Cycling computer idea

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Tell ya what I would like to see. I ride w/o a cycling computer, only a
wrist watch. I would love to see a SIMPLE, wrist watch based wireless
computer. A watch most of the time, when ya get on the bike, push a
button, and now it shows speed and distance. Off the bike, push button,
it's a watch. Small, simple,

NOT heart rate, or GPS or power or anything else...anybody heard of
such a thing?

What's wrong with leaving a simple computer on the bike? Either way,
you still need the sending unit on the bike, anyway.

You could install a wireless computer and carry the head in your
pocket.

I don't think you will find what you are looking for, but I may be
wrong.

Life is Good!
Jeff

Quoted message said:

Tell ya what I would like to see. I ride w/o a cycling computer, only a
wrist watch. I would love to see a SIMPLE, wrist watch based wireless
computer. A watch most of the time, when ya get on the bike, push a
button, and now it shows speed and distance. Off the bike, push button,
it's a watch. Small, simple,

NOT heart rate, or GPS or power or anything else...anybody heard of
such a thing?

Peter: What you ask sounds so simple, and yet is so difficult.

The issue is wireless. It takes four times the power to transmit a signal
twice as far, so the distance between sending unit and your wrist is a major
issue; every time you remove your hands from the bars, you'd probably lose
the signal. Plus, they conserve power by attempting to transmit in a
fairly-narrow beam, and this only works when you have a fixed position for
the receiver (wrist watch).

Heart monitors don't have quite as much trouble because the max distance
from transmitter to wrist watch... well, trying to figure that out now, but
it's not much more than two feet. Plus, when you lose the signal, you're not
messing up your distance figures (which may be important to some).

And finally, perhaps you're a lot younger than I am, or, as an ex fighter
pilot, have exceptional eyes? I'd have a difficult time reading the numbers
on a wrist watch. Easier to focus on something that sits in one place.

I'm going the opposite direction (why don't I think that comes as a surprise
to you?) and getting one of the Garmin 305s when they come in.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Jeff Starr said:

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Tell ya what I would like to see. I ride w/o a cycling computer, only a
wrist watch. I would love to see a SIMPLE, wrist watch based wireless
computer. A watch most of the time, when ya get on the bike, push a
button, and now it shows speed and distance. Off the bike, push button,
it's a watch. Small, simple,

NOT heart rate, or GPS or power or anything else...anybody heard of
such a thing?

What's wrong with leaving a simple computer on the bike? Either way,
you still need the sending unit on the bike, anyway.

You could install a wireless computer and carry the head in your
pocket.

Don't like anything mounted on the handlebars....Like the clean look.

Quoted message said:

I don't think you will find what you are looking for, but I may be
wrong.

Life is Good!
Jeff

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Quoted message said:

Tell ya what I would like to see. I ride w/o a cycling computer, only a
wrist watch. I would love to see a SIMPLE, wrist watch based wireless
computer. A watch most of the time, when ya get on the bike, push a
button, and now it shows speed and distance. Off the bike, push button,
it's a watch. Small, simple,

NOT heart rate, or GPS or power or anything else...anybody heard of
such a thing?

Peter: What you ask sounds so simple, and yet is so difficult.

The issue is wireless. It takes four times the power to transmit a signal
twice as far, so the distance between sending unit and your wrist is a major
issue; every time you remove your hands from the bars, you'd probably lose
the signal. Plus, they conserve power by attempting to transmit in a
fairly-narrow beam, and this only works when you have a fixed position for
the receiver (wrist watch).

A cateye double wireless sends from way at the end of the bike to the
front and lots of HRM also have a front fork speed pickup, to your
wrist.

Quoted message said:

Heart monitors don't have quite as much trouble because the max distance
from transmitter to wrist watch... well, trying to figure that out now, but
it's not much more than two feet. Plus, when you lose the signal, you're not
messing up your distance figures (which may be important to some).

And finally, perhaps you're a lot younger than I am, or, as an ex fighter
pilot, have exceptional eyes? I'd have a difficult time reading the numbers
on a wrist watch. Easier to focus on something that sits in one place.

Well, not younger but I still have good eyes.

Quoted message said:

I'm going the opposite direction (why don't I think that comes as a surprise
to you?) and getting one of the Garmin 305s when they come in.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Don't like anything mounted on the handlebars....Like the clean look.

Quoted message said:

I am in the same boat, but I am warming to some of the stem-mounted
solutions. It's the asymmetry rather than the clutter that bothers me.
I also like holding the tops close to the stem with my thumbs and
fingers of each hand crossing sometimes and then all computers get in
the way.

Joseph

On Sun, 05 Feb 2006 16:11:57 GMT, Jeff Starr <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Tell ya what I would like to see. I ride w/o a cycling computer, only a
wrist watch. I would love to see a SIMPLE, wrist watch based wireless
computer. A watch most of the time, when ya get on the bike, push a
button, and now it shows speed and distance. Off the bike, push button,
it's a watch. Small, simple,

NOT heart rate, or GPS or power or anything else...anybody heard of
such a thing?

What's wrong with leaving a simple computer on the bike? Either way,
you still need the sending unit on the bike, anyway.

Perhaps the OP wants the convenience of not having to dismount the
comp head to prevent it from being stolen every time the bike is
parked?

