About to buy an Echowell wireless computer
 

Local Bike Shop has wireless E for $50. it goes on a folder so wires are a no no. Thats about the top of budget. LBS guy really likes them and i have no reason to doubt his judgement and i prefer to buy there for the service. i'll bring in Ackos (bike) to get it set

whilst reading posts i see Cateye mentioned alot but 90 bucks blows it out of the water budget wise

in short, anyone think these are good ?

anyone ? i hear crickets chirping :(

Dunno which Echowell you're talking about, but I've never seen one that impressed me, but that said, if it's just your typical 9 -12 function cyclecomputer, there's not much to worry about, so buy from your shop.

Personally, I use a Knog NERD on my folder, because I like the style and ease of install/removal, but primarily because the whole screen is the one button needed for operation, so it's a breeze.

I think a lot of people have likely just never heard of an Echowell wireless computer. Usually my answer is "don't buy a wireless bike computer, just buy a wired one and have the shop install it - you don't risk getting weird and obvious false stats at the end of your ride, you don't have to replace the battery every few years, it just stay on your bike and works". If your folding bike folds in such a way that a wire won't work, I can understand that's a little different though.

Just don't have much experience with a wireless speedometer...

It's an usual brand (in the US). I've never heard of it.

http://en.echowell.com.tw/bicycle-stopwatch-series/ Their website seems overly confusing.

There is analog wireless and digital wireless. The "false stats" problem only really occurs with the analog ones. The digital ones work fine.

Wired computers have one battery and wireless computers have two. Having two batteries is more complicated but not by much. Wireless does give you the option of being able to move the display head to different locations easily.

Wireless seems much simpler to install if you are doing speed and cadence.

I don't know, from what I remember people said "oh, no, the digital one is way better" then still had problems with it functioning all the time.

With a wired computer, you have 1 battery that almost never runs out. I don't know if I've ever replaced one. With wireless you have to replace at least one of the batteries every one or two years.

I think you're just wrong on being able to move it more easily. With wired speedometers the speedometer comes off the mount as well, I don't think it's any harder to move it. Either way you have to install a sensor on the second bike.

Cadence is probably easier with wireless, can't argue there. If the OP has a folding bike cadence is probably not something he'll be using, though.

Hmm, I've never heard of this interference issue, and of course, I've never experienced it either. Is the Knog NERD digital or analog?

Probaby, a weak way to present your argument. And the criticism is too vague.

I have had no problems with a Bontrager Node and a Cateye Strada Duo wireless (both digitial). I have a Planet Bike Protege 9.0 wireless (analog) which has the classic analog interferance problem. Some LED lights can be a problem for wireless computers (the digital ones should be better). Part of understanding this is having some idea how the computers (wired and wireless) work.

We don't know what computer you have and it's probably not reasonable to expect that all of the different models from other manufacturers will work the same way. Anyway, battery life is very dependent on how often you ride. How long have to had it? How much do you ride?

It's easy to remove any computer from it's mount (I wasn't talking about that but that might not have been clear).

It's clearly easier to relocate a wireless computer from one place to another on the same bike. It's obvious that a wireless computer gives you more options on where to put it too. It may not be much easier (in certain cases) but it's very clear that it is easier.

He was explicit about wires being a "no no". So, if people can't talk about cadence, they can't talk about wired computers either.

I didn't comment to argue technical points, the vagueness clearness states exactly the level of detail in my comments, which is basically saying "this is my repeated recollection, I'm not investing the time to save comments and exact numbers, take it for the level of detail that it is".

One doesn't have to put time into understanding a lot of details with a wired computer. It just works, continues working, etc etc.

Oh yeah, I had forgotten about some led lights having a problem to.

I rode about once a week, if I remember right. It was many years ago, but mostly I'm talking about comments from other people who have had wireless computers.

Since the OP has a folding bike, it might be easier to deal with on a folding bike. Maybe. Because the folding bikes I've looked at never disconnect/rotate/etc between the front fork and the handlebars - but maybe the OP's does.

But regarding what you're saying, it's not easier because either way you do the same thing - you take the computer off the mount and put it on the mount on the new bike. It's the same either way. This is a picture of the mount for a wireless computer -
http://brimages.bikeboardmedia.netdn...en-298x298.jpg

This is the article -
http://www.bikerumor.com/2013/04/16/...less-computer/

I can't think of a reason why you would need to "relocate a wireless computer from one place to another on the same bike". For "It's obvious that a wireless computer gives you more options on where to put it too" where else would you put it but the handlebars exactly? A while back I asked if I could put it in my rear bag, with the sensor on the front wheel, and several people said the wireless signal on their unit wouldn't reach that far. I suppose to be fair, one might be able to put the sensor on the rear wheel and also put the speedometer part in a rear bag, but then you can't see the speedometer while you're riding.

I didn't say people "couldn't" talk about cadence, I said it's something he probably wouldn't be using.

It's hard to tell when someone says they don't want a wired computer how much thought they've put into it. Sometimes it's just an offhand comment, so if they know about the tradeoffs they might change their mind. Other times they're more certain that's not what they want. But in that case they can definitely ignore my comment - I phrased it as "usually I say this for these reasons, but if you don't want wired that's understandable".

Yes the handlebars do fold, that is why i want wireless.
LBS guys put the Echowell through their tests before deciding to sell them. Those tests are responsible for some brands they no longer sell or refuse to sell..... Those guys are phenomenal, i have become loyal customer. i feel that since no one really spoke up against them, that buying from LBS is the way to go...

That's low usage.

The fact that your experience or imagination is lacking doesn't mean that there aren't multiple places. Right or left on the handle-bar. On the stem. On a mount (like Bontrager has for the Nodes). On an accessory bar. (Most people don't need to move things around but I have needed to. And the bike I have makes mounting a sensor on the fork difficult.)

Many wireless computers have the sensor on the rear wheel and the head unit on/near the handlebar. The wireless signal for those would easily reach that far.

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The fact is that the newer digital wireless computers work just fine. The wired ones work fine too (and are cheaper). If you want things like HR and cadence along with speed, wired won't work (or work as well).

Ok...then the battery would probably last even less long for more usage.

None of those is difficult with a wire either. (Though at this point since the OP said his handlebars fold it's a bit beside the point, what he describes does definitely sound like one of the few times I would say a wireless speedometer sounds better.)

Many will reach, and many will not. I did a quick search, and found myself...funny enough, quoting you -
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...the-back-wheel

Cateye, Trek, and Garmin ($$$) sell computers with the transmitter on the rear wheel. Some of these combine cadence and wheel speed into one transmitter.

Some of the less expensive transmitters might not be quite strong enough. Some of these require "line of sight" between the transmitter and the head unit. They might work, if you are lucky.

True, but on the one hand the OP never said anything about wanting HR or Cadence, on the other hand since he said his bike has folding handlebars a wired vs wireless debate continuing seems a little silly... :-)