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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 |
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#2
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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? 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 |
#3
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Please: Consumer Assistance
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#4
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Please: Consumer Assistance
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 |
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Please: Consumer Assistance
"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. |
#6
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Please: Consumer Assistance
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 |
#7
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Please: Consumer Assistance
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 |
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