Bike Computer - Recommendations
 

I'm looking for a solid, simple computer that is easy to setup and relatively inexpensive. Wired is fine; distance and speed are the only features I care about for use in an upcoming race. My wife has a wireless Cateye that I found to be a nightmare to set up and the sensor doesn't like to stay put so I really don't want to use it.

I have five f them

Sunding Electronic Bicycle Computer/Speedometer - Free Shipping - DealExtreme
^^ Sold out

Try this one.

http://www.dx.com/p/electronic-bicyc...2#.VxFVNNQrJpQ

Download a bicycle app on your phone. I use cyclemeter..... there are plenty to chose from.

What's the drain on the battery like?

I am using the Booger YT-813 on four of my five riders. It a wired unit using a spoke magnet and sensor. They sell for around $12 shipped to your door. Do a search on eBay. The battery lasts a whole riding season or at least six months, more depending on use naturally. Cheap and as accurate as they can be depending on how accurate your tire circumference entry is.

For my fifth rider I just ordered a Garmin Edge 200 GPS unit for around $85 refurbished off of Amazon. I decided to give GPS a try this time. It hasn't arrived yet so no report on it yet.

Good luck - Don

buy a Sigma .... mine has cadence aswell and cost me less than £40 (it's wireless and works perfect)

Not bad with Cyclemeter. It doesn't use wireless service like other apps. Just gps. Stores data on your phone and not online.

Cateye Urban Wireless or Velo Wireless+. They really aren't any harder to set up than anything else, the instructions are just overwhelming because they come in 15 different languages. I used some wider zip ties for the sensor and its pretty immovable. They're just well-made and look good too.

Shimano PRO Digi Pro-5 Wired. I had it on my old touring bike and it worked just fine and dandy. I am upgrading to a really overly fancy Sigma Wired thing because it was on a wicked sale and has some extra features that could be handy for things I might do this summer.

DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, buy a Blackburn computers unless they have significantly changed to the point of being completely new and having almost nothing in common with past models. Those things are hunks of garbage. Cateye is a pain to set up but it works well and is reliable the Blackburn ones were easy to set up but stopped working quickly or broke or didn't work from the package.

Planet Bike Protoege
 

have had really good luck with the Planet Bike Protege

Planet Bike Protege Series Computers - Outside Outfitters

The wireless is solid and it rarely picks up interference. The thing I like the most is it has the temperature.

Ride Safe,

Joe

I use Map my ride app android phone. Gives me audio updates for whatever I want to hear (total distance, mph average, splits, etc.) Works for me although is sometimes hard to hear, I'm considering getting a cheap Bluetooth smart watch but not really sure if it would work.

Not bad at all.... on my phone. The cycling app is not a big drain at all. but... If your phone has a battery issue any app may not be a solution for any situation.

Why not just use Strava? I had massive drain on my Note 3 with MapMyRide so I uninstalled it. Gave up on cheap pos computers and went with a Garmin EDGE 810. Not cheap by any means, but oh so worth it. GPS is really the way to go I think. Had a Cateye and it took forever to connect and was a total pain in the butt to set up. Worked half the time, battery life sucked. Still have it if someone wants it.

These usually pop up cheaper on various places across the internet. It's small, too.
Garmin Edge 25: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/into...rod508489.html

Can't go wrong with a cateye. Even the entry model where it just gets better from.

Unless you get a Cateye Stealth 10 which an overpriced piece of garbage that says LOL when you want it to connect so you can start your ride. Seriously have waited almost 10 minutes while standing outside waiting on that piece to connect. Garmin EDGE 810 I have connects inside my apartment before I even walk out the door. Won't be buying anything Cateye again.

Edge 25
 

I love my Edge 25. The reason I got it is to do navigation. It has no maps, so navigation is only with directions. However it makes exploring on long rides less stressful. It is small, light and the battery lasts 8 hours. For day to day I use the Protoge, but for long trips or at night I use the edge 25.

Ride Safe,

Joe

Hmm cateye has had their wireless down to a science for quite some time and the reviews for that model dont prove otherwise. Looks like you got a lemon.

I actually received an el cheapo 5 function wireless vectra with a bike come up and it connects the first pass between the spoke mounted magnet and the sensor every time. As did ones I had pre-garmin.

Hated my cheapest wireless Cateye so got myself a Sigma 5.12 wired for commutes.

Impressed by it. Works flawlessly.

been using the cateye velo wireless for years and never had any issues with it. it's been through some harsh weather too, rain and snow, and sticks and stuff, some surface scratches from debris but it still works fine. was simple to install and set up.

It's functions are limited but it's got basic stuff like current speed, average speed, a tripometer and odometer. I guess the only thing i've noticed is that it stops working if you ride near any serious power lines, but it picks right back up once you're clear.

get a garmin edge 200 -- that way you can track all your rides and everything too in the event that you ever decided you wanted to.

Has anyone who has had issues with Cateye wireless, been impressed with their wired models if you've also had experience with those too?

No one has had issues with their cateye.

Wireless can pick up signals when stopped at lights.

75 mph just sitting still.

Some bike lights also kill the computer .

The model I got in 2009 (I know, times are probably changing) always bugged me. It worked, then it didn't, then it suddenly did again... hated it. It was also quite bulky and finicky to operate. Also the wheel magnet was hard to keep in place.