Ridinglurker

I used to have an old Bryton 15 that gave up and want to get a new bike computer. I don't need any fancy functions like HR, ANT, trips, calories and so on. Instant speed is the only feature I need. All my tracking is done by my phone. I really only want to see my speed while riding.

There are tons of more expensive computers that do a lot. All those features add cost, and require me to push more buttons before riding.

I also want USB-C port (as opposed to micro-USB) since I'm on a year long mission to get rid of micro-USB. So any new USB-device has to be USB-C.

Battery life is secondary since I bring a battery pack on longer rides and if the computer runs out, I can live with it. But 10+ hours would be good (assuming that gives me 8 real hours)

I saw tons on Amazon and looked at the typical manufacturers. The problem is, they are loaded with tons of features that add cost and complexity (menus etc.)

It needs to be GPs since I also will use it for my paddle board.

Is there a luddite version of a bike computer that only shows speed (or only very few added features)?

JohnJ80

https://omata.com

Old school but GPS based.

gpburdell

I suspect your requirements will likely rule out most anything at this point. USBC charging ports for low power devices seems quite uncommon even today.

If you can relax the USBC requirement, Lezyne makes a basic GPS bike computer - https://ride.lezyne.com/collections/...macro-easy-gps

If you can relax both the USBC and GPS requirement, both Cateye and Trek/Bontrager have inexpensive basic computers displaying speed via a speed sensor.
https://www.cateyeamerica.com/cycle-...ess-computers/
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/e...olorCode=black
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/e...olorCode=black

Also looks like the Bryton 15 remains available: https://www.amazon.com/Bryton-Rider-...08QJ5N6Y5?th=1

.. .and $800...

Steve B.

Hammerhead Karoo 2 is the only unit I've seen that uses USB-C on the charging port. Not cheap though at $400. Well worth it though as its a fabulous device.

If simply not wanting USB mini or micro, maybe an activity watch like a Garmin Instinct. The 1 series non solar charging can be had for $160. Does a good job of tracking a lot of different activities, can upload to Garmin Connect, STRAVA, RWGPS. Doesnt easily allow down loading of navigable routes. battery runs 16 days typically, uses some form of other-than-USB connector.

prj71

LOL!!! Those prices!!1

Iride01 

Ignore the extra features you don't want. Just pick a price range you are willing to pay and look within that. Less expensive being something that may not last more than two or three years. Type C connectors will be few on cycling GPS devices. If you are going to use this on a paddleboard too, then you might really rather have a watch type GPS. There'll be more models that are also better for water immersion.

Doubt you'll find a GPS for luddites that only shows speed. It's too easy to make nifty features once you put a GPS in the cyclometer.

Ridinglurker

Thanks for the responses. Maybe I just wait till USB-C becomes more common. All newer tablets, phones and most better flashlights have USB-C. I don't want to deal with having two types of cables with me. For some reason I always put the micro-USB cable in the wrong way first. I still have a few micro-USB devices and don't throw them away. But any new device has to be USB-C. So in a few years i won't have micro-USB anymore. I rather have no GPS for a year than to invest in an outdated standard.

Maybe I just learn to live without knowing my speed. Maybe I get a cheaper hub-sensor bike computer. But they cost as much as cheap GPS devices and wouldn't work on my boat. So maybe back to better not having anything than to have something I don't really want.

I don't want analog gages, especially if they look too busy. I also want km/h, so it has to be an LCD display. One can get cheaper GPS for under $50. So I was more hoping for something in that range. Especially if not having many features should make it cheaper. I can't believe using USB-C over micro-USB really would add much cost. Maybe $1 or $5 if there is a licensing fee.

Steve B.

A used Google Pixel 4A ., uses USB-C, get an app for cycling, RideWithGPS or something similar, a Quad Lock handleBar mount. You'll get speed, plus (gasp) distance and ride time.

Ridinglurker

Then I could just use my regular phone.... I don't want to use a phone since it will vibrate and may break circuits, could fall off, get wet, doesn't work well when the sun shines on, and for sure will need -re-charging due to screen use. I'm not planning to take a powerpack with me unless I plan a long ride.
I think something like the simple $50 computers with USB-C would OK as long as the many unneeded functions don't require too much pushing buttons. Problem is, they all still seem to use micro-USB (in 2022!).

Steve B.

The USB-C limitation, while understandable, is likely to be a major issue trying to find.

Troul 

could pacify the USB C by using these
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DKRQXPC...jaz10cnVl&th=1

JohnJ80

If you want dead ass simple and no features, you’re going to pay for it. Personally I think the Omata computer is a click off of useless.

otherwise buy the cheapest computer with gps you can find and don’t add any sensors. But you won’t get USB-C (which is kind of at odds with looking for old tech). I have a Hammerhead Karoo (which is an amazing computer) which is the only one I know that has USB-C otherwise.

the better alternative if youre going to use it on a SUP is a gps watch. I’m not sure bike computers get to the level of water resistance you need for a paddle board.

Seattle Forrest

USB C really isn't a big deal.

Steve B.

I think it is inherently more water resistant than older USB, thus no port cover required. Hammerhead provides a cover but its not really needed,

Ridinglurker

I didn't know about the water resistance. But it makes sense since most newer cellphones have an immersion rating. For any device USB-C has the advantage that it is used by most modern phones, tablets etc. So if you have charging equipment for those, you are set. And you can put the plug in both ways. USB-C also is mechanically more robust.

