Bicycle computers

[george]

I am awaiting the birth of my Serotta Coeur d'Acier early to mid September. I currently ride a Rock Lobster with the Shimano wireless flight deck with controls that are integrated in the little bumps on the brake hoods. I could use the same on my new Serotta but I am looking at the Mavic Win-Tech.It is fairly new on the market...does any one have any feed back on the Mavic or any other bicycle computer to keep track of it al... and to see current speed!? Stay tuned for pics and maiden ride story. :)

[Too Tall]

The Mavic 'puter is fuggly. Look at the Cateye Mity3 or one of their new models.

[Spectrum Bob]

I almost bought one until I saw it installed on a bike. It is too big!
Great Concept, Poor Execution

I believe it is Cat Eye that has a new one with a double transmitter for both cadence and speed that sits on the chain stay. I think it looks very interesting. I like having a rear wheel speed sensor for when the bike is on the trainer.

[victoryfactory]

Spectrum Bob;
Thanks for the warning on that new Mavic Wintech.
Usually I would order in haste and regret later on catchy new tech like that.
On further inspection. how can they expect their customers would want to
put up with that thing on the handlebar?
Yikes

VF, saved from spending, this time

[keno]

I took a look and all I could find was a wired type. A wireless would be grand with a single sensor and transmitter on the real wheel.

keno

[TmcDet]

I took a look and all I could find was a wired type. A wireless would be grand with a single sensor and transmitter on the real wheel.

keno

Cateye has a new wireless computer with single sensor for cadence and speed that goes on the rear chain stay.

[keno]

Do you know the # for it?

keno

[va rider]

The cateye with the single transmitter for both cadence and speed is the cc-cd300dw. Here is the link:
http://www.cateye.com/en/products/viewProduct.php?modelId=2&catId=6&subCatId=0

As to the original post, I have the new Cateye Astrale 8. It does speed off the rear wheel and has cadence. The display is bigger than the old models, but not too big. Very clear display with larger numbers up top. It is easy to set up and overall an excellent buy. Nasbar has it on sale for $27 too. I like it so much I just bought another one for my beater.

[M_A_Martin]

Oooo...but how huge is it? I see you can have dual tire sizes too! Perfect for my bike!

I've always liked my Astrale...but I don't want wires on my new bike...

[TmcDet]

I was working on the link to it but Va beat me to it..... Maybe Bill Bove has seen this computer and can tell us how big it is, I am pretty sure that he has talked about it some here.

[dirtdigger88]

I have the new Flight Deck on my Legend. I think the boys east of us worked out most of the kinks of the first unit. I have been very pleased. I think the Shimano system is the cleanest looking system out there.

Jason

[BarryG]

I agree that FlightDeck is the way to go. FWIW, I tried the WinTech. The sensor/xmitter in the skewer is a gorgeous design but the rest of the product sucks and the wireless Cateye receives more reliably.

BG

[Jeff N.]

I bought a Wintech from Colo. Cyclist, sight unseen, and was immediately UN-impressed with it. But I installed it anyway, just to see how it worked/looked. The computer head installation on the stem is poor at best, very flimsily attached, and ugly. Still, I attached the skewer/sensor, installed the batteries, and took a quick ride. The thing wouldn't even work! I tried everything! I removed everything, put it back in its box, packaged it, ran to the post office, and sent it back. CC gave me a complete refund. I got a Topeak Panoram V-12, using a Flightdeck bar mount. Nice computer! Wireless, of course. Jeff N.

[BarryG]

The thing wouldn't even work!
I found that my WinTech would go from working well, to updating speed info very slowly, to just showing 0.0MPH as I slowly increased the distance between the sensor and computer, over a range of just a couple of inches. Seemed like my preferred mounting spot was in the middle of this range so I experienced very erratic behavior with it, even with all new batteries.

BG

[victoryfactory]

Doesn't Mavic test this stuff?
First there was the Mektronic shifting system,
and now the Wintec.

