Wired v Wireless bike computer?

0scar

I'm looking at a Cateye Strada, and there is £15 difference between wired and wireless. I've never seen a bike computer in use so I wonder what the effective difference is. Assuming the wire connects the unit to a sensor on the chainstay I would probably hide it under frame-coloured electrical tape, in which case the wireless thing wouldn't make much of a difference. Am I missing something obvious?

Also, I kind of want a cadence sensor, but the Strada doesn't have this option - is this an expensive luxury option or can someone recommend a good, sub-£50 computer with this functionality?

Sorry for I (suspect) dimwit questions.

rake

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Topea ... 360011999/

dennisn

0scar wrote:

I'm looking at a Cateye Strada, and there is £15 difference between wired and wireless. I've never seen a bike computer in use so I wonder what the effective difference is. Assuming the wire connects the unit to a sensor on the chainstay I would probably hide it under frame-coloured electrical tape, in which case the wireless thing wouldn't make much of a difference. Am I missing something obvious?

Also, I kind of want a cadence sensor, but the Strada doesn't have this option - is this an expensive luxury option or can someone recommend a good, sub-£50 computer with this functionality?

Sorry for I (suspect) dimwit questions.

Wireless is as said- wireless. In some cases both the speedo and the cadence are wireless(more expensive). Wired cadence and wireless speed(less expensive). All wired(least expensive). Hiding the wires(if you go that route) is not something people try to do(just be neat about it). A little tape or wire ties is sufficient.

FOAD

The Strada wireless with cadence is just over £50.

stratcat

I bought the wired cadence computer from catseye.
here
I got fed up with buying two lots of batteries for wireless computers, now I only need one.
I went for the cadence, but after the novelty of seeing how fast/slow I was pedalling, I rarely use it.

I've used black cable ties on a white frame and it looks ok, I'll change the ties for white ones when I get the chance, but its no big deal.

TimB34

Wireless looks a lot neater, but costs more.

I bought a wired computer (VDO MC1.0) instead of the wireless version because I was buying for road bike and mountain bike use. The cost of an extra wireless sensor plus triple the batteries didn't seem worth it.

billysan

If you ever ride at night and have any of the modern high power LED lights (Lupine etc) you'll probably find that there is interference with a wireless speedo that stops it working.

Neither my Strada wireless or Strada double wireless work with my lights!

garryc

Even small LED lights can stop a wireless computer working. I have a small cateye light with 3 tiny LEDs in it on the front of my bike and whenever I switched it on the the computer went mental.

crankycrank

The main reason I went with a wireless is because I don't have to fack around with un/re-winding the wire everytime I need to replace the front brake cable, inspect steerer tube, grease headset, etc. I'm lazy :roll:

italiaandyf

If you ever ride at night and have any of the modern high power LED lights (Lupine etc) you'll probably find that there is interference with a wireless speedo that stops it working.

I went back to wired on my winter bike because the LED light stopped my wireless Sigma computer from working, and have gone back to wired on my summer bike because I got fed up with forever putting in new batteries.

rolf_f

I just don't bother with the computer during the winter! I could faff around and try to distance the computer from the lights but it doesn't really seem worth it. I only use the lights when commuting anyway.

Don't like ugly wires!