opinions on topeak panoram

anyone using one of these? opinions? would I need the long harness for my V2?

tia

rich

 

I use one of these. It is the best computer that I have ever used. I have used a Cateye Astrale, Cateye Mity II, various Performance computers, a Specialized and an old Rhode Gear one.

The one thing some people like that it does not have is a cadence reading. I do not particularly use it anyway, so that was of no consequence to me.

I have an acquaintance that rides a RANS Stratus and she uses the long harness.

Derek

 

No experience with this computer. But, I was considering buying one, until I went with the Planet
bike protege. It had big numbers with nearly all info displayed at once, but in a smaller package.

Sj

 

I've used a longwire one on my trike for 3 seasons now and like it fine. I ended up attaching the
sensor to one of the front wheels and wrapped the excess lead around the crossmember, covering it
with some red electrical tape that is a near-perfect match with the trike's paint.

 

[email protected] (Seth Jayson) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> No experience with this computer. But, I was considering buying one, until I went with the Planet
> bike protege. It had big numbers with nearly all info displayed at once, but in a smaller package.
>
> Sj

Are either or both of these waterproof?

johnriley1 (at) rogers.com

 

It features an ugly, oversized logo half as big as the display itself. What were they thinking of?

 

I've had one for a year or so - would not buy another one. May even throw this one away. There are
other computers that are cheaper and more compact that display all the normal data in a singal
screen without the nonsense - do you really need an oil can flashing at you? I still have to toggle
the display to get my average speed. Also, my older model does not automatically restart after the
bike has been idle for a long lunch break - what a pain (I think newer models fixed this).

"rich westerman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> anyone using one of these? opinions? would I need the long harness for
my
> V2?
>
> tia
>
> rich

 

I have used the wireless Panoram on a Greenspeed GTT for a year (1700
mi), and it's very close to the transmitter, so can't comment on the long wire. The display is very
readable and provides a lot of info, but is considerably larger than other units.

 

I've had one for about 1200 miles now, and like it. If you can get a good deal with the long cable I
think you'll like it too. Mine is mounted on my Bacchetta Giro SWB. Bentrideronline magazine did a
review in one of its first issues www.bentrideronline.com Denny in Sayre, Pa "Bent but not Broken'
www.recumbentstuff.com

"rich westerman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> anyone using one of these? opinions? would I need the long harness for
my
> V2?
>
> tia
>
> rich

 

"rich westerman" <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:

> anyone using one of these? opinions? would I need the long harness for my V2?
>
> tia
>
> rich
>
>

I had one of a V² and sold it with the bike. Got a Cateye Astrale for my trike which was cool until
I tired of the cadence feature. Sold it with the trike. Need a new one for the new trike and I'll go
back to a Panoram. I like the large display, easy to read and I hate toggling buttons to see data
while I'm riding. As long as space isn't a problem (it's not on a V²), it's what I'd get. I mounted
it hanging below the handlebar and it really looked trick, protected better too.

 

It doesn't have cadence!

Two cheapish computers would offer more versatillity: clock and cadence on one and speed and
average/distance/whathaveyou on the other.

Mark van Gorkom.

 

I've just started using a Panoram bike computer this season. You will definitely need the long wire
sending unit with just about any recumbent. So far, I like it, though it does have pros and cons:
Pro: Big display shows multiple functions all at once Had a long-wire version so I didn't have to do
the speaker-wire-splicing-thing Looks cool, in a dorky, recumbent sort of way. Kind of like a
dashboard for your bike.

Con: Big glass area of display is very glary in bright sunlight, and tough to see. Can sometimes
reflect direct sunlight almost like a mirror right into your eyes. Silver color is a bit loud for
such a large unit. When numbers get higher than 99, the first digit shows above the last two digits
very small. Weird, but I'll probably get used to it.

Byron Simms

"rich westerman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> anyone using one of these? opinions? would I need the long harness for
my
> V2?
>
> tia
>
> rich

 

"rich westerman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> anyone using one of these? opinions? would I need the long harness for my V2?
>
> tia
>
> rich

I like mine! When this topic started, the Panoram was still in it's original box awaiting to be
installed on my new bike. The long wire is L-O-N-G! It will definitely be more than enough for your
V2. I had to coil it several times around one of my brake cables to take up the slack. Now in
retrospect, I'd like to shorten it to make for a cleaner installation. I actually started a thread
on this on the BROL "Technical Discussion" message board.

