where to mount a computer

createdtodestry said:

hey guys, i have a question. where do you guys mount your speedometers/computers on a mountain bike so you dont rip it off the bike? i was considering buying a computer for my bike, but im afraid i will break it. also what is a good computer for me? i will pry just use it for time and speed, and i dont want to spend much over $30. thanks for your help.

Hmmm... not exactly sure what you mean. Most computers are designed to be mounted in the same place -- on your handlebars, near the center. It's as safe a place as any, and unless you ride through volcanic explosions, it has as good a chance of remaining intact as your brake levers, cables, or fingers, for that matter.

Mounting systems vary, but most involve a sturdy plastic bracket that either bolts around your bar, or is tied down with bands or zipties. With many models, the little display unit itself can be removed from the bracket for safe keeping.

$30 will buy you a perfectly good, even excellent computer, FYI, so long as you're not interested in heart rate monitoring, altimeters, and other pricey options. A classic model square in your target price is the CatEye Astrale 8, on sale for $29 at Performance Bike's online shop right now (regular $40ish). It's even got a cadence sensor -- a nice feature for a computer at this level.

You can easily spend a lot less, though, and get perfectly reliable, basic functions. Just expect a clunkier gizmo, with fewer options. No problem.

Sigma Sport, Topeak, Vetta, Specialized, and Planet Bike are the other usual suspects. Have fun.

thanks, but wouldnt it get riped off if it were on the top of the handle bars? i guess it might not if i dont let anyone else ride my bike(one of my friends tried to indo and fliped forward at like 20mph). oh and, what is a cadence moniter?

createdtodestry said:

thanks, but wouldnt it get riped off if it were on the top of the handle bars? i guess it might not if i dont let anyone else ride my bike(one of my friends tried to indo and fliped forward at like 20mph). oh and, what is a cadence moniter?

Don't let your friends borrow your bike if they don't know how to ride, or aren't going to treat your bike with respect. There's no better place than on top of the handlebars near the stem - it's easy to see and easy to access the buttons. If you need to remove it so your buddies can crash your bike around, the computer will prolly just unclip.

A computer with a cadence monitor will have a sensor on your pedal and tell you how fast your pedals are spinning. It helps you refine your cycling form and find your optimal pedaling speed, and reminds you not to run in too tall of a gear.

If my computer was getting ripped off my handlebars i would be more concerned with the next thing to get ripped off, probably myself!!😉

createdtodestry said:

thanks, but wouldnt it get riped off if it were on the top of the handle bars? i guess it might not if i dont let anyone else ride my bike(one of my friends tried to indo and fliped forward at like 20mph). oh and, what is a cadence moniter?

Nah... again, it's no more likely to get knocked off than your fingers or toes. There's lots of valuable stuff riding on a bike, including your fingers and toes; a crash big enough to pose a real threat to your computer is going to create bigger issues for you than a busted $25 CatEye.

Cadence is your pedal stroke -- think RPMs. It's a nice luxury to have on a cyclocomputer, which is why sub-$40 models like the Astrale 8 are such a value. In addition to a magnet and sensor designed to measure rotations of your front or back wheel, cadence-monitoring systems have a magnet and sensor setup attached to a crankarm and chainstay... a nice feature to have if you ever get serious about training.

Ya i dont think the kid had ever riden a bike with a front brake or something. It made me laugh so hard seeing him fall on his face. It sorta scuffed up one of the shifters, but nothing too bad. Now i only let him ride my old bike. Is it very hard to calibrate a computer? And i was trying to decide which wheel i would put it on. It seems like on the rear it might get in the way, but usually when im riding from spot to spot the front wheel isnt on the ground much.

The cadence moniter would be a cool feture to have but does it have a real purpose? Without how much force your putting on the cranks you cant figure out how much work you do. But like a tack on a automatic car it would be a cool feature.

I think i am going to buy a computer soon, i was looking at the bike shop closeby and they carry catseye, or can order me just about anything. Oh and i have one more question. I have saw alot of wireless computers, but would it work very well? Thanks alot.

Oh and also i doubt i will ever get serious about training, unless maybe i move to somewhere with mountains, or atleast some sort of dirt track. Here in NW Ohio the biggest hill i can find is only like 50ft tall and maybe about a 45 degree slop.

50 ft tall and 45 degree slope??? That sounds more like a ramp/jump than a slope.

Ya maybe on a dirtbike, but there wouldnt be much of a run way(you have to lock up your brakes at the bottom so you dont go into the creek on a bike). On a bike i would be very suprised if anyone could even ride up it, and it doesn't help its usually wet, and theres bumps and tree roots.

Today though i went to a city nearby with my older brother and this one guy, and we were told about these one trails. So we went to them and they were insane. There went any huge hills but there was a few, and jumps and sharp corners everywhere. I fell really hard and bruised a few ribs, there was a hill leading to a big jump and a corner, I over jumped it and landed in poisen oak, hit a fallen tree that was coverd, and hit my side on a tree. Then later i got a thorn in my front tire, so i have to buy a new tube now.

If any of you are from NW Ohio area you should check out Napoleon, Ohio. The park was called oakwood, or oakland, i dunno but it started with oak. I think most of it was built by bmx guys, cause there was one section that looked like a mx track.