What kind of electronics are you using? (Cyclometer, ect)

I second the Garmin Edge 500. I used a Polar S720 for years, and like the Garmin quite a bit better. Polar wins with the included software, but the unit itself Garmin has the edge on.

Incidentally, I see a formal announcement on Garmin's power unit. I think they could have had a gold mine, except it seems they are going to force you to use their pedals. I like my Speedplays better than their power unit.

 

I just use a Sigma 1609 computer only so I can keep track of miles and speed but I ride bikes that don't have one. Don't have a need for a Garmin, been riding bikes for over 40 years on all sorts of roads over all sorts of distances on roads I didn't even know and rarely got lost. I've been lost only 2 maybe 3 times and I figured out how to get back. And if people have been riding bikes for over 100 years all over the world survived without one why now do we think we need it? So a Garmin won't help me with not getting lost but it will help me lose $400 or so.

 

I think you are confusing a Garmin cyclocomputer with a Garmin GPS. While some models do, the one referenced in this thread does nothing to keep you from getting lost, it is merely Garmin's version of a normal cyclocomputer. It keeps up with speed, distance, and if you so choose... power, cadence, etc.

I suppose when you get down to it... none of that is needed to ride a bike, but some people are interested in knowing it nonetheless.

I'm a seriousness nature photographer. I carry a GPS with me when I'm back in the wilds somewhere looking for a waterfall to photograph. I don't carry it to keep from getting lost, I carry it so I can pinpoint where I took a photograph. It's easier than keeping notes, with the added benefit of being able to share that information with others if I choose so they can go see/photograph it as well.

Lot of reasons to use a GPS outside of "not getting lost".

 

I have a CatEye Micro Wireless on my bars
and it works flawlessly for years now,
with a separation distance of sender to head,
of 24 full inches. CEMW has sufficient range
and I bet the CE Strada does, too.

 

Your right, I'm wasn't intending to put down those that buy them, I just don't have a need or a desire for one. And while I was confused about the two different type of GSP's, the one your talking about is even more expensive and it doesn't really do a whole lot more then my $30 job other then being a GPS and maybe a HRM.. I sometimes take my 6 piece fly gear and do fishing (catch and release, little difficult carrying a fish home on a bike!), and then I may get off on a beaten path , but again I've had no need for a GPS to that either since I can find the fishing spot(s) again. But I understand why you want it, you may want to go back to a particular site during a different season to get a different picture of the same place. But for most cyclists when just cycling a GPS just seems more like a toy then a necessity. Some may argue that they have an HRM in it to, so what? You can pay $75 for a HRM and $30 or so dollars for a bike computer and still be at least $300 less then a GPS with HRM and bike computer. I also don't use an HRM in case your wondering, never had them back in the days when I raced, so don't see a need for them today especially since I'm not racing but mostly because I know where my body and heart rates are from 40+ years of experience. Could I improve with an HRM? Probably, but again I'm not racing anymore so I don't have a need for peak power.

Please don't anyone think for one minute I'm telling any of you that you don't need a GPS, or an HRM, it's just what I do. And I'm sure there are some here who know they don't need it and don't use one now, in fact I know there are some here who don't even use a bike computer...and that's ok, I ride a bike sometimes without a computer myself. Personally I don't really need the bike computer! But I like to keep track of the miles on the bike/components/miles ridden on that ride etc, thus it's entertaining.

 

I use a Garmin 205. It tie it around your wrist like a watch and it continuously monitors both your position and altitude based on a GPS. Works great for both biking and running.

 

I hear you If I'm not careful I can fall into the techno gadget trap. It's been quite a while but I can recall being out riding and being more concerned with what one of those gadgets was telling me vs. what i was actually riding by and missing.

 

Electronics? You gotta' be kidding me! My meter is analog, and tops out at 40mph (couldn't resist!). That's only on the mountain bike, of course. On my Ross touring frame and Bike-E recumbent I use Schwinn units, which are cheap and easily replaced. They seem to work just as well as the over-priced stuff, and the bikes can't tell the difference.

 

iBike Sport
Prior to that...Shimano Flight Deck.

 

My Garmin 500 will pick up the wheel sensor from about 15 feet away when I put it out by the driveway to acquire satellites and then ride out to get it. The same for the heart monitor. The Garmin 305 I had didn't have so much range, but still had plenty to put the head unit most anywhere you want.

 

Cateye on the bars and my Blackberry (Map my Tracs app) to moniter and track each trip.

 

I was given a Garmin 500 as a present but returned it because I didn't want to accept such an expensive unit. The person that gave it to me understood. No problem there. Almost a year later I bought one for myself and it's just a hoot. Being able to see the elevation and compare ride stats from this ride to that ride is interesting and I've learned a bit about my cadence and heart rate over the long haul and neither are what I thought they were. I'm realizing I need to do some more high intensity workouts and all in all really find it to be valuable. Soon, however, Winter will be coming and that will put an end to its use. Pity that.

 

Cateye CD300DW on my team bike, Cateye Strada dubble wireless on the Prestige and my iPhone on both running map my ride.

 

Garmin Edge 500 with speed/cadence sensor and heart rate monitor... I have had ZERO issues with it

 

My Cateye, my iPhone 4 for my GPS, my car charger, my cordless drill, my battery stuffed up inside my seat pack, @ least one other phalic item to keep my phone charged, my concealed carry permit, my ...



What to bring to the big island...



and make me feel like a and

 

I have a Garmin Forunner 305. I use the heart monitor and cadence and download to track my miles. I have used for over 2 years and love it. Cost me $150 on Amazon. Cadence sensor was an additional $35.

 

Bontrager Node 2. Went with the Bonti as the speed sensor fits very nicely into the frame of my Trek 2.1. Also picked up a Bonti cadence sensor and heart rate monitor. Enjoy keeping the stats from my rides. Keeps me motivated! No problems so far with the Node.

 

Cateye Commuter Wireless on the stem and my iPhone running map-my-ride in my pocket or bag.

Being used to Apple stuff, I couldn't help myself wishing Apple made a bike computer as the cateye is a royal pain to set up. Someone needs to make a iPod Nano touch screen type of bike computer. That would be sweet.

The map-my-ride app works okay, but not extremely accurate - it rounds out the turns quite a bit trying to keep up. The app also kills battery life.

 

Garmin 705 w/ GSC-10.

 

I second the Forerunner 305 setup. Its a solid cheaper option for data recording including GPS.