Anyway, like another poster stated, it's like a dashboard for bicycles. Mine is mounted so that it's
right in the center over the stem. The large numbers are easy to read. Last night, I had the chance
to use the backlight to read the display. Very, very cool! I remember when I did the Moonlight ride
at the Withlacoochie Trail this last April hosted by Regis Hampton and Wo Smith, a friend of mine
who rides a Tour Easy asked me if there was a bike computer that you could see in the dark. None of
us had an idea how fast we were going due to the darkness on that night. So fast forwarding back to
last night as I glanced to the display in the dark kind of reminded me of that ocassion;-)

Overall, I think it's a high quality unit though it remains to be seen if it will stand up for use
in the rain. This is on my commuting bike so we'll see.

One more thing. The instructions are way weird! Very graphical but short on words. Take your time as
it took me over half an hour just to figure out how to set the wheel diameter. Maybe to another
person the instructions will be intuitive and you may be one of them.

Happy trails, Edward Wong Orlando, FL

 

"Dave Harney" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I've had one for a year or so - would not buy another one. May even throw this one away. There are
> other computers that are cheaper and more compact that display all the normal data in a singal
> screen without the nonsense - do you really need an oil can flashing at you? I still have to
> toggle the display to get my average speed. [...]

Are there any that display speed and average speed at the same time?

johnriley1 (at) rogers.com

 

"john riley" skrev

> Are there any that display speed and average speed at the same time?

Don't most do that? Anyway the Cateye Astrale does.

M.

 

"rich westerman" <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:

> anyone using one of these? opinions? would I need the long harness for my V2?
>
> tia
>
> rich
>
>

WIth some fiddling time with the bracket I got mine mounted under the handlebar instead of over
(V²). Hanging down from the mount. Looked really cool and was MUCH more protected than when above.

 

Performance lists a couple - here is one http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=17167

"john riley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Dave Harney" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > I've had one for a year or so - would not buy another one. May even
throw
> > this one away. There are other computers that are cheaper and more
compact
> > that display all the normal data in a singal screen without the
nonsense -
> > do you really need an oil can flashing at you? I still have to toggle
the
> > display to get my average speed. [...]
>
> Are there any that display speed and average speed at the same time?
>
> johnriley1 (at) rogers.com

 

"Dave Harney" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Performance lists a couple - here is one http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=17167
>
> "john riley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...

> > Are there any that display speed and average speed at the same time?
> >
> > johnriley1 (at) rogers.com

Thanks. That is a good site to browse because you can blow up the images and really see
the displays.

JR

 

I don't have topeak panoram but I have an Avocet with the altimeter feature. The altimeter includes
the accumulated number of feet that you climbed for that ride. This is a feature that I could not
live without. It gives you an indication of how challenging your ride was that day. I don't think
the Avocet is available anymore with these features but the Cateye AT100 has the same features.

Mike

"rich westerman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> anyone using one of these? opinions? would I need the long harness for my V2?
>
> tia
>
> rich

 

I totally agree about the instructions! Very bad indeed; something was definitely lost in the
translation from Chinese or wherever it was made. I did manage to turn off the blinking oil can and
wrench reminders, although it may have taken a half hour of poring over the two separate instruction
sheets to finally figure out how.

Byron Simms

"Edward Wong" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "rich westerman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > anyone using one of these? opinions? would I need the long harness for
my
> > V2?
> >
> > tia
> >
> > rich
>
> I like mine! When this topic started, the Panoram was still in it's original box awaiting to be
> installed on my new bike. The long wire is L-O-N-G! It will definitely be more than enough for
> your V2. I had to coil it several times around one of my brake cables to take up the slack. Now in
> retrospect, I'd like to shorten it to make for a cleaner installation. I actually started a thread
> on this on the BROL "Technical Discussion" message board.
>
> Anyway, like another poster stated, it's like a dashboard for bicycles. Mine is mounted so that
> it's right in the center over the stem. The large numbers are easy to read. Last night, I had the
> chance to use the backlight to read the display. Very, very cool! I remember when I did the
> Moonlight ride at the Withlacoochie Trail this last April hosted by Regis Hampton and Wo Smith, a
> friend of mine who rides a Tour Easy asked me if there was a bike computer that you could see in
> the dark. None of us had an idea how fast we were going due to the darkness on that night. So fast
> forwarding back to last night as I glanced to the display in the dark kind of reminded me of that
> ocassion;-)
>
> Overall, I think it's a high quality unit though it remains to be seen if it will stand up for use
> in the rain. This is on my commuting bike so we'll see.
>
> One more thing. The instructions are way weird! Very graphical but short on words. Take your time
> as it took me over half an hour just to figure out how to set the wheel diameter. Maybe to another
> person the instructions will be intuitive and you may be one of them.
>
> Happy trails, Edward Wong Orlando, FL