Wireless Computers
- Thread starter Scudme1
- Start date
Hi,
I have been using a Cateye CD300DW for about a month now and love it. I ran it beside an Enduro 8 for the first 3 weeks to compare readings, and the distances were always within 20-30 meters of each other over my 20k round trip commute (half road half bike path).
I wouldn't pay the $290 AUD they are in bike stores, but at $140 new from ebay delivered to my door, I am a sucker for any cool looking gadget.
I really like seeing current speed / current cadence / trip time & distance all at once, and since my ride home is often after dark, the backlight sure beats squinting as I go under a street-light
Can't comment on the Vetta though, as I havn't seen it.
Brett
I have been using a Cateye CD300DW for about a month now and love it. I ran it beside an Enduro 8 for the first 3 weeks to compare readings, and the distances were always within 20-30 meters of each other over my 20k round trip commute (half road half bike path).
I wouldn't pay the $290 AUD they are in bike stores, but at $140 new from ebay delivered to my door, I am a sucker for any cool looking gadget.
I really like seeing current speed / current cadence / trip time & distance all at once, and since my ride home is often after dark, the backlight sure beats squinting as I go under a street-light
Can't comment on the Vetta though, as I havn't seen it.
Brett
I've got the one model down - same but with no cadance, no backlight and no average speed.Scudme1 said:
Looking back I regret buying it and not one with the annoying wires. I got it in May and since then it's been 3 times that my highest speed was over 200kph. I know I'm fast, but not that fast!
Having that happened, I just can't fully trust the accuracy of the computer the rest of the time.
Talking to a very helpful guy at the my local bike shop he told me that it happened to him as well and although more wires are annoying - they're much more trustworthy. He also said that Specialized computers are even worst, coz (well, at least in Melbourne) trams mess with them and you get to ride 200kph much more often.
Are you sure it was a wireless malfunction? I have had this happen once or twice with both wired and wireless, and finally discovered that when I stop at traffic lights I sometimes twich back and forth a tiny bit, and If the magnet is hovering over the sensor both computer types are fooled.netta_s said:I got it in May and since then it's been 3 times that my highest speed was over 200kph. I know I'm fast, but not that fast!
Having that happened, I just can't fully trust the accuracy of the computer the rest of the time.
Brett
I have a Cateye Micor Wireless on one bike (my mountain bike) and a Cateye Mity 3 on my commuter. I like the wireless as my other mity 3 on the mountain bike had the cable caught between the rim and brake pad; this despite the cable being securely cable tied to the forks. Anyway, managed to get the wireless one cheap and started using it. I both like it and find it annoying. It sometimes cuts out when going through certain areas such as parts of the harbour bridge. Also, sometimes I want to take the measurements from a certain to another. However, if the unit is within reading range of the sensor it will still continue to increase the readings. For example, I don't want to include the time it takes for me to take my bike up the lift at work and walk it through to the back of the office where I park it. Anal I know but I want to get a specific measurement. The cable type can just be removed and placed in your pocket and the measurements stop. Anyway, just my twenty cents worth. Personally, if I hadn't managed to get my wireless one cheaply (retailer incorrectly marked the price and was obliged to sell at the heavily decreased value) I would just buy a standard computer. As long as it does the job.
I have a wireless, not the model you name, and the biggest gripe I have with it is that it does not auto switch on and start counting. I have to press a button to switch it on. AFAIK, the wire types all switch on auto as soon as you start off. I forget sometimes.
The other problem I had was that on my suspension forks I could not get the pickup close enough to the display unit - it tended to miss pulses especially on cold mornings. I had to mount the display on the top tube. Now it works well, never had a problem since with false high readings.
Not having to mess with wires is great.
The other problem I had was that on my suspension forks I could not get the pickup close enough to the display unit - it tended to miss pulses especially on cold mornings. I had to mount the display on the top tube. Now it works well, never had a problem since with false high readings.
