I am looking for cheap bike computer - all I really care about is probably current speed, distance, average speed and time.

I have a wireless computer one one bike, and the wireless feature seems pretty valueless to me.

What I am really after is a simple interface. I seem to be able to touch some incorrect button on my current computer and get lost in the wrong menu.

I see the Planet Bike Protege 9.0 on sale for $29.99 at REI, and it looks like I have everything I need.

https://www.rei.com/product/786490/pl...-bike-computer

From what I can tell, it looks like t doesn't even have button - push the computer forward on the mounting bracket for less than one second changes the 4th line of the display, for more than one second resets the per ride stats.

Is it really that simple?

Does anyone have one of these?

Mike

Yes! It's really that simple.
Have one on our tandem and one on my racing bike.

I am looking for cheap bike computer

I use these on my road and touring bike.

https://www.dealextreme.com/p/sunding...edometer-24075

Sigma BC1609 w/ cadence

You can find em for around $30. Only downside is it's wired but to some that's a major plus for reliability and accuracy.

I have a Sigma 1606L right now - too many dang buttons. If I hit the wrong button, I have to give up up on using the computer until I get back home and dig out the manual and escape from menu hell.

I do not want a button that is accessible while I am riding that gets me into any kind of setup mode:

• Why would I want to change the setup while I am riding?
• If I never want to change the setup while riding, why give me a button that can be tapped while riding that lets me change the setup when riding?
• For example, I would think that I would almost never need to change the display language while riding. I guess it's possible that I could start a ride with the display in German, and get so tired I forget German - and want to switch back to English. I guess that it is possible. But it's pretty darn unlikely. So why the heck give me a button that I can hot accidentally while riding that take me into menu - from which there is no apparent escape - that lets me switch the display language?

Don't worry I am willing to entertain the possibility that I am not the sharpest tool in the shed...

Mike

I have the $25.00 Bontrager computer. Speed, time of day, odometer, trip odometer and max speed. Not wireless and works fine.

It is that simple. I have been using one for a few years now and I don't have any complaints. I have dropped mine numerous times, and it still continues to work. I had a nice Specialized computer, dropped it once, and that was it. The PB computer is durable enough, easy to use, and I have found it to be very accurate once dialed in with the correct wheel circumference.

I have the wireless one (which has the standard analog wireless computer issues).

It's a good computer. Large display with lots of useful information on it.

The accuracy is mostly the result of using "correct" wheel circumference.

The computers count wheel rotations, which all (but the crappiest) computers can do extremely easily and reliably.

Wireless computers (sometimes) have interference issues. Analog wireless can often get "over count" errors that cause one's current speed to read high (way too high, sometimes!). If there are short-term "under count" errors, it won't be any sort of issue (the worse thing that would happen is your current speed reads too low). Except for max speed results, missed counts won't effect averages and distance traveled numbers.

Wireless computers have an additional complication with regards to accuracy because they start to under count (and read erratically) when the battery power runs too low. If you observe this, consider changing the battery (before blaming the computer!).

The computer uses the wheel circumference to convert wheel rotation counts to speed and distance traveled. The wheel circumference has to be accurate (the wheel count is nearly always very, very accurate).

You have to hold down the lower left-hand button for three seconds to enter setup mode. During the ride, the two buttons on the right are all you would ever need to touch.

It is nice that the Planet Bike Protegé has a single button function, but the Sigma is a much superior computer. I've used them both, and the Sigma is far more durable and reliable. One long ride in the rain and the Protegé was never the same again, and dead within months. The Sigma computers, both wired and wireless, seem utterly impervious to weather and virtually indestructible. I can't think of any good reason that the Protegé should be so vulnerable to weather conditions, but it is. On the Sigma, change the battery every now and then and don't drop it onto the pavement while riding (the only way I managed to kill one), and you should be fine.

Of course, if you never get caught in the rain, you should be fine, but the ability of the Sigma computers to shrug off everything I've ever thrown at them makes me think that they'll just last longer, no matter what.