Quoted message said:

You could install a wireless computer and carry the head in your
pocket.

OTOH, if there was a wrist strap to mount the head on, that might meet
the spec, assuming a comp which goes dormant in time-display mode can
be found.

--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Peter

Suunto has a wide range of functions on wrist watches. Fabulous
quality. They have a watch called: Suunto t6 (1st URL). It woks w/ the
bike pod. (2nd URL)
However I'm sure it's overkill for you. Way too many functions, inc
heart rate, & ~$800 retail. You could overlook all the functions you
are not interested it. It is one possibility. You might e-mail them for
a simpler solution. They were a great Co. for customer service for
scuba dive computers. I doubt much has changed.

(These two URLs were ~a mile long each & didn't wrap around. So I
truncated them. You'll have to find the exact products, if you are
interested.

http://www.suunto.com/suunto/main/product

http://www.suunto.com/suunto/main/product

I'm curious how your search goes, John

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The issue is wireless. It takes four times the power to transmit a signal
twice as far, so the distance between sending unit and your wrist is a
major
issue; every time you remove your hands from the bars, you'd probably
lose
the signal. Plus, they conserve power by attempting to transmit in a
fairly-narrow beam, and this only works when you have a fixed position
for
the receiver (wrist watch).

A cateye double wireless sends from way at the end of the bike to the
front and lots of HRM also have a front fork speed pickup, to your
wrist.

The Cateye has a fairly-large transmitter, and a different design where both
the cadence and speed pickups share the same unit. It's the first rear wheel
unit I've come across that's been reliable, but it's a bit bulky for a front
fork. The HRMs that attach to your wrist are far more problematic than those
that attach to the handlebar.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

And finally, perhaps you're a lot younger than I am, or, as an ex fighter
pilot, have exceptional eyes? I'd have a difficult time reading the
numbers
on a wrist watch. Easier to focus on something that sits in one place.

Well, not younger but I still have good eyes.

Hope they stay that way! I'm still a young punk, at least for the next two
months. But after that, it's going to be difficult justifying that I have
more in common with someone 30 than 50... nor will I look forward to my next
doctor's appointment (not that I ever have).

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

"Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Quoted message said:

Tell ya what I would like to see. I ride w/o a cycling computer, only a
wrist watch. I would love to see a SIMPLE, wrist watch based wireless
computer. A watch most of the time, when ya get on the bike, push a
button, and now it shows speed and distance. Off the bike, push button,
it's a watch. Small, simple,

NOT heart rate, or GPS or power or anything else...anybody heard of
such a thing?

Peter: What you ask sounds so simple, and yet is so difficult.

The issue is wireless. It takes four times the power to transmit a signal
twice as far, so the distance between sending unit and your wrist is a
major
issue; every time you remove your hands from the bars, you'd probably
lose
the signal. Plus, they conserve power by attempting to transmit in a
fairly-narrow beam, and this only works when you have a fixed position
for
the receiver (wrist watch).

A cateye double wireless sends from way at the end of the bike to the
front and lots of HRM also have a front fork speed pickup, to your
wrist.

Quoted message said:

Heart monitors don't have quite as much trouble because the max distance
from transmitter to wrist watch... well, trying to figure that out now,
but
it's not much more than two feet. Plus, when you lose the signal, you're
not
messing up your distance figures (which may be important to some).

And finally, perhaps you're a lot younger than I am, or, as an ex fighter
pilot, have exceptional eyes? I'd have a difficult time reading the
numbers
on a wrist watch. Easier to focus on something that sits in one place.

Well, not younger but I still have good eyes.

Quoted message said:

I'm going the opposite direction (why don't I think that comes as a
surprise
to you?) and getting one of the Garmin 305s when they come in.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm going the opposite direction (why don't I think that comes as a
surprise
to you?) and getting one of the Garmin 305s when they come in.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Yep. What I would really love is one of those fork mount computers,
like Fignon used to have, with a magnet on the wheel(not the little
belt drives), where ya just looked down at your fork to see speed and
distance-neat!! Avocet? I don't know, I had one about 2 decades ago...

Buy a Polar 720i and ignore the HR function. Speed, distance, altitude,
even optional cadence.

The main drawback of a wristwatch/computer is the size issue. The Polar
is on the very large size for a wristwatch, but on the very small size
for a cycling computer.

Quoted message said:

Yep. What I would really love is one of those fork mount computers,
like Fignon used to have, with a magnet on the wheel(not the little
belt drives), where ya just looked down at your fork to see speed and
distance-neat!! Avocet? I don't know, I had one about 2 decades ago...

I remember those! Just barely. Don't recall who it was, but know that it
wasn't Avocet. Kind of an electronic version of the Huret Multito (the
belt-driven one).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Quoted message said:

>
> I'm going the opposite direction (why don't I think that comes as a
> surprise
> to you?) and getting one of the Garmin 305s when they come in.
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Yep. What I would really love is one of those fork mount computers,
like Fignon used to have, with a magnet on the wheel(not the little
belt drives), where ya just looked down at your fork to see speed and
distance-neat!! Avocet? I don't know, I had one about 2 decades ago...

I saw a guy riding with a Huret Multito a few weeks ago...

JT

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