Sigma BC 2006 computer
 

Does anyone have any experience with this unit. Altitude, HR and regular computer functions sound like what I'm looking for if it works well.

I bought one of these early this past fall. I thought I would use it a lot over the winter so I could keep track of my heart rate, but did not because I took the other bike with the fenders instead of the bike with the BC-2006. Also, it was cold enough that I did not want to think about anything extra, like heart rate.

I wrote a pretty complete review of it at Amazon.com under my name (Philip J. Bohlken). In short, set up takes a little while and the manual is sometimes a little incomplete or confusing. In retrospect, I most appreciate the HRM, speedometer, odometer, and thermometer. The altitude indicator has not been very helpful to me.

It did seem to me that the BC-2006 uses batteries faster than I would like. The company was very good about inviting me to send the wheel sensor back to them. They checked it out and courteously replaced it at no cost. Winter came and I have not made any comparison rides since.

If you can, read my review at Amazon.com for more details.

Do you use lights or any other electronics on your handlebar? I found it very irritating for a while fighting with where to position my dinotte and it's wire/battery in respect to the sigma to make it work when I had the light on high and then on low.
Ignoring the light problem I haven't had any issues with it that other people have mentioned. High power lines and stop light inductance loops don't create any issues.

I have a homemade headlight that hangs from the handlebar. The light is on the right side of the stem. The Sigma is on the left side of the stem.

Earlier Sigma cyclometers were analog. The BC-2006 sends its information in digital packets. It is supposed to be impervious to any normal magnetic interference. A UFO abduction might be another story.

I have lost my signal a few times. This was usually due to low battery, poor sensor alignment or fit, or the display unit came loose on its mount. Some folks use K-Y Jelly between their chest and the HRM sensor for better contact and wash it afterward.

I wasn't sure which model I had but I looked and I have a BC1706L Topline DTS (Digital Transmission System). Supposidly the same as the BC2006 in transmission method at least where I could see. Could be the BC2006MHR Topline DTS uses a more advanced version that is dinotte proof which would have made it worth the additional cost if I knew i'd have issues like I do.

When my unit cut out the whole thing cuts out. HR and Speed. There have been a few times after putting my raceblade fenders on where I jiggled the sensor and bit and had to fix it a few times on a ride to get it right again but that is just user error.

To avoid the issue my computer is on the left before the bar tape while my light is on the right underneath on the start of the bar tape. I then have the wire going down to the right side of the steering tube where the battery is mounted. It was the only easy to change battery spot that reliably provided no interference to the sigma.

evblazer,

DTS is the same digital system the BC-2006 uses. While my loss of signal events have usually been easy to understand, once I determined the cause, I must also say I have a cheap Schwinn wired computer from Wal-Mart that never loses its signal. I also have a MIO Sport HRM watch (no chest sensor, but a wrist and finger button sensor system). I have learned to use it and get reliable readings while riding. I also have learned to associate my breathing with my heart rate and am usually pretty close. I probably did not need to buy the BC-2006, but that horse has left the barn. Now I need to learn better how to navigate between the various display screens. The thermometer reading on the BC-2006 did show me that the area where I ride out in the countryside is often about 10 deg. F. colder than the reading on the protected northern exposure thermometer at the house.

Many edits later:

I just picked up one of these and took it out for a long ride yesterday.

First, the manual needs to be read quite carefully. I had all sorts of problems figuring things out, but it's all in there if you read every word. Nits:I'd wish that the heart monitor's spot on the display could be used for something else if you aren't using the belt, rather than just showing "off".

Installation up was a bit of a bother. I have no lights (other than helmet), but I still couldn't get it to connect up for quite some time. Turns out you really need to put the sensor in the position shown in the pictures: right under the brake pads. Any further away and the signals don't reach (I tried new batteries, no difference).

On the plus side, it's a nice big display, w/ at least 4 things shown. I ended up setting the altimeter to be 0 at home and it tracked changes quite well. I mapped a route on veloroutes at 1750 ft of climbing: the altimeter gave me 1720 ft on the actual ride. It tracked going down an elevator quite well. The heart rate monitor worked fine.

In conclusion, I'd definitely buy it again. The above sounds a bit negative, but it does exactly what I want it to do: usual bike functions, heart rate, and altimeter, and all for $110. I don't know of any similar computers anywhere near that price point.