Cadence computer nightmares

Giant Phil
Giant Phil Posts: 116
edited December 2009 in Road beginners
Merry Boxing day

With my new found cash imput from Christmas, thought I would treat the bike. Ideally after a computer with cadence, wireless or wired I don't mind, but I don't want to go crazy price wise. Trouble is, every bike computer I come across that looks promising (ie, cheap, with cadence) the reviews make it a complete no-goer. Common complains seem to range from inaccurate readings, lack of connectivity with cadence and/or speed sensor (interestingly on both wireless and wired) and general lack of build quality and longevity.

Driving me a wee bit nuts, and was keen to know if anyone has any success stories from a cadence bike computer past or present.

Any imput at all would be fantastic, Phil
Giant SCR, BRIGHT Orange.

Comments

  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    I had a Cateye years ago and it worked ok.

    TBH, I think they are a bit pointless. Have a few days monitoring your RPM (count for ten seconds and times by six) and you will soon get the feel for your cadence. I don't think top riders bother with them.
  • JohnnyAllez
    JohnnyAllez Posts: 785
    Blackburn Delphi, 3.0 uses both wired cadence and speed (ideal on the turbo as the rear wheel has the speed sensor, both wires run together up the down-tube to the computer, and also got the BD 4.0 wired cadence/wireless speed computer where the speed sensor is on the front wheel (no use on the turbo !) Both work very reliably.
    Jens says "Shut up legs !! "

    Specialized S-Works SaxoBank SL4 Tarmac Di2
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    I have a Cateye Strada Double Wireless... Top piece of kit.
    I only ran it for 289 miles, before the PowerTap arrived, but it was faultless. Plenty of others on here will testify this, if you do a search.
    This is the one
    I still have it, so, if you want tomake your Christmas cash go a little further, make me an offer... :wink:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    get a wired if you want reliable data without spending thousands. sigma dont give any bother. im using a topeak comp 140 double wired. not too dear and usual topeak ruggedness.
    http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165741

    its now down to £15 from £30. cheap as chips and tough.
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    hopper1 wrote:
    I have a Cateye Strada Double Wireless... Top piece of kit.
    I only ran it for 289 miles, before the PowerTap arrived, but it was faultless. Plenty of others on here will testify this, if you do a search.
    This is the one
    I still have it, so, if you want tomake your Christmas cash go a little further, make me an offer... :wink:

    I had one, couldn't get the cadence working without reliably - and the total mileage kept re setting itself.
    sent it back - got one without cadence - its not of much use really.
  • mactrax
    mactrax Posts: 81
    Hi. I bought a polar sc200 cad(ence) and it has worked perfectly well for 3 years. Recently bought a speed sensor for £20 (comes with handlebar mount) and I can now use on winter bike after cheap lidl comp. broke.
    I find I use the cadence especially after riding another bike.

    jejames have it for £80 (30% off).

    http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/polar-cs200cad-heart-item85041.html[url][/url]
  • Tenkfeet
    Tenkfeet Posts: 46
    I have had two Cateye Strada Cadence and both have had problems within 2 weeks of purchase . Sent the first one back and got my money back . Other is on my turbo and it stops working randomly . Have to keep cycling the functions until it fires back into life.
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    On the Turbo and rollers I find the cadence useful.

    I had a Polar CS200Cad and it worked perfectly between bikes.

    I now use an Edge 705 on all bikes and the cadence is perfect.
  • lochindaal
    lochindaal Posts: 475
    You can get a Garmin Edge 305 for about £70 now on ebay. You may have to define cheap
    Tri Coaching
    https://www.h3otriathlon.com
  • rokkala
    rokkala Posts: 649
    Another for the CS200cad, not had any problems with it since i got it about 9 months ago.
  • Lady Venom
    Lady Venom Posts: 213
    Cateye Strada Cadence. Get's good reviews. I got the regular Starda sans cadence and it works beautifully. I use my Garmin310xt to do my cadence.
  • Giant Phil
    Giant Phil Posts: 116
    Thanks for everyone's imput. The topeak would be a definite goer if it didn't look so hideous! Have looked at the sigmas and been tempted. Unfortuately the CS200 Cad is alittle out of my price scope.

    Its interesting to see that all the reviews on the Cateye strada are all very good, when I looked here, many of the reviews were aweful! Thus leaving me in two minds about the strada. Otherwise, it would be my computer of choice.

    Phil
    Giant SCR, BRIGHT Orange.
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    The Topeak Comp 140 is a great bit of kit. Dismiss it on looks if you must, but it does what you want, it does it well, and it's a great bit of kit. And FWIW it looks quite dinky on my bike. Each to their own though. £30 well spent if you ask me.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    hopper1 wrote:
    I have a Cateye Strada Double Wireless... Top piece of kit.
    I only ran it for 289 miles, before the PowerTap arrived, but it was faultless. Plenty of others on here will testify this, if you do a search.
    This is the one
    I still have it, so, if you want tomake your Christmas cash go a little further, make me an offer... :wink:

    How about dinner in a nice little atmospheric bistro then some drinks and dancing ?
  • Wappygixer
    Wappygixer Posts: 1,396
    I sell loads of Sigma DTS 1606 wireless computers and I get very few back.The ones that do come back are nearly always down to a flat battery.
    The cadence sensor is bought separately and they pair so easily.
  • Andy140
    Andy140 Posts: 130
    I have been using a Mavic Windtech for just over a year (eBolt with cadence) never missed a beat and very easy to read, easy to mount on stem or in front of the stem - good prices around at moment for the 2009 stock
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    dmclite wrote:
    hopper1 wrote:
    I have a Cateye Strada Double Wireless... Top piece of kit.
    I only ran it for 289 miles, before the PowerTap arrived, but it was faultless. Plenty of others on here will testify this, if you do a search.
    This is the one
    I still have it, so, if you want tomake your Christmas cash go a little further, make me an offer... :wink:

    How about dinner in a nice little atmospheric bistro then some drinks and dancing ?

    Your such a sweet talker... It's yours :shock:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • curium
    curium Posts: 815
    Cateye V3 - no problems in 6 months of use
  • SCR Pedro
    SCR Pedro Posts: 912
    I have a Cateye Strada Cadence on both of my bikes; and on both of them, I have given up trying to make the cadence function work. Maybe it is something to do with the shape of Giant's frames, but they require such fine tuning. I decided it wasn't worth the effort.

    I wouldn't recommend them in a hurry.

    Cheers
    Pedro
    Giant TCR Advanced II - Reviewed on my homepage
    Giant TCR Alliance Zero
    BMC teammachineSLR03
    The Departed
    Giant SCR2
    Canyon Roadlite
    Specialized Allez
    Some other junk...

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