Wired or wireless cycle computer/odometer?

On 08/06/2015 11:38, Bod wrote:
I've always used a wired one, but am thinking of changing to wireless.
How accurate are the wireless ones? Anyone had experience with using them?

Presumably an odometer measures a cyclists odour.

In article ,
David Lang wrote:
On 08/06/2015 11:38, Bod wrote:
I've always used a wired one, but am thinking of changing to
wireless. How accurate are the wireless ones? Anyone had
experience with using them?

Presumably an odometer measures a cyclists odour.

Flawed thinking. Thinking along those lines will have you believing
that electricity coming from electrons means that morality comes
from morons. And vegetable oil coming from vegetables means baby
oil comes from babies. You'll find it's a bit more complicated than
that.
--
Dennis Davis

In article ,
Alycidon wrote:
On Monday, 8 June 2015 13:38:09 UTC+3, Bod wrote:
I've always used a wired one, but am thinking of changing to
wireless. How accurate are the wireless ones? Anyone had
experience with using them?

Why not use a Garmin Edge?

Poor battery life. You can fiddle with the settings, but you aren't
going to get more than 24 hours use out of these things. Probably
OK for the carbon cockroaches that litter the landscape riding
sportives. But of less use for longer rides or a succession of
short journeys.

The internal rechargeable battery is not a consumer replaceable
item. So how many charging cycles can you get before they're
useless? Can you get the internal battery replaced? if so, how much
does it cost? For how long will battery replacement be available
for discontinued devices?

The battery in a wired/wireless computer lasts months. I buy them
-- CR2032 lithium batteries -- in boxes of 10 by mail order. I use
these batteries in other devices and it's useful to keep a stock.

I find the battery in a wireless transmitter mounted on the forks
lasts a *really* long time. Current is only drawn from the battery
when the wheel magnet passes the transmitter and closes the circuit.
So even in use it's not that often. Just make sure you don't park
the bike with than magnet adjacent to the transmitter and so closing
the circuit.

I've seen accuracy affected by strong electrical interference. And
the leaf spring in the wireless transmitter or wired sensor can be
bounced shut, closing the circuit, on bumpy rides. Doesn't happen
very often and this usually only affects the top speed recorded.
Not really a problem.

Great if you get lost too.

Mapnav. Use a map. The ancient and noble art of mapnav is a viable
option.
--
Dennis Davis

On 08/06/2015 20:00, Tosspot wrote:
On 08/06/15 12:38, Bod wrote:
I've always used a wired one, but am thinking of changing to wireless.
How accurate are the wireless ones? Anyone had experience with using
them?

Ime sender battery goes flat after 5 revolutions of the wheel :-( Ok, I
exaggerate, but they are a pain imho,

Oh, that's not very good. I'll stick to wired.
Thanks.

On 08/06/2015 20:07, TMS320 wrote:
"Bod" wrote
On 08/06/2015 13:06, Alycidon wrote:

Why not use a Garmin Edge?
Great if you get lost too.

http://www.garmin.com/uk/training

Interesting, but a little OTT for the distances that I cover (6 to 8
miles......on a sunny day day :-)
Nice bit of kit that Garmin Edge though.

Depends on which one. The Edge 200 is the cheapest and intended as a basic
computer replacement but it is buggy and displays silly stuff such as
unfeasible numbers of calories and doesn't have a usable clock.

If what is wanted is a ride logger in the pannier and weather proofing not
important, I suggest smartphones are now more capable at a
much lower price. I have an Alcatel C1 Pop (now down to £20-30) and the gps
tracklogs are actually better than the 200. Battery life (in aeroplane mode)
seems little different. So a basic computer still sits on the handlebar.



Hmm, food for thought. Ta.

On 08/06/2015 21:27, Nick wrote:
On 08/06/2015 20:07, TMS320 wrote:
"Bod" wrote
On 08/06/2015 13:06, Alycidon wrote:

Why not use a Garmin Edge?
Great if you get lost too.

http://www.garmin.com/uk/training

Interesting, but a little OTT for the distances that I cover (6 to 8
miles......on a sunny day day :-)
Nice bit of kit that Garmin Edge though.

Depends on which one. The Edge 200 is the cheapest and intended as a basic
computer replacement but it is buggy and displays silly stuff such as
unfeasible numbers of calories and doesn't have a usable clock.

If what is wanted is a ride logger in the pannier and weather proofing not
important, I suggest smartphones are now more capable at a
much lower price. I have an Alcatel C1 Pop (now down to £20-30) and the gps
tracklogs are actually better than the 200. Battery life (in aeroplane mode)
seems little different. So a basic computer still sits on the handlebar.


