I had a wired Sigma 1609 before (w/ cadence, now for sale ) and I'm using the wireless Sigma 2209 w/ cadence and HR monitor at the moment.

One gripe about wireless is losing data transmission and I can honestly say I haven't had that issue. You just have to make you your sensors make the optimal "contact" distance with the transmitter and you're good.

I like my Cateye Strada Cadence. Wireless is overrated, and the sensors are big and ugly anyway.

I heard that a lot before I got my first wireless, including losing transmission near high voltage wires, I never had any of that happen unless a sending unit battery died then I lost transmission.

By the way, all 3 of my wireless computers, 2 Cateye and 1 VDO, all failed due to the sending unit failing.

Call me old fashioned if you want, but making something more complicated for the sake of it seems pointless. A computer is attached to the bike and its not like you are going to go walking around with it. Why put more in there to fail when its only a wire or 2 riding the cables or tubes on the bike? The wires are simple 2 core jobs and if they for some reason fail it would take me all of 5 minutes to solder them back together.

I personally prefer wired over wireless. Just last night I installed a Sigma BC-509 computer on by bike, and it looks fine, and works great..... I didn't need the cadence or heart rate monitor so for $19 bucks the wired 509 is perfect.

You definitely made that look good.

I've always wondered why wired computers come with wires that are so long in the first place!

I have an old wired computer sitting around, and its wire is about five feet long. The distance between my handlebars and the fork is maybe 18"?

Two reasons:

Some high dollar lights will cause the wireless to not function at all.

Some traffic light controls will cause the wireless to go crazy at intersections.

Like sitting still and the wireless computer shows your are running 75 mph

I prefer wired, it's more reliable.

Those are great computers, especially for the price. With the exception of my main road bike, we have 509's on all the other bikes my wife and I have. I especially like the auto display feature that goes through the different modes. The only reason I have a cadence computer on my main road bike is to get my stats when the bike is on the trainer. I think I have used the cadence mode maybe 3 or 4 times while riding on the road.

Here it is installed. Not bad for $19 dollars......



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I have a blackburn Delphi 6, that is a wireless computer, but with wired cadence. Occasional problem recording speed, but always due to the magnet being out of alignment slightly, and super easy to fix. Has been great and love the cadence feature. On one screen able to have speed, cadence, HR, time ridden and an arrow showing if I am above or below average ride speed.

One of the guys on my ride yesterday for some reason was picking up MY heart rate on his wireless computer.
It was an incredibly offensive invasion of my personal privacy.

Don't have lights, but I have NEVER seen the other two things happen.

I have, it's why I ditched my wireless computer after a week or so and went back to a 50x (generally get whatever is the oldest sigma I can find). Both traffic signals and other wireless whatevers when I walk the bike near/into stores. Admittedly the wireless was a nashbar one but I haven't been tempted to try any others. Hey, the wire works.

After re-mounting my Sigma, I found that my bladed spokes did not agree so much with the magnet mount. This resulted in one of two options: Close to the rim, or close to the hub. The magnet is not heavy, but I chose the hub placement as the rim placement cause a noticeable wobble.

Where do you wired types all typically mount your magnets?

Your right, but even as we speak the much more complicated electronic shifting is making headway, which in my opinion...like yours...is pointless. We see this in our cars today to, pointless technology. And all of this pointless technology adds to repair costs.

I run a CatEye Wireless, and I like it, but I recently discovered a perk of wired computers when a particularly rough road bounced the computer out of its bracket and I wasn't able to find it again.

I have had problems with several wired computers losing connection after torrential rain.

+1 on that one. A quick check to get all of the pooled water off the mounting bracket and dry the back of the computer took care of that problem. It takes a pretty impressive amount of rain to actually make it fail. I think I spent more time cleaning the drive train and lubing the cables on that day than anything else.

I've got a wired Cateye on the main rider (Giant) and a wireless, Db brand (on sale from Performance) on the 92 Paramount. The wireless is a PITA to operate. It is difficult to zero out, then zero's out when I don't want it to among the operational issues. I attribute the problems to the brand, not the wireless function. If I go wireless again, it will be with a Cateye.

I agree with you but the whole wired/wireless issue hasn't reached its tipping point like house phones have. Same goes with cell phones vs smart phones, regular flat screen TVs vs 3D TV. Cost difference is still a consideration.

Not to mention wired computers are much more reliable. Cost wasn't an issue for me, I owned three of them! But they don't last more then 3 or 4 years. I don't particularly like cell phones either because none of mine have lasted more then 2 years, but I need a cell phone so I put up with the BS, I don't need a bike computer, it's hobby and thus a want not a need, so I don't have to put up with the BS.

Speaking of rain, I've been in torrential rain fall many time and never had an issue with the wired computer stopping, even the one that I had that was 18 to 20 years old.

Cateye had a poorly designed bracket (not sure if their new stuff is designed better), I did toss my wireless computer on rough roads a couple of times but I was able to find it. The Sigma, while wired so it won't go anywhere anyways, the twist and lock bracket secures a lot better.

The reason we see it in cars is because that's what consumers want. People like GPS, climate control systems, audio systems that involve hands free operation or at least controls on the wheel, systems that tell you service is needed or add air to your tires, etc.

Hi, everyone. New here, but have been lurking for a while.
I have wired Cateye Astrale's on my bikes, have been completely reliable. In my opinion they are much less obtrusive than most wireless computers. There are two slim sensors on the left chainstay, and the wire runs up under the down tube. My bikes are dark, but if I had a white one I would just cover the wire with white electrical tape instead of black or blue. I think the only reason I would go wireless would be if I wanted GPS or HRM. Since I don't, I won't.
I had a similar discussion with my wife about cordless mouse and keyboard for the desktop computer. I don't see the point when they never go anywhere, but now we have two more things that need their batteries recharged at inconvenient times!

I have the Sigma BC1609 wireless cadence on my roadbike and I love it. Start up takes a couple of seconds and thats about it. No other issues at all so far.

Just picked up a Sigma BC509 wired computer for my hybrid today from Performance for $8. Haven't been able to test it out yet, been raining all day. I do prefer the look of the Sigmas over the Cateyes. Plus they are a better bang for the buck.