Bell Dashboard 100, re-enter odo numbers?

Had to change the battery again on my Bell Dashboard 100 cycling
speedometer. Or what they call "cycle computer" In the manual it says
one can re-enter the odometer reading but nowhere it says how. When I
contacted Bell years ago they said "no, you can't". Does anyone know a
secret trick Bell doesn't know?

I keep a log but it gets old having to calculate to see when the rear
tire or other stuff is nearing end-of-life. Mainly to avoid a *KAPOW*
surprise way out in the boonies. Many tires don't have TWI.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Joerg wrote:
Had to change the battery again on my Bell Dashboard 100 cycling
speedometer. Or what they call "cycle computer" In the manual it says
one can re-enter the odometer reading but nowhere it says how. When I
contacted Bell years ago they said "no, you can't". Does anyone know a
secret trick Bell doesn't know?

I keep a log but it gets old having to calculate to see when the rear
tire or other stuff is nearing end-of-life. Mainly to avoid a *KAPOW*
surprise way out in the boonies. Many tires don't have TWI.


No idea sorry haven't used a computer like that for years they used to
drive me potty to be honest.

I'm guessing isn't your sort of thing, but at least one of the GPS
training/logging sites you can keep a list of bikes and components hence I
can see on average how long X part tends to last.

More normally I use it as note to check chains once they have hit likely
mileages.

Roger Merriman

On 2017-07-28 14:03, Roger Merriman wrote:
Joerg wrote:
Had to change the battery again on my Bell Dashboard 100 cycling
speedometer. Or what they call "cycle computer" In the manual it says
one can re-enter the odometer reading but nowhere it says how. When I
contacted Bell years ago they said "no, you can't". Does anyone know a
secret trick Bell doesn't know?

I keep a log but it gets old having to calculate to see when the rear
tire or other stuff is nearing end-of-life. Mainly to avoid a *KAPOW*
surprise way out in the boonies. Many tires don't have TWI.


No idea sorry haven't used a computer like that for years they used to
drive me potty to be honest.


Yeah, their setup isn't the most intuitive. They also failed to design
in a reliable low battery warning. Mine started to ignore button presses
and the LCD was a bit pale. Turned out the battery was at 1.15V, amazing
that it still logged miles.


I'm guessing isn't your sort of thing, but at least one of the GPS
training/logging sites you can keep a list of bikes and components hence I
can see on average how long X part tends to last.

More normally I use it as note to check chains once they have hit likely
mileages.


I'd like to keep it simple, don't want to turn my bikes into rolling
computers. I was just wondering about the discrepancy between what the
manual says and what their customer service said.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Joerg wrote:
On 2017-07-28 14:03, Roger Merriman wrote:
Joerg wrote:
Had to change the battery again on my Bell Dashboard 100 cycling
speedometer. Or what they call "cycle computer" In the manual it says
one can re-enter the odometer reading but nowhere it says how. When I
contacted Bell years ago they said "no, you can't". Does anyone know a
secret trick Bell doesn't know?

I keep a log but it gets old having to calculate to see when the rear
tire or other stuff is nearing end-of-life. Mainly to avoid a *KAPOW*
surprise way out in the boonies. Many tires don't have TWI.


No idea sorry haven't used a computer like that for years they used to
drive me potty to be honest.


Yeah, their setup isn't the most intuitive. They also failed to design
in a reliable low battery warning. Mine started to ignore button presses
and the LCD was a bit pale. Turned out the battery was at 1.15V, amazing
that it still logged miles.


I'm guessing isn't your sort of thing, but at least one of the GPS
training/logging sites you can keep a list of bikes and components hence I
can see on average how long X part tends to last.

More normally I use it as note to check chains once they have hit likely
mileages.


I'd like to keep it simple, don't want to turn my bikes into rolling
computers. I was just wondering about the discrepancy between what the
manual says and what their customer service said.

I can see/understand that. But the bell being a cheap cycle computer they
probably don't expect anyone to replace the battery it is a fairly
disposable tech since the higher end ones are now GPS etc.

Thing about software is it can do mundane stuff much easier with less
hassle, I do use Higher end GPS computers over three bikes, and I let it
log the miles my bikes and tyres/chains etc are. It's near zero effort. I
did used to log the bikes miles before but not generally the parts as it
was just too much hassle.

I do deliberately buy the models that don't have that many features since I
will not use or want to be bothered by them. Had them for years they just
work to be honest.

