cadence device

lmcamoes

Hi,

I am looking for a simple device that shows me my cadence, nothing fancy and expensive.

What do you suggest?

ai_1

lmcamoes wrote:

Hi,

I am looking for a simple device that shows me my cadence, nothing fancy and expensive.

What do you suggest?

Depends how unfancy and inexpensive you want to go.
A watch will do it. Just count your pedal strokes for a timed period and you know your cadence.
If you want a live RPM read-out then get a cheap wired bike computer that includes cadence. I'm sure they all work fine.

Zerotails99

Cateye wireless sensors are very good for the money. You will only need to use it for a couple of rides before you can tell what cadence you're doing without looking. It's not something you will need to use for long.

ai_1

Zerotails99 wrote:

Cateye wireless sensors are very good for the money. You will only need to use it for a couple of rides before you can tell what cadence you're doing without looking. It's not something you will need to use for long.

The value of a cadence sensor is definitely highest when you start using it but I don't think they then outlive their usefulness. I've been using one for years and I still use it constantly.

lmcamoes

I found that the Cateye Strada Cadence Computer is the kind of device that I am looking for, shows on a display the RPM and it is around £31

Do you know any other similar device for a lower price?

cgfw201

i bought one of the cheaper ones from Cateye and after a couple of weeks got frustrated with it's limitations and got a garmin 500...more expensive but likely a better long term option.

lmcamoes

I know that is limited in its functions but I can't spend much more money on my bike, misses will kill me if I do.
I am looking for something around £20/£25

chris_bass

think you might struggle for that price, maybe just bend the front mech cable out a bit and count the clicks?

simon_masterson

I have a Sigma BC16.12 wireless computer on one of my bikes. In all honesty, whilst I find/have found it significantly more irritating than a wired computer, the cadence sensor in the main has been fine; it's the front wheel sensor I've had trouble with. It cost me a little more than your stated budget, but it's a decent piece of kit.

diy

lmcamoes wrote:

I know that is limited in its functions but I can't spend much more money on my bike, misses will kill me if I do.
I am looking for something around £20/£25

Buy the garmin - hide the credit card bill and receipt.
or
when she moans say firmly "be quiet woman" and not expect sex for a while.

sorted.

lmcamoes

No sex for a while? I think that will be to much to bare!

diy

sorry - I assumed you were married.

lmcamoes

diy wrote:

sorry - I assumed you were married.

I am but the idea of no sex for a while doesn't appeal to me... I prefer not upset her that much :roll:

jamin100

btwin count 14 from decathlon have cadence and are about £25

bob6397

Whatever you get, getting one with a wireless sensor will make your life much easier..

I used a Cateye Strada Wireless (non cadence) on my bike before I got my Garmin eTrex and that was awesome - 6 month battery life (at least!) and an awful lot easier than a wired one to install and a lot less ugly..

lmcamoes

jamin100 wrote:

btwin count 14 from decathlon have cadence and are about £25

not any longer on sale

simon_masterson

bob6397 wrote:

Whatever you get, getting one with a wireless sensor will make your life much easier...

I would have to disagree - I'm not even sure that the installation was that much less fiddly with the wireless computer vs wired. As mentioned in my post above, I have had far more trouble getting wireless computers to work than wired - I don't remember having had any trouble at all from my Sigma BC1009...

bob6397

Simon Masterson wrote:

bob6397 wrote:

Whatever you get, getting one with a wireless sensor will make your life much easier...

I would have to disagree - I'm not even sure that the installation was that much less fiddly with the wireless computer vs wired. As mentioned in my post above, I have had far more trouble getting wireless computers to work than wired - I don't remember having had any trouble at all from my Sigma BC1009...

Well fair enough.. but all the wireless ones I have used (about 5 of them on different bikes for different people) have just worked out of the box - they were all cateye ones though so I have no experience with other brands..

flowrate

I saw this on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrL476g662I

Make sure you have a wired computer as the wireless ones can not pick up the sensor as when I tried to convert my wireless cycle computer sensor was too far away to read,

Or try ebay. Plenty of boardman's that have this function for around £20

lmcamoes

Now tthat I have my cadence device what RPM should I aim for?

ai_1

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19638869#p19638869]lmcamoes[/url] wrote:

Now tthat I have my cadence device what RPM should I aim for?

Depends!

First I'd just use it for observation for a few rides and see what you've been doing to date.
Most people would agree that a cadence anywhere from 80-100 is normal and can suit a given rider. If you're riding with a much lower cadence say 60-75 most of the time then it may be worth using the cadence meter monitor yourself and keep your cadence higher for a few rides until it becomes natural, then you can decide if you find it better or not.
If you have a low cadence and are trying to train yourself to maintain a higher cadence, I think 90-95 is a good target initially.

lmcamoes

At the moment what I manage to do is around 80... When I go bellow 80 and change to a low gear to increase cadence and when I am above 85, close to 90 I change to a higher gear.
Should I aim to be around 90 instead of the 80?

ai_1

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19638906#p19638906]lmcamoes[/url] wrote:

At the moment what I manage to do is around 80... When I go bellow 80 and change to a low gear to increase cadence and when I am above 85, close to 90 I change to a higher gear.
Should I aim to be around 90 instead of the 80?

I don't think there's a "correct" answer.
You could certainly try it and see which you find works best for you.
When I started riding I had a tendency to ride in too big a gear (i.e. too low a cadence) so that my legs fatigued quite quickly without my ever being particularly taxed in terms of high heart rate or heavy breathing. I started keeping an eye on my cadence and I tended to keep it around 95rpm when I was paying attention. This became natural to me and I stopped worrying about cadence. Now my cadence varies a bit depending on what I'm doing and how I'm feeling. I now ride on feel in terms of cadence but occasionally I'll glance at the cadence figure and think, "maybe I'll raise that a little" a bit or "that seems appropriate".