Author Topic: bIKE COMPUTER  (Read 15558 times)

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Offline wilson

bIKE COMPUTER
« on: July 17, 2010, 03:02:14 pm »
hello  new here, is they some one who can give me a revew of the bell bike computer. it very cheap at target but is it a good buy? all the bikeshop computer are too expenctive. thanks ;D

Offline bktourer1

Re: bIKE COMPUTER
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2010, 04:44:15 pm »
Forget thet Bell crap.  go over to either Target or Walmart and get the $10 - 12 Schwinn 6 function.
Bell stopped putting and quality (IMHO) into their bike accessories since they nad so many division changes.  I have 2 of the Schwinn and they work well

Offline Tourista829

Re: bIKE COMPUTER
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2010, 05:56:44 pm »
I have a Bell F20 for my folding bike. It is a Walmart Special. It is wireless and works well, unless my cell phone is in a handlebar bag. It has a few features I like, which most serious cyclist will laugh at. It has a back light, counts calories, fat burn based on age and weight, and has a reminder when you need maintenance that you can set the mileage interval. Depending on the mission, you don't need to spend a lot, unless you want to. ;) 

Offline whittierider

Re: bIKE COMPUTER
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2010, 08:18:44 pm »
Haven't tried Bell.  Cateye seems to be one of the few brands worth having.  They're easy to use and reliable (meaning they keep working right for many years, not months).  After having trouble with other brands, I researched cycle computers and found a very high dissatisfaction rate from owners of many brands-- probably more dissatisfaction than you'd find with any other bike parts, mostly from lack of reliability.  One of the few that looked good was Cateye, so after seeing that, I've put Cateye Mity-8's on four of the bikes in our family, and they've been great.  We've had them for about five years.  I wouldn't go with an unknown just to save a few bucks.  I think it would end up a frustration.  Not worth it.
« Last Edit: July 18, 2010, 03:41:44 pm by whittierider »

Offline Tourista829

Re: bIKE COMPUTER
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2010, 12:16:56 pm »
I have Cateyes with cadence, on my other two bikes. I have it wired because, I still get interference from my cell phone, in my handlebar bag. My older folding bike, the Bell does a very good job and I paid very little for it. Although gimmicky, I like the additional features. I wish my Cateye, had a back light capability like the Bell.

Offline TimTyler

Re: bIKE COMPUTER
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2010, 12:39:05 pm »
I've had the $12 wired Bell from Target for a few months and it works great.

It's all I need, and the price cannot be beat.
Tim

Offline Pat Lamb

Re: bIKE COMPUTER
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2010, 08:59:42 pm »
Add one recommendation for a Cateye.  I've had other computers, but the Cateye is the best I've found.  Waterproof (OK, smear some Chapstick on the contacts to make sure).  Wired, in my case, because I only want to worry about one battery and flashing headlights don't turn it off. 

And get one with cadence.  It's far more entertaining, rolling across Kansas into a quartering headwind, to watch your cadence and mileage, than to be depressed at how slow you're going.  It'll also help keep your cadence up, and knee problems down, when it comes to the mountains.

Offline Tourista829

Re: bIKE COMPUTER
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2010, 01:02:13 pm »
PDlamp  i agreed. I have a Cateye with cadence on my touring bike. On a recent mini tour, I had intermittent readout on my speedometer. I found that the sweat and road grim work their way into the contacts. Once I cleaned the contacts, it worked fine. I don't understand your comment on flashing headlights lights turning off the unit? Also I never heard of putting chap stick on the contacts. Multi purpose, it is very interesting.

Offline staehpj1

Re: bIKE COMPUTER
« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2010, 05:19:28 pm »
I don't understand your comment on flashing headlights lights turning off the unit?
I don't get that one either.  I've never had one turn itself off due to interference.  That said I did have plenty of trouble with interference with wireless computers.  We have had several wireless ones in the family and all were susceptible to interference from stuff like neon signs, power lines, heart rate monitors, cell phones, and even electric fences.  The result was always bogus readings the most annoying of which was mileage logged while parked near a neon sign.  This has been true for several models and brands (including Cateye) until we gave up on wireless.

Offline Tourista829

Re: bIKE COMPUTER
« Reply #9 on: July 24, 2010, 05:47:38 pm »
Staehpj1, that is why we gave up on wireless. Unless you want to spend some money, wireless computers, under $100, are susceptible to interference. I will stick with my Cateye Strada with cadence, wired. Also, 2032 batteries are expensive. I believe my wired battery lasts longer than the two wireless batteries in the sensor and computer, although I have no hard research to substantiated this.     

Offline whittierider

Re: bIKE COMPUTER
« Reply #10 on: July 24, 2010, 06:11:35 pm »
Quote
We have had several wireless ones in the family and all were susceptible to interference from stuff like neon signs, power lines, heart rate monitors, cell phones, and even electric fences.  The result was always bogus readings the most annoying of which was mileage logged while parked near a neon sign.  This has been true for several models and brands (including Cateye) until we gave up on wireless.
My favorite is the traffic-light sensors in the street.  Stop over one of those and you can sometimes pile up the miles at a rate of 75mph while stopped.  Sure fouls up any effort to follow a route sheet that requires watching the odometer to know when you're coming to the next turn.

I'll stay wired.

Offline ducnut

Re: bIKE COMPUTER
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2010, 11:40:46 pm »
+1 for the wired Cateye Strada Cadence. I put one on my GF's bike, in '07. It's the only cyclometer that has never needed anything, not even a battery. I have a Cateye V2c (battery eater) and a Garmin 705, too.

Offline DaveB

Re: bIKE COMPUTER
« Reply #12 on: July 31, 2010, 08:55:17 am »
+1 for Cat-Eye anything, particularly the wired versions.  I have Mity 3 and Enduro 8 Cat-Eyes (same head but the Enduro has a thicker, stronger wire) on several bikes and a wired Astrale on one bike and all have been flawless.  Battery life is several years and the batteries are the very common and cheap CR2032. Finally, they are a weather-proof as anything ever made. 

Well worth the slight cost difference.  Buy quality, buy once.