Cyclocomputers - Elapsed Time Only?

[Gary German]

Are there any cycle computers that show total Elapsed Time only, but do not show Ride Time (i.e.,
time when the bike is moving)?

I've developed a bicycle ride logger/diary program, but one of my beta testers has complained
because the program does not allow him to enter Average Speed (it is currently designed so that you
enter Ride Distance and Ride Time, and the program computes Average Speed).

My beta tester says that his cycle computer only displays total Elapsed Time, and Average Speed.
And so, he needs to be able to enter Ride Distance and Average Speed, and have the program compute
Ride Time.

Before I make this change, I wanted to find out if there are other folks out there using computers
that are not capable of displaying Ride Time.

TIA,

Gary G.

 

[Bruce]

Gary German wrote:
> Are there any cycle computers that show total Elapsed Time only, but do not show Ride Time (i.e.,
> time when the bike is moving)?

I think that was normal for early bike computers. More modern ones have an 'auto' setting to stop to
clock when stationary, right? Mine has the choice of either mode.

> My beta tester says that his cycle computer only displays total Elapsed Time, and Average Speed.
> And so, he needs to be able to enter Ride Distance and Average Speed, and have the program compute
> Ride Time.

I suspect that will not help. His 'average speed' would be derived from the given
distance/elapsed-time.

> Before I make this change, I wanted to find out if there are other folks out there using computers
> that are not capable of displaying Ride Time.

Yes, older ones.

> TIA,
>
> Gary G.

 

[Pete Biggs]

Gary German wrote:
> Are there any cycle computers that show total Elapsed Time only, but do not show Ride Time (i.e.,
> time when the bike is moving)?

Cateye Mity 3 offers the choice of total time or ride time, and is a good computer generally.

~PB

 

[Pete Biggs]

Gary German wrote:
> Are there any cycle computers that show total Elapsed Time only, but do not show Ride Time (i.e.,
> time when the bike is moving)?

The direct answer to your question is: yes. Some cheaper and older computers only show total elapsed
time. Some computers offer both, but many modern basic models only do ride time.

I don't really understand what you need, but can't just you use a separate stop-watch (wrist
watch) if you need BOTH total and ride times? Alternatively, some computers have an independent
stop watch feature.

~PB

 

[Gary German]

"Gary German" <gary_g@charter_NOSPAMX_.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Are there any cycle computers that show total Elapsed Time only, but do
not
> show Ride Time (i.e., time when the bike is moving)?
>
> I've developed a bicycle ride logger/diary program, but one of my beta testers has complained
> because the program does not allow him to enter Average Speed (it is currently designed so that
> you enter Ride Distance
and
> Ride Time, and the program computes Average Speed).
>
> My beta tester says that his cycle computer only displays total Elapsed Time, and Average Speed.
> And so, he needs to be able to enter Ride
Distance
> and Average Speed, and have the program compute Ride Time.
>
> Before I make this change, I wanted to find out if there are other folks
out
> there using computers that are not capable of displaying Ride Time.
>
> TIA,
>
> Gary G.
>

Thanks to all who replied. It confirmed my suspicions that computers that only show "Elapsed Time",
and not "Ride Time" can be considered "obsolete".

Sorry if I wasn't entirely clear in my original post, but the reason I was asking about this has to
do with a cycling-related software program I'm developing. The software is designed to track bike
rides, bike maintenance, health, etc.

Based on the cycle computers that I and my riding friends use, I had assumed that users of the
program would enter Ride Distance, and Ride Time (and my program would calculate Average Speed).

But, one of my beta testers apparently has an old cycle computer that only displays Ride Distance,
and Elapsed Time (although he claims it also shows him Average Speed...which is weird, because it
would have to know Ride Time to make the calculation).

Anyway, he wants me to modify the program so that he can manually enter Average Speed, and have the
program calculate the Ride Time.

I've worked hard to keep the user interface as easy and intuitive to use as possible, so I don't
think I want to complicate it by allowing for entry of Average Speed. Based on your feedback, it
sounds like this feature would only be of value to a very small minority of potential users.

Thanks again.

Gary G.

