sal

I use the Cateye Padrone Digital for the reasons you mention. It's Bluetooth so no wires involved. Speed, cadence and mileage.

John Valuk

For the use you describe, I think that the Bontrager RIDEtime Elite is very suitable. Another poster has already linked to it, but here it is again.

I don't have years and years of experience with them - only ~4,500 miles of riding - but my impression is that the build quality is pretty good; doesn't "feel like junk" to me. Minor (to me) niggle: On the handlebar mount, I have had zero success with retaining the little elastomer plug that is supposed to cover the screw. It's gone now, and I can live with that.

I have purchased a couple of the RIDEtime Elites as regular retail items, and a couple more on eBay when good deals turned up.

If I were buying sensors now, I would get units in the style of the Garmin Speed Sensor 2 and Cadence Sensor 2.

John Valuk

I would also comment here that the Bontrager RIDEtime Elite allows some configurability that I find useful. You can specify what is displayed in the bigger-digits upper display area, and also specify what data items are available in the lower display when scrolling through them using the button. The lower display area also includes a "scan" option, and you get to specify the list of data items that are included when "scan" is selected.

For the way I use it, I start a ride by clearing the previous trip data, then setting the lower display to "scan". I have it configured with only two things in the list to scan, so during the ride, the lower display alternates between showing (1) dual display of cadence and heart rate and (2) trip distance. I pretty much don't manually scroll through other data while I'm actively riding; just don't need to.

I think this is a pretty slick unit, for what it is: sort of an old-school digital cyclocomputer, but with drama-free ANT+ sensors.

AlBaron

[QUOTE...
If I were buying sensors now, I would get units in the style of the Garmin Speed Sensor 2 and Cadence Sensor 2.[/QUOTE]

So sounds like getting those sensors and then connecting them with a phone app like "Wahoo" would be an optimal set up, no?

Alex

John Valuk

I think that what qualifies as "optimal" will have a lot to do with personal preferences.

The RIDEtime Elite suits my (current) personal preferences very well.

I haven't tried doing this myself, but my understanding is that some sensors can support multiple connections simultaneously. If that's the case, then I could imagine someone using something like the RIDEtime Elite to display data, but to be using another connection on a sensor to send data to a smart phone or tablet in a pocket or pack. Again, I haven't tried that myself.

njkayaker

No, not "optimal". You have to have some way to mount the phone and, maybe, keep it dry. And phone screens can be hard to see in direct sunlight. And they are big. And expensive (sure, many people already have them but they might not want to carry it when riding).

It's not a bad option: it could work for some. It's one reason I suggest that people buy sensors that do ANT+ and BT.

njkayaker

ANT+ sensors can be picked up by multiple head units. This feature is one reason I like the "basic" computers that use ANT+.

BT (I'm reasonably sure) is one-to-one.

John Valuk

It's my understanding that some sensors provide additional connectivity by having a second Bluetooth Smart channel. So, two channels could each do their own one-to-one thing.

njkayaker

Possible but not at-all common (apparently).

It seems the Garmin sensors have two BT channels (and an ANT+ channel).

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/04/...th-review.html

John Valuk

I based my comment - the one that refers to "some" sensors - on this review by DC Rainmaker for the Garmin Speed Sensor 2 and Cadence Sensor 2.

njkayaker

Yeah, I found that too. The ones from Garmin might be the only ones (at the moment) that do this.

(It's useful to be clear that "some" means "few" or "one".)

John Valuk

Wow. Just wow.

I'll note here that my original comment about the possibility of using a simple display for viewing + a phone or tablet stowed away for logging granular data did not state that one would use two Bluetooth channels.

Sensors that have both ANT+ and a single Bluetooth channel have been around for a while.

canklecat

Get some Bluetooth sensors for the rear hub and crankset and she can use the free Wahoo Fitness app to record cadence along with other data. I've done that for a few years, and sync to Strava later. On most casual rides I never even look at my phone, so I'm not worried about my speed, cadence or distance.

I do use a XOSS G+ on my main road bike, to keep track of that stuff for training or "serious" rides. It's the best buy I've found in a GPS computer with wireless connectivity and works with both Bluetooth and ANT+ sensors. I still have a couple of sets of 2011 era Wahoo sensors which were ANT+ only, so I can still use those with the XOSS G+.

BTW, the "plus" in the "G+" is for ANT+. XOSS also sells a G which is Bluetooth only. Get the G+ for a couple bucks more. That way I can simultaneously share my Wahoo Tickr HR monitor with my phone in Bluetooth and my XOSS G+ via ANT+. The advantage to ANT+ is the ability to share realtime data with more than one device.

But Lezyne and a few others also offer GPS computers with ANT+ and Bluetooth compatibility.

KLiNCK

^ +1 Very happy with the Padrone Digital. All the features you are looking for and is rock solid in performance. Nice sized display too!

https://www.cateye.com/intl/products...ers/CC-PA400B/

rekmeyata

You had reliability issues with the Sigma? I have 3 of those, I have two and my wife has one, they're around 20 years old and still work great. Whereas I have had nothing but short lives out of Cateye computers.

I also have had long life out of VDO, I have two of those and they are both around 15 years old. If all you want is basic with cadence then look at the VDO M6.1

philbob57

A Scosche heart rate meter is available that measures cadence. If she keeps up with you, and you know your speed, you know hers, too. I understand not wanting a GPS unit, but they're available for less money than the Padrone and are more reliable, too. You can always use a GPS as a basic 'puter, too, without using the navigation that most of them offer.

KC8QVO

Thanks for all the replies.

I am looking at the Cateye Padrone Smart Plus unit now. It appears that uses Bluetooth sensors and not ANT+.

The recommended sensor is the ISC-12 dual speed + cadence sensor.

However, I don't like the way that functions. It is going to be mounted on a Dahon Piazza 20" folding bike, to start out and then hopefully swap around to a different bike depending on the type of bikes we use/where, and the Piazza has no chain stays. With the 20" wheels on the existing frame there isn't a good place to mount this sensor to get both the magnet pickup on the spokes and the crank arm passing over.

Are there separate sensors you would recommend? Being Bluetooth - in theory - any sensor meeting the standards should work, but does that work in practice?

As to this particular computer choice - it has the ability to display a wide range of data on the screen that the other models don't - its more versatile. The text message display might be the only smartphone link usage she'll use, but that is a nice feature above the others that don't link to smartphones. The data side of it linking to a phone I doubt will be much use - but its there to play with.

Adding the sensors this is a more expensive option, but I think the versatility it offers is the way to go.

Edit -

I found the SDS-30 and CDC-30 individual sensors. That is exactly what we need so I ordered the set with the Padron Smart Plus. Looking forward to getting it set up!

seypat

Does she have a sports watch that can record the data if you buy/mount/connect the sensors? That's what I do. Cadence sensor connected to my watch.

KC8QVO

No on the sports watch, not interested in them. I only know one person that uses one. They are hard to keep an eye on numbers - specifically cadence and speed - while moving.

sweeks

I just bought one of these and am in the process of installing it.
Hope to report good performance!