Irrelevant for a bike computer, USB-C also allows higher data transfer and power rating. So all those other old USB basically are dead. No modern device will use any older USB standards. Unless USB-C has a huge licensing fee, there is literally zero reason to not use it.


For my old Bryton to start a ride I had to turn it on, then I had to push the start button. It would store ride data. The problem was, sometimes the memory was full and I had to manually clear it to even see my instant speed (it would not just show the speed, only when I "started recording a ride"). So instead of starting my ride, I had to go through the menu and delete old rides.

I realize this may not exist, but it would be nice if a computer just gets turned on and shows me the speed without me having to mess with "starting a ride", or deleting memory etc. it should basically almost work like a regular hub-sensor computer that starts when I start the ride without pushing too many buttons. just turning it on should be all that is needed to see my speed. Or like a car, my car just shows me the speed without me having to manually start some "trip".

Daniel4

Why don't you just download an app onto your phone and keep the speed on display?

I have a Garmin GPSMap that I take for canoeing and travelling and sometimes for cycling as well. No need for me to buy more stuff.

Unless you just want to buy stuff.

Ogsarg

I used to use my iphone 8 with cyclemeter and quadlock. Did many rides over 6 hours; some 8 hours+ without going under 40% battery. I ride some horrendously bad pavement and never had an issue with the phone. If you're fixated on the speed being accurate, keep in mind that GPS response isn't instantaneous.

JohnJ80

what you want doesn’t exist almost certainly since there’s no demand for a feature set like that. If you want speed on your bike and don’t want to have to do anything to get it, you need the very old time mechanical speedometer like this:

Otherwise this is a pretty pointless exercise. What you want doesn’t exist …. and won’t.

Ridinglurker

Before I bought the old Bryton, I tried the phone option. It just wasn't great to see during sunshine. Sure, apps and phones likely progressed since a few yeas ago. But a decent system to hold my phone cost as much or more than a cheap GPS computer. And that would resolve all phone drain. I know there may be cheaper systems to attach the phone, but I know from my phone-in-my-car experience that the cheap systems really are not great long term. I sometimes talked to riders I met that used the phone. They generally were happy, but I just don't have the same comfort level. it is alos possible that all the riders i see without a phone on the handlebar had bad experience. so just talking to people with the phone is selection bias since I only talk to people who didn't ruin their phone.
My phone and battery is some years old, so I doubt I could make it many hours with screen full bright. Sometimes I go on a 2 hour ride, but then decide to make it 6 hours. I don't want to run out of phone power since that is a safety device.


Hub-sensors also have some lag and I don't change speed all the time and I'm more interested in my speed once I'm at a cruising speed, not while I accelerate. So the lag doesn't matter. I also never had GPS signal issues due to lack of deep canyons or skyscrapers.

I'll just sit back for a while and see how my life is without computer. I rode all winter without computer since the battery was too cold and I survived without that knowledge (admittedly, winter riding in snow is slow anyway). If I don't find something I like, I live without it and hope something will show up in the future. Maybe it is better to just enjoy nature while riding and not worry about speed. The weight savings should make me faster....


Actually the wearable (watch) idea isn't too bad. It would cover all my activities and I wouldn't have to worry about attaching it to my boat or so. But there I run into the same problem that one can spend a ton of money for tons of features I don't need. But a simpler model that has USB-C, shows speed (in a simple way) and time would be good. I just googled and I'm overwhelmed already....

cuevélo

I don't think you're going to find a watch with USB-C. There are small dongles that go on a keychain to convert Garmin and Coros plugs to USB-C though. I think a good option for you might be a garmin 245 or 935. There have been some really good sales on the 935 lately, down to $270.

chaadster

Ridinglurker the Wahoo Bolt (new, 2nd gen models) use USB-C and while not basic, are very easy to setup, use, and manage with the companion app. They’re also pushbutton operated, and can quickly be set to display one or two types of info as you like. The e-ink type screen is uncluttered, crisp, and easy to read.

Bolt will display your speed and everything once it’s turned on, so that part is automatic, but it won’t record it unless you press “start.” Regarding storage, ride data files are miniscule, and with 16GB of onboard storage, I don’t reckon you’d run out of space for decades.

I find the Wahoo ecosystem simple and easy to use; everything is done on an app, and is straightforward.

Here’s a pic of mine with 2 data fields shown, 3 sec avg power and current speed; you could display speed only if you want, or speed and clock…whatever:

Elvo

Karoo Hammerhead 2 uses usb c and is pretty basic

Seattle Forrest

​​​​​​​​​​​​It actually costs more to get just the one feature you want. That's an economy of scale thing. I would suggest that a bike computer that meets 90% of your criteria can be more helpful than not having one and meeting 0%.

JohnJ80

exactly right. taking out features or adding features is not an incremental subtract or add. It’s a big engineering effort and documentation effort for a market share of one unit.

the OP should do as you say and avoid “perfect being the enemy of good” as the saying goes. If he wants cheap and to use it with a SUP, then maybe looking for an tech trailing edge Garmin watch from 5 years ago on eBay is probably the way to go.

Troul 

The older units are 4GB. I really wished they were 16GB. So far I've only had issues with loading maps taking up too much space.