mcallaghan

So its been a long time (almost a decade) since I've really been in the market for some sort of cyclo-computer. Doing a little research and they seem to be either really basic ($20- $40) or what I would deem very expensive ($200+). My knowledge only extends as far as attaching little magnets to a wheel and pedal, trying to line it up with a sensor (turned not too close or too far away from it) and hoping vibrations wouldn't dislodge either.

Long story short, I find myself at a stage in life where I want to start hitting the bike hard. I need to get fit and back in shape. So I am looking for a cyclometer (and all the gadgets needed to make it work) that will measure:

-Cadence
-Distance
-HRM (if possible)
-Power(if possible)

Hopefully something that is affordable. I am debating if I need it to have GPS capabilities - I've moved from CO to UT recently and don't know any of the roads out here. Where I was in CO, having a map was rather pointless as there were only a few options as far as roads were concerned or I was on easy-to-follow bike paths. I can try and 'stretch' my budget if it can be justified. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Seattle Forrest

I recommend going with GPS, but it will be hard to find a modern bike computer that understands power but not location. Having that data gives you more context, specifically how your efforts are impacted by hills.

Obviously you're going to need separate hardware (sensors) to measure your heart rate and your power, if you're to have that. You can use software to estimate your power use instead of measuring it, but most people consider that approach to be for entertainment purposes only.

Heart rate is cheap, power generally starts at about double what you consider very expensive for the computer part. Most people would agree that if you have a choice, a power meter and your phone is a better option than a fancy computer by itself - in terms of hitting the bike hard like you said.

canklecat

In January this year I'd have recommended the XOSS G+ for only $50 or less. However the coronavirus pandemic seems to have hindered XOSS to some extent. The devices are still readily available on Amazon. But XOSS hasn't been replying to user questions on their Facebook page since late February, and the app hasn't been updated since then. Mine still works fine, with only a single glitch since January and 1,000 miles of rides in the 20-50 mile range, about 3-4 times a week. But it's an iffy buy right now.

If your budget can stretch to $100 or less, check out the Bryton Rider 10 and 15, Lezyne Macro Easy GPS and Mini, and maybe some discontinued and/or refurbished Garmin and Wahoo computers.

Or, if you don't need to see any data displayed on the handlebar/stem during a ride, a smartphone will work just fine for most data. Just one or two simple Earth induction sensors from many makers for around $25 each. These are usually dual-function for speed or cadence, switchable by removing and re-inserting the battery and watching for the LED colors to change. No magnets needed. These are Bluetooth or ANT+, so they're compatible with almost any smartphone.

If I bought only one Earth induction sensor, I'd set it to cadence. The phone and app can handle speed remarkably accurately via GPS. And a heart rate monitor like the Wahoo Tickr.

But running the phone on the handlebar/stem as a bike computer, display running constantly, will drastically reduce the battery runtime. And most phones are heavy and bulky enough to detract from handling a bit (I found it hard to bunny-hop with the phone on the handlebar, while the XOSS G+ weighs almost nothing and doesn't affect the feel).

So when I use my phone as a bike computer, I set it before a ride, then turn off the display, stick it in my pocket and usually don't look at it again until the ride is finished.

The main thing I like a visible computer for is to check my heart rate for structured training, and keep track of time. I also vary my cadence depending on my goal for that ride. I don't pay much attention to speed.

mcallaghan

Thanks for the replies!

I want to avoid looking at my phone on rides, other than for GPS purposes (IE where am I/if I get l lost). I think I still have my garmin GPS unit (general GPS) from when I was doing bike touring a few years ago, so can always see if I can dig that up for GPS purposes.

Ideally, as I ride, I want to be able to see my HR and my cadence. I remember that those were the two more important things when I first got into cycling many years ago and was training up for my first bike tour. I am not sure what you mean by Earth Induction sensor?

I see this - XOSS Amazon Page - but can't tell what the different 'combos' are actually selling. The information/display doesn't seem to change when I click on them. I assume it comes with a mount, so the one that comes with the two sensors would be best?

I'd obviously want to track my distance, cadence, and HR on a ride. I think I can leave my phone in my pocket on a Strava app to record my actual route too which would show elevation. Mostly flat where I live now, just a killer wind and the mountains are a short ride away so wouldn't be too worried about elevation based stuff until I am back in shape.

canklecat

Your old Garmin or smartphone would be fine for navigation when needed. I use my phone.

These sensors use the Earth's electromagnetic field. No need for a separate magnet on the wheel or crank arm. Similar principle to the proximity sensor on our phones, metal detector in our phones (which often need a third party app to access), and street sensors under pavement that can sense even a bicycle to trigger traffic lights.

Yeah, the Amazon page for XOSS doesn't make it clear. Be sure your browser allows ads and scripts to run, otherwise the mouse-hover feature won't work and the photo illustrations of the product combinations won't change. I run multiple blockers for ads, scripts, etc., so I need to disable them on Amazon.

If you don't have any sensors at all, the XOSS brand speed/cadence sensors work fine. I have one. There are other brand induction sensors, from Wahoo and Garmin (about $50-$75 each) or off-brands like XOSS for around $25 each.

