46
votes
Accepted
Dedicated bike GPS computer over smartphone
I used a phone for about two months, then bought a Wahoo GPS computer in March 2018.
The primary motivation was that
My phone has lousy GPS (Huawei P10). Multiple times a week, it would claim that I'...
- 16.9k
17
votes
Dedicated bike GPS computer over smartphone
I use a phone for navigating long rides (up to 400km/20 hours). I'm rare among distance riders, and if I had unlimited money might get a dedicated unit. For me the phone works well - a dynamo keeps ...
- 55.8k
16
votes
Wahoo Speed sensor: how does it work, exactly?
They use a tiny MEMS gyroscope to measure RPM. These are solid state devices that can measure axial rotation so it can count how many rotations per minute the bike’s axle is rotating. The actual ...
- 28.9k
14
votes
Dedicated bike GPS computer over smartphone
Main reason not to use you phone has to be cost and crash resistance. While a dedicated unit may set you back $250-$350, many people have a decent phone with a replacement cost of over $1000. Given ...
- 47.8k
14
votes
Accepted
GPS bike computers in track cycling?
In track (velodrome) racing, visible cycle computer displays are generally not permitted. So the only funny looks will be from the commissaire who will request it be removed.
This is the UCI rule:
...
- 2,385
13
votes
Simple bike computer
Yes, they definitely still exist.
Cheap rubbish from Aliexpress - these tend to eat batteries. I had one that would drain a 3 volt CR2032 in three days. So I hacked a 2xAAA battery holder onto it, ...
- 120k
12
votes
Can a bike computer be used on the rear wheel?
Totally fine - its a good idea. You'll need to move the sensor and fit a second spoke magnet (or move your front wheel one)
Another option would be fit an ant+ or bluetooth sensor and look at ...
- 120k
12
votes
Dedicated bike GPS computer over smartphone
In addition to all the other advantages a dedicated cycling computer has over a phone, battery life when collecting data from wireless sensors such as speed and cadence sensors and power meters is ...
- 10.4k
10
votes
Cycling distance per day
When I decided to get back in biking around 2 years ago (After not being in a bike since I was a teen) this was around the same amount of distance I had to pedal. My bike was a Schwinn Ridge Al ...
- 334
10
votes
Bicycle computers that can transmit audio, music?
Disclaimer: I have been working on software for a GPS sports watch, but I have not been involved in product management.
The whole reason for sports watches and bike computers to exist is limited ...
- 21.6k
8
votes
Accepted
Using cheap bike computer as a cadence indicator, possible?
This has been done before in pretty much the manner you're describing (and its basically the same way that a decent number of commercial cadence sensors work, e.g. Garmin GSC10, which attaches a ...
- 46k
8
votes
Can a bike computer be used on the rear wheel?
Yes you can, although my suggestion is buying another cycle computer rather than trying to re-fit an existing cycle computer as you appear to be asking for.
I've always used a cadence cycle computer. ...
- 440
8
votes
Accepted
Edit a recorded strava activity?
Yes this is possible. First up I'll be completely blunt
If you're editing your ride to make it look faster, then you're only cheating yourself.
EDIT - THIS WENT AWAY in 2017ish. However I know ...
- 120k
8
votes
Accepted
Why would anyone steal a bike computer off of a bike?
I guess there are various different motivations as already pointed out in the comments:
Vandalism. Stealing the bike computer is easy and fast, doesn't require equipment. Lamps (even attached with ...
- 1,023
8
votes
Accepted
Identifying extra triggers in a speedometer
The problem went away after a firmware update. The most likely interpretation is that the reed switch is generating two pulses for each pass of the magnet, but now each double-pulse is interpreted in ...
- 8,842
7
votes
Calorie Burn Meter Bicycle
Generally, you attach a bike computer or a power meter to a bicycle to collect statistics, and/or some sensors to yourself.
A bike computer measures the revolutions per minute of a wheel, typically ...
- 46k
7
votes
Accepted
How bike computer wheel circumference change affects speed
Your actual speed will remain the same. The speed displayed by the computer will be higher by 2%, as Will Vousden says. Please note that this higher reported speed will probably be more accurate (...
- 86
7
votes
Bicycle computers with nonvolatile memory
I am also searching for a computer with non-volatile memory.
Following Sigma computers retain data:
BC 14.16
BC 16.16
BC 14.16 STS
BC 16.16 STS
BC 23.16 STS
BC 10.0 WR
BC 10.0 WL
BC 12.0 WR
BC 12.0 ...
- 200
7
votes
Accepted
What's the difference between power meter and bike computer?
A 'bike computer' is a generic term for everything from a simple wheel sensor giving distance and speed, to an all singing all dancing computer that measure cadence, speed, altitude, heart rate, ...
- 47.8k
7
votes
Dedicated bike GPS computer over smartphone
My old GPS was powered by AA batteries. No need for recharging in the field (powerbank or so), you can just take a sealed pair of alkaline batteries with you so if something unforseen happens, the ...
- 3,366
6
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to move a wireless computer between two bikes?
It depends on the bike computer.
Some computers have this feature, others don't. A brief look at the manual of this computer says yours only supports one bike and you'll need to get another computer ...
- 46k
6
votes
Can a bike computer be used on the rear wheel?
Short answer: Yes.
Not so short answer: It depends, since most bike computer sensors (The Reed switch / Hall sensor) are designed for a front fork - spoke clearance and usually this is smaller when ...
- 334
6
votes
Accepted
How do I troubleshoot a cycle computer?
First of all, try changing the distance and vertical alignment between the sensor and the wheel-mounted magnet.
If that doesn’t help, the sensor (or its cable) mounted to the fork is probably broken. ...
- 25.8k
6
votes
Accepted
How can I segment the large market for cyclometers?
In 2022, I think that the main split is between GPS bike computers or sports-specific watches vs. your existing smartphone or possibly non-sports specific smartwatch. Older non-GPS bike computers ...
- 28.6k
6
votes
Accepted
Crank-based Power Meter for Shimano Sora
With the left (non-drive side) powermeters you do not have to have the left crank arm from the same groupset. It just needs to use a compatible interface and have the same length as the arm. For ...
- 15.4k
5
votes
Stopping interference between LED lights and wireless cycling computer
I too had major interference problems between my 700lumen Smartlight (no, not the Garmin one, just a brand called Smart) and VDO M6 wireless computer with all 3 sensors (speed, cadence, HRM) stopping ...
- 177
5
votes
How do I troubleshoot a cycle computer?
I've been through this exact situation with a Cateye Velo 7 and it did very similar things. I'd be riding along at 30 km/h and the speedo would flash to 45 or 60 and rarely 90, and I never saw it but ...
- 120k
5
votes
GPS bike computers in track cycling?
For the track taster session I did a while back, anything like a bike computer, GPS etc was expressly prohibited. I think because anything 'loose' shoved in a jersey pocket might fall out and cause a ...
- 347
5
votes
Accepted
Can the Garmin Edge 130 obtain heart rate from a fitness wrist-band?
GPS-based computers, which are often called head units, typically use two communication protocols: Bluetooth (which is the same as many personal electronic devices like smartphones use) and ANT+, ...
- 28.6k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible