Lupine

Or even solar, usb rechargeable, just anything instead of a watch battery. Wired or wireless, anything the most foolproof.

Alternatively, I see they still make the analog ones lol.

J.C. Koto

A lot of the fancier ones (i.e. more expensive) are USB rechargeable with an internal battery. This goes for pretty much all of the GPS units. Lezyne, Cateye, Sigma, Garmin are some brands that carry these computers. I don't have any suggestions though since I haven't used them.

Alternatively, yes there are still analog bike speedometers/odometers. Here is one such example. It would pair nicely with one of those old-school stick-shift shifters, IMO:



And a banana seat. Always with a banana seat.

fietsbob

CR2032,
My 80's Ciclomaster only needs 1 a Year.. not much of a electrical Load with just 1 line LCD screen.

ItsJustMe

I'd rather it took CR2032s than AAA cells. Lots smaller, still plenty of power. I only have to replace my 2032s once a year or less, and they're dirt cheap (I pay about 30 cents each for them, I think they're 50 cents at the dollar store).

Lupine

Haha nice, I see your point.

Thanks guys, & great forum btw.

PaulRivers

If you want reliability and not changing batteries, just go with a wired speedometer. I don't think I've ever had to replace a battery on a wired unit. I mean maybe in a decade or something. They last a really, really, really long time.

It's also the case that nowadays with Amazon it's not difficult to get a new battery, like it used to be. But I've never had that be an issue with a wired speedometer anyways.

Wireless speedometers seem to require replacing 2 batteries every year or two.

ItsJustMe

Hm, I've had Sigma, Planet Bike and several cheap Chinese comps. I don't think I've had a battery last more than 2 years in any of them. All wired, I don't see the point in wireless unless you like unreliable equipment.

I've gotten to the point where I almost don't care if the battery dies because I don't really look at my comps anymore anyway.

rekmeyata

Most Solar powered bike computers that are out there are horribly cheaply made and come direct out of China. However I did find one company that makes a decent solar powered bike computer, here is the link: Solar Flare Cycling Computer

Keep in mind that all solar powered devices have a battery, the battery is kept charged by the sun, and like all rechargeable batteries they too will die though it may take about 5 to 10 years.

Wired computers are more reliable than wireless, and with a wired computer you only have the computer that uses a battery which can usually last at least 2 years, whereas a wireless unit has a battery in the sending unit and those die after about 6 to 12 months depending on use. Wireless units weak point is the sending unit, so far I haven't found one that lasted more than 3 years, my current VDO wireless computer is now 3 seasons old and still working so I'll see if it lasts longer than my previous two Cateye wireless units (actually 3 because Cateye replaced the first one under warranty). In comparison my previous wired job lasted 25 years, and I have two wired Sigma units that are 5 years old and still going strong.

Seattle Forrest

Or just recharging one battery when needed: GPS.

PaulRivers

Huh - weird. I can only say that I have several bikes, and the batteries on my wired speedometers have lasted practically forever for me. I was using one last fall, had it for 5 years or so, still running no problem.

Lol the most useful thing on my speedometer for me is the clock so I know what time it is biking to work. :-) I don't use it a ton either, but it comes in handy every now and then.

PaulRivers

Lol aren't they similar in battery life to phones? Even a wireless speedometer only needs 2 new batteries every 1-2 years usually. I imagine a gps needs to be charged every day or at least every week right?

rekmeyata

That's been my experience with wired computers. I said at least 2 years in my earlier post, but I can't recall replacing a battery in one even after 5 years. I know newer computers have gotten more sophisticated and maybe that shortens the battery life, but I had an old Paramount computer made in 1981 that I used until the wire got yanked in 2003 or 4 and only replaced the battery once during that entire time, and the second battery was still powering the computer as late as 2010 when I finally threw it away! Of course the computer did shut the display off after a period of time (which I forgot how long it would wait to shut down) until I hit any button then it would wake back up with all the saved information including the time of day was still accurate. In comparison my 2 Sigmas the battery died after abut 5 years on each, so maybe the newer ones take more energy due to a higher degree of sophistication? or they're using a smaller battery to keep weight down and thus won't last as long? I don't know but I would think 5 years is probably a better estimate than my original at least 2 years comment.

ItsJustMe

Regarding battery life, do you guys have your bikes outside in the winter, ride them in the winter? And also probably just as damaging, in the sun in the summer? My bikes are all in the garage and get ridden even when it's below zero, and get ridden in over 100 degree (F) weather. Could have something to do with how long the batteries last.

PaulRivers

That definitely could be, my bikes with speedometers are all used in more moderate temps - fall, summer, and spring. My winter bike doesn't usually get into the drastic winter temps you get into lol, but it doesn't have a speedometer anyways. My summer bikes don't hit anything to hot, I'm usually just not riding at 100F so my bike is not out in it either. We only get a few days like that here in Minnesota as well.