Not having to mess with wires is great.
I actually didn't even think about that! I thought that it was a wireless thing because of what the guy at my LBS said.BrettD said:
After my next ride I'll try to do what you said with stoping and twiching back and forth a bit and see if that's all. Coz I do like having as less wires as possible.
Netta
jur said:
I'm not fluent with all the different models but i'm sure mine has an auto and manual option. In auto, it will automatically start reading when the wheel spins. In manual, you have to start the reading using the start/stop button (kinda makes sense) at the base of the unit. I leave it in auto for convenience; but maybe i've just answered my own gripe about it continuing to read when I actually want to stop it at a particular readout (see earlier post). Anyway, check your manual, it might say something about how to switch from one mode to the other.
Hi Scud
I have a Vetta V100 wired version. I have not had it long enough to form any opinion on it just that it works as advertized. I agree with Brett dont buy it in Australia. Get one on ebay Americia, 3ringcycles, probikekit or do a google.
If you go for the cateye I can recommend geargurl. Fast, friendly and they dont rip you off on shipping.
I have a Vetta V100 wired version. I have not had it long enough to form any opinion on it just that it works as advertized. I agree with Brett dont buy it in Australia. Get one on ebay Americia, 3ringcycles, probikekit or do a google.
If you go for the cateye I can recommend geargurl. Fast, friendly and they dont rip you off on shipping.
There's another thread going on which I've commented about the Vetta, so, this is a bit of a repeat, but ...
I had the very Vetta you're thinking about buying. I liked it. The fact that it was wireless was a plus and there were no problems. (I didn't like the fact that the stopwatch function ran until doomsday unless you remembered to flip it off.)
Then, after 1,175 miles, it conked completely two miles into a race. A friend who had the same model had far more problems than I did, and hers conked too. When we took them back to our LBS, where we'd gotten them, they told us they were having a lot of problems with Vettas (and two or three of the guys who worked in the shop were among those having problems) and that they were switching them out. I rode today for the first time with the Polar CS200 Cad and liked it a lot. Nice features, easy to use. Obviously I've got miles to ride before I can pass judgment, but I've used Polar wrist HR monitors for years and find them very reliable, so I'm optimistic.
Bottom line: up until the day if conked for no good reason (nope, wasn't a dead battery), I liked the Vetta a lot, but after hearing about the numerous problems others were having I couldn't see sticking with it. (And I cursed a bunch during the race without a computer!)
I had the very Vetta you're thinking about buying. I liked it. The fact that it was wireless was a plus and there were no problems. (I didn't like the fact that the stopwatch function ran until doomsday unless you remembered to flip it off.)
Then, after 1,175 miles, it conked completely two miles into a race. A friend who had the same model had far more problems than I did, and hers conked too. When we took them back to our LBS, where we'd gotten them, they told us they were having a lot of problems with Vettas (and two or three of the guys who worked in the shop were among those having problems) and that they were switching them out. I rode today for the first time with the Polar CS200 Cad and liked it a lot. Nice features, easy to use. Obviously I've got miles to ride before I can pass judgment, but I've used Polar wrist HR monitors for years and find them very reliable, so I'm optimistic.
Bottom line: up until the day if conked for no good reason (nope, wasn't a dead battery), I liked the Vetta a lot, but after hearing about the numerous problems others were having I couldn't see sticking with it. (And I cursed a bunch during the race without a computer!)
Sigma BC1200 and the Specialised wireless computers also get interference from the Smart brand single flashing LED light. I noticed this on my bike first, and then it was tested in a bike shop where the specialized computer (still in its packaging and not fitted to a bike) indicated a more than zero speed when a smart light was turned on. Not all flashing led lights cause a problem though, it depends on the frequency.robalert said:
I went back to a wired model.
A littlebit more.
