First let me say I've never owned a bike computer. I know they've been around for years but just never got around to buying one. Now that I'm looking at actually owning one I have found from reading threads here and elsewhere they are not a simple purchase. Wired versions are much more reliable than wireless and heat and weather seem to be an important consideration, too.

So, my situation is I'm looking for a bike computer for my recumbent. I want speed, total distance, and cadence (any other readings are icing on the cake). I want to be able to read it from 4 feet away since I have underseat steering and it will be mounted on a "T" mount that sits out in front of me on the frame.

I looked at the PDF manual for a Cateye Strada 200 series. The instructions say the magnet must be no more than 3mm from the sensor. I looked at my bike for mounting both the speed and cadence sensors. The distance between my frame and my crank arms is roughly 2 inches and a bit more between my front wheel spokes and the fork.

Here are my questions. Is there a well established model that has a good reputation for reliability? Do the sensor mountings come with spacers and adjustability to deal with the spacing I must overcome as described above?

I don't think I want to get into wireless as I've read too many negative accounts of them failing due to various types of interference and other weirdness.

Two inches??? Are you putting it on the seat tube or on the chainstay? Chainstay is where it should go.

I've got a couple of Astrales (the Strada predecessor), and I rarely have problems with either sensor, as long as they're lined up. Look carefully at the length of your crank, on the side away from the chain. Mount the sensor and magnet where the crank is closest to the chainstay. There should be a spot where they're within an inch, maybe half an inch. Then it's merely a matter of getting the magnet center to pass over the sensor centerline indicator.

I would have to put the cadence sensor on the frame. I have a LongBikes Slipstream recumbent. Both crank arms are about the same distance from the frame. On one side is the chainring assembly and on the other is the draglink that connects my fork to the underseat handlebar. Google "longbikes slipstream" for a picture of the bike and what I'm saying will become clear.

I am a newbie, and all thumbs when it comes to mechanical things. With that said, I have a Strada on one of my bikes. The magnet fell off or I knocked it off. I got another magnet from a store and put it on myself. A major job for me!!

I also had a Cateye Vectra laying around for a year, because I figured I didn't have enough mechanical skills to install it. Well, after reading about my Strada, I gained a little confidence. BTW, I got 9 bikes too.. I pulled out the Vectra, read the instructions again, and the 3 mm distance too, I UNDERSTOOD that very well. I installed the Vectra on one of my bikes and it works perfectly. The trick on the 3mm distance is, the magnet that you put on the spoke, make sure it is facing the the sensor. Also, the sensor unit is MOVEABLE. So, it was a simple matter for a non-mechanical person like me to install the computer.

Also, IMO, the wireless is the way to go. More things to mess with if you go with a wired one, for people like me with no installation skills IMO, wireless is the only way to go.

Hope this helps..

Thanks for the feedback. Ultimately I ended up getting the wired Strada with cadence. I spoke with LongBikes, the maker of my Slipstream and they provide a custom mount for the cadence sensor. Due to the configuration of the bike and the location of where the computer head unit is mounted, the speed sensor must go on the front fork and the cadence sensor goes on the lower frame tube just behind the crank bearing.

I thought about going wireless but there are just too many reports of flakey behavior from electrical interference and/or weather to my liking.