Computer - Echowell XR??

peterlip said:

Hi All,
I stumbled accross a bike computer that is a speedo - HRM in one, the Echowell XR. It also claims to have RPM, average RPM & max RPM.
I'm assuming RPM is cadense???
The only place I've seen this product is at deanwoods.com.auprod725.htmOpen ↗
Not even the Echowell web site seems to know about it.

I'm interested in getting it, and wondering if anyone has had a good/bad experience with it?

Peter.

G'day Peter

I bought one to replace my dead HRM (Sports Instruments) and still working Echowell F2. I sent the following to Echowell about a month after I'd installed it:

*********
Overall I am pleased with my new purchase as I have been with all the other Echowell products I've bought.

I like:

a. Having a full featured computer and very useful heart monitor in the one instrument.

b. The comprehensive range of mounting positions in the X range of devices. You could do worse than offer it on the F series of instruments.

c. The nice big numerals in the display.

That said, there are some disappointments:

a. Unlike my old Echo F2, cadence is not displayed continuously. In my opinion cadence is too important a parameter to be lumped in with odometer, average speed etc. It's not as if there is not space on the display to include a continuous cadence reading alongside speed reading. The cyclist icon on the left is a waste of space as most cyclists I know don't need to be reminded they are moving. The up down arrows can be put somewhere else and I'm not sure if there is any point in knowing speed to 1/10th of a km/h.

b. If there had been an option of a wired cadence sensor I would have bought it in preference to the wireless one. The latter is just a nuisance as there is a vulnerable protrusion on the chainstay instead of the neat, wired sensor of the F2. Further, it is yet another battery for me to keep track of.

c. It could be just my eyes but I find the function names harder to read than those on my F2. I put it down to the negative display i.e. white on black. Perhaps this issue could be looked into for future revisions of your products.

*****

Since then I've decided to reinstall my F2 for the continuous cadence reading. For my money cadence is at least as important as speed when cycling. It has been pointed out to me that having an auxiliary distance measuring facility can be useful for navigation in the long distance rides I do.

Cheers

Thanks for the info. For me, over 55, Cadence and Heart Rate are all the medicos want me to look at, oh, and the road. I don't want to be changing to reading glasses on the bike to check my leg rpms. Is the Cadence on the F2 on the big display? My LBS is getting some F2s in this week.

gclark8 said:

Thanks for the info. For me, over 55, Cadence and Heart Rate are all the medicos want me to look at, oh, and the road. I don't want to be changing to reading glasses on the bike to check my leg rpms. Is the Cadence on the F2 on the big display? My LBS is getting some F2s in this week.

UR welcome to the info.

I'm also >55 but, so far, medicos aren't interested in my cycling performance parameters. F2 and XR cadence display is not huge in size and certainly not as big as speed. I solve that with eye protection kit that has provision for corrective lenses. I have co-written an article on that very issue in the Audax Australia magazine and you can find it on http://www.audax.org.au/pdf/checkpoint/cpspr04.pdf Head for the article "Geriatric cyclists and the short arms problem".

As an aside, when I was 54 I told a medico that I was preparing for Paris Brest Paris 2003. He said "aren't you a bit old for that sort of thing?". I haven't seen him since to be able to answer his question in the negative.

Cheers

Ian

Thanks Ian,

I managed to eyeball one at the LBS yesterday. Yes the cadence dislay is disspointing. Looks like the Cateye Astrali 8 is about it. He did tell me about a new Nokia phone with bike interface and big digits rumored to be in the pipeline. Why do I want a mobile phone to get big cadence? Are you in Qld, I have a cousin Ian about your age?

cheers
George

gclark8 said:

Thanks Ian,

I managed to eyeball one at the LBS yesterday. Yes the cadence dislay is disspointing. Looks like the Cateye Astrali 8 is about it. He did tell me about a new Nokia phone with bike interface and big digits rumored to be in the pipeline. Why do I want a mobile phone to get big cadence? Are you in Qld, I have a cousin Ian about your age?

cheers
George

G'day George

People desperate to spend money on electronic kit can buy pocket computers that should be able to be rigged to read cadence. They can hook it up to a GPS so they know where they are lost. Then they can weigh themselves down with batteries to drive it all. Seems to lose the point a bit. Applying the KISS principle and correct the vision problem I say.

The website I quoted last time got garbled. Goto the site below and look for the article "Geriatric cyclists and the short arms problem". You can check the photo of me to see if I'm your cousin. Unlikely as I live in Melbourne.

Cheers

Ian

audax.org.aucpspr04.pdfOpen ↗

No, we're not related.

Down loaded the article, will read it later when i can find my reading glasses.. 😄

Don't own:
Mobile Phone,
GPS,
Pocket calculator,
IPod,
Plasma TV (do have digital)
DVD player
Lap top
Car
wife
super
🙂

gclark8 said:

No, we're not related.

Down loaded the article, will read it later when i can find my reading glasses.. 😄

Don't own:
Mobile Phone,
GPS,
Pocket calculator,
IPod,
Plasma TV (do have digital)
DVD player
Lap top
Car
wife
super
🙂

G'day George

Have fun with the article. I too try not to encumber my life too much though some of the above I have to own up to. Have been messing about with my profile and it may or may not be intelligible.

Signature, no, nothing recognisable here.

The LBS got the new Echowell computers in today (plug for R W), I declined, however, my new brake calipers were in the box, now on the new bike. 🙂

I had a look at the artcle, a bit difficut to read, will try again over the wekend. 😕