I have a Garmin Edge 800 and it is fun but the heart rate monitor has
problems with nylon tops and it is generally disappointing compared to a
modern Smart Phone, considering its price.

I think you need the smart phone to have Ant to work with external
sensors, like heart rate, or cadence.

Righto.

On 09/06/2015 07:56, Dennis Davis wrote:
In article ,
Alycidon wrote:
On Monday, 8 June 2015 13:38:09 UTC+3, Bod wrote:
I've always used a wired one, but am thinking of changing to
wireless. How accurate are the wireless ones? Anyone had
experience with using them?

Why not use a Garmin Edge?

Poor battery life. You can fiddle with the settings, but you aren't
going to get more than 24 hours use out of these things. Probably
OK for the carbon cockroaches that litter the landscape riding
sportives. But of less use for longer rides or a succession of
short journeys.

The internal rechargeable battery is not a consumer replaceable
item. So how many charging cycles can you get before they're
useless? Can you get the internal battery replaced? if so, how much
does it cost? For how long will battery replacement be available
for discontinued devices?

The battery in a wired/wireless computer lasts months. I buy them
-- CR2032 lithium batteries -- in boxes of 10 by mail order. I use
these batteries in other devices and it's useful to keep a stock.

I find the battery in a wireless transmitter mounted on the forks
lasts a *really* long time. Current is only drawn from the battery
when the wheel magnet passes the transmitter and closes the circuit.
So even in use it's not that often. Just make sure you don't park
the bike with than magnet adjacent to the transmitter and so closing
the circuit.

I've seen accuracy affected by strong electrical interference. And
the leaf spring in the wireless transmitter or wired sensor can be
bounced shut, closing the circuit, on bumpy rides. Doesn't happen
very often and this usually only affects the top speed recorded.
Not really a problem.

Great if you get lost too.

Mapnav. Use a map. The ancient and noble art of mapnav is a viable
option.

Ok thanks. Interesting.

On Tuesday, 9 June 2015 09:56:56 UTC+3, Dennis Davis wrote:
In article ,
Alycidon wrote:
On Monday, 8 June 2015 13:38:09 UTC+3, Bod wrote:
I've always used a wired one, but am thinking of changing to
wireless. How accurate are the wireless ones? Anyone had
experience with using them?

Why not use a Garmin Edge?

Poor battery life. You can fiddle with the settings, but you aren't
going to get more than 24 hours use out of these things. Probably
OK for the carbon cockroaches that litter the landscape riding
sportives. But of less use for longer rides or a succession of
short journeys.

If you are staying at a spot that has 240VAC, you can recharge the internal battery overnight.

Great if you get lost too.

Mapnav. Use a map. The ancient and noble art of mapnav is a viable
option.

I have just driven to Brasov from the UK over the past week and a map would have been tedious and dangerous, so I used this instead.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/on-t...rod168823.html

On 08/06/2015 12:39, Rob Morley wrote:
On Mon, 08 Jun 2015 11:38:06 +0100
Bod wrote:

I've always used a wired one, but am thinking of changing to wireless.
How accurate are the wireless ones? Anyone had experience with using
them?

I had a cheap wireless one (from Lidl, I think, with heart monitor)
which worked fine, except if I had it in my pocket when I went into a
shop with security scanners on the door it went crazy.
IME wired computers aren't any trouble as long as you route the wire
carefully and secure it adequately - I usually wrap it around the front
brake cable.
You need to be careful with either type if you're in the habit of
dropping wheels out to put the bike in your car, but at least if you
snag a wireless sensor it won't rip the wire out. :-)

Just remembered, my wireless computer frequently assumed I had been
travelling at 70 odd mph (which secretly pleased me very much) ;-)

On 09/06/2015 10:52, Alycidon wrote:
On Tuesday, 9 June 2015 09:56:56 UTC+3, Dennis Davis wrote:
In article ,
Alycidon wrote:
On Monday, 8 June 2015 13:38:09 UTC+3, Bod wrote:
I've always used a wired one, but am thinking of changing to
wireless. How accurate are the wireless ones? Anyone had
experience with using them?

Why not use a Garmin Edge?

Poor battery life. You can fiddle with the settings, but you aren't
going to get more than 24 hours use out of these things. Probably
OK for the carbon cockroaches that litter the landscape riding
sportives. But of less use for longer rides or a succession of
short journeys.

If you are staying at a spot that has 240VAC, you can recharge the internal battery overnight.

Great if you get lost too.

Mapnav. Use a map. The ancient and noble art of mapnav is a viable
option.

I have just driven to Brasov from the UK over the past week and a map would have been tedious and dangerous, so I used this instead.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/on-t...rod168823.html

Wow! that is some piece of kit and up for consideration, thanks.