wireless cycle computers for uni/muni

Probably won't work

I have a wireless computer and I have to have the computer a couple of
inches above the neck of my 24" DX or lower or else it gets no signal.
It's good to see the distance I road, my max and average speeds though.

If you want to see how fast you are while riding, I'd get a wrist GPS.

If you don't care about current speed go ahead w/ the computer. Now
knowing I can't put the computer on my wrist, I wish I got a wired
computer instead of wireless. I've had a few minor problems that I
think would be non-issues if it was wired.

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I had the same problems trying a wireless computer. I couldn't get it
lined up properly, and just went for a wired set up.

I would second the idea about the GPS, I use one, and it is really
good. I use a Garmin with the a high sensitivity receiver. You can get
all the information you would want from that, then download a tracklog
of where you have been to some mapping software when you get home.

Innes

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There's a type of Garmin GPS thing that you can strap on your wrist. It
looks like a large watch but I'm pretty sure it tells you speed. It
definitely tells how far you went, how long it took you to get there,
your average speed and things like that. So it'll probably say your
speed at that moment. My dad uses it when he goes jogging, works
amazingly well. It was only 1ft off when we went for 1mile one
direction and 1mile back.

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OOPS! Accidentally deleted other comment. Think I said something about a
type of garmin gps that you can strap to your wrist. My dad uses one
while he jogs.

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Thanks guys for the feedback.

Looks like indeed the traditional wireless cycle computers won't
do it.

I'm not too keen on investing that kind of money in a GPS
system. It seems to me that if we can get a signal from
a satellite hundreds of miles away, we should be able to get one
from a transmitter on a unicycle wheel.

I've investigated a bit further. It looks like there's a new
generation of wireless cycle computers now that use /broadband/
2.4GHz technology and have a wider non-unidirectional
reach/range.

Hard to get any reliable information on them.

The VDO ones (from £30) have a 1.5m range. It looks like the
ciclosport ones have a 2m range but it's not clear from their
manual. Cateye (£60) may have a 5m range, again not clear, and
it comes with a cadence sensor that is of no use on a non-geared
unicycle.

I'll try and get more accurate information from the
manufacturers (trelock and velomann have computers that look
promising).

More news soon hopefully.

In the meantime, if you have any experience with those, please
share.

--
Stéphane

When you're going for ones that are that expensive, you're heading into
the price range of gps - you can get a high accuracy gps for about
£50-60 nowadays.

I found with the blackburn wireless computer on my bike, it's more
hassle than it's worth - it seems to eat batteries, you have to
remember to replace two batteries, and they're different batteries both
of which are slightly odd sizes. Wired computers are great because you
fit them and forget about them and they always just work, but I found
wireless computers don't have much advantage over gps.

Obviously a GPS has tons of advantages in terms of being a route
finding tool, and giving you a record of your rides, including things
like altitude, so you can see how fast you are up and down hills and
things like that.

GPS is also really handy if you're travelling - I was in Australia
recently, and I was able to just go out riding with a GPS track I got
off the internet, and to see afterwards where I went and how long I
took, and to post it up on the internet easily so that the people I
rode with could see it. It saved having to follow dodgy written
instructions off some website, or having to remember loads of
instructions given to me by a guy in a bikeshop, as I've done on
previous trips.
http://tinyurl.com/3lojyw

Joe

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Let us know if you find any good products in the 2.4 GHz space. Yes, I
guess the others use radio frequency, so there are lots of rules on how
far it's allowed to spread. Apparently not far enough to reach a
receiver unless it's on your handlebar. And no, GPS satellites aren't
hundreds of miles away, they're something like 24,000 miles away, in
geosynchronous orbit. No wonder my Dish Network signal is always
breaking up... :p

Lastly, remember my main reason for liking my GPS, it's not attached to
a single unicycle. Of course this is not an issue if you only use one
unicycle, but I use many.

--
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John Foss
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2008-06-5, 06:41(-05), joemarshall:

Quoted message said:

When you're going for ones that are that expensive, you're heading into
the price range of gps - you can get a high accuracy gps for about
£50-60 nowadays.

Hi Joe. Thanks.

Which kind of model did you have in mind at that price? I'm
seeing things more around £100.

I take your points about the wireless computers eating batteries
and being unreliable.

I'll go with a wired computer, that'll save me from doing too
many UPDs for watching the computer while riding as fast as I
can 😉.

A GPS seems a bit too overkill/bulky/pricey/need-to-be-cautious
to me at the moment.

Cheers,
Stéphane

2008-06-5, 15:07(-05), johnfoss:

Quoted message said:

Let us know if you find any good products in the 2.4 GHz space. Yes, I
guess the others use radio frequency, so there are lots of rules on how
far it's allowed to spread. Apparently not far enough to reach a
receiver unless it's on your handlebar. And no, GPS satellites aren't
hundreds of miles away, they're something like 24,000 miles away, in
geosynchronous orbit. No wonder my Dish Network signal is always
breaking up... :p

[...]

Thanks John for the precisions. As I was saying in my answer to
Joe, I'll go for the wired one for now.

But I'll post the responses to my questions to the manufacturers
(Trelock and Ciclosport) here ifever and when I get them.

--
Stéphane

2008-06-6, 08:15(+00), Stephane Chazelas:
[...]

Quoted message said:

I'll go with a wired computer, that'll save me from doing too
many UPDs for watching the computer while riding as fast as I
can 😉.

[...]

Well, with it sitting on the saddle stem, I might be able to
read it if I bend enough... that'll end up in tears I'm afraid.

25 km/h max speed, 16 km/h average speed on my 4 km journey to
work, it's not that bad for a 26", that's certainly way faster
than any car on this route anyway :-)

--
Stéphane