is more useful in real time (to time and judge shifting), so fast updating is much more important for cadence than for any other metric.

I want to be able to take a very quick glance at the computer, and get (first and foremost) real-time cadence.

I can;t find any *wireless* computer that allows cadence to be set as the primary display (largest numbers). Have I missed something?

To complicate matters, I have hub generator lights, so I want a computer highly resistant to electromagnetic interference. I've been told that "ANT" digital sensor transmitters and receivers are the more interference-resistant wireless computers currently available, but don't really know.

What are other cadence fanciers using for wireless computers? Or is there any wired computer comparable to the Astrale 8 in cadence-display functionality but with easier-to-solder sensor wires?

A few weeks ago I was looking for the same thing. The only metric I'm concerned with is Cadence.

I ended up with a Wahoo Cadence sensor. Here's the best part: It's wireless and I wear it on my shoe.This way, it's no problem to jump between bikes. I bought it with the hope that I'd somehow be able to monitor cadence using an Apple Watch through an app. We'll it might be a little premature for that use, but here's how I do use it...

It synchs with the Wahoo App on my phone. I took it for a test ride with the phone and it worked well but I have no interest in mounting my phone on my bike(s).

Enter the solution: The Wahoo Reflekt computer. The phone is still the brains of the operation but you can keep it tucked away in your bag. The Reflekt is just a remote screen for the app. The phone "throws" the data to the the Reflekt computer on the headset.

Best part... You can choose from a plethroa of premade screen configurations or make your own by displaying any number of metrics. I do cadence and time.

If you do go this route I'd buy the two (Cadence, Reflekt) as a package. I paid an extra $20 because I poossay-footed into it, buying one unit at a time.

*** The forum blocked the correct spelling of poossay-footed, though it literally means when a cat walks gingerly.***

BTW, no affiliation with Wahoo. Just a happy customer.

An update from the original poster, mainly for anyone later searching for info on this topic and finding this thread:

Following the advice from "cellery", I ended up getting a Cateye Strada CC-RD410DW. It's not nearly as good a cadence computer as the wired Cateye Astrale 8, but seems to be the best wireless standalone non-GPS non-cellphone computer available for someone interested primarily in monitoring cadence.

Pros: It works as described. Cadence can be set as primary and largest display, with a choice of speed (and heart rate -- see cons below), odometer, trip odometer 1 or 2, etc. as secondary (smaller) display. There are a bunch of useless icons in the corner of the display, but they are small and not (to me) distracting. The unit I bought (from REI) came with the dual cadence/spped sensor already paired with the computer, and it just worked out of the box once mounted on the bike. Mounting is pretty easy, and sensor positioning wasn't overly finicky. It comes with a standard strap-on crank magnet, but works fine with a rare-earth disk magnet stuck on the inside end of the pedal shaft (which is a stronger magnet and allows a larger and less precise offset between the sensor and the crank). In the first 500+ miles, i have experiences no apparent loss of signal or interference on a bike with a front dynamo hub and always-on headlight and taillight. Clever mount allows mounting at right-angled orinetations, so you can mount it on e.g. etiher on fore-and-aft stem or transverse handlebars. (Stem mount is a nice centered position not all computers allow.)

Cons: The most important negative (for me) relative to the wired Cateye Astrale 8 is that the Strada Wireless is slow and delayed in updating the cadence dsiplay. I suspect that this means it is displaying average cadence over the last 10 revolutions or 5 seconds or so, rather thanh the last 2 revolutions or 1 second with the Astrale 8. Thta might be deliberate, and you might like it if you wanta smoothed-out diaply of average cadence. But if you want real-time cadence to judge shift points or fluctuations in cadence (e..g to maintain steady cadence), this isn't nearly as good. Increase your cadence, and the display gradually steps up to the new cadence after several seconds lag.

Other minor cons: Even if you don't have a heart rate senson, the secondary speed display is split between speed and a "0" for heart rate. There is one fewer significant digit on the display than on the Astrale 8: Cadence and speed are shown to the nearest rpm and mph or km/h, not tenth. Odometer is in miles or km, not tenths. Trip odometers 1 and 2 are in tenths, not hundredths.

I haven't had it long enought yet to judge battery life.

I paid full price and have no commercial interest in Cateye or any competitor.

FWIW, the Wahoo system is delayed by a few seconds as well.

+1 on the Astrale.
You can solder those wires (I did it a couple of times) but it takes extra care. Use a magnifier and a fine tip electronics iron. The wires must be very hot, I guess there's some coating that must melt first, but the solder runs OK after a while. Use heat shrink for insulation.