Bianchi 928 C2C & Garmin Edge 305 owners??

Gary D

I am really struggling to mount the GCS-10 Cadence sensor securely on the chainstay of my bike.

Are there any of you out there that have a 928 C2C and are using an Edge 305 and can give me any hints or tips or magical solutions??

The problem I am finding is that the top of the chainstay is too "pointy" and the sensor just will not sit on it securely. Also, I am finding it difficult to position it such that both the cadence sensor and the wheel sensor are both in range.

I tried mounting the unit upside down on the chainstay which was great - as it looked less obtrusive - however, I found that the cadence reading on the handset would intermittently stop working. I put this down to the fact that the chainstay was shielding it somehow. As soon as I moved it to the top of the chainstay again it worked OK.

The problem is that when I cleaned the bike today it slipped down the taper on the chainstay and came loose. Grrrrr.

Any advice is most welcome.

Thanks,
Gary.

magliaceleste

The chainstays are pointy on my 928 too. I've just got it sitting on the top and zip tied real tight. It does stay there unless I accidently hit it with the real wheel if I remove it.

Getting it all set-up is just a matter of faffing until it all works. Sorry!

choppertron

I don't have either of these things, but I had a similar problem with the cadence sensor on my Blackburn, my solution is a "Sticky Fixer" a small adhesive foam pad which provides a bit more purchase against the frame and stops things slipping, that's if it didn't already come with one on it in which case I don't know.

Martingale

Have you tried to place the sense under the chainstay instead of on top of it?
It won't wobble back and forth as much.

Aidocp

I put on my Edge cadence sensor on my Bianchi about 7weeks ago and so far I've had no problems. I put on a couple clear plastic chain stay protectors on the bottom of the the chainstay and tightly secured it with cable ties.

blorg

Bear in mind that the only real reason you need the back wheel sensor is for indoor trainer use, or if you will be cycling through a lot of tunnels. When the unit has GPS coverage it doesn't use the back wheel info at all.

Don't have a 928 C2C but I can concur that the thing can be fiddly to keep in place on some chainstays (and fine on others.)

Gary D

Thanks for all of your replies so far. It has been interesting!

Have you tried to place the sense under the chainstay instead of on top of it?
It won't wobble back and forth as much.

Yes I have (See original post). This at first appeared to be the ideal solution. However the readings I was getting were sporadic. The conclusion I came to was that the chainstay was blocking the transmission of data to the handset. As soon as I positioned it on top of the chainstay again - the problem disappeared.

Bear in mind that the only real reason you need the back wheel sensor is for indoor trainer use, or if you will be cycling through a lot of tunnels. When the unit has GPS coverage it doesn't use the back wheel info at all.

Not strictly true I'm afraid. That is correct when relating to the road speed reading. However, it also measures cadence which I think is one of the most useful features.

I think I will just have to persist.

Thanks,
Gary.[/quote]

blorg

Gary D wrote:

Bear in mind that the only real reason you need the back wheel sensor is for indoor trainer use, or if you will be cycling through a lot of tunnels. When the unit has GPS coverage it doesn't use the back wheel info at all.

Not strictly true I'm afraid. That is correct when relating to the road speed reading. However, it also measures cadence which I think is one of the most useful features.

Sure; I was referring to your "Also, I am finding it difficult to position it such that both the cadence sensor and the wheel sensor are both in range." My point is, if there is a place on the chainstay that works well for the cadence but rules out the back wheel speed sensor, unless you are using it on a trainer you don't lose very much. I have the cadence sensor on two of my bikes but only have the back wheel magnet on one of them; more just that I haven't got around to sticking one on the other but I don't exactly miss it either.

Gary D

Problem solved

I thought I would let you know the outcome. I remember reading somewhere, probably on one of the forums, about someone using rare earth magnets as triggers.

So. I bought some 10mm dia x 5mm thick rare earth magnets - boy are they strong!!
I glued 2 together with araldite and then glued them to the back of the crank arm after finding the best position for the sensor.

The advantage of the strong magnets is that the effective sensing distance is increased to over 10mm from about 5mm using the original magnet - so positioning of the sensor is not so critical.
Also, I don't have an ugly zip tie around the crank arm now either

If anyone wants a couple of these magnets please PM me - I had to buy 20!

Gary.

ziggy.mcd

I too have had problems mounting the cadence sensor on the pointed top of a carbon chainstay. The sensor is really designed to fit to a circular tube, and can't gain a firm purchase on a narrow ridge of a carbon stay. I found that using a strip of thin rubber, the width of the sensor, (a spare bit of old innertuber works well), can be rolled up at each side to look like a saddle that sits over the stay and under the sensor where the rolled up sections each side can be made thick enough to act as small cushions to bias the sensor towards the magnet. Careful use of super glue on the rolls, before fitting to your bike, holds them tightly wound. Whatever you do don't glue it whilst it's on your bike or it may be come a permanent fixture!

Perhaps I should take a picture.

Gary D

Ziggy,
Yeah, I actually did something similar.
The Garmin GCS-10 sensor comes with a self-adhesive rubber "saddle" for it to sit on, but as you say, it is really designed for near circular tubing.

However, I had a spare one, so glued the 2 of them together. When the glue had set, I then filed a V groove in the bottom one and that certainly helped.

In my opinion, for such a good piece of kit, the mounting of the cadence sensor on the Edge units is cr*p and has not been given enough thought :evil: :evil:

Gary.

ziggy.mcd

Gary,

You make a good point, its all very well making do, but given the cost of these computers a more adaptable fixing should be incorporated. I spent quite a bit of time weighing up the products on the market and found flimsy sensors on some high end models.

My last computer used hard wired sensors, very relaible, but I could not bring my self to run a cable down the curved tubes of my Bianchi.

Im a sad vain cyclist!

Gary D

ziggy.mcd wrote:

My last computer used hard wired sensors, very relaible, but I could not bring my self to run a cable down the curved tubes of my Bianchi.

Im a sad vain cyclist!

Me neither and me too :oops: :oops:

Ugly black zip ties are bad enough :x

Have you got any matching celeste gear/clothing? Just trying to gauge who is the saddest

Gary.

PS.................... I have :oops:

ziggy.mcd

No matching gear yet, however I think I may have ordered a jersey in error. I say in error because about 98% of the way through the internet order process, I glanced across the room to see the look of "no more bike stuff" on my wife's face, so I cancelled.

Strange thing is I got an email thanking me for my order!

Just as well the delivery address is the office.