Thanks for all of the input. I bought the wired version. I didn't have magnet set in the right place for yesterday's ride, but the screen and the simplicity are exactly what I was seeking.

How many Planet Bike computers have you seen this problem in? It is risky to base conclusions on one sample.

No bicycle computer is designed to be waterproof. Which means, in the case of real deluges, it's a possibility that any computer can crap out.

The Sigmas are well-regarded computers.

I'll be the first to admit that N=1 isn't a scientific study. But you can get an impression of a product this way, and my impression is that the Planet Bike computers are cheap pieces of crap in every way. That might have something to do with my expectations, and I know lots of other people are happy with the Protegé. I definitely agree that no computer is designed to be waterproof; I wouldn't recommend submerging a Sigma computer in water and expecting it to continue function properly. All I can say, from experience, is that I've had three Sigma computers, two wired and one wireless, and have been caught out in the rain with each multiple times and had absolutely nothing but the usual rock-solid performance from each. One rainy day with the Protegé and it was going blank and fritzing out. Maybe I just got a crummy one, I admit. I do hope the OP likes his!

It's not even objective. Heck, a sample size of 3 isn't a "scientific study"!

Maybe, you were just unlucky. It's even possible that you assembled it incorrectly.

It's quite possible (likely, even) that some Sigma user somewhere had the same problem you had with the PB computer.

There isn't a problem with describing your experience. The problem is your drawing a conclusion from a sample size of one.

I've had my PB computer out in a few rain storms and it's still working. It doesn't appear that they are known for this issue.

One big problem with online "product evaluations" is that the evaluations are strongly skewed to people that have problems with the product. That is, most of the online reviews are from a rare number of dissatisfied people.

So I bought the Protege 9.0, and took my 1st long ride with it last night.

It did exactly what I needed it to do.

I think that the interface is excellent - the configuration buttons that I will never never need to press when I I am on the bike aren't available when I am on the bike. That means that I can't press one by accident.

I also looked at the Vetta Solar Flare, which seemed to have a similar button interface. The solar aspect is cool - but in truth, it's hard to know how how important that is. I can't imagine that I'll have to change the battery in the Protege all that often.

None the less, if the Solar Flare had been available at my local REI, I would probably have picked that instead. If the Protege proved to be less reliable than I need it to be, I'll probably return it and get the Solar Flare.

https://www.vetta.com/Tech%20Support/...)_Rev(2.2).pdf

Or maybe not - apparently if is not available locally, it's not warrantied - that seems sort of odd for an electronic item with no (apparently) serviceable parts.

"This warranty is void if the components were not
purchased (new) from or through an authorized
VETTA retailer or dealer. Examples of
unauthorized dealers are online auction sites or
online retailers."

Well, since this popped up again - there's just no way to make a scientific study of cycling computer reliability. And as for drawing a conclusion about a product from a sample size of one, that is all any of us can do when we make purchases. I've shared my impressions of the product. I didn't like it, and if most people have had a good experience, that's fine and all. But calling me out for dissing a product because my "sample size" is too small seems pretty pointless. After all, I'm familiar with the phenomenon you discuss. Again, all I have to go on is a single bad experience from one manufacturer, and three consistently good experiences from another. There's nothing for it. And that's why I tend to be skeptical of negative online reviews when shopping for things unless they're very consistent.

Ultimately, if the OP's computer goes bad a few months down the line he's out, what, $25? I can't say that my experience of spending $20 on the PB computer and having it die after six months was a huge deal. Even for a broke college student (which I was at the time), $20-$25 over six months isn't a big waste. But hey, what's wrong with sharing the experience? I just don't understand what your problem is with this.

This is wrong (and rather obviously so).

You, and others, should be skeptical of negative online reviews, including your negative online review!

As I said, I have no problem with you "sharing your experience". My problem is your conclusion from a sample size of one!

And, the other problem is this: