what cycling computer to get?

[JayH]

Yeah, wireless computers are fairly battery hunger, as there is a batter in the computer, battery in the mount, and a battery in the pickup.   and the batteries that are in my Ciclosport aren't always easy to find. I know the battery in the pickup is a N-type battery and I think there are 2025s in the computer and computer mount... 

Plus, my ciclosport is kind of flaky.. 

Jay

[DaveB]

Yeah, wireless computers are fairly battery hunger, as there is a batter in the computer, battery in the mount, and a battery in the pickup.   and the batteries that are in my Ciclosport aren't always easy to find. I know the battery in the pickup is a N-type battery and I think there are 2025s in the computer and computer mount... 

Plus, my ciclosport is kind of flaky.. 

Jay

Another argument in favor of Cat-Eye.  They require only two batteries for their wireless computers and one for their wired models.  They use the very common CR2032 and battery life is several years.

[JayH]

Yeah, I have a couple of Cateye Mity3s and a bunch of holders, the Mity3 is a basic computer, nothing fance like the Ciclosports, but the ciclosport is somewhat interesting as it is also an altimeter and does %grade and averages, without being terribly bulky.

On a tour, I would certainly stick with a simple Mity3 or equivalent type wired computer.. The Ciclosport is really on my commuter bike.

Jay

[DaveB]

Yeah, I have a couple of Cateye Mity3s and a bunch of holders, the Mity3 is a basic computer, nothing fance like the Ciclosports, but the ciclosport is somewhat interesting as it is also an altimeter and does %grade and averages, without being terribly bulky.

On a tour, I would certainly stick with a simple Mity3 or equivalent type wired computer.. The Ciclosport is really on my commuter bike.

Jay

Bike altimeters based on barometric readings have had a checkered history.  Both Cat-eye and Avocet had failed designs in the past and there have been a few other semi-successful and unsuccessful tries by others.  Cat-Eye just announced their "Adventure" cyclometer with an altitude/total climbing feature so we'll see if this one works any better.

I expect the only reasonably good approach is with the GPS based cyclometers but GPS isn't real accurate for altitude either.     

[FredHiltz]

... I expect the only reasonably good approach is with the GPS based cyclometers but GPS isn't real accurate for altitude either.     

The GPS receivers that contain a barometric altimeter corrected by the long-term average of the GPS altitude are about the best you can get with consumer gear on a moving platform, typically within 50 feet of the true altitude 95% of the time.

Fred

[DaveB]

The GPS receivers that contain a barometric altimeter corrected by the long-term average of the GPS altitude are about the best you can get with consumer gear on a moving platform, typically within 50 feet of the true altitude 95% of the time.
Fred

I guess that's not too bad unless you are in an airplane trying to maintain an altitude of 30' and the error is +/-50 '

[RicemanDan]

I always thought Cateye was the best brand in the cycle computer department, but I had a Velo 5 in NZ which didn't like rain. I thought it was this particular one as it was 2nd hand, so I bought a new Velo 8 (avg speed and trip time added) in the US and the damn thing died on me in a downpour into Austin, TX. It came back to life, but I'd cycled 30 miles (I think!) without it recording, which I find incredibly irritating! No cycle computer should ever not work in the rain, especially cateye!

My Atech F13 wireless computer back home in England has been faultless and displays: speed, avg speed, distance and trip time all nicely on one screen. I highly recommend it.

[DaveB]

I always thought Cateye was the best brand in the cycle computer department, but I had a Velo 5 in NZ which didn't like rain. I thought it was this particular one as it was 2nd hand, so I bought a new Velo 8 (avg speed and trip time added) in the US and the damn thing died on me in a downpour into Austin, TX. It came back to life, but I'd cycled 30 miles (I think!) without it recording, which I find incredibly irritating! No cycle computer should ever not work in the rain, especially cateye!

My Atech F13 wireless computer back home in England has been faultless and displays: speed, avg speed, distance and trip time all nicely on one screen. I highly recommend it.

My Cat-Eyes always work in the rain but water can get to the contacts and cause a temporary failure if you don't protect them.  As mentioned above, a dab of silicone grease on the contact points will allow them to work in the worst conditions.