What Computer to buy!?
 

I just got into this whole thing, and I want a simple bike computer that will tell me: Speed, trip distance, and has an odometer. It can be wired or wireless. I also want to be able to load my data to strava, so that might be more expensive. So let me know what you think! I'm open to all kinds of suggestions.

Bogeer 816 only 5-8$ on ebay.

^^^^^^^^^^Yes. That or the Bell 100 for 12 dollars at Walmart. I just use my phone for Strava.

"V Meters or small computers only" Rule 74

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules

CC-GL10 | CATEYE

Cateye Stealth 10, it's about as basic as a gps computer gets. The Stealth 50 has extra features you don't need.

You might want to visit a store, look and talk to a salesperson. The most simple often have disadvantages you may not like. Things like average speed, time stopping when you do, automatic start, laps, etc. Also many people like cadence, especially when you start out.

not a blackburn delphi.

I just want to be clear, if you want to upload to Strava, you need a computer that collects GPS data. The cheapest are the Garmin Edge 200 and the Cateye Stealth 10 (there are also options from Wahoo but I believe they all need to connect to a cell phone- I don't know wahoo well). The Garmin and Cateye units are both solid choices. The Stealth 10 is cheaper, but the Edge 200 has a few extra bells and whistles. (If there's another ~$100 GPS computer out there, feel free to correct me.)

These cheaper gps units don't display your position, they just give you a speedometer, etc., and collect data for later viewing. They're easy to use, just mount them on your handlebar and ride, no need for any extra sensors or magnets on the bike.

If you don't need gps/strava, go with any Cateye computer (Edit: I've also liked Bontrager computers, particularly if you own a newer Trek bike). Don't compromise to save a few dollars, there is a LOT of junk out there. Pick a wireless model, they are a few dollars more, but wires on wired models fail eventually, and it's extra clutter on the bike.

Just remember, competing on Strava is dumb.

Garmin Edge 500/510

garmin 200 ftw

The Amazon page for that one says:

Is that true, or just bad copy editing?

Garmin 200 or 500 would be my choice if you are interested in Strava-ing.

The 500 is a pretty nice unit; it's the one I currently use and I don't really have an impulse to upgrade to anything right now.

I run the STRAVA app on my iPhone while riding to record the ride and monitor speed, distance and cadence on the computer. Usually STRAVA is close enough. When I grow up I want a Garmin.

Isn't Strava only operable with Android and iOS?

No, you don't need a smartphone or a bike computer to use strava.

I use Strava : Running and Cycling GPS Tracker, Performance Analytics, Maps, Clubs and Competition | Strava

Due to leg and back surgeries and subsequent loss of job necessitating a career change I have been unable to ride until about 2 months ago. My specialized computer with cadence went out on my 3-4 ride. So I took the plung and got the garmin edge 510. Pick it up tomorrow. While not a lot of miles by most standards I was able to bust out a nice rolling hills 22 mile ride Saturday and followed up with a 14 mile large climb ride Sunday. First time my son ever rode with me. It was nice. Good luck on your computer choice.

If/when Garmin steps up and dramatically improves the font of the Edge 500, I will upgrade and sell my 500. Love the computer and hate the display...font is much worse than a 25 dollar Cateye Wireless.

WUT?

i roll solo so e-competition is a bit fun. competition is competition.

Greetings,

That is why I don't use a dedicated cycling computer---their displays are so awful!!! My advice to the OP is to use a smartphone if you have one. I use a Samsung Galaxy Note II in a nice water-proof case. It has a large gorgeous display and I can run any fitness app available for Android. I've been using Endomondo Pro to track my rides for the past two years but I'm considering switching to Strava for the power meter support.

If you don't own a smartphone, then a dedicated cycling computer makes sense. But most cyclists do have smartphones and buying a good case/mount for it is often cheaper than a nice cycling computer.

If you want to know if your smartphone will work: It needs the following if you want to work with peripherals like heart monitors, cadence and speed sensors, and power meters:

1 - Either the iOS or Android operating system. In the case of Android, it should be 4.3 or higher in order to have Bluetooth 4 support (the "smart" low-power version).

2 - Hardware support for Bluetooth 4 (also known as "Bluetooth Smart"). This is the low-power Bluetooth that enables your phone to connect to peripheral devices like heart monitors, external cadence and speed sensors, and power meters. It draws less power than standard Bluetooth from your phone's battery as well as less power from the external device. Many of the latest external devices require it.

3 - ANT+ support if you plan to use an external device that requires it. For example, many Garmin devices connect wirelessly only via ANT+. ANT+ is considered to be inferior to Bluetooth 4 and, if all of your peripherals have Bluetooth 4 support, you don't need ANT+ capability at all. My smartphone does not have ANT+ support and I haven't needed it.

If all you want to do is track your distance, elevation change, speed and estimate calories burned during a ride, then you won't need any external sensors (Bluetooth 4 and ANT+ support won't be needed) and you can use any smartphone for which you can obtain a fitness app of your liking. The gps feature of the phone will provide all of the basic capability you need. The reason why some cyclists also add an external speed sensor is because: (A) it comes with many cadence sensors, (B) it is way more accurate than gps at displaying your instantaneous speed, and (C) it enables you to estimate your speed and distance when using your bike indoors on a trainer stand (gps would be useless then because your bike isn't moving).

Kind regards, RoadLight

Honestly, the display of the Garmin 500 never bothered me. It really isn't the best, kind of like a DOS screen, but I don't think it has ever been an issue. I can certainly always clearly see the numbers telling me I'm slow and not pushing hard enough.

Just out of curiosity...does the Garmin 810 or 1000 have a better font/display?

