A decent handlebar mounted compass?

[Sooper8]

Is there such a thing?

I see some on Amazon but they get some pretty poor reviews due to quality.

Can anyone point me in the right direction of a good one? (no pun intended)

Thanks in advance

[The Mechanic]

If your bike frame is steel then a compass on the handlebars will not give you an accurate reading. There will be a variable amount and direction of deviation caused by the frame's own magnetic field.

[gordy]

I use one of these, from SJS (on a steel framed tourer.)

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/widek-bibia- ... prod24402/

It's brilliant IMHO.

[Malaconotus]

If your bike frame is steel then a compass on the handlebars will not give you an accurate reading. There will be a variable amount and direction of deviation caused by the frame's own magnetic field.

^^^ This ^^^

I have this compass bell on my LHT.... http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... tAodXDwA9w Doesn't work.

[Dudley Manlove]

I wouldn't trust one you couldn't move away from interference. If you use a regular one in the side pocket of the barbag it's not hard to whip it out for a couple of seconds to take a reading, even while moving. I tried mounting one on the bars, even on an Alu framed bike it was never quite right.

[iviehoff]

How did mariners navigate aboard steel-hulled ships before practical gyrocompasses were invented (ca 1908)?

I can confirm that if I put a standard Silva compass right next to my bicycle frame the needle aligns to the bicycle. Likewise a barbed wire fence. But apparently magnetic compasses can be used in cars (eg attached to the windscreen), aboard steel-hulled ships, metal aeroplanes, etc.

[rualexander]

http://www.stemcaptain.com/products/
Not sure about a UK dealer though.

[Sooper8]

Thanks for all responses.
I'm a bit unsure of 'what's what' here as some of the answers seem to conflict.And is it just me or are both those first two links the same model just with different prices?
The Stemcaptain looks cool but I thinks its out of my price range anyway.
Any last thoughts on this before I pass by on it?

[simonhill]

How did mariners navigate aboard steel-hulled ships before practical gyrocompasses were invented (ca 1908)?
But apparently magnetic compasses can be used in cars (eg attached to the windscreen), aboard steel-hulled ships, metal aeroplanes, etc.

Compasses have to be adjusted, see here http://www.compassadjustment.com/#3

"The aim of the compass adjuster is to nullify the effect of the unwanted magnetic fields by placing compensating magnets and soft iron correctors adjacent to the compass. These create equal but opposing magnetic fields, thus eliminating the deviating fields around the compass, enabling it to align correctly. Each axis, vertical, longitudinal and athwartships is treated seperately."

[Michael R]

The worst I have had with a compass was about 100 miles from Yellowknife in the Canadian Arctic discovering that due to a vast magnetic anomaly due to iron, my compass was useless. There were no footpaths, roads or anything and visibility was restricted by forest.......................

[largeallan]

"How did mariners navigate aboard steel-hulled ships before practical gyrocompasses were invented?"

Kelvin's balls!!

[andrew_s]

http://www.stemcaptain.com/products/
Not sure about a UK dealer though.

charlie the bikemonger.

A compass mounted on a steel bike is never going to be accurate, but in practice it only needs to be within 30 degrees or so as it's a matter of picking the right road rather than navigating a trackless waste. With most bikes they are good enough.

[gordy]

+1

My handlebar compass is one of the most useful bits of kit that I have.

[Mick F]

"How did mariners navigate aboard steel-hulled ships before practical gyrocompasses were invented?"

Kelvin's balls!!

......... and Flinder's Bars.

[largeallan]

I don't ever recall Kelvins ball's on a warship Mick....the magnetic compass was always mounted overhead, so I'm sure they must've been up there somwhere!!