I got a Wahoo Tickr last summer and it's worked perfectly, as long as the battery is fresh. I had to change mine after about six months of regular use. Last month I got erratic readings or it would take forever to pair with my phone and computer. I finally realized I needed to change the Tickr battery. Problem solved.

I didn't want to spend too much on XOSS until I used the computer for awhile, so I'm using the basic rubber band mount that came with the G+. It's a Garmin style twist-click mount like Garmin and many others use. And two rubber bands to hold it to the handlebar or stem. Later I'll get a plastic or aluminum stand-off mount, not really a priority for me now.

And I already had two sets of older Wahoo speed and cadence magnet type sensors from 2012, ANT+ only, no Bluetooth. Those work fine with the XOSS G+, which is both Bluetooth and ANT+ compatible (but not with any power meters).

The XOSS G+ also includes a built-in thermometer and altitude barometer, both of which seem to work reliably. The altitude data I get from the XOSS G+ is pretty much the same as Strava and Google. The thermometer may be more accurate than the weather apps I use. Wednesday Dark Sky and Windy forecast temps in the high 60s so I dressed appropriately. But it sure felt warmer and I felt overdressed. Sure enough, after I got home and checked my data on the XOSS, the temp was actually in the 70s. (Coincidentally, Apple bought Dark Sky and the Android version of that weather app will be discontinued soon, so I probably won't replace it with anything else for my phone. Windy is more useful for checking approximate wind and temp conditions.)

But the XOSS G+ has zero navigation aids. Zippo. It only records our routes for later use. So I still tote a smartphone for navigation if I need it.

If I needed navigation more often at a sub-$200 price, I'd consider a Bryton or Lezyne.

Lots of great features in a computer costing just under $50. That's why I bought a second XOSS G+ in January when Amazon dangled it for half price, $25, for customers who'd already bought one at regular price. I don't even have it on a bike yet, but will as soon as I finish reworking my Trek and Diamondback frames.

So far, mostly so good, with only a single glitch in dozens of rides since January. For me, it was a good risk for the money. But some customers have had less satisfactory experiences. And the XOSS app is not intuitive to set up.

mcallaghan

There are so many options out there! Looking at some CAT-Eye ones as well and they all come to around the same price point. I can use my phone to navigate (not on the fly, but stopping) so I can live without the route function.

I guess what I really want to see is my Cadence, Speed, and Distance. Cadence for training / getting back in shape...I remember way back when that it was an important thing for my training to get in long distance bike shape, pedaling at certain cadences etc. Of course, the price points all get dangerously close to each other...outside of the XOSS which I am not entirely sold on.

Do you have any recommendations as far as those sensors go?

canklecat

Bluetooth and ANT+ sensors will communicate within a few feet of the bike, although it varies with sensors and transceivers. All my sensors will reliably communicate with my phones or bike computer regardless of where the sensors are mounted on the bike.

That's a big improvement over the older style wireless bike computers with magnet based sensors that needed to be mounted on the front wheel. I got one of these generic bike computers (no GPS, etc) a couple of years ago that works fine, but only with the speedometer/odometer sensor on the front wheel. The wireless signal wouldn't even reach the rear wheel. So it was useless when I was using the bike on an indoor trainer, unless I mounted the receiver on the top tube rather than on the stem or handlebar.

The Bluetooth/ANT+ computers will easily reach the rear wheel or anywhere else on the bike (not sure about a tandem, haven't tried).

When I was in a physical therapy clinic for a couple of months last year, 2-3 days a week, I'd wear my Wahoo Tickr heart rate monitor, but I left the phone running Wahoo Fitness in a chair in the waiting area. Often I was 20-30 feet away but the Tickr never lost connection with the phone.

The XOSS G+ computer wireless transceiver isn't quite that robust. It wants to be closer to the sensors and/or phone to make a connection. As distance increases between the G+ and sensors or phone, errors creep in or it'll take longer to transfer data after a ride. So I usually set the XOSS G+ and phone on a desk or sofa next to each other to ensure quicker data transfer. But I've had no problems with data logging during a ride.

So far in 5 weeks of using the XOSS G+, 2-5 times a week for just over 1,000 miles of rides, I've had only a single glitch when a ride log failed to transfer from the G+ to my phone for uploading to Strava. That's no worse than reports I've heard from friends who use Garmin and Wahoo computers. A week or so ago I reset the XOSS G+ and reinstalled the Android app to clear up a glitch. It now works fine again, although I lost some custom notes I'd entered for each ride. But the raw data was preserved accurately.

With any wireless computer there's usually some lag between what's actually happening on the bike and what shows on the computer display. That was true with my phones when I used them, and still true with the XOSS G+. I've noticed this with speed, cadence and gradient. I've heard that Bluetooth transmits a little faster than ANT+. However there doesn't appear to be any way to choose one wireless protocol over another with the G+. I'm assuming it defaults to ANT+ because this enables sharing sensors between two receivers (the G+ computer and my phone). I'm not sure whether Bluetooth supports sharing sensors with two or more receivers.