insight1'09

I just got my bike 3 days ago and am loving it, but I am a little suspicious of computers that sit on your handles bars and have 12 functions etc. Does anyone know how accurate these things are and if they are worth believing or buying?

stanclark

my son has a bell wireless computer from walmart works great....

dan42

I really enjoy mine. It's nice to see how fast you are going and how many miles you have ridden.
As far as accuracy goes mine seems to be pretty close and it was the cheapest one I could find.

ItsJustMe

They should be totally accurate, assuming that you have calibrated it properly. You did read the manual and do the calibration, right?

I like having one, just so I can see if I'm going near the speed limit and so I can keep some kind of track on how many miles my chain, tires, etc have been on the bike.

Pig_Chaser

+1

With the proper calibration even the cheapest computer will be highly accurate. Cheaper computers just have slower updates and fewer functions (and cheaper buttons and possibly less weather resistance). Computer function is simple, multiply wheel circumference by revolution counts = distance. Distance/time = speed. You'd have to go out of your way to make them inaccurate. It's all about entering the right circumference.

I find them to be a good motivational tool to try to go faster, keep a higher average speed etc. Of course that's a personal preference, many people find them annoying for the very reason I like them

dhay

Most (all?) computers these days have you enter the wheel circumference in millimeters. Hard to get much more accurate than that!

Steve in MA

I love my bike computer (Cateye Strada Wireless)....you can't beat it as a motivational/benchmarking tool, especially on solo rides where you have noone else to pace yourself against. I find it to be very accurate (I checked it's milage calculation between two known points, and also the speed reading vs. the reading on a friend's computer during a ride).

One word of caution....another poster mentioned the Bell computers from Walmart. Not sure if his was wired or wireless, but I tried the Bell 15 function wireless and it never worked correctly, especially at speeds over about 17 mph. It was like the transmitter couldn't keep up, so it just cut out. Their wired models may work better. YMMV.

insight1'09

ok well i work at dicks sporting goods and there are a couple but thank you for the input, it is much appreciated!

alonzo

bicycleflyer

The Dick's here sells Sigma brand computers. Those are good computers and will serve you well. Since this will most likely be your first, stick to something simple. No cadence and just a basic wired version.

The sigma website is great. download manuals and see demos of all their models.

https://www.sigmasport.com/us/startseite/

kf9yr

I have a fancy Polar one and have checked my speed readings vs. distance (through odo), gps (while maintaining a steady speed) and via radar (one of those "slow down the motorists" signs). All have agreed with the Polar units readings within 1 mph (except distance of course).

I agree the trick is to measure the rollout (circumference) distance to set the speedo and the computer should just work. I just bought a bike computer for my son's bike at Dick's yesterday that seems to be pretty nice (Blackburn Delphi 2.0) for $9.95 on sale... That will surely give you the basics.

Good Luck

ItsJustMe

Skipping at high speed is probably a problem with magnet placement. The magnet and sensor should be placed as close to the hub as possible. Near the rim the magnet is going past the sensor at the speed of the bike (IE 20 MPH at a bike speed of 20 MPH) and it will be difficult for the sensor to trip on every revolution. Put the sensor close to the hub and it has a much easier time of it.

Megiddo

Now why didn't I think of that? Seems obvious now. My Bell Platinum Series wireless speedometer from walmart works just fine, but I had it up near the rim. The only problem I had was figuring out how to reset it between rides... which I figured out after many attempts.

But I have it down near the axle.

Sgt C USMC

I use my google phone on a mount from Krussel running google tracks. It's so far been completely accurate, measures every function you could ask for (time, distance, altitude, weather conditons) I can upload my workouts immediately, compare current and past routes, and as an added bonus, I can listen to music or if need be, stop and make a phone call while keeping my jersey pockets loaded with more important things - like jelly belly sport beans!

canopus 

I just got a sigma 1606L. I did the roll out test with tires and put that into the computer for the tire diameter.
Distance via mapmyride - 100.61, distance on the sigma computer = 100.42. Yeah I'll say they are pretty accurate.

iBaloney

i came across the wireless bell computer at target yesterday. it seems pretty nice but i dont know if i should spend twice as much for a cateye micro wireless.

Steve in MA

+1

I have two Cateye Strada Wireless computers, on two different bikes with different size wheels. Both are completely accurate (tested riding between known points, and vs. a friend's computer). It just takes a few minutes of setup time with whatever make of computer you choose, and it should work fine.

You don't need to spend a ton of money, but personally, I would stay away from the Bell wireless. I had one (before I bought my Cateye) and it would stop reading above 17 or 18 mph...almost like the sensor couldn't keep up with the speed that the magnet was going past.

nwmtnbkr

I have a basic, 5-function Cateye wired Velo. I have a GPS that I can mount on my handlebars so I didn't want to spend a lot on the bike computer. The first unit I bought from the LBS malfunctioned within a week. Fortunately, the replacement has worked well (knock-on-wood). It seems pretty accurate. It will be interesting to see how well the battery handles cold weather.

Plutonix

Several new riders I know went the Bell/*Mart route and had nothing but trouble. The best one ran about a year then started having trouble picking up the magnet in the 10-12 mph range.

I have a plain old CatEye Enduro on both bikes. And it seems dead on accurate. Whenever I come across those "Your Speed is XX mph" radar outposts, I take a run past it and it matches, comparing the trip ODO to mile markers matches also. Any time you change tires, you may want to recheck the circumference. I recently changed from 2.0 to 1.85 inches tires and the wheel factor changed by 7cm or so. Not enough to loose sleep over, except as to annual mileage.

Doconabike

I really like the "Planet Bike Protégé 9.0 9-Function Bike Computer." It comes with a wire instead of a wireless transmitter. The wired computers don't have trouble with transmission of wireless signals and they are very robust. The Protégé 9.0 includes a temperature sensor which I find amusing during hot rides. I also like the simplicity of the controls. Have had one of these for a year and can only say good things about it.

socalrider

Been using computers on my bikes since the early 80's.. They have just gotten better and smaller over the years.. Very reliable and give you lots of useful info..