Bike computer that work in the rain

"James Gladden" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

My old Avocet 45tt bike computer has died and I need to replace it.
There were several things I really liked about this computer:

1) It was rain-proof. I have ridden many hundred of miles in the wet
with it and never had a problem with it leaking.

2) It always worked in the rain (actually, the cadence feature
wouldn't always work in the wet, but you can't have everything). This
distinguised it from other bike computers I have owned that stop
reading speed with the contacts on the mount get soaked.

3) It had cadence. Silly, I realize, but I enjoy it.

4) The odometer was settable so that if you did a mid-year battery
change you could re-enter the mileage. Also probably silly, but I
enjoy keeping track of my mileage as the year goes by (about 2850 so
far this year).

I am a high-mileage comuter in Seattle so stuff that won't survive
rain doesn't have much place on my bike. I suppose wireless would
solve some of the rain reliability problems, if it really works
reliably the rest of the time.

I'm in your neck of the woods, and I commute 2-3 days a week between
Mill Creek and Redmond (35 miles RT). I've been using Sigma Sport
computers for the last couple of years and have had great luck with them
with wired mounts (but have had 2 wireless kits fail on me). I'm
currently using a BC1200, which replaced a BC800 I moved to my mountain
bike. I got the 1200 because it has dual wheel sizes, and I switch back
& forth between 28mm clinchers and 22mm sewups, depending on mood &
conditions.

I think the BC1600 would fit all of your conditions, at least 3 & 4
objectively. As to 1 & 2, like I say, I haven't had a wired mount fail
yet.

Quoted message said:

My old Avocet 45tt bike computer has died and I need to replace it. There
were several things I really liked about this computer:

1) It was rain-proof. I have ridden many hundred of miles in the wet with it
and never had a problem with it leaking.

2) It always worked in the rain (actually, the cadence feature wouldn't
always work in the wet, but you can't have everything). This distinguised it
from other bike computers I have owned that stop reading speed with the
contacts on the mount get soaked.

3) It had cadence. Silly, I realize, but I enjoy it.

4) The odometer was settable so that if you did a mid-year battery change you
could re-enter the mileage. Also probably silly, but I enjoy keeping track
of my mileage as the year goes by (about 2850 so far this year).

I am a high-mileage comuter in Seattle so stuff that won't survive rain
doesn't have much place on my bike. I suppose wireless would solve some of
the rain reliability problems, if it really works reliably the rest of the
time.

I would appreciate hearing about the experience of others with similar
requirements. Thanks in advance.

Jim

Just apply some vaseline in the contact area; it prevents water doing
its shortcutting work.

Martin

--
Posted by news://news.nb.nu

Hank Wirtz said:

"James Gladden" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

My old Avocet 45tt bike computer has died and I need to replace it.
There were several things I really liked about this computer:

1) It was rain-proof. I have ridden many hundred of miles in the wet
with it and never had a problem with it leaking.

2) It always worked in the rain (actually, the cadence feature
wouldn't always work in the wet, but you can't have everything). This
distinguised it from other bike computers I have owned that stop
reading speed with the contacts on the mount get soaked.

3) It had cadence. Silly, I realize, but I enjoy it.

4) The odometer was settable so that if you did a mid-year battery
change you could re-enter the mileage. Also probably silly, but I
enjoy keeping track of my mileage as the year goes by (about 2850 so
far this year).

I am a high-mileage comuter in Seattle so stuff that won't survive
rain doesn't have much place on my bike. I suppose wireless would
solve some of the rain reliability problems, if it really works
reliably the rest of the time.

I'm in your neck of the woods, and I commute 2-3 days a week between
Mill Creek and Redmond (35 miles RT). I've been using Sigma Sport
computers for the last couple of years and have had great luck with them
with wired mounts (but have had 2 wireless kits fail on me). I'm
currently using a BC1200, which replaced a BC800 I moved to my mountain
bike. I got the 1200 because it has dual wheel sizes, and I switch back
& forth between 28mm clinchers and 22mm sewups, depending on mood &
conditions.

Where did you find one of these? I'm always switching wheelsets between
42mm and 28mm and this would be handy. I also would like a spare sensor.
I bet the Sigma was cheap too. My DC600 was about $10.00 and still works
great after 10K+ miles. It's just a hassle to reset every time I change
wheelsets.

Quoted message said:

I think the BC1600 would fit all of your conditions, at least 3 & 4
objectively. As to 1 & 2, like I say, I haven't had a wired mount fail
yet.

On Sat, 27 May 2006 12:14:54 GMT, chuck <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Where did you find one of these? I'm always switching wheelsets between
42mm and 28mm and this would be handy. I also would like a spare sensor.
I bet the Sigma was cheap too. My DC600 was about $10.00 and still works
great after 10K+ miles. It's just a hassle to reset every time I change
wheelsets.

