Best SIMPLE CycleComputer?

Bryan K. Walton said:

I am looking to purchase a cyclecomputer. I've never actually owned one and hope that people
in this group can offer advice. Here is what I am looking for:

1) Total Distance
2) Trip Distance
3) Current Speed
4) Large numbers/letters on the readout
5) Temperature
6) Works at low temperatures
7) Would be nice if the buttons were large.
8) Durable
9) Energy-efficient (doesn't drain batteries faster than average computer)

I don't care about cadence, average speed, or wireless.

Can anybody recommend a certain cyclecomputer for me? Also, any real good webpages out there that
offer comparison reviews?

I particularly like the CatEye Mity 8. CatEye electronic doodads are about the most reliable there
are, very well engineered and built.

See: sheldonbrown.comaccessories.htmlOpen ↗

Sheldon "Oeil De Chat" Brown +--------------------------------------------------+
| Some of my brother's paintings may be seen at: | junila.comjunila.comOpen ↗ |
+--------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

5) Temperature

Temperature? B

(remove clothes to reply)

Can you recommend one with an altimeter?

RW

"Sheldon Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Bryan K. Walton said:

I am looking to purchase a cyclecomputer. I've never actually owned one and hope that people in
this group can offer advice. Here is what I am looking for:

1) Total Distance
2) Trip Distance
3) Current Speed
4) Large numbers/letters on the readout
5) Temperature
6) Works at low temperatures
7) Would be nice if the buttons were large.
8) Durable
9) Energy-efficient (doesn't drain batteries faster than average computer)

I don't care about cadence, average speed, or wireless.

Can anybody recommend a certain cyclecomputer for me? Also, any real good webpages out there
that offer comparison reviews?

I particularly like the CatEye Mity 8. CatEye electronic doodads are about the most reliable there
are, very well engineered and built.

See: sheldonbrown.comaccessories.htmlOpen ↗

Sheldon "Oeil De Chat" Brown +--------------------------------------------------+
| Some of my brother's paintings may be seen at: | junila.comjunila.comOpen ↗ |
+--------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

The Cateye doesn't have temp Temp can be useful in the winter as you learn what works to keep
you comfortable in the nasty weather and how the temp forecasts match what you actually hit on
the roads..

Try this one: Planet Bike 9.0.

mtbr.comproduct 88825.shtmlOpen ↗

"Sheldon Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Bryan K. Walton said:

I am looking to purchase a cyclecomputer. I've never actually owned one and hope that people in
this group can offer advice. Here is what I am looking for:

1) Total Distance
2) Trip Distance
3) Current Speed
4) Large numbers/letters on the readout
5) Temperature
6) Works at low temperatures
7) Would be nice if the buttons were large.
8) Durable
9) Energy-efficient (doesn't drain batteries faster than average computer)

I don't care about cadence, average speed, or wireless.

Can anybody recommend a certain cyclecomputer for me? Also, any real good webpages out there
that offer comparison reviews?

I particularly like the CatEye Mity 8. CatEye electronic doodads are about the most reliable there
are, very well engineered and built.

See: sheldonbrown.comaccessories.htmlOpen ↗

Sheldon "Oeil De Chat" Brown +--------------------------------------------------+
| Some of my brother's paintings may be seen at: | junila.comjunila.comOpen ↗ |
+--------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

"Bryan K. Walton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi, I am looking to purchase a cyclecomputer. I've never actually owned one and hope that people
in this group can offer advice. Here is what I am looking for:

1) Total Distance
2) Trip Distance
3) Current Speed
4) Large numbers/letters on the readout
5) Temperature
6) Works at low temperatures
7) Would be nice if the buttons were large.
8) Durable
9) Energy-efficient (doesn't drain batteries faster than average computer)

I don't care about cadence, average speed, or wireless.

Can anybody recommend a certain cyclecomputer for me? Also, any real good webpages out there that
offer comparison reviews?