Roger Merriman

"Joerg" wrote in message ...
Had to change the battery again on my Bell Dashboard 100 cycling
speedometer. Or what they call "cycle computer" In the manual it says
one can re-enter the odometer reading but nowhere it says how. When I
contacted Bell years ago they said "no, you can't". Does anyone know a
secret trick Bell doesn't know?

I keep a log but it gets old having to calculate to see when the rear
tire or other stuff is nearing end-of-life. Mainly to avoid a *KAPOW*
surprise way out in the boonies. Many tires don't have TWI.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Looking at your day job from the above link why not just design a circuit to replicate the job of the magnet which is only a switch which is creating a pulsed current/voltage read by the head unit electronics. Then set the tyre size to maximum and determine the maximum response frequency of the head unit circuitry and simulate pulses at that frequency. If the frequency is reasonably high it should not take too long to reset the mileage. With a tyre circumference of 9999mm, if it will take that, then you are looking at 10m per Hz.

Graham.

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This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

On 2017-07-29 02:14, Graham wrote:

"Joerg" wrote in message
...
Had to change the battery again on my Bell Dashboard 100 cycling
speedometer. Or what they call "cycle computer" In the manual it
says one can re-enter the odometer reading but nowhere it says how.
When I contacted Bell years ago they said "no, you can't". Does
anyone know a secret trick Bell doesn't know?

I keep a log but it gets old having to calculate to see when the
rear tire or other stuff is nearing end-of-life. Mainly to avoid a
*KAPOW* surprise way out in the boonies. Many tires don't have
TWI.

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Looking at your day job from the above link why not just design a
circuit to replicate the job of the magnet which is only a switch
which is creating a pulsed current/voltage read by the head unit
electronics. Then set the tyre size to maximum and determine the
maximum response frequency of the head unit circuitry and simulate
pulses at that frequency. If the frequency is reasonably high it
should not take too long to reset the mileage. With a tyre
circumference of 9999mm, if it will take that, then you are looking
at 10m per Hz.


Sure I could design a meter that works better than commercial one.
However, I've got enough electronics projects as it is. When I am fully
retired, maybe. But then I want to ride instead of build replacements
for messed-up commercial designs. On the bikes I already had to do that
for lighting but there it was a necessity.

If I ever build my own it will be like what cars have since over 100
years. A speedometer that is backlit at night, works off the central
battery and most of all never forgets its odometer info.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On Saturday, July 29, 2017 at 10:06:59 AM UTC-4, Joerg wrote:
Snipped
Sure I could design a meter that works better than commercial one.
However, I've got enough electronics projects as it is. When I am fully
retired, maybe. But then I want to ride instead of build replacements
for messed-up commercial designs. On the bikes I already had to do that
for lighting but there it was a necessity.

If I ever build my own it will be like what cars have since over 100
years. A speedometer that is backlit at night, works off the central
battery and most of all never forgets its odometer info.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Those who can, do. Thse who can't, complain on Usenet.

Cheers

"Joerg" wrote in message ...
On 2017-07-29 02:14, Graham wrote:

"Joerg" wrote in message
...
Had to change the battery again on my Bell Dashboard 100 cycling
speedometer. Or what they call "cycle computer" In the manual it
says one can re-enter the odometer reading but nowhere it says how.
When I contacted Bell years ago they said "no, you can't". Does
anyone know a secret trick Bell doesn't know?

I keep a log but it gets old having to calculate to see when the
rear tire or other stuff is nearing end-of-life. Mainly to avoid a
*KAPOW* surprise way out in the boonies. Many tires don't have
TWI.

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Looking at your day job from the above link why not just design a
circuit to replicate the job of the magnet which is only a switch
which is creating a pulsed current/voltage read by the head unit
electronics. Then set the tyre size to maximum and determine the
maximum response frequency of the head unit circuitry and simulate
pulses at that frequency. If the frequency is reasonably high it
should not take too long to reset the mileage. With a tyre
circumference of 9999mm, if it will take that, then you are looking
at 10m per Hz.


Sure I could design a meter that works better than commercial one.
[snip]

No you miss my point. I am not suggesting you design/build a new unit simply knock up a simple circuit to mimic the magnet driven switch opening and closing and connect it to the appropriate terminals on the head unit. If the unit can respond to switching rates up to say 1kHz then the job should be reasonably quick and could be left to run for a known period of time to get the mileage back to where you want it. At 10m per switch cycle you would advance the reading 36kms/hr at 1hz so 100Hz which should be possible would give you 3600kms/hr 1KHz would look to be ideal as it would give you 36,000kms/hr.