At a price of $10, why not buy a second computer, and just replace the
head when changing tire size. The Sigma Sport Targa that I had, was
removable from its mounting bracket. It slid in and out, locking in
place. I think most of them do that, my Cateye Astrales both do.

Life is Good!
Jeff

James Gladden said:

My old Avocet 45tt bike computer has died and I need to replace it. There
were several things I really liked about this computer:

1) It was rain-proof. I have ridden many hundred of miles in the wet with
it and never had a problem with it leaking.

2) It always worked in the rain (actually, the cadence feature wouldn't
always work in the wet, but you can't have everything). This distinguised
it from other bike computers I have owned that stop reading speed with the
contacts on the mount get soaked.

3) It had cadence. Silly, I realize, but I enjoy it.

4) The odometer was settable so that if you did a mid-year battery change
you could re-enter the mileage. Also probably silly, but I enjoy keeping
track of my mileage as the year goes by (about 2850 so far this year).

I am a high-mileage comuter in Seattle so stuff that won't survive rain
doesn't have much place on my bike. I suppose wireless would solve some of
the rain reliability problems, if it really works reliably the rest of the
time.

I would appreciate hearing about the experience of others with similar
requirements. Thanks in advance.

Cateye Astrale has cadence. My older model has survived many rainy
miles this year; I would expect the newer Astrale would also be rainproof.

Mark

Thanks for the recommendation. Do you know of somewhere is the greater
Seattle area that sells Sigma? Or did you get yours mail order?

Jim

"Hank Wirtz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"James Gladden" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

My old Avocet 45tt bike computer has died and I need to replace it.
There were several things I really liked about this computer:

1) It was rain-proof. I have ridden many hundred of miles in the wet
with it and never had a problem with it leaking.

2) It always worked in the rain (actually, the cadence feature
wouldn't always work in the wet, but you can't have everything). This
distinguised it from other bike computers I have owned that stop
reading speed with the contacts on the mount get soaked.

3) It had cadence. Silly, I realize, but I enjoy it.

4) The odometer was settable so that if you did a mid-year battery
change you could re-enter the mileage. Also probably silly, but I
enjoy keeping track of my mileage as the year goes by (about 2850 so
far this year).

I am a high-mileage comuter in Seattle so stuff that won't survive
rain doesn't have much place on my bike. I suppose wireless would
solve some of the rain reliability problems, if it really works
reliably the rest of the time.

I'm in your neck of the woods, and I commute 2-3 days a week between
Mill Creek and Redmond (35 miles RT). I've been using Sigma Sport
computers for the last couple of years and have had great luck with them
with wired mounts (but have had 2 wireless kits fail on me). I'm
currently using a BC1200, which replaced a BC800 I moved to my mountain
bike. I got the 1200 because it has dual wheel sizes, and I switch back
& forth between 28mm clinchers and 22mm sewups, depending on mood &
conditions.

I think the BC1600 would fit all of your conditions, at least 3 & 4
objectively. As to 1 & 2, like I say, I haven't had a wired mount fail
yet.

James Gladden said:

My old Avocet 45tt bike computer has died and I need to replace it.
There were several things I really liked about this computer:

1) It was rain-proof. I have ridden many hundred of miles in the wet
with it and never had a problem with it leaking.

2) It always worked in the rain (actually, the cadence feature wouldn't
always work in the wet, but you can't have everything). This
distinguised it from other bike computers I have owned that stop reading
speed with the contacts on the mount get soaked.

3) It had cadence. Silly, I realize, but I enjoy it.

4) The odometer was settable so that if you did a mid-year battery
change you could re-enter the mileage. Also probably silly, but I enjoy
keeping track of my mileage as the year goes by (about 2850 so far this
year).

I am a high-mileage comuter in Seattle so stuff that won't survive rain
doesn't have much place on my bike. I suppose wireless would solve some
of the rain reliability problems, if it really works reliably the rest
of the time.

I would appreciate hearing about the experience of others with similar
requirements. Thanks in advance.

I've never had any trouble with my Shimano Flight Deck, and I get rained
on a lot too. I really like the wireless aspect because there are no
wires on the bike, except under the handlebar tape. It has cadence, BTW,
which it calculates from gear position and speed.

I wouldn't have bought a Flight Deck because it's pretty expensive, but it
came with the bike. Now that I have it I like it, and I'd buy another.
The gear indicator is nice.

Matt O.

"James Gladden" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Thanks for the recommendation. Do you know of somewhere is the greater
Seattle area that sells Sigma? Or did you get yours mail order?

Loads of shops carry Sigma. I know REI does, and Performance nee Supergo
did, too.

REI.com has the BC1200 (no cadence) in their outlet section for $23 with
the wireless mount at the moment, and you can have it shipped to any REI
store for pickup to avoid shipping charges. Try it with the wireless, and
if it gives you grief, the wired mount was $7 at Redmond Cycle, maybe
cheaper elsewhere. The BC1600 is $34 with a wired mount, but the cadence
kit may be optional.

