Advice to newbies - Buy a Computer!!
Comments
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shane r wrote:Thebigbee wrote:shane r wrote:I recently bought a cateye wireless and loved it-until last night. I was on a ride with some friends and we decided to have a bit of a race along a quiet rural stretch with a long gradual decent.
I was out in front and my speedo read 32mph and I was still excellerating. It then flashed 'error' three times and the display completely crapped out. Got home and there was no way around it- hard reset and all my odometer miles lost :-(
Do cheaper ones have a speed limit above which they crash?
I keep a word document of my OD because apparently when the battery fails you lose all data.
Having said that the battery still works 3 years down the line...
It's a good idea as although my cateye was brand new a coupla months ago, it turns out it was a flat battery that was the problem.
I just have a £30 one, not sure of model but it doesn't have facility for reprogramming in the lost miles.
You can do it apparently - check this link out -
http://mtbkent.blogspot.com/2009/05/ins ... eless.html
The instructions that come with the computer are, quite frankly, sh1te!!!
HTH
You can also pick up the batteries in your local 99p or poundshop - for around that price!0 -
I started out with an ALDI wired cheapy. Very good - like it.
Then looked for something more mid-range & wireless on my roadie & was caught between the cateye & knog nerd (the latter for it's cool attaching mechanism, large screen & interesting current vs age speed UI). Bought the knog nerd & really like it, but to be honest it doesnt give me anything that my cheapy one can't do (in fact it does less) but it IS a lot slicker.
The biggest jump I found was going GPS with HR. I bought a Forerunner305 - it's a watch version of the Garmin Edge for cycling/running/etc but you can get it for £100 so it's maximum bang for buck. I just wrap it around my bars rather than wearing it on my wrist.
Monitoring HR makes training much better for me. Also, recording logs of routes is much better when you can plug it in & compare rides - copying details off a device & writing them up is painful in comparison. I am a bit of an IT geek tho so it might not be for everyone.
Dan0 -
Avezius wrote:I started out with an ALDI wired cheapy. Very good - like it.
Then looked for something more mid-range & wireless on my roadie & was caught between the cateye & knog nerd (the latter for it's cool attaching mechanism, large screen & interesting current vs age speed UI). Bought the knog nerd & really like it, but to be honest it doesnt give me anything that my cheapy one can't do (in fact it does less) but it IS a lot slicker.
The biggest jump I found was going GPS with HR. I bought a Forerunner305 - it's a watch version of the Garmin Edge for cycling/running/etc but you can get it for £100 so it's maximum bang for buck. I just wrap it around my bars rather than wearing it on my wrist.
Monitoring HR makes training much better for me. Also, recording logs of routes is much better when you can plug it in & compare rides - copying details off a device & writing them up is painful in comparison. I am a bit of an IT geek tho so it might not be for everyone.
Dan
Seems like a great price - what is the difference between that and say the 5 or 700 Edge - apart from £100?
If it has HR and GPS I don't get why anyone should buy them? I guess it hasn't got cadence but who cares.
Can you let me know a bit more about it, what the GPS and maps / software is like?
Cheers0 -
I just use a Endomondo, phone app (map - distance - speed)
But have found myself out and wanting to round up the miles to the next 10.0 -
I've got a Dahon iPhone 3GS mount on my Roadie (Dahon iPhone 4 Mount is available too!) & use the CycleMeter app - Love it
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Thebigbee wrote:Avezius wrote:I started out with an ALDI wired cheapy. Very good - like it.
Then looked for something more mid-range & wireless on my roadie & was caught between the cateye & knog nerd (the latter for it's cool attaching mechanism, large screen & interesting current vs age speed UI). Bought the knog nerd & really like it, but to be honest it doesnt give me anything that my cheapy one can't do (in fact it does less) but it IS a lot slicker.
The biggest jump I found was going GPS with HR. I bought a Forerunner305 - it's a watch version of the Garmin Edge for cycling/running/etc but you can get it for £100 so it's maximum bang for buck. I just wrap it around my bars rather than wearing it on my wrist.
Monitoring HR makes training much better for me. Also, recording logs of routes is much better when you can plug it in & compare rides - copying details off a device & writing them up is painful in comparison. I am a bit of an IT geek tho so it might not be for everyone.
