Bike Computer for Touring, Which & Why
 

Which bike computer do you use? Do you like it? Hate it?

Which features would you recommend for bike tourer in the market for a new computer? Waterproof? Wireless? Bombproof?

I have a Cateye, and I hate it. This is the second Cateye I have had that has given me problems. Thankfully, it was free. This one doesn't fully connect with the contacts, so frequently it stops receiving and posting new info, and just shuts down. I will not be buying Cateye ever again, and when I do buy another, it will be wireless.

Hi,
I use a Planet Bike speedo. Cheap, lots of info on the screen, but best of all.. it turns itself on. But for touirng, I don't think it matters.
Things I don't have, but would like...
1)Watts (expensive)
2) Inclinometer that tracks how much you've climbed. (not barometric). I really like that idea. Specialized has one.

I had an expensive one with an altimeter in it and it self destructed on tour. I replaced it with a $9.25 one from a Nashbar sale, and it works great. Even better, it doesn't have average speed on it, so I don't have to get depressed about how slow I'm going. Somethings I don't want to know.

I've used Cateye's forever. After losing one in a stream and going back to find it 30 minutes later and it was still running, I was hooked. I use an Enduro which is simple but functional. It has two trip odo's rather than one so I can keep track of my total trip mileage as well as daily mileage as well as yearly mileage. The trip odo's are only good for 1000 miles however, then they reset to 0.0. Something I didn't know until I watched it roll over from 999.8 to 999.9 to 0.0 :mad: . That killed my photo op.

Stuart Black

I only use cateyes now also, I've had good luck with them, and they are fairly cheap.

An expensive wireless Vetta computer crapped out on me once after a couple of thousand miles, so I don't buy them anymore.

PS I've also had issue with the terminals not making good contact, but this is not solved by going wireless.

No, I know wireless will not solve the contact issue, I just mentioned that because I have also had problems with the wire leading into the mount getting damaged, and I figured that wouldn't be an issue with wireless. Less crap cluttering up the front end of the bike as well.

Hmmm... used Cateyes almost exclusively. The contacts do need cleaning off with a pocket knife blade from time to time if you ride in the rain. But all bike computers seem to be like that.

I have used the lower end ones with the usual plus average speed, but not maximum speed. Up to now, the models have had only one button, on the trailing edge, plus the reset button on the back. I lost my favourite one on a recent randonnee, so that bike now has a replacement Enduro 2 with dual trip logs, but two buttons (still on the trailing edge).

I refer to buttons because a jeweller friend of mine, in discussing watches, said the more holes there are in an electronic device, the more chance of water getting in and causing problems.

Of course, there are some who tour without any computer at all -- citing the ride and enjoyment as being more important than numbers. Also eliminates another source of frustration.

I'm also using a cateye and am impressed with it. It's still going like a champ even after it survived a 30 minute washing machine cycle, had a bird eat the red reset button and the other day I dropped it leaving it with a cracked front glass. Probably not too waterproof now...

Sigma Targa.
Big Numbers, :) Auto mode and it goes to 99999 km. :)

I use one with an altimeter. It's good to know how much you have still to climb. You can calculate your arrival time because it has a subfunktion "climbing meters per hour". It has an average Watts calculator, too. Some people like that for training pourpose.
marmotte

I have a Cateye Cadence computer. I'm a cadence rider, focusing on cadence (not speed) has really helped my climbing. The Cateye models let you display the Cadence in a larger top window and speed (or any other variable) in a smaller lower window. It's a $34-ish in the catalogs, it's a great value.

I've always wanted a backlit computer (like the timex indiglo) and Cateye has just introduced one,, but it's $145 and I can't really justify it.
Cheers,
Ed