When I posted about my observations I got this excellent reply from "mountainpro" which I have copied below. Many thanks.
your wireless computer uses an infrared diode and photo transistor as an emitter/detector. The ir diode is basically an led that emits light in the ir wavelength that us silly humans cannot see. The transistor will pick up stray infrared radiation from any source. Your light LEDs shouldnt emit radiation at any other wavelength other than red/white/blue (depending on the colour of the diodes) but unfortunately due to impurities in the semiconductors the wavelengths arent very narrow and they do start flashing in infrared wavelength as well. There is nothing you or the manufacturers can do about it.
your flashing light LEDs frequency is being interpreted by your cycle computer and converted into speed. The computer thinks the light is coming from your ir led on the wheel and the speed of your flashing LEDs will equate directly with the speed of a wheel for the speed being diaplayed on your computer....pretty clever really.
If you stop using leds and use halogen or krypton bulbs instead this should reduce ir radiation.
When I posted about my observations I got this excellent reply from "mountainpro" which I have copied below. Many thanks.
your wireless computer uses an infrared diode and photo transistor as an emitter/detector. The ir diode is basically an led that emits light in the ir wavelength that us silly humans cannot see. The transistor will pick up stray infrared radiation from any source. Your light LEDs shouldnt emit radiation at any other wavelength other than red/white/blue (depending on the colour of the diodes) but unfortunately due to impurities in the semiconductors the wavelengths arent very narrow and they do start flashing in infrared wavelength as well. There is nothing you or the manufacturers can do about it.
your flashing light LEDs frequency is being interpreted by your cycle computer and converted into speed. The computer thinks the light is coming from your ir led on the wheel and the speed of your flashing LEDs will equate directly with the speed of a wheel for the speed being diaplayed on your computer....pretty clever really.
If you stop using leds and use halogen or krypton bulbs instead this should reduce ir radiation.
Thanks for that info Wrightstuff, very interesting how it all works.
I've got a CatEye Cordless 7 that's driving me nuts at the moment as it's dropping signals all over the place (if I'm doing say 30kph, it'll show 30 for a second, then maybe 11, then up to 20 or so then back to 30... on a 50km ride, it can read as far out as 5km on distance alone)
It worked fine for over 12 months then slowly got worse. I've read elsewhere that there were a bunch of faulty sensors (1 in 10) that CatEye were happy to replace but so far I've been waiting a couple of weeks now for CatEye Japan to get back to me. (not holding my breath)
Never had any interference problems with it from either HRM's or lighting.
I've got a CatEye Cordless 7 that's driving me nuts at the moment as it's dropping signals all over the place (if I'm doing say 30kph, it'll show 30 for a second, then maybe 11, then up to 20 or so then back to 30... on a 50km ride, it can read as far out as 5km on distance alone)
It worked fine for over 12 months then slowly got worse. I've read elsewhere that there were a bunch of faulty sensors (1 in 10) that CatEye were happy to replace but so far I've been waiting a couple of weeks now for CatEye Japan to get back to me. (not holding my breath)
Never had any interference problems with it from either HRM's or lighting.
My Polar 720i gives me a speed of 104km/h and an HR of 230/min randomly and when I ride past the aeroport or over the Harbour Br. (I think that radar and television towers both mess with it). It only annoys me when I really wanted to know my true maximum speed.
The Polar uses a radio frequency, not IR.
The Polar uses a radio frequency, not IR.
The V100 is a great comp plus has temp.Scudme1 said:
The only thing wrong with it is that it does not wake itself up from wheel rotation and goes to sleep rather quickly to conserve batteries.
This can mean that you might forget to trigger it on when you start off or if you stop for a rest etc it may go to sleep and you don't start it again. Either way you will loose lots of your data.
This problem forced me to buy the cateye cd300dw doulbe wireless.
Its a good comp if you don't mind loosing data occasionally.
BTW Vetta assured me they would be changing the firmware to increase the timeouts but I couldn't wait.
cheers
Malcom
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