Seattle Forrest

Not really, but the reason I posted was to point out that a GPS bike computer is wireless, and many of them never need a battery replacement, let alone two per year!!

rekmeyata

Extreme temps could very well shorten battery life. I never ride in temps below 40 but have routinely rode in temps over 100. Once I did happen to ride in temps below 25 and the computer simply stopped working but resumed once the battery thawed enough, this was an older alkaline battery style. But even with those high temps I still got about 5 years on a computer battery. A computer battery whether wired or wireless will last a long time, it's the sending unit on a wireless computer that has a very short life which is why I carry a spare battery in my seat bag.

Lithium batteries perform the best in extreme temps which is what most if not all bike computers use nowadays, these batteries will not make the computer stop working no matter how cold you ride at. However wireless computers use a magnetic activated metallic reed in the sending unit (you can hear it clicking when you spin the wheel), this reed can freeze in temps below 32 and prevent the computer from showing a readout.

Wired computers do have the hazard of pulling the wire and breaking it, but the hazard is pretty low, it took me about 25 years to break my wire. If that is a concern for you Cateye Enduro makes a computer with a heavy duty wire and the computer is a decent with a large easy to read screen, and huge plus on this unit is the price at just about $27 on Amazon. But in the last 5 years or so Cateye has reduced the quality of their computers and the buttons feel cheap, maybe someone here has bought one recently and can report if their holding up. When I felt the quality of the buttons I checked out other computers and found the Sigma line to have better feeling buttons, and like I mentioned before the 2 that I have are holding up real well even in downpours. Sigma offers a bit more features vs the Cateye Enduro. The Sigma 14.12 has all the basic functions like the Enduro but it also has altitude and temperature readouts for not much more than the Enduro at $35 on Amazon.

If you want a basic inexpensive but tough computer I would get the Enduro though I'm not sure about the quality of the buttons on the new ones; if you want more features for just a small amount more I would get the Sigma 14.12.

PaulRivers

I don't think that's an accurate representation.
Independent GPS - charge daily or weekly with daily use
Wireless speedometer - replace 2 cheap batteries every 1 or 2 years
Wired speedometer - replace 1 battery after many many years (5? 10?)

01 CAt Man Do

That's interesting. I would of thought that the sending unit would utilize some sort of pulse generated by magnetic induction. If a magnetic ( on the wheel in this case ) passes a coil ( perhaps in the sending unit ) I would of thought that the pulse would be picked up by the circuit inside the sending unit and then re-broadcast as a digital signal to the computer. I never noticed a clicking sound before unless the sending unit was actually hitting the magnetic but I don't use mine anymore so I'll have to take your word for it. ( whatever, I don't build these so what the hell do I know... )

Anyway, just so happens I had to replace my ( wired ) computer's battery today. I can't remember just how long the last battery lasted but I think I replaced it when I bought my last bike . That was probably about 5 years ago. I'm using a 20 yr.old wired Vetta HR bike computer. Total PITA to change the battery. Screws on back are so small I need jewelers glasses to see what I'm doing ( which I don't have ). Next time it goes up I'll likely just buy a new computer and get something USB rechargeable ( if I'm still alive and kicking.. ) With that in mind I understand the OP's desire for a computer that uses triple A's. Those would likely be easier to replace but sadly it would make the computer so big that no one would want something that big sitting on their bars.

FWIW, I too had the same problem with the wireless computers ( Cateye model ). Those require the replacement of two batteries and like others said they only last about two years at best. I only bought the wireless computers ( back in the day ) because I needed something I could mount on a mountain bike fork shock without the need for wires. Back then most of my forays into the unknown mountainous areas involved navigating by maps. In order to know where the next turn was I had to have something that kept track of mileage. Speed I could of cared less about. Today, now that GPS apps and devices are available for mountain biking I have no need for the computer on the mountain bike to tell me , "Where the next turn is".

About replacement coin size cells; Best to buy the good name brand cells from the stores that move a lot of battery stock. CVS and Lowes are good places to buy them. They will run out from time to time but that means they have to keep fresh stock. That's very important when it comes to button/coin cells. If they sit too long in storage they can loose some charge. Years ago I bought a card of 20 ( 2032 ) cells from a Chinese website thinking I would save money buying in bulk. I think I paid maybe $10-$15 dollars for the card. The first couple times I used them ( in my car's remote ) they lasted maybe a year. However when I tried using them some months ago when the remote stopped working the Chinese cells only lasted a month. Not to mention I tried using them in my bike computer ( for the hell of it ) and they wouldn't even fully power the display. So much for cheap Chinese coin cells. I now only use the Everyready 2032's from a store I know has fresh stock.

rekmeyata

It's possible some computers may use a coil like you said but all units I've used if I spin the wheel in a quiet environment I can hear a clicking sound as the mag passes the sending unit and that noise is not from the mag hitting the sending unit. The only way I know this, or think I know this...LOL, is because I have an old chess computer that uses a magnet under each piece and as that piece is moved to a square a small reed activates, which you can hear a faint clicking sound, which in turn activates the circuit and informs the computer where the piece is; I've actually seen my chess board apart during a minor servicing on it and can verify it uses a metal reed, so I can only assume that the sending unit is using the same type of system...but I've never taken one apart so I could be wrong.

flatlander_48

My Lezyne Super GPS says "up to 22 hours on a charge"...