 

[John Everett]

On Mon, 10 Mar 2003 06:52:06 -0800, "Gary German" <gary_g@charter_NOSPAMX_.net> wrote:

>
>Thanks to all who replied. It confirmed my suspicions that computers that only show "Elapsed Time",
>and not "Ride Time" can be considered "obsolete".
>
>Sorry if I wasn't entirely clear in my original post, but the reason I was asking about this has to
>do with a cycling-related software program I'm developing. The software is designed to track bike
>rides, bike maintenance, health, etc.
>
>Based on the cycle computers that I and my riding friends use, I had assumed that users of the
>program would enter Ride Distance, and Ride Time (and my program would calculate Average Speed).
>
>But, one of my beta testers apparently has an old cycle computer that only displays Ride Distance,
>and Elapsed Time (although he claims it also shows him Average Speed...which is weird, because it
>would have to know Ride Time to make the calculation).
>
>Anyway, he wants me to modify the program so that he can manually enter Average Speed, and have the
>program calculate the Ride Time.

I'm not sure what cyclocomputer your beta tester is using, but I have Cateye Micros (CC-6000) on
three of my bikes. The Micro only tracks total elapsed time (not time actually moving) and
calculates average speed based upon elapsed time. If your beta tester has a Micro, adding the
feature he's recommending will result in a function that will duplicate a number already computed by
the Micro.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

 

[Per ElmsäTer]

Gary German wrote:
>
> I've worked hard to keep the user interface as easy and intuitive to use as possible, so I don't
> think I want to complicate it by allowing for entry of Average Speed. Based on your feedback, it
> sounds like this feature would only be of value to a very small minority of potential users.
>
> Thanks again.
>
> Gary G.

If you want to get fancy, I think a better feature would be to be able to select a particular phase
of the trip and have data presented for this section.

For instance you may have been hauling ass or climbing a big hill between 60 and 90 minutes into the
ride. It could be interesting to see what your average speed was for this section etc.

--
Perre

Remove the DOTs to reply

 

[Gary German]

"Per Elmsäter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Gary German wrote:
> >
> > I've worked hard to keep the user interface as easy and intuitive to use as possible, so I don't
> > think I want to complicate it by allowing for entry of Average Speed. Based on your feedback, it
> > sounds like this feature would only be of value to a very small minority of potential users.
> >
> > Thanks again.
> >
> > Gary G.
>
> If you want to get fancy, I think a better feature would be to be able to select a particular
> phase of the trip and have data presented for this section.
>
> For instance you may have been hauling ass or climbing a big hill between 60 and 90 minutes into
> the ride. It could be interesting to see what your average speed was for this section etc.
>
> --
> Perre
>
> Remove the DOTs to reply
>

Yes...on my list of things-to-do is an "Intervals" feature, so you can enter data like that, but not
have it added to the summaries for total distance, average speed, etc.

Gary G.

 

[Peter]

Per Elmsäter wrote:
> If you want to get fancy, I think a better feature would be to be able to select a particular
> phase of the trip and have data presented for this section.
>
> For instance you may have been hauling ass or climbing a big hill between 60 and 90 minutes into
> the ride. It could be interesting to see what your average speed was for this section etc.

This is easily done if you use a GPS receiver as your bike computer. They record your positions
along the way and include a precise timestamp so you can later display both your path and your
speed at each point by downloading the data to your PC. They also provide an elevation profile of
your ride.

 

[David Reuteler]

Pete Biggs <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:
: Cateye Mity 3 offers the choice of total time or ride time, and is a good computer generally.

it's a pity the UI was designed by, well, an idiot. i find the older VDOs to be about the most
intuitive. flighdeck is ok.
--
david reuteler [email protected]

 

[Pete Biggs]

David Reuteler wrote:

>> Cateye Mity 3 offers the choice of total time or ride time, and is a good computer generally.
>
> it's a pity the UI was designed by, well, an idiot.

I think it's not bad (once setup). There are much worse UI's out there. I prefer having a few main
modes then sub modes to having to cycle through a large number of modes serially. Just a shame the
clock isn't one of the main modes. Is it just me who mostly uses their computer as a alternative to
wearing a watch?

~PB

 

[David Reuteler]

Pete Biggs <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:
: I prefer having a few main modes then sub modes to having to cycle through a large number of modes
: serially.

if you're happy with the main modes (ride time, average speed and distance1) i can see how you'd be
ok with this computer. the one that drove me nuts was the odometer -- from distance1 you have to
hold down the mode button for two seconds to get to distance2 and then another two seconds to get to
odometer ... all while riding (bad dave, i know). i would love a computer that let you select the
main modes.

ack & you can't switch between miles and km w/o resetting the whole thing (to be fair, that's true
of a number of them).

: Just a shame the clock isn't one of the main modes. Is it just me who mostly uses their computer
: as a alternative to wearing a watch?

that's definitely true for me.
--
david reuteler [email protected]