Recommend me a wireless computer

[steveparry]

For my Thorn Sherpa tourer hence distance between spokes and fork may be a little more than average. Just looking for something basic but altitude would be nice to have and waterproof too.

[simonhill]

I've got a couple of Cateye Velo 7. All the basic functions I need for long distance touring and local stuff.

I had my last one 5 years, then got the top (computer bit) stolen. They don't seem to make it anymore - now a Velo 9 which has an extra couple of unwanted functions, I found Halfords were selling the Velo 7 at discount for about £20, so bought another one there. Check their website.

Never had any problems with water ingress, or other problems.

Batteries last well. What I do is when top display gets dim (the only sign that batteries are fading), I move sensor battery (which still has plenty of life) to top unit and put a new battery in sensor. This rotation means I just need 1 new battery about once a year.

Altimeter computers are much more expensive and you have to decide if you want GPS or barometric.

[Norman H]

I suspect you generally get what you pay for. I've mostly had experience of Cateye computers, various models both with and without cadence. They've all been 100% reliable. The cadence models work off a rear wheel sensor, hence over a greater distance.

I also have a Sigma computer which measures HR and altitude and that likewise has been 100% reliable.

Much depends on what you want to do with the information. I'm not a great collector of ride statistics. I like to know these things during the ride but I rarely record data for posterity. If you're an avid collector of ride statistics it might be worth thinking about a GPS computer which will allow you to download the data and analyse on a PC or share on line. I have an E-trex with mapping for touring but recently bought a basic Mio Cyclo 105 computer. It records speed and distance using GPS but also uses Ant+ wireless protocol and will connect with the HRM, speed, and cadence sensors from my Garmin. Because it's so easy to swap from bike to bike it's become my default computer. It even works on the Turbo.

[Mick F]

How long are your rides?
Can you consider a GPS unit?
Garmin Edge 20 is good, but limited to five or six hours between charges.

[Psamathe]

Not answering your question though hopefully providing some helpful info:

I definitely would NOT recommend Specialized ones. Their cabled one is excellent but the wireless ones are very subject to interference. When I had several of their wireless ones I'd find e.g. after a ride with it sitting on the kitchen table (stationary) I'd suddenly see the speed 0.0 ... 0.0 ... 10.7 ... 0.0 ... 19.3 ... 7.2 ... 0.0 ... 0.0 ... etc. (all the time, NOT a "one-off"). Visiting Waitrose I'd take the computer unit in with me and ... wow a brief trip to the cafe very distant from sensor on locked-up bike and I'd covered extra distance (regular occurrence).

Similarly I'd NOT recommend The PRO SX4 https://www.pro-bikegear.com/global/en-gb/accessories/computers/PRO_CC_SX4 which is actually a digital one and thus should never suffer interference yet on occasions, stationary at a junction in the middle or rural nowhere (no human activity around) and I'd suddenly be showing 37 mph (and I know I was stationary) or 43 mph or ... etc. and the spoke magnet was 180 deg away from the sensor. And this would happen fairly frequently and it has significant speed damping so after such a high speed it takes some time for the display to return to zero.

I gave up of wireless ones as they all seemed to be dodgy and with minimal effort the wire for a wired one can be neatly routed and looks fine (even for a finick like me).

Ian

[geocycle]

I've used a cateye strada on my thorn for years. Does all the basics well but not altitude. I just replace the battery in the sensor every 1-2 years and move the part used battery to the head unit in a strict rotation. Mapping etc is via a Garmin Edge touring but the battery needs charging every 7-8 hours.

[Bonefishblues]

No personal experience, but prompted by a post from a forum member I took a look at and liked the Wahoo ones.

[JohnW]

I have 'Cat-Eye Strada Wireless' computers on two bikes. I bought them and fitted them at the same time - about 7 or 8 years ago, I think.

The batteries last about 7,500 miles, so with two bikes in use I don't have to change them every year. I've never had a problem with either. They have distance, trip, total odo meters, trip max speed, trip average speed, trip rolling time and Time of Day features. They can be British (i.e. miles and MPH) or foreign (i.e. Kilometres and KPH).

The only issue that I've had is that they tend to rattle in their mounting - careful use and positioning of a small rubber band has solved this, but 'careful positioning' is the watchword, because the operating button is on the rear of the case, and works by 'clicking' the case down on the mounting.

These are the best I've had so far. If I needed another I'd buy the same again - unless I could find a computer that gave did the same - and gave altitude readings.

They also play the National Anthem as you ride past Buckingham Palace!

[JohnW]

..................I also have a Sigma computer which measures HR and altitude and that likewise has been 100% reliable..........................

Would you post some details of that please Norman.

[Norman H]

..................I also have a Sigma computer which measures HR and altitude and that likewise has been 100% reliable..........................

Would you post some details of that please Norman.

It's a Sigma BC2006MHR. It's an older model and I believe no longer made. I bought it second hand purely for its HR strap, to replace the HR transponder on my Sigma HR monitor. It was a cheaper option than a new strap from Sigma. Of course I soon realised that it was a better option than a separate HR monitor and computer. It's over specified for my needs and, as a consequence, quite tedious to set up. Especially if you correct the altimeter for changes in atmospheric pressure. That said I'm mostly interested in speed, distance, and heart rate and rarely look at the altitude data when on the bike. It does however come with a mount to use when hiking and I have used the altimeter when hill walking.

[JohnW]

..................I also have a Sigma computer which measures HR and altitude and that likewise has been 100% reliable..........................

Would you post some details of that please Norman.

It's a Sigma BC2006MHR. It's an older model and I believe no longer made. I bought it second hand purely for its HR strap, to replace the HR transponder on my Sigma HR monitor. It was a cheaper option than a new strap from Sigma. Of course I soon realised that it was a better option than a separate HR monitor and computer. It's over specified for my needs and, as a consequence, quite tedious to set up. Especially if you correct the altimeter for changes in atmospheric pressure. That said I'm mostly interested in speed, distance, and heart rate and rarely look at the altitude data when on the bike. It does however come with a mount to use when hiking and I have used the altimeter when hill walking.

Thank for that Norman - good of you to reply.

[steveparry]

I just measured the distance between front wheel spoke and fork. It's about 18mm towards the top where I might mount the sensor. Am I right in thinking the Cateye models request 17mm max gap? Could this be a problem?

[Norman H]

The recommended distance between the magnet and the sensor is normally less than 5mm and the sensor is adjustable to facilitate this. The recommended max distance between the sensor and the head unit is normally around 70cm with fresh batteries. For this reason it pays to mount the sensor as high up the fork as possible whilst maintaining the 5mm max distance between it and the magnet.

I hope that makes sense.

[steveparry]

Norman

Thanks; indeed it does.

Steve

[fredN4]

bought an Echo in 2003. Still working perfectly.