schwager@uiucdcs.UUCP (06/05/84)
#R:psuvax:-107100:uiucdcs:38200013:000:4791 uiucdcs!schwager Jun 4 21:26:00 1984 > > /**** uiucdcs:net.bicycle / jdi@psuvax / 5:22 pm Jun 3, 1984 ****/ > > ps: Anyone have one of those cycle computers? Like it? > -- > Uucp: {akgua, allegra, cornell, princeton, ihnp4, burdvax}!psuvax!jdi > /* ---------- */ I recently purchased the Cateye Solar Cyclocomputer- it's gone 101.4 miles so far. Now I'm not a racer or anything, and I've had my first 18-speeded "10-speed" for a total of 4 months. But in my totally unprofessional opinion, I think it's great! Pluses: 1. The biggest- I now know how fast I'm going (and how out of shape I am :-). 2. I can really get a good idea about how long it will take me to get someplace. 3. The solar means no changing batteries for a good, loooong time. The batteries backup the solar cells. 4. Cadence is wonderful- I can more accurately tailor my workouts- i.e., fast, high- rpm jaunts, or take it easier on extended workouts. 5. Features of my particular brand: Feature Pluses/minuses a. Miles/kilometers per hour you can only have one OR the other- i.e., you decide when you bring it home which you want; you can't switch back and forth between the two very easily. b. Maximum Speed Not very useful. Only if you like boasting to your friends, unless you race, perhaps. c. Average Speed Good for determining estimated time of arrival. Also, it's interesting to see on a trip out and back how much difference the wind makes! d. Odometer As long as batteries are in, it is never reset. I don't know the lifespan of these batteries, but they're supposed to keep the unit powered up for 6 months in no light! e. Trip distance f. Clock 24 hour only. Pressing the "mode button" for two seconds at any time gets the clock. Kind of a pain to be pressing a button while pushing along. e. Cadence Very nice feature. You'll spend an extra $30 for this, though, over computers without this feature. Next to mph, I use this function the most. Range- 15-300 rpm. f. Alarm Can be individually set to beep when a particular trip time, distance, or speed is reached. Beeps at each interval, or continu- ously when above set speed. Different types of beeps for each function. The designers did something sorta stupid in my opinion. You can set EITHER the trip distance alarm or the trip time alarm, not BOTH. g. Wheel size setting I think almost all computers have this- if not, I wouldn't trust it. There's a formula or a table you use to calibrate the computer to your measured wheel radius. The table has hundreds of entries, accurate to the nearest millimeter. Other stuff- -Reset button is poorly thought out. Hitting it resets most functions- trip distance, time, maximum speed, average speed. It would be nice if it just reset the displayed feature, with maybe a master reset when looking at the odometer. -Current mph is displayed continuously. You hit the "mode" button to cycle through the other functions. I looked at the features of a few computers before buying mine. I paid $70 for it, a good $30 more than I'd pay for one without cadence. Worth it? I think so- I think if I'd bought one without it, I'd be thinking, "hmmm... for another 30 bucks I'd really KNOW how fast I was spinning. A month from now, and I won't miss that 30 bucks, anyhow." I think it has all the features I need- some others omit the clock. Now I don't have to take my watch along and have it rattle on my wrist. The Cateye is also about $10 more than another computer called the PUSH. It looks like a nice unit, but (I'm not really sure) I don't think it has a clock, and I want that. It does, however, have a multitude of mode setting buttons (i.e., random vs. sequential access ). There's another unit that I've seen ads for- the Hamilton Eagle. It looks kinda nice with many different functions displayed at once; worth looking into if you want that. I don't use most of the functions outside of cadence and mph but for a moment, however. By the way, don't be dissuaded by the awesomely confusing look of the Cateye owner's manual. The English part, at least, is fairly easy to understand. I had no trouble. I can't comment on any of the other three languages. Mounting it took me a total of 59 careful minutes (timing courtesy Cateye Corp.). Oh well, looks like I pretty much beat the subject to death. Any questions, send me mail- hopefully I'll send a brief (?) reply. I plugged the Cateye Solar pretty heavily, I know. Basically, I think it's not the particular unit I'm happiest with, it's the luxury of having all this worthwhile information at my fingertips, while I ride. It's real nice. Good luck. -mike schwager (...!ihnp4!uiucdcs!schwager)