Recommend a cheap computer

danielsbrewer
danielsbrewer Posts: 123
edited December 2009 in Commuting chat
I have recently lost my budget Halfords computer and so I am in the budget for another one. Can anyone recommend a reasonable one that is cheap.

* Wired or wireless
* Current Speed
* Average Speed
* Odometer

Another thing that could be useful would be cadence, but I suspect that would push up the price quite a bit.

Comments

  • tifferz
    tifferz Posts: 43
    I use a Cateye Strada Wireless which seems to do the job pretty well & relatively inexpensive.
    May the Forks be with you
  • BiggerBoat
    BiggerBoat Posts: 168
    +1 cateye strada wireless
    We need a bigger boat.

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    Trek Madone 5.2
    Ridgeback Speed (FCN 15)
  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    +1 cateye strada, but found not great for a MTB, prefer wired in it.
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • danielsbrewer
    danielsbrewer Posts: 123
    Excuse my ignorance, but why is the Strada better than Cateye's cheaper models like the Velo 8? Moer accurate?

    Strada:
    Current speed
    Maximum speed
    Average speed
    Odometer
    Trip distance
    Trip distance 2
    Elapsed time
    Clock

    Velo 8:
    Current speed
    Maximum speed
    Average Speed
    Trip distance
    Odometer
    Clock
    Elapsed Time
    Calorie Consumption
  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    danielsbrewer wrote:
    Excuse my ignorance, but why is the Strada better than Cateye's cheaper models like the Velo 8? Moer accurate?

    Strada:
    Current speed
    Maximum speed
    Average speed
    Odometer
    Trip distance
    Trip distance 2
    Elapsed time
    Clock

    Velo 8:
    Current speed
    Maximum speed
    Average Speed
    Trip distance
    Odometer
    Clock
    Elapsed Time
    Calorie Consumption

    Velo 8 is wired - have this on my MTB, Strada is wireless, have on Tricross
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • danielsbrewer
    danielsbrewer Posts: 123
    From the website there seems to be three models of Strada: Wired, wireless and cadence. Sounds like the wireless one is the most common
  • BiggerBoat
    BiggerBoat Posts: 168
    Wireless. If not bothered about wireless then go for the Velo 8.
    We need a bigger boat.

    Giant OCR 4
    Trek Madone 5.2
    Ridgeback Speed (FCN 15)
  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    Remember, the Velo8 will measure up to 185mph, so if you intend to be SCRing with DDD, then you might need this one.
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • Aguila
    Aguila Posts: 622
    Cateye computers are fine so long as you dont plan on regularly getting them wet. I went through 3 of the micro wireless ones which just packed in after a few wet rides every time. I have the same one on my summer bike which only gets used in the dry and has been fine so I assume the issue is with waterproofing.

    I now have the Knog NERD computer on my commuter, it's ace but is £60.
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  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    I have the VDO A4, which is wired and very basic. However, if you're handy with a soldering iron and a solder-sucker (as I am), it's a relatively easy job to crack it open and turn it into the A8, which has many more modes. 8)

    If you buy the A4+ (basic, but wireless), it's even easier to turn it into the A8+ (fancy, but wireless).
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    That's very clever :D

    Care to explain? Pictures, manual . . . :wink:
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    alfablue wrote:
    That's very clever :D

    Care to explain? Pictures, manual . . . :wink:

    Sadly, the pctures would be null and void, as I didn't do the "before" ones. Basically, when you crack it open, there's a nice, printed bit on the circuit board which says which blobs of solder have to be present for which version (yes, they are all the same!).

    AFAIR, there are two gaps which can be soldered, if you remove both blobs, it's an A8+, if both blobs are present, it's an A4+. You get the idea. After that it's a simple job of re-sealing the case with some glue to make it nice and water tight. Note that the wireless versions require the wireless sensor to work.
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Hey that's great - tempted to buy one just for the thrill of doing that - but what made you think of looking in the first place? Or are you just the type that dismantles stuff?
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    alfablue wrote:
    Hey that's great - tempted to buy one just for the thrill of doing that - but what made you think of looking in the first place? Or are you just the type that dismantles stuff?

    I thought it needed more functions, and wasn't really happy when all it had was odo, current speed, clock and trip. I wasn't going to use it as it was for long, so why not have a little look :)
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • chrishumes
    chrishumes Posts: 227
    why not just buy the a8+ and splash the extra quid it requires! do a google and its only £15 compared to £14 for the a4+
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    In which case, I heartily recommend just buying the A8+. (It was nearer £40 quid when I bought my £12 A4).

    :D

    Edit: Seems to be no longer available at the place which has it for £15. :roll:
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    chrishumes wrote:
    why not just buy the a8+ and splash the extra quid it requires! do a google and its only £15 compared to £14 for the a4+

    Try £12.99 for the A8 new : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VDO-A8-WIRED-CYCLE-COMPUTER-8-FUNCTION-BRAND-NEW-BOXED_W0QQitemZ250517108453QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=&rvr_id=&cguid=7d7a51b41220a0e201d5ac35ff635d91
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • Bassjunkieuk
    Bassjunkieuk Posts: 4,232
    Aguila wrote:
    Cateye computers are fine so long as you dont plan on regularly getting them wet. I went through 3 of the micro wireless ones which just packed in after a few wet rides every time. I have the same one on my summer bike which only gets used in the dry and has been fine so I assume the issue is with waterproofing.

    I now have the Knog NERD computer on my commuter, it's ace but is £60.

    I've had my Micro Wireless in some pretty bad downpours and it normally gets tossed in my (sometimes damp) trouser pocket once I arrived at work. Not had any issues with lack of waterproofing yet :-)
    My only complaint with it would be that the light is useless as the button to turn it on it underneath (WTF?) and it's p!ss poor when it does come on so not even really useful once you un-mount the computer and press the button!
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  • MrChuck
    MrChuck Posts: 1,663
    Aguila wrote:
    Cateye computers are fine so long as you dont plan on regularly getting them wet. I went through 3 of the micro wireless ones which just packed in after a few wet rides every time. I have the same one on my summer bike which only gets used in the dry and has been fine so I assume the issue is with waterproofing.

    I think you've been unlucky there- my micro wirelss has been faultless for the 3 or 4 years I've had it on my MTB and I'm not particularly careful with it.

    Agree that the light is a waste of time though- don't think I've ever used it, if it's even usable.

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