budget speedometer

[RoadRacer2020]

Hello all

Do you have any brand suggestions when buying a speedometer?

Thank you. I need it to monitor my small progress as a road cyclist.

[Jesper]

(07-08-2020, 02:55 AM)RoadRacer2020 Wrote:  Hello all

Do you have any brand suggestions when buying a speedometer?

Thank you. I need it to monitor my small progress as a road cyclist.

Welcome RoadRacer,

I've used various model Cateye's over the last 30+ years without any real issues. I've only used their wired models, but I would assume that the wireless are just as good, albeit costing a little bit more. Wired models probably run from about $20-$30, wireless $40-$50 and up. They are pretty basic, no wifi/internet and all that jazz; but I have found them to be accurate and provide what I need: total miles odometer, trip miles odometer, current speed, average speed, max speed, timer. Some have a sensor for pedal stroke cadence rpm. I'll let the "new age gurus" fill you in on the high tech, GPS, Strava stuff. I don't need it, thus I won't buy it; I know where I am and where I'm going, I just like to know how fast and how far.

Take care,
Jesper

As a side note; my Cateye cyclometers have lasted for decades (one just died after 25 years). All that newer stuff has yet to pass the test of time.

[JoJoJo]

have a look at what Sigma offers -> they have nice budget options with similar price ranges to Jesper's

[Zviedrs]

(07-08-2020, 08:51 AM)JoJoJo Wrote:  have a look at what Sigma offers -> they have nice budget options with similar price ranges to Jesper's

I've had Sigma BC 8.12 ATS for about five years. $30, works great on my road bike. It's an older model and there should be new ones within the same price range.

[Jesper]

(07-08-2020, 08:51 AM)JoJoJo Wrote:  have a look at what Sigma offers -> they have nice budget options with similar price ranges to Jesper's

(07-08-2020, 10:44 AM)Zviedrs Wrote:  

(07-08-2020, 08:51 AM)JoJoJo Wrote:  have a look at what Sigma offers -> they have nice budget options with similar price ranges to Jesper's

I've had Sigma BC 8.12 ATS for about five years. $30, works great on my road bike. It's an older model and there should be new ones within the same price range.

Thanks folks for the input on the Sigma brand units. I'll be outfitting some "new" frames in the near future and I'll need more computers, my main issue is being able to read the display since l don't need glasses for riding, but l can't always clearly read the display; especially the little blinking symbol that shows whether it's on or off.

[CharleyFarley]

(07-08-2020, 02:55 AM)RoadRacer2020 Wrote:  Hello all

Do you have any brand suggestions when buying a speedometer?

Thank you. I need it to monitor my small progress as a road cyclist.

I use Cateye Padrones on my two bikes and bought one as a gift for a friend. Mine are wireless and simple to use once the initial settings are plugged in.

With each press of the front edge of the device, it gives you different readings for the time of day, amount of time riding, maximum speed, average speed, actual miles ridden, and has a trip meter setting.

For a first timer, the instructions can be a bit daunting but once you figure it out, it's easy. I ran into difficulty when the batteries needed changing (they last a long time, and it warns you when they need changing). Let's say I've clocked 3,902 miles and then changed the batteries. In setting it up, again, the miles are all back to 0000. Once the initial settings have been done again, then pressing the menu button will enable you to set the miles it had before the battery change. It reads: "ODO Set." It's not clear in the instructions that's what you have to do.

When I looked online for better instructions to set the last known mileage, I saw a number of people who couldn't reset their computers to the actual mileage after changing the batteries, and this was for other brands, too.

The instructions come with a chart for initial settings for many wheel sizes, but it's not accurate for all bikes. I have a fat bike with 26" x 4" tires but the overall diameter is 29". So whatever bike you have, I think it's best to do a more accurate measurement of the circumference of the wheel.

For that, I put a piece of electrical tape on the side of the tire and go by one edge of the tape for the reference point. Then I lay a tape measure out with the 1" mark next to the chosen edge of the electrical tape. Roll the bike forward beside the tape measure until the wheel had done one complete revolution, making sure the electrical tape is right at the bottom. Read the measurement on the tape measure and add one inch to get the actual circumference inches. I start from the one-inch mark because the zero point can be a bit off. Once you've arrived at the circumference inches, convert that to millimeters (We need to catch up with the world with metric tapes.) You will now have the the total number of millimeters around the tire. In the case of my fat bike, the circumference is 90.5" - 2299mm. That 2299 is what needs to be set on the computer. I would say that this method of measuring the tire circumference is needed on any bike you're going to put the computer on, regardless of computer brand.

The provided chart gives many tire sizes and their metric circumferences but it doesn't include all sizes. The nearest size it shows to my fat bike tires is 26" x 3" giving a millimeter reading of 2170mm. But mine are 26" x 4" which is 2299mm. That's a difference of 129mm or 5 3/4" and I'd be losing that with every turn of the wheel when riding. I don't know how accurate the chart is with all the tires it lists but I wouldn't trust it.

Whichever computer you get, an accurate wheel circumference measurement in millimeters will be needed. The computer measures the number of turns of the wheel to calculate both speed and distance.

[Jesper]

(07-08-2020, 02:55 AM)RoadRacer2020 Wrote:  Hello all

Do you have any brand suggestions when buying a speedometer?

Thank you. I need it to monitor my small progress as a road cyclist.

(07-14-2020, 03:59 PM)CharleyFarley Wrote:  

(07-08-2020, 02:55 AM)RoadRacer2020 Wrote:  Hello all

Do you have any brand suggestions when buying a speedometer?

Thank you. I need it to monitor my small progress as a road cyclist.

Whichever computer you get, an accurate wheel circumference measurement in millimeters will be needed. The computer measures the number of turns of the wheel to calculate both speed and distance.

What Charley stated is important, especially if you are using it for training and need to have accurate stats. Your accuracy is dependent on your average weight and tire pressure. Both need to be fairly consistent for higher accuracy. Best is a front wheel mount since your weight and riding posture have less effect on the wheel diameter when riding. You must do the wheel measurement while you are mounted (as if riding, hands on bar for proper weight distribution), best done with assistance. Only measurement you need is the center of the hub axle to the ground (radius=r) and some math (2r x pi), or roll one full wheel rotation marking from start to finish and measure that. Most computers input mm. 700c tire is about 2200mm circumference depending on actual tire dimensions, your weight, and tire pressure. My Cateye is accurate to about 1/100 of a mile as I calibrated it so they can be made very accurate if done correctly. Best way to check is on a road with mile/1/10 mile markers. Ride about 10 to 20 miles or more and see how it reads compared to the markers, you can tweak your circumference on the computer to "dial it in" more accurately.

[Cory]

(07-08-2020, 02:55 AM)RoadRacer2020 Wrote:  Hello all

Do you have any brand suggestions when buying a speedometer?

Thank you. I need it to monitor my small progress as a road cyclist.

here's some types of LCD or led displays for your reference.

[enkei]

If you're on a really tight budget: phone mount and an app?

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

There are very cheap ones available if you do a simple Google search.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/385386483707

This one is backlit even.

[jeffg]

The longest lasting cyclo computers I have owned are Cateye. The Velo 8 is cheap and good. Takes one battery that goes for about 5 years. Wireless models are nice and sexy, but cost more and require more outlay for batteries. They require 2 batteries which get replace about every 2 years. I'm cheap and practical, thus I only use wired models.
FWIW, pace arrows, multiple user inputs, and other non-essential noise means nothing to me and avoid models that have that stuff.