You've got to hand it to them though, they are really trying to push
the technology forward, I heard thet DBRK is having his Singer set up
with a NOS Mektronic shifting system!

VF

[hooverone]

When you are configuging a polar 720 and have a 22 mm front tire and 23 mm rear what size do you use from the sizing chart to measure speed distance etc?


I have previously when I had 23 front and rear configured the 720 for that is it still close enough?

Jim

[Jeff N.]

Doesn't Mavic test this stuff?
First there was the Mektronic shifting system,
and now the Wintec.

You've got to hand it to them though, they are really trying to push
the technology forward, I heard thet DBRK is having his Singer set up
with a NOS Mektronic shifting system!

VFI think MAVIC should just stick to wheels, myself. They've got THAT down, for sure. Jeff N.

[Dekonick]

How about the Campy Ergobrain? I was looking at them and am interested - but I dont hear good things about them...

[Jeff N.]

Ergobrains work OK...or so I've heard...but I'm told to set pretty much a whole day aside to install one, unless you're VERY familiar with them. I'd never have one, myself,(though I once considered one) because I HATE computers that have wires going all over the place. For me, if it ain't wireless, then it ain't goin' on my bikes. Jeff N.

[Jeff Weir]

I've been using Ergobrains for about 3 years now and have had very good luck/results/reliability. As far as installation goes, no big deal...just set aside a solid hour, follow the instructions, and you'll be good to go.

[Too Tall]

Hooverone, D##D! you gotts to do a rollout...it's easy. For best accuracy roll out with your butt on the saddle.

[PBWrench]

I've put about 1200 miles on my WinTech. Ugly, true. It also has the bare minimum of relevant information with a very large readout in a logical data presentation mode. The mounting of the wireless cadence sensor is particularly inelegant, but once mastered, works very well. I did have problems once, replaced the front skewer sensor magnet and have been fine ever since. I think the unit is pretty good, and I've tried many. Two of my riding buddies use the new Cateye Double wireless. They have both had considerable issues with the unit, but seem to have solved them, after several LBS visits, by chucking the magnets provided by the manufacturer and installing new ones. The readout is less intuitive than some, but allows you to get the most important data on one screen (if your eyesight is good enough to pick it up). A nice advantage of the Cateye unit is that since it runs off the rear wheel, it has utility on the trainer. I've bought a unit and will give my Wintech a break when I hit the Spinerval tapes this winter.

[Marco]

The new Cateye has seen me through about 1,500 miles and it is one fine unit. There were initial problems that our esteemed PB referred to but they were actually caused by the batteries that came with the unit. Since the battaries were replaced the unit has worked like a charm.

[bpFlys2]

I use the WinTech ES on both my mountain bike for X-country racing and my TT bike for multi-sport events and love it. A few things to consider however. If you have disc brakes, you will need to mount the skewer backwards (locking lever on the right side of the wheel) and inverted (so it doesn't get "hooked" on anything while your off roading). I have a ton of experience with all of the latest gadgets and have also used the Cateye dual wireless computer. Warning with the Cateye. I had to dump it as all 15 channels interfered with my polar HRM (sent bogus speed data to the HRM). I use the HRM with the foot pod for Tri/Duathlons and would receive running data while on the bike leg of races, not good. If you don't use a HRM or don't use one with a foot pod, you may not have a problem. This is not an issue with the WinTech since it sends a digital coded signal just like the Polar HRM's do. In addition, I found the dual wireless transmitter of the Cateye to be a cool idea, but way too big to be hanging off of the chainstay of a TT bike, or a road race bike for that matter. The LCD was also a bit dim and sometime hard to read on bright days. The layout of the screen however is exceptional, you never have to press any buttons to switch screens! I would recommend the Cateye to rec. riders and Spiner's and the WinTech with the optional cadence and rear wheel speed sensor (if you spin in the off season) for racers.