Dan
Seems like a great price - what is the difference between that and say the 5 or 700 Edge - apart from £100?
If it has HR and GPS I don't get why anyone should buy them? I guess it hasn't got cadence but who cares.
Can you let me know a bit more about it, what the GPS and maps / software is like?
Cheers
You can add cadence to the 305. I have have a 310XT (and Edge 800) and use that on my MTB (mounted on the bar).
Main difference is the size of the screen and think. 305 and 500 are similar RRP, but you seem to be able to get the 305 for a lot cheaper for some reason. But I do prefer the larger screen TBH, as well as a few other features (such as auto scrolling)
FR 305: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=142&pID=349
Edge 500: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=160&pID=36728
Software between the two devices are identical, since both use Garmin Connect (or create Garmin Training or "GPS" files for third party apps)Simon0 -
I have been quite new to cycling, maybe 3 months or so. But I have been trying to improve my average speed everytime I go out on my bike.
It realy seems to be improving my cycling so far.0 -
Aldi - £5. Nuff said.0
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My picks:
Non-GPS:
Cateye Commuter - £40 with thermometer, light, daily/weekly/monthly/annual odometer
GPS:
Garmin Forerunner - £100 (http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2007/11/revi ... r-305.html)
Garmin Edge 500 - £160
Garmin Edge 800 - £280 (but you probably want cadence + HRM, so £320)0 -
My friends have Edge500's & paid about £180, but that included cadence.
Admittedly mine looks a little more naff when used for cycling, BUT I can use it for other stuff as well & it was the same functionality for a lot less money.
Both perform the same & both allow configurable screens (3 different screens to cycle through & each one can have between 1 & 4 bits of data displayed at any one time). Personally, I regularly use 2 screens with - HR, Distance, Average Speed, total time (with the second screen set up for current lap versions of the same details). I tend to log warm-up, race & warm-down as three laps.
I will probably get a cadence sensor when I get the chance - I think they're about £30 separately. Didn't need it to start with.
We all use the GarminConnect web application (free). It's really quite good & simple. Bundled client application is pretty horrific. I also use SportTracks3 for more detailed analysis, but only really for fun.
Having the details uploaded onto an application makes a massive difference - I'm always trying to beat my times & GPS recording makes it better.
Dan0 -
I'm using a Garmin Forerunner 305 and I'm very happy with it.
I already had it for running so now that I've started cycling it was just a matter of getting a cadence sensor and a bike mount and I've got a very capable bike computer.
Initially I put a small piece of pipe lagging on the handle bars and wrapped the watch strap around that which worked fine. Then I got the mount and the cadence sensor a few weeks later. The mount is more stable and looks better but it's not essential. One thing you'll probably notice if you use the watch without the cadence sensor is that the instantaneous speed data from the GPS is not brilliant (same for running obviously). Average speed is accurate but the precision of the GPS signal means instantaneous actual speed is iffy and there's significant lag when you change pace. However the cadence sensor completely overcomes that since, in addition to pedal RPM it also measures wheel RPM for the purpose of refining the speed data. The speed calculate from the wheel RPM is calibrated automatically using the GPS signal so no need to worry about the diameter or pressure of your tyres. However I think the distance travelled data is still based on the GPS so you get the best of both worlds.
I usually just leave the 305 on a single screen showning HR, cadence, speed & distance. Any other data you might want is just the push of a button away. The back light works well for night cycling.
For the price I think the 305 is a good buy. I think it's definitely the best option among the Garmin watches (the 310XT is a lot more money for very little more watch and the others are all too small or have limited functionality especially for bike use)
Summary: I'd recommend the Garmin 305. It's well worth considering the cadence sensor add-on too although that will bump up the price a bit.
Aidan0 -
Ai_1 wrote:For the price I think the 305 is a good buy. I think it's definitely the best option among the Garmin watches (the 310XT is a lot more money for very little more watch and the others are all too small or have limited functionality especially for bike use)
Aidan
You are right, for biking the 305 is much better value than the 310XT.
FYI
The 310XT is targeted at triathletes; since it's fully waterproof for GPS tracking of open water swims etc and has multi sport settings for easily recording transition times etc.
The other main advantage (for most people) is the battery life, since it's double of the 305 (10hrs vs 20hrs). But for most people, 10 hrs will be more than enough.Simon0
