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02-06-2005, 12:35 PM

In article <t_ydnUeE3eOruZvfRVn-gA@comcast.com>,
"Whitespc" <whitespc1@comcast.net> wrote:

> Does anyone have any recommendations for a good bicycle computer? Should i
> look for wireless or are their some downfalls to this?

I will make my blanket blind recommendation: Filzer has just started
selling some incredibly functional computers (every feature most riders
would want short of cadence and heart rate) for very low prices. MEC
deals in them.

Wired, C$13.50. Will ship to 11th-61st provinces:

http://tinyurl.com/6esv6

Wireless, C$22:

http://tinyurl.com/4bj3g

My take on wireless is this: they're tidier and sometimes
insignificantly lighter, but they're more expensive, take an extra
battery, and can be expensive.

> Also, I like to put the bike on the trainer and it would be great if I could
> capture these miles. Do they have computers that you hook to the back wheel
> or is there another way to capture the trainier miles since the front wheel
> is always stationary.

Filzer says max 60 cm between transmitter and receiver for the wireless
version; I don't think that's close enough for wireless reception from
rear wheel to bars, though if you weren't fussy, you could slap the
transmitter on the back of the bike somewhere, and either mount the head
unit somewhere nearby, or just leave it on the floor close enough to the
transmitter. Many computer makers offer an optional long-wire kit for
rear wheel mounting. I know for sure that Cateye does (Cateye has a
superb small-parts service; their website has a part number list for
most bits of their products), but this is common.

Computers are funny things: I just love riding against mine, and find it
ever inspiring, and a great training aid. Some people find that they
eventually become task-masters, and turn riding into drudgery, or that
they become slaves to the computer in ways they dislike. But if you have
an analytic bent and sufficient budget, go whole-hog and pick up a
high-end Polar bike HRM (520 or 720, I think). They will log and
download your performance stats for a ride to a computer, tracking heart
rate, bike speed, and even altitude on the top model. Crazy stuff.

For the utterly delusional or the actual pro, there are also logging
power meters, sometimes with integrated HRMs as well. You can't hide
from your watts log, but they start around $600 and go up a lot.

--
Ryan Cousineau, rcousine@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

02-06-2005, 12:35 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ryan Cousineau Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Bicycle computer In article <t_ydnUeE3eOruZvfRVn-gA@comcast.com>, "Whitespc" <whitespc1@comcast.net> wrote: > Does anyone have any recommendations for a good bicycle computer? Should i > look for wireless or are their some downfalls to this? I will make my blanket blind recommendation: Filzer has just started selling some incredibly functional computers (every feature most riders would want short of cadence and heart rate) for very low prices. MEC deals in them. Wired, C$13.50. Will ship to 11th-61st provinces: http://tinyurl.com/6esv6 Wireless, C$22: http://tinyurl.com/4bj3g My take on wireless is this: they're tidier and sometimes insignificantly lighter, but they're more expensive, take an extra battery, and can be expensive. > Also, I like to put the bike on the trainer and it would be great if I could > capture these miles. Do they have computers that you hook to the back wheel > or is there another way to capture the trainier miles since the front wheel > is always stationary. Filzer says max 60 cm between transmitter and receiver for the wireless version; I don't think that's close enough for wireless reception from rear wheel to bars, though if you weren't fussy, you could slap the transmitter on the back of the bike somewhere, and either mount the head unit somewhere nearby, or just leave it on the floor close enough to the transmitter. Many computer makers offer an optional long-wire kit for rear wheel mounting. I know for sure that Cateye does (Cateye has a superb small-parts service; their website has a part number list for most bits of their products), but this is common. Computers are funny things: I just love riding against mine, and find it ever inspiring, and a great training aid. Some people find that they eventually become task-masters, and turn riding into drudgery, or that they become slaves to the computer in ways they dislike. But if you have an analytic bent and sufficient budget, go whole-hog and pick up a high-end Polar bike HRM (520 or 720, I think). They will log and download your performance stats for a ride to a computer, tracking heart rate, bike speed, and even altitude on the top model. Crazy stuff. For the utterly delusional or the actual pro, there are also logging power meters, sometimes with integrated HRMs as well. You can't hide from your watts log, but they start around $600 and go up a lot. -- Ryan Cousineau, rcousine@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.