BTW, davidbunnell, the Garmin magnetless speed and cadence sensor are crasy easy to install and use, provided you are using an ANT+ wireless computer. I just recently started using them and find them to be ideal.

I tried using my android phone but it freezes up and doesn't get reception in some areas I ride as I live in the country.

This really depends on which smartphone. Smartphone display readability in direct sunlight is certainly not a given. At least half the Android phones out there are marginal at best (and many are completely unreadable in direct sunlight). Of those with displays that perform well outdoors, many have to run the backlight at such high levels that battery life is severely impacted. And battery life is the other "gotcha". Running the display (with high brightness), the radios, the GPS receiver, and the cycling software continuously is a significant power load. Relatively few Android phones can handle this for more than three hours, and many would be "on fumes" in under two.

So if you never see the sun and/or your rides never exceed three hours (and you don't mind finishing with a near dead phone battery), your chance of success using the average smartphone as a bike computer is ok. Otherwise, you need to carefully evaluate your phone's capabilities before considering this option. There are a handful of smartphones that actually excel at this -- notably the Sony Xperia Z series and some of the Samsung models -- but they're rarely the ones the carriers push with big contract subsidies. I have no experience with iPhones, so I can't comment on their suitability.

Many people will find that a basic bike computer for real-time speed and distance coupled with a smartphone running a GPS tracker in your jersey pocket with the screen off is an extremely effective solution (especially if you pick software that supports stored map files so you can put the radios in airplane mode). If disposable income is a consideration, I would only suggest moving to a Garmin-type solution (or a bike-mounted optimized smartphone) if you need to add heart rate and/or power meter data for structured training purposes.

For those that have trouble with small displays on basic computers, try the Cateye Padrone. It has a very large, clear speedometer.

The garmin 700 and up have very modifiable displays- you can make a single field/tile large if desired (though tbh I've never attempted to use the entire display as one single large field). Same with the 500, though it still has a fairly small display. A lot of money to pay for a big display though.

Cell phone apps are convenient (and becoming more so with all the apps and bluetooth gadgets), but I don't like the idea of carrying my expensive phone on my handlebars, nor needing to worry about battery life (I already use my phone a lot and need to watch the battery enough as it is). I've seen people kill their phones using them on the bike in the summer heat, too.

Hi Kopsis,

As far as I'm aware, display legibility in bright sunlight is a problem regardless whether you use a cycling computer or a smartphone. Certainly some will be better than others but both groups include good and bad. The only really good solution to that (IMHO) would be an e-ink display. Do any cycling computers offer one?

Battery life is an excellent point that I overlooked. I train for distance and ride centuries so this is no trivial matter for me. On my second century this year (2014 Apple Cider Century in Three Oaks, MI), I was approached by a cyclist whose cycle computer battery had just expired. Regretfully, I couldn't help him. If I remember correctly, he was doing either a 50 mile or 75 mile route. His route had joined the 100 mile route that I was close to finishing.

Regardless, whether a dedicated cycling computer or a smartphone is used, the battery life can be important if you are a long-distance cyclist like me. My daily training routes are each 35 miles long and take just under 2 hours.

In my case, I lock my display on rather than off (with the "No Screen Off extended" Android app) because I like to monitor my progress and compare my pace and heart rate to a previous workout while I'm riding. I also like to watch my speed because I often push myself to go faster on the downhills. In addition, I turn my display up to max brightness for a daylight ride but I allow its light sensor to dim it automatically if I ride into shadow. My smartphone's battery is bigger than most. In some respects it needs to be because my phone's display is huge. It can handle a workout with no problem even with the screen turned on the entire time and four radios running continuously (4G, GPS, Wifi, Bluetooth).

But I replaced the stock 3100 mAh battery last year with an after-market one that has twice the capacity (6200 mAh). It requires a special battery cover to accommodate its larger size. I can run an entire century if I'm careful---but it's tight. So I added an external battery/charger with a 15000 mAh capacity. I carry it in a bag behind my seat and it connects via a USB cable that I attach temporarily to my frame when its needed. I use it to trickle charge the battery in the phone during the century ride and it gives me a comfortable margin. But I have to manage it wisely because most smartphones cannot charge the battery as fast it is being drained when four radios are on AND the display is locked on and set to it max brightness, too. So you have to begin trickle charging at the beginning of the century and basically slow the drain.

I don't know if such flexibility is available for most dedicated cycling computers but they are for most smartphones. You rarely need to be limited by the stock battery, regardless of the phone. At the very least, you can connect an external battery via USB like I do on my centuries.

Back to the OP, the primary point that I hoped to make is that a smartphone is a viable alternative to a dedicated cycling computer. For me, it is a superior alternative. And, since most of us have one anyway, it can save money to use it instead of buying another gadget. The OP asked for recommendations on what computer to buy. Even if the OP doesn't have a smartphone now, other readers probably do and may want to consider using it.

Finally, their is one circumstance where I wouldn't use my smartphone. Raiden reminded me of it---heat. If you ride where it gets really hot (I'm originally from Florida) or worse---hot and humid---then I agree with Raiden that an expensive smartphone is not advised. Besides, most smartphones have "smart" charging circuits that monitor the temperature of the battery and reduce their recharge rate when they get hot in order to protect them from overheating. My external battery/charger option wouldn't work under those conditions. And the batteries become less efficient when hot so you probably won't get as much life out of it. If I had to deal with high heat, I'd opt for a cheap cycling computer. But I don't have that problem. I've lived in Michigan for over 25 years and, while it can get hot in the summer here, too, most of my riding is fairly cool. And if it does get hot, I ride early in the morning (often starting before sunrise). Most of our centuries are in the fall when our biggest concern is rain and wind.

You have to pick a solution that will work best for you and your budget.

Kind regards, RoadLight