Please: Consumer Assistance

I've been reading the posts and FAQs about whether to have computers and
helmets, and decided that I want both. But the available choices are
overwhelming to a newbie!

For a recreational rider, what might be prime considerations for computers
that include cadence function? Are there brand names that should be skipped
or treasured? The online shops have 40+ models available, making this way
confusing -- 1, 2 or 3 buttons; wired & wireless; wide display or compact.
I'm thinking that about $45 is my emotional limit, and I would like
cadence....

I'll likely buy a helmet locally, but they range from $35 to $135 at the
LBS. What criteria will help me make an informed choice? Are there insights
to help me know that I'm getting a proper fit? Recreational rider in hot &
humid Houston.

Finally, I can't find a listing to define/explain OP where it seems to refer
to a newbie (like me). Help?

Thanks,
--M. Powell

I've been reading the posts and FAQs about whether to have computers and
helmets, and decided that I want both. But the available choices are
overwhelming to a newbie!

For a recreational rider, what might be prime considerations for computers
that include cadence function? Are there brand names that should be
skipped
or treasured? The online shops have 40+ models available, making this way
confusing -- 1, 2 or 3 buttons; wired & wireless; wide display or compact.
I'm thinking that about $45 is my emotional limit, and I would like
cadence....

I'll likely buy a helmet locally, but they range from $35 to $135 at the
LBS. What criteria will help me make an informed choice? Are there
insights
to help me know that I'm getting a proper fit? Recreational rider in hot &
humid Houston.

Finally, I can't find a listing to define/explain OP where it seems to
refer
to a newbie (like me). Help?

Have you found a local bike shop that you can trust? That's probably the
best way to start.

If you get a computer locally and something goes wrong, chances are they'll
take care of it for you... which is also powerful motivation for them to
sell you something decent. I'd recommend taking a look at the new Cateye
Astrale 11, which is in your price range (less than $40) and has a good
history of reliability... plus, it's common enough that, if you lose the
programming directions, you'll have no problem getting help for a shop or
on-line. Regarding wireless, it's generally not practical for a unit with
cadence, and absolutely not as reliable.

For helmets, it's all about style, fit & ventilation. At $40 you get a
*lot* of bang for the buck, with new retention systems that almost suck the
helmet into your head such that it stays there, even if it's unstrapped.
HUGE improvement over just a few years ago! Go up the food chain a bit and
you get better ventilation (more and larger vents) for around $70. At $150
you get the lightest-possible models with the best attention to graphic
details (in other words, they look cool). But it's important to keep in
mind that the amount of protection offered by a $40 model is every bit as
much as that of a $150 helmet.

There are lots of nice helmets out there; in our store, the $40 option would
be the TREK Vapor, while at just $60-70 the new TREK Interval rules the
roost. Holding down the high end would be the Giro Pneumo at $140. Those
are just the ones we sell; there are many other nice helmets out there.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

In article . net,
says...

....

Finally, I can't find a listing to define/explain OP where it seems to refer
to a newbie (like me). Help?

OP means "Original Poster", the person who first asked the question, or
the one who started the thread.

You already got good answers to the other questions, so I'll not bother
being redundant except to say that a knowledgeable bike shop is always a
good starting point.

--

"Where was the ka-boom? There was supposed to be an Earth-shattering ka-
boom!"
- Marvin The Martian

On Thu, 04 Sep 2003 03:32:53 GMT, M Powell
wrote:
I've been reading the posts and FAQs about whether to have computers and
helmets, and decided that I want both. But the available choices are
overwhelming to a newbie!

I agree with your choices.

For a recreational rider, what might be prime considerations for
computers

IME (In My Experience), I've found that I do well by
just shopping for exactly the functions I want for the
price I want to pay.

that include cadence function? Are there brand names that should be
skipped or treasured?

I have always bought with cadence, and have a Trek Sonic,
a Specialized Elite, and a Cateye Astrale. The Trek is
from 97 and the other two are from the past couple years.
They are all quite similar, and I'll bet others are too.

The only important difference I've noted, besides a few
minor features in the newer two that aren't present in
the older one, is that the Cateye gives me much quicker
readings, especially on cadence. I think it reads cadence
even when I don't have it set to display cadence, so it's
ready when I want to see it.

Oh, also, the Cateye has some cool features about how it
displays things -- you can switch cadence to the big
display and speed to the small display, for example.

