Weird fault with Cateye wireless

normanp

The computer from time to time registers a low speed then jumps back to the actual speed. The result is that trip distance is measured under (as is average speed). I have replaced both batteries but with no change. I am not just cycling slower...! Is the computer/sender dead?

pete.whelan

Sounds like the transmitter is a bit duff. Had it happen to me with one once. Got a warranty replacement of the transmitter

andy_wrx

Is it registering a fraction of the true speed, e.g. if speed is/jumps back to 20mph, does it show 5 or 10 or 15mph ?
I've had a couple of the senders do that, as though they were only registering 1-in-4, 2-in-4, 3-in-4 turns of the magnet...and then reasonably shortly afterwards they died completely.

jhop

Mine does this unless the spoke magnet is close to the front fork transmitter.

sward29

Mine did something similar although the speed dropped to zero. Thought it was due to overhead pylons or other forms of interference but rode the same route on another bike with an old Cateye Cordless and had no problems.

Sent it back for a replacement and have had no problems since.

Tranced

Other interesting issue..... hold your cyclometer over your laptop/ pc & watch it clock up the speed (or try to) of your HDD spinning.
Couldn't figure why there were 120 extra miles on mine between putting it down on my desk, making a cuppa & coming back to log the distance.....

ugo.santalucia

Never found a computer that doesn't do that occasionally... live with it

red dragon

Had a similar problem, changed batteries, then checked position of sender to magnet on wheel - no luck ended up changing unit.

normanp

Thanks all. Looks like a dead unit (probably the sender). I'll have to move the computer from the summer bike onto this one then buy another for the summer bike - yum - new kit! I really fancy one with altitude and gradient - does anyone know if the VDOs are any good?

alfablue

I have had very good experience with VDO. My analogue sender died after 8 years, I sent it back to the factory in Germany, just on the off-chance. They sent me back a complete new C3-DS free of charge as my unit was obsolete. Wow, some fantastic service that is! I am now an even more loyal customer.

Compared to Cateye they seem more robust, are simple to use and have nice clear displays. Never any problems with interference.

normanp

Thanks alfablue. I'm looking at the VDO MC1.0 Plus - seems to do the right things though the wiggle review questions how good the altimeter is.

alfablue

Most altimeters work by barometric pressure - this means 2 things, first you need to calibrate it to your known height above sea level (it won't be accurate out of the box), secondly, even at a given height the barometric pressure will change day by day, so re-calibration prior to an important journey is advised.

For more accurate altimeters, GPS devices may prove more accurate (I use my Nokia n82 GPS equipped phone with the Sports Tracker software, and it seems to be accurate. Available free on Orange contracts of £25pm and over, Sports Tracker records all your "workouts" with speed, distance, altitude, route etc, and they can be uploaded to the web and display on Google Maps).

The VDO may be more or less accurate than other such devices, but the reviewers don't state that they calibrated it so I would take their comments with a pinch of salt.

VDO make the instruments for many european car manufacturers including high end brands, so they have excellent credentials, though the cycling part of the business split from the main company a few years ago. Nevertheless, as in my previous post I am totally impressed with their customer care - a far cry from the totally negligent "warranty support" I received from Zyro for my Cateye devices!

philak

Ref Overhead pylons, my cateye briefly stops working ( for about 30-40m) at the same point on a regular route i do for training. I only realised recently that its where i pass under overhead electricity cables. It works fine for the rest of the 15 mile circuit.

inaperfectworld

the vdo cpmputer mc1.0 is a good computer but i don't think the altitude gradient is worth having; the gradients are just not accurate and it records daft maxima figures like 30% when i've been nowhere near that.
have had trouble with it failing to record intermittently but now solved: the sender unit on fork was just not quite near enough the computer for signals to always register
re. altitude i am thinking of getting the "sky mounti inclinometer". it's basically a spirit level, mounts on handlebars. not as handy as a computer but has to be reliable. there's no english distributor so you have to buy from usa which bumps up the price. i estimate the cost at £35 very roughly. there has been a thread on this site i think (or maybe the ctc forum)

Hannibalbiker

For all your measurement needs I would suggest a GPS from the likes of Garmin. These have the benefits of being able to measure accurately your distance, gradient altitude etc. I use a one and do not have to worry about handlebar clutter as it is just one unit. Oh and by the way it can tell you where you are and where you want to go and even where you have been. You also do not have to have wires and cables all over the bike.

OK it is a bit heavier than a cat eye but it does so much more!

vinnn

I had some similar problems with mine, more to do with not registering any speed at all at random intervals. I too changed batteries to no avail.
I moved the sensor magnet from near the center of the wheel to near the outside of the wheel and moved the sensor accordingly.
Now there is less distance between the sensor and the computer and the problems have stopped.

Hope that helps.