Cateye Astrale 8 - first impressions

10-01-2004, 02:47 PM

I've been in the market for a new bike computer - one that also
monitors cadence - and had been looking at several, including:

Cateye Astrale
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Vetta RT77 Cadence Computer
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

I ended up with the Astrale 8. It's a wired, dual sensor; rear wheel
mounted magnet/sensor for the main functions.

Problems:
1. Rear wheel mount of the sensor to detect the spoke mounted magnet
was difficult to set up with the supplies in the kit. On some bikes
the chainstay may be close enough to the rear wheel spokes so that a
detector mounted on it will project the sensor rod ~1/2" and come
within the usual 5mm of the spoke magnet, but not mine. The space
between any spoke and the frame was over an inch! There were no large
spacers just a rubber pedestal ~1/2" tall into which the detector fit,
and I needed to add at least an additional inch of spacer material on
the inside of the chainstay.

2. Cadence sensor, exactly the same as the other sensor, typical
Cateye type, needed to be mounted on a slant from under the frame.
When mounted it had to project near the pedal across from a magnet
mounted near the pedal spindle, inside bottom of the crankarm. Since
the frame in that location as ovoid, not round the rubber pedestal
didn't want to stay in position, which took some fiddling. Since the
clearance between crank arm and frame was only 1/2" or less, and I
needed to find a location where the clips, or my shoe would rub
against the zip tie retaining strap, it ended up near the pedal
spindle, which is too close for a horizontal pass between magnet and
sensor. I ended up with the minimal 5mm gap, but at a lateral slant
and front to back slant of detector to pedal magnet. Will it survive a
20 mile bike ride in the rain and mud spatter? Don't know. ;-)

3. Handlebar mounting strap didn't want to fit snugly around my H/B.
My ride, being a hybrid bike, has straight bars with a smaller
circumference, apparently, than drop bars in the available space on
the H/B. Took several layers of spacers and duct tape and a couple
iterations of screwing it closed and finding it still not gripping the
bar to get it to fit. By then, and even sitting and kneeling where I
could to do the whole install, my lower back was aching. Arrgh. Note
to self. Get a better bike repair set up. I was based in a friend's
garage so I had to improvise a little.

Pros:
Otherwise install and set up were quick and easy, clear display and
large enough numerals. Button press caused a positive 'click', unit
fit into unit base with a nice snug click also. Much easier to zero
out the unit at the start of your daily ride with biking gloves on
than my other Cateye (Enduro),which I bought without much
deliberation, on sale, and in a hurry.

It's very interesting to have a cadence counter. Be careful, you'll
tend to stare at it and forget to look where you're going. ;-)

I expected my instinctive cadence count to be lower than actual and I
was right. However with a little work I can get it into the high end
of the suggested ranges. 90 to 100 seems right for spinning up. Not
sure if it stores average cadence.

More later since I've only ridden with it once.

-B