Okay, I wholeheartedly reccommend the Cateye Astrale.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...569&Store=Bike

It's $20 at performance right now. The only way to beat
that price is to buy it from a returned-goods section,
like I did at Nashbar ($15, I think).

The online shops have 40+ models available, making this way
confusing -- 1, 2 or 3 buttons; wired & wireless; wide display or
compact.

My Specialized has 3 buttons, but I find that it only
uses one button for all the things I do, which is
annoying. The Cateye and the Trek are both two-button
and well balanced between the buttons.

Wireless is good if you want it. I don't know if you
will find one with wireless cadence, though, so you
will have to run wires either way -- they're no
problem, just find some nice place to wrap them so
you don't have ugly excess wire hanging out all over
the place.

I wrap excess wire around a cable housing near the
handlebar.

Wide display vs. compact: No clue. I imagine you get
to see everything at once with wide display, but that
could get difficult to pick out what you want to see,
and could cost a little drag (if you're concerned
with aerodynamics at all).

I'm thinking that about $45 is my emotional limit, and I would like
cadence....

Can't beat the Cateye Astrale.

I'll likely buy a helmet locally, but they range from $35 to $135 at the
LBS. What criteria will help me make an informed choice? Are there
insights
to help me know that I'm getting a proper fit? Recreational rider in hot
& humid Houston.

You know you have a proper fit when you can wear it
without it feeling too weird. I've always bought
inexpensive helmets; but more expensive ones may
provide better ventilation. I live in hot & humid
Rhode Island, and survive with cheap helmets, though
I sweat profusely, regardless of whether I'm wearing
a helmet or not.

Finally, I can't find a listing to define/explain OP where it seems to
refer to a newbie (like me). Help?

OP == Original Post[er]. The first message in the
thread, or the person who posted that message.

Thanks,
--M. Powell
--
Rick Onanian

"M Powell" wrote in message link.net...
For a recreational rider, what might be prime considerations for computers
that include cadence function? Are there brand names that should be skipped
or treasured? The online shops have 40+ models available, making this way
confusing -- 1, 2 or 3 buttons; wired & wireless; wide display or compact.
I'm thinking that about $45 is my emotional limit, and I would like
cadence....

Hi - I'm pretty happy with my Cateye Enduro 2 - it does not have
cadence on it though, but there are other computers in the Cateye line
that do. Probably more buttons make it easier to do the various
functions without having to differentiate between say "press" and
"press and hold" to do different things. Pick a display you find nice
to read. A friend of mine complained that his wireless computer
sometimes skips readings depending on location (under electricity
wires?), so I decided to go with wired - plus wired ones are cheaper.
Other features some computers may have that others don't: waterproof
(important if you want to ride in the rain), ability to quick switch
between two wheel sizes (makes it easy to change between say a
mountain bike and road bike)

I'll likely buy a helmet locally, but they range from $35 to $135 at the
LBS. What criteria will help me make an informed choice? Are there insights
to help me know that I'm getting a proper fit? Recreational rider in hot &
humid Houston.

For one thing, you want the helmet to feel comfortable. Try several
different brands on until you find the one you like the best. If the
helmet doesn't feel good, you won't want to wear it. You'll want a
fair number of vents in order to keep your head cool in the humidity -
the cheapest models usually have the least. And more expensive helmets
in addition to more vents are usually lighterweight. A good LBS will
help to adjust the helmet so that its a good fit. You want it to fit
snug on your head. You also don't want it to come off your head during
a collision, so if you hit the front of the helmet with your palm, you
don't want the helmet to go backwards off your head.

Many thanks to the group for the assistance. And I feel a proper rube for
the OP question! I listen in on about 5 other groups, but this one was new
to me.

Thanks!

--M. Powell

"M Powell" wrote in message
ink.net...
I've been reading the posts and FAQs about whether to have computers and
SNIP

Many thanks to the group for the assistance. And I feel a proper rube for
the OP question! I listen in on about 5 other groups, but this one was new
to me.

Many thanks also for getting back to the newsgroup! It's so often the case
that somebody posts a question, gets lots of helpful replies, and is never
heard from again. Very nice of you to respond.

--Mike--
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com

"M Powell" wrote in message
ink.net...
Many thanks to the group for the assistance. And I feel a proper rube for
the OP question! I listen in on about 5 other groups, but this one was new
to me.

Thanks!

--M. Powell

"M Powell" wrote in message
ink.net...
I've been reading the posts and FAQs about whether to have computers and
SNIP