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'...
David Richerby's user avatar
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 ...
Chris H's user avatar
  • 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 ...
RoboKaren's user avatar
  • 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 ...
mattnz's user avatar
  • 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: ...
alexsimmons's user avatar
  • 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, ...
Criggie's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Criggie's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Andrew Henle's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Lementor's user avatar
  • 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 ...
ojs's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Batman's user avatar
  • 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. ...
icc97's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Criggie's user avatar
  • 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 ...
pseyfert's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Sam7919's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Batman's user avatar
  • 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 (...
fishgi's user avatar
  • 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 ...
kuzavas's user avatar
  • 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, ...
mattnz's user avatar
  • 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 ...
leftaroundabout's user avatar
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 ...
Batman's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Lementor's user avatar
  • 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. ...
Michael's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Weiwen Ng's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Vladimir F Героям слава's user avatar
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 ...
ian's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Criggie's user avatar
  • 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 ...
Richard Clinker's user avatar
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+, ...
Weiwen Ng's user avatar
  • 28.6k

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