A bench grinder would also work with a magnet fixed to it and the sensor held next to it. That might take a good bit longer depending on the speed of the grinder.

Graham.

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
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On 7/29/2017 10:19 AM, Graham wrote:

"Joerg" wrote in message ...
On 2017-07-29 02:14, Graham wrote:

"Joerg" wrote in message
...
Had to change the battery again on my Bell Dashboard 100 cycling
speedometer. Or what they call "cycle computer" In the manual it
says one can re-enter the odometer reading but nowhere it says how.
When I contacted Bell years ago they said "no, you can't". Does
anyone know a secret trick Bell doesn't know?

I keep a log but it gets old having to calculate to see when the
rear tire or other stuff is nearing end-of-life. Mainly to avoid a
*KAPOW* surprise way out in the boonies. Many tires don't have
TWI.

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Looking at your day job from the above link why not just design a
circuit to replicate the job of the magnet which is only a switch
which is creating a pulsed current/voltage read by the head unit
electronics. Then set the tyre size to maximum and determine the
maximum response frequency of the head unit circuitry and simulate
pulses at that frequency. If the frequency is reasonably high it
should not take too long to reset the mileage. With a tyre
circumference of 9999mm, if it will take that, then you are looking
at 10m per Hz.


Sure I could design a meter that works better than commercial one.
[snip]

No you miss my point. I am not suggesting you design/build a new unit simply knock up a simple circuit to mimic the magnet driven switch opening and closing and connect it to the appropriate terminals on the head unit. If the unit can respond to switching rates up to say 1kHz then the job should be reasonably quick and could be left to run for a known period of time to get the mileage back to where you want it. At 10m per switch cycle you would advance the reading 36kms/hr at 1hz so 100Hz which should be possible would give you 3600kms/hr 1KHz would look to be ideal as it would give you 36,000kms/hr.

A bench grinder would also work with a magnet fixed to it and the sensor held next to it. That might take a good bit longer depending on the speed of the grinder.


There are sensors which can read 1720~1760rpm (grinder
speeds) but a copper-steel reed switch is not one of them.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On 2017-07-29 09:16, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/29/2017 10:19 AM, Graham wrote:

"Joerg" wrote in message
...
On 2017-07-29 02:14, Graham wrote:

"Joerg" wrote in message
...
Had to change the battery again on my Bell Dashboard 100 cycling
speedometer. Or what they call "cycle computer" In the manual it
says one can re-enter the odometer reading but nowhere it says how.
When I contacted Bell years ago they said "no, you can't". Does
anyone know a secret trick Bell doesn't know?

I keep a log but it gets old having to calculate to see when the
rear tire or other stuff is nearing end-of-life. Mainly to avoid a
*KAPOW* surprise way out in the boonies. Many tires don't have
TWI.

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Looking at your day job from the above link why not just design a
circuit to replicate the job of the magnet which is only a switch
which is creating a pulsed current/voltage read by the head unit
electronics. Then set the tyre size to maximum and determine the
maximum response frequency of the head unit circuitry and simulate
pulses at that frequency. If the frequency is reasonably high it
should not take too long to reset the mileage. With a tyre
circumference of 9999mm, if it will take that, then you are looking
at 10m per Hz.


Sure I could design a meter that works better than commercial one.
[snip]

No you miss my point. I am not suggesting you design/build a new unit
simply knock up a simple circuit to mimic the magnet driven switch
opening and closing and connect it to the appropriate terminals on the
head unit. If the unit can respond to switching rates up to say 1kHz
then the job should be reasonably quick and could be left to run for a
known period of time to get the mileage back to where you want it. At
10m per switch cycle you would advance the reading 36kms/hr at 1hz so
100Hz which should be possible would give you 3600kms/hr 1KHz would
look to be ideal as it would give you 36,000kms/hr.

A bench grinder would also work with a magnet fixed to it and the
sensor held next to it. That might take a good bit longer depending on
the speed of the grinder.


Ah, yes, clocking it all back in by pretending a 4120mi ride. Good idea.
I could take an old printer motor, mout a wooden disc, glue a little
magent on that and strap the whole thing into the spokes.

It would probably take days though since the speedometer will peg
somewhere. And eat a lot of the new battery's juice which would kind of
defeat the purpose.


There are sensors which can read 1720~1760rpm (grinder speeds) but a
copper-steel reed switch is not one of them.


Reed switches would be way too expensive for such products. It's usually
just a coil. Almost has to be because it must generate a voltage that
triggers the turned-off meter circuitry to turn on upon wheel rotation.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/