PaulRivers

I was reading through this thread:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...=525690&page=2

And found out that someone does make a wired speedometer with a backlight! Yaaah!...sorta.

I'm looking for a wired (not wireless) speedometer that has a backlight.

These are the two I found:
Niterider Rebel 1.0 - https://www.niterider.com/computer_rebel1.shtml
Sigma BC1606L - https://www.sigmasport.com/us/produkt...wired/bc1606l/

Both have a backlight, but the Niterider requires pressing and holding a button for 2 seconds in order to get 5 seconds of light, while the Sigma appears to turn on either when you press any button, or immediately when you press 2 buttons simultaneously, so it looks more promising. Both appear to easily mount either on the bars or the stem - awesome, as I was just thinking about how I could move mine to the stem. Neither has a temperature reading, which seems like it would be fun, but oh well. The Sigma has this habit of hiding certain info (like the odometer) while you're riding which I find annoying though (and the manual listed no way to turn that off), you have to buy a 2nd bracket to switch wheel sizes (I don't switch speedometers, but I do switch between 35c studded tires in the winter and 28c tires in the summer). The NiteRider has no 2nd wheel size setting at all.

So if you have either, could you answer a couple of questions?
1. How easy is it to turn on the backlight?
2. How easy it is to reset your trip data? On the Sigma, I couldn't find a way with their online demo to reset all the trip data at once, though I expect I'm just missing something.
3. Does it automatically turn on when you start riding?

Thanks - also, if anyone else knows of another *wired* speedometer that has a backlight I'd love to hear about it... :-)

Unknown Cyclist

I've got the Sigma.

1) very easy to turn on the backlight.
2) it's easy to reset the trip data, so easy I can't remamber how without going to check - I think you either press and hold or might depend what screen you are on....
3) it always starts instantly you start riding.

I'd recommend the 1606L without any hesitation whasoever.

Easy to fit too as is the cadence kit.

PaulRivers

Thanks for the feedback. Can you describe how the backlight comes on? I mean does it come on every time you press any button? Or does it come on when you press a particular combination (the manual mentions the 2 left buttons)? Or do you have to press and hold something?

If you happen to have a chance to check on #2 that would be fantastic - and like, does it work while you're riding? (as I mentioned some things disappear while you're riding - annoying) I realize it's probably in there - the only demo only let you reset one value at a time. It would also be pretty annoying to have to be in a certain screen to reset all the trip data...simpler is better. :-)

Thanks again!

Unknown Cyclist

I don't want to reset it at the moment, but here's the demo

It's easier to use than explain.

Press reset and set (the left hand buttons) to toggle the light on/off - when it is on it comes on with any button push - when it is off, it's off all the time.

IIRC correctly you can reset things like average speed individually, if you go to trip and reset that it also resets all the lesser functions.

Here's the manual

It's much easier to buy one and fit it.

You can press the buttons and say "oh yes, that makes sense"

2_i 

You also have the Vetta RT255L. From the three, I only have experience with the NiteRider 1.0.

The NiteRider autostarts w/o problems. You reset it by pressing from both sides onto NiteRider's two buttons, when in the window for ride duration. You activate the backlight by pressing one of the buttons for a moment. The backlight is useful, but could be significantly improved upon. Specifically, the angle of readability of the illuminated face is far more narrow than of the face illuminated with ambient light. The backlight stays on for such a short time that you might not manage to find the right angle for viewing the face before the light goes off. Toggling to another window with the backlight is a further challenge.

The computer itself is pretty sturdy - a small brick. The mount is crummy, attached to the bike with a rubber hoop. However, it allows reorientation of the computer for the stem. You can improve the mounting by replacing the rubber hoop with zip-ties. After a while, I cut and soldered some sheet metal to make my own sturdy mount.

As to the thermometers in bike computers, they tend to stop at freezing temperatures, be fairly inaccurate and/or appear in the top of the line wireless models. I have bought a delightful, highly accurate, freezer thermometer, but have yet to mount it on the bike.

PaulRivers

Thanks for the info about the light! How long does the backlight stay on after you press a button and it comes on?

I think I figured out resetting things from the online demo - on any of the screens that show resettable data (like trip distance or average speed, but not current cadence) you press and hold the reset button to reset that specific value, but keep holding it longer and you'll get the reset screen again only this time it will reset all (well, almost all) the data. There's a couple of value that don't get reset, but I can't actually figure out what they are so they're probably something weird that you wouldn't want getting reset.

I read a review about the speedometer on amazon - the guy said "Speed readout shows only the closest half mile interval, doesn't show tenths. For example, it reads either 12.0 MPH or 12.5 MPH missing 12.1, 12.2,etc. " This seems...untrue, based on the online demo, perhaps they've updated the speedometer.

He also said the wire is the really thin kind - does anyone know? I prefer the thicker wire, but I guess I only have so many options...hmm...

PaulRivers

Thanks for the info! The niterider backlight sounds awful finicky. Hmm.

Did you actually find that the mount was a problem, or did you just not like a rubber oring mount? I ask because I wasn't real keen on the oring mounts for my Dinotte lights, but after riding with them for a couple of years the rubber hoops never let the light slip, never broke, etc etc and I ended up thinking it's kinda useful that they strap to nearly anything - different handlebars sizes, weirdly shaped handlebars (mine have an "ergonomic" section on the top where the front is round but the rear tapers back), etc.

Unknown Cyclist

The speed readout definitely shows tenths.

The wire is thicker than most and is one of the reasons I use/recommend Sigma.

2_i 

I have not much used the rubber hoop attachment before switching it, so I cannot then principally claim any practical problem - it has been more my anticipation of problems - I do not have a single item on my bike attached as loosely. Shapewise, I had problems with the bottom of NiteRider mount being round and not matching the flat top of my Softride stem. As things go on, I now end up, though, with a mount of my own construction for nearly everything.