[Fixed]

computers we don't need no stink'n computers...ride by feel Bro. Cheers

[zank]

I love my Polar CS200cad. Super clean design, easy to read, not too large, wireless speed, cadence and HR. The speed and cadence sensors are on the bigger side, but I don't mind. You can get it without the cadence unit for a bit less money. I also really like the Polar chest strap. I would certainly say it is worth considering.

[flydhest]

The cateye with the single transmitter for both cadence and speed is the cc-cd300dw. Here is the link:
http://www.cateye.com/en/products/viewProduct.php?modelId=2&catId=6&subCatId=0



I met a guy in the Park on Sunday with one of these. The transmitter is pretty freakin' huge looking down there on the stays.

re: other comments, ergobrains are cool, in my view, but truly a pain to set up. I gave mine to the wife, who loves to fiddle with things. I now ride sans computer. Don't need it for the riding I do. I don't need to be reminded of how slow I am.

[bostondrunk]

Anybody else pick up one of the Garmin Forerunners? Too big to mount on the bars?

[Michael Maddox]

I think MAVIC should just stick to wheels, myself. They've got THAT down, for sure. Jeff N.

Bite your tongue, man! I love the 631 "Starfish" crankset on my Vitus! Man, what style that group had. And SSC...another great set with real style. Unfortunately, Mavic has simply deteriorated to nothing but wheels...well, mostly. Anyone have the new brakes? Maybe we'll see a matching line one of these days that'll provide some flavor for the Campy-prone to consider.


Oh, a bit of a tag for the cheapo Supergo HR2000. Pile of crap if you get one that doesn't work, but a decent computer if you catch it on sale for $20, which I did. Wireless on the front wheel, plus HRM.

Does anyone make a wireless HRM with Cadence!? (edit: duh. Look UP, Michael! )

[Dekonick]

Umm - yeah - look up.

You can also save a little more $$ is you get the polar CS100 instead of the CS200 - I just got a CS100 and plan on installing it this week.

Looks nice - and I won't bother downloading data anyway. I just like to know my HR, and how fast I am going. Not gonna bother with the cadence - at least not right now.

[Spinsistah]

I have a friend with the Cateye that hates it. He's had the computer replaced once, the transmitter once, and it's okay now. But what a hassle. The other problem he had is that because everything is divided into smaller screens, it's hard to see.

I have a Vetta V100HR. I got it on eBay for $115 and it works great. Check it out. It measures speed, heart rate and cadence - it's wireless - and you can watch everything on one screen. And it's easy to see.

[TimD]

If you are happy with the Flight Deck why not continue with it?

Note you should be able to move the head between two bikes, meaning (among other things) that you only need to buy a second harness, and not an entire computer. Past versions have supported 2 bikes with different setups; I understand the latest version supports 4 but haven't bothered to verify that.

TimD

[jdoiv]

Does anybody know of a wireless comp. with HRM and cadence other than Polar?
Not crazy about the size of those sensors...
I have a VDO that has all the basics and HRM but no cadence (which I would really like to have)
Thanks,
John

[Ray]

Umm - yeah - look up.

You can also save a little more $$ is you get the polar CS100 instead of the CS200 - I just got a CS100 and plan on installing it this week.

Looks nice - and I won't bother downloading data anyway. I just like to know my HR, and how fast I am going. Not gonna bother with the cadence - at least not right now.
Yeah, I've been using a CS100 for about a month now. It's more information than I really need, but it's worked flawlessly so far. The lap feature allows me to get the information I want for the meaty part of the ride without the warm-up and cool-down, but still keep the mileage for the entire ride. I don't know if you could use the speed sensor on the rear wheel (they suggest a closer placement that seems to limit it to the front), but otherwise it gives you speed, cadence, and heart rate without any wires on the bike. I keep the screen setup to show current speed, heart rate, cadence, and trip distance all at once. There are other options, but this tells me everything I want to know.

This is only on one bike, btw - I eschew excessive data on my others.

-Ray