[net.bicycle] Cateye solar review

joels@tekred.UUCP (Joel Swank) (02/28/86)

    I have been using the Cateye Solar bicycle computer for 18 months/8000
miles. I am very happy with it. Features:

	Main display of current speed.
	Secondary display is one of the following:

	Non-resetable odometer (tenths)
	TOD clock (24 hour format only)
	Cadence (hookup is optional)
	Trip odometer (hundredths displayed)
	Trip elapsed time(tenths of a second).
	Average speed (tenths)
	Max speed (tenths)

	Alarms can be set on trip distance and trip elapsed time.
	The main unit can easily be removed from the mount to prevent theft.
	Solar cells recharge a battery that is supposed to last 6 months
	  in the dark.

    The trip odometer, trip time, average speed, and max speed cannot be
reset individually. The display is large and very readable. It is very accurate.
I have tuned mine to be accurate to 1/100 mile over a 5 mile speedometer check
section. The trip odometer alarm cannot be set for more that 99. The pickups 
are magnetic and completely silent. The battery will not last 6 months in the
dark. One month is more like it. I have to put it in a sunny window in the 
winter.  The cadence pickup is prone to comming out of adjustment. I have 
not had that problem with the main pickup.

Joel Swank
Tektronix, Beaverton OR

bill@mcomp.UUCP (03/11/86)

I have been using the Cateye Solar for a year or so and find it very good.
My only compliants are:
	1.  Odometer is not resettable to a given value after replacing
		the batteries. (resets to zero)
	2.  Batteries do not hold up well in low light conditions.
		I have had trouble finding replacement SR44R (rechargable)
		batteries.  However, the SR44 standards will work but are
		not rechargable.

---------------------------------
Bill Dow @ Micro-Comp Consulting, Dallas, Tx
uucp: {convex, texsun!rrm}!mcomp!bill

vector@inuxe.UUCP (Randal Blackwood) (03/17/86)

> 	2.  Batteries do not hold up well in low light conditions.
> 		I have had trouble finding replacement SR44R (rechargable)
> 		batteries.  However, the SR44 standards will work but are
> 		not rechargable.

I can't find any SR44R batteries. Does any one know of
a source that sells them?

Randy Blackwood