State of the art in cycle computers?

[Blair P. Houghton]

Do I have to get a HAC-4 just because the dopes at Cateye
are now A WHOLE YEAR LATE with the CC-TR100?

I bought a cheapo $14.95 computer at SuperGo Bikes today
because my ancient Avocet 30 broke*. I thought I'd just
play with the cheap one while shopping for a good one.
Besides, it had a thermometer function, and as this is
Arizona, the tempearture is actually an interesting thing to know.

But what I found out is what a $14.95 cycle computer
is worth. The packaging was missing parts, the parts
that were there were missing markings necessary for
alignment of the sensors, and the action on the buttons
was chintzy and unreliable. This POS is going back at my
first convenience.

Maybe the CC-TR100 always was vaporware, but the fact
that I haven't got one since they were supposed to be
out last summer is starting to cost me time and effort,
and possibly having to buy a not-quite-so-nice unit like
the HAC-4 for more money.

--Blair
"I think I know where I'd like to put
my old one."

* - The battery was dead, and the battery cover kind of
crumbled when I took it off. I can just use some tape
if I have to.

 

[J.V.]

"Blair P. Houghton" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> because my ancient Avocet 30 broke*. I thought I'd just
>
> * - The battery was dead, and the battery cover kind of
> crumbled when I took it off. I can just use some tape
> if I have to.

If you buy the battery from Avocet, it comes with a new cover.
I still have and use a 30 and a 31.

 

[[email protected]]

Blair P. Houghton wrote:
>
> I bought a cheapo $14.95 computer at SuperGo Bikes today
> because my ancient Avocet 30 broke*...
>
> * - The battery was dead, and the battery cover kind of
> crumbled when I took it off. I can just use some tape
> if I have to.

I just got my Avocet 30 back from Avocet's repair shop.

The paperwork indicated they replaced the circuit board and installed a
new battery. It was free. It took about a week. In the past, they've
also sent me a free battery cover.

Great service. Visit their website and call their customer service
number.

- Frank Krygowski

 

[David White]

[email protected] wrote:

>
> Blair P. Houghton wrote:
>
>>I bought a cheapo $14.95 computer at SuperGo Bikes today
>>because my ancient Avocet 30 broke*...
>>
>>* - The battery was dead, and the battery cover kind of
>>crumbled when I took it off. I can just use some tape
>>if I have to.
>
>
> I just got my Avocet 30 back from Avocet's repair shop.
>
> The paperwork indicated they replaced the circuit board and installed a
> new battery. It was free. It took about a week. In the past, they've
> also sent me a free battery cover.
>
> Great service. Visit their website and call their customer service
> number.
>
> - Frank Krygowski
>

Frank's experience may be isolated... Their website (and included paperwork)
says that Avocet units are waranteed from the date of manufacture. This can be
a long time from the date of sale. The site tells you how to check this date
and the implication is clearly that you will either pay or they will not
support the unit once the warantee date is past. I have a new unit that was
already past the warantee period when purchased. But I did not find out until
too late. After a few rides, I became aware that it was not accurate and so it
sits. I had assumed it would be fine, tossed the box and all, so I could not
return it to the shop where purchased. A real pisser. I contacted Avocet
service via email, explained the situation, and never got any response. Now I
have a couple Avocet units that are dead. I'd like to have them fixed at a
small (or no) charge to keep as spares. But...

 

[Blair P. Houghton]

Hmm. What I want is a computer with cadence and heart rate
monitoring, and downloadable data collection. I couldn't
care less about wireless; that's just more batteries to drain.

But the Avocet 45tt is too sweet to ignore. I love
Avocet's design, and the precision speed sensor is
very nice.

But it'd make correlating the HRM data to the speed data
pretty hard, as the 45tt has no logging beyond average and
max numbers.

Maybe I should get the 45tt to use as a ride computer, *and*
one of the HRM/speed/cadence units to collect data for upload...

Though there isn't a single place on the net that has the 45tt
units in stock.

--Blair
"Someone needs to set some standards
for this business."