Good for you! Perhaps it's me then, but I've had a couple of Sigma
computers and a few lights. ALL of them fail intermittantly. I guess
I'm just not meant to be a Sigma usere...

My Speialized work great except in the rain - their mounts suck in rain
to the contact area like through a straw.

I've had problems with Trek as the sensor is not sealed. It's a little
tube with a rubber cap. The cap will come loose and, in the rain, it
will fill with water and fail.

My CatEye has worked in the rain so far, but it's not had very much
exposure.

Hank Wirtz said:

"James Gladden" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

My old Avocet 45tt bike computer has died and I need to replace it.
There were several things I really liked about this computer:

1) It was rain-proof. I have ridden many hundred of miles in the wet
with it and never had a problem with it leaking.

2) It always worked in the rain (actually, the cadence feature
wouldn't always work in the wet, but you can't have everything). This
distinguised it from other bike computers I have owned that stop
reading speed with the contacts on the mount get soaked.

3) It had cadence. Silly, I realize, but I enjoy it.

4) The odometer was settable so that if you did a mid-year battery
change you could re-enter the mileage. Also probably silly, but I
enjoy keeping track of my mileage as the year goes by (about 2850 so
far this year).

I am a high-mileage comuter in Seattle so stuff that won't survive
rain doesn't have much place on my bike. I suppose wireless would
solve some of the rain reliability problems, if it really works
reliably the rest of the time.

I'm in your neck of the woods, and I commute 2-3 days a week between
Mill Creek and Redmond (35 miles RT). I've been using Sigma Sport
computers for the last couple of years and have had great luck with them
with wired mounts (but have had 2 wireless kits fail on me). I'm
currently using a BC1200, which replaced a BC800 I moved to my mountain
bike. I got the 1200 because it has dual wheel sizes, and I switch back
& forth between 28mm clinchers and 22mm sewups, depending on mood &
conditions.

I think the BC1600 would fit all of your conditions, at least 3 & 4
objectively. As to 1 & 2, like I say, I haven't had a wired mount fail
yet.

richard said:

Good for you! Perhaps it's me then, but I've had a couple of Sigma
computers and a few lights. ALL of them fail intermittantly. I guess
I'm just not meant to be a Sigma usere...

I've got a Sigma umm 800 I think... and other than a nasty habit of
automatically resetting trip distance to 0 when I'm not looking (the
magic incantation is to write the numbers down, if I write the numbers
down it never self resets)

It did freak out a bit and refuse to work for the next day or two when
I went out for a short ride during Typhoon Damphrey but other that I've
had no problems with it under normal weather conditions.

The CatEye computer I had in Shijiazhuang got unhappy in normal
rainstorms. And my CatEye rear blinky went totally spastic when I
accidentally left in on the bike during a wash.

-M

Mark Janeba said:

Cateye Astrale has cadence. My older model has survived many rainy
miles this year; I would expect the newer Astrale would also be rainproof.

My Astrale does all right in a light shower, but in a heavy
thunderstorm the contacts will short out. You'll lose the rest of the
ride, but it won't kill the speedometer altogether. Also, it'll lose
settings when you replace the battery, although it'll last more than a
year for me.

Pat

Email address works as is.

Most of the computers I have used all have had some probs in the really wet
stuff. Now I simply glob on a bit of vasoline on the contact area and
problem solved. Put enough on to act as a flexible seal. A bit messy if you
pocketyour computer all the time.

Grolsch

"Patrick Lamb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mark Janeba said:

Cateye Astrale has cadence. My older model has survived many rainy
miles this year; I would expect the newer Astrale would also be rainproof.

My Astrale does all right in a light shower, but in a heavy
thunderstorm the contacts will short out. You'll lose the rest of the
ride, but it won't kill the speedometer altogether. Also, it'll lose
settings when you replace the battery, although it'll last more than a
year for me.

Pat

Email address works as is.

In article <[email hidden]>, Patrick Lamb

() said:

Mark Janeba said:

Cateye Astrale has cadence. My older model has survived many rainy
miles this year; I would expect the newer Astrale would also be rainproof.

My Astrale does all right in a light shower, but in a heavy
thunderstorm the contacts will short out. You'll lose the rest of the
ride, but it won't kill the speedometer altogether. Also, it'll lose
settings when you replace the battery, although it'll last more than a
year for me.

I have a Several of Astrales - both old and new - dotted around the
fleet and none has given me any trouble in the wettest of downpours.

While it's true that one cannot re-enter distances and wotnot on
changing the battery, provided you whip the old one out and the new one
in with due despatch, the settings and odometer reading will be
retained.

Of course, I then went and pressed the wrong button and lost 20,000 km
into the ether :-(

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Stop press! Pope still dead...