I own this one:

tinyurl.com2v4wtOpen ↗

I like it a lot. I bought it because I wanted something simple as well. Has what you're looking for
except temperature. Seems fairly waterproof, easily removed, and I love the display. The display is
not they old fashioned LED numbers based around "8" but more "rounded" if you will. Nashbar also
carries a closeout model that's cheaper:

tinyurl.com2sdnwOpen ↗

I've found MTB Reviews to be useful in the past. Here is a direct link to the computer section:

mtbreview.comcomputerOpen ↗

C.Q.C.

Bryan K. Walton said:

5) Temperature

Very few have Temperature and I wouldn't expect a thermometer to give useful readings from a
computer mounted in the usual position as the whole unit would be greatly chilled by the wind.

~PB

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Pete Biggs

BBryan K. Walton said:

5) Temperature

Very few have Temperature and I wouldn't expect a thermometer to give useful readings from a
computer mounted in the usual position as the whole unit would be greatly chilled by the wind.

~PB [/B]

Dear Peter,

Actually, I think that it's the other way around.

A steady stream of 20 degree F. air will chill
a thermometer to 20 degrees F. and nothing
else. The rider, on the other hand, will feel
miserably cold because the stream of cold air
is carrying away far more heat from his body.

The thermometer quickly moves to the ambient
temperature of 20 F. and reports it accurately.
We remain much warmer than the ambient
temperature, but feel colder according to how
much cold wind is busy carrying heat away
from our bodies.

This is analogous to the way that metal
will feel colder to the touch than wood.
Far more heat will flow from a warm hand
into cold, conductive metal than into cold,
non-conductive wood.

Carl Fogel

Pete Biggs said:

Very few [cyclecomputers] have Temperature

That's correct.

Quoted message said:

and I wouldn't expect a thermometer to give useful readings from a computer mounted in the usual
position as the whole unit would be greatly chilled by the wind.

Actually, wind chill mainly affects damp things. It is caused by evaporation.

Wind chill also affects things that are warmer than the ambient air, such a human bodies, because it
draws heat from the hotter object.

It has no effect on cylclecomputers or on thermometers. Indeed, my Chrysler minivan has a
thermometer as part of its "motocomputer" system, and it doesn't care how fast I drive.

Sheldon "It Works" Brown +----------------------------------+
| What sane person could live in | this world and not be crazy? | --Ursula K. LeGuin |
+----------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772
FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Pete Biggs said:

Bryan K. Walton said:

5) Temperature

Very few have Temperature and I wouldn't expect a thermometer to give useful readings from a
computer mounted in the usual position as the whole unit would be greatly chilled by the wind.

Not so.

A thermometer tells you IT'S OWN temperature. If you ride from a 90 degree day into a 60 degree
tunnel, the thermometer will read high until it's own temperature reaches 60. The relative wind
simply helps this happen more quickly.

But that's pretty unimportant in typical use. The short of it is, a moving thermometer will still
read correctly. A more likely problem is for it to be confused by excessive radiant heat gain
from the sun.

--
Frank Krygowski [To reply, omit what's between "at" and "cc"]

Quoted message said:

Very few have Temperature and I wouldn't expect a thermometer to give useful readings from a
computer mounted in the usual position as the whole unit would be greatly chilled by the wind.

I hear cyclocomputer thermometers are inaccurate. PB mentioned wind cooling. Other people have told
me the sun's heat causes wacky readings.

The same folks tell me they like Sigma and Cateye computers for the usual cycling functions.

"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Bryan K. Walton said:

5) Temperature

Very few have Temperature and I wouldn't expect a thermometer to give useful readings from a
computer mounted in the usual position as the whole unit would be greatly chilled by the wind.

~PB

Higher end weather stations are designed with baffles to keep the temperature sensor in the shade,
but they are also fan aspirated to keep the air moving. The moving air on a cycle computer is a good
thing in this case.

JeffK said:

Quoted message said:

Very few have Temperature and I wouldn't expect a thermometer to give useful readings from a
computer mounted in the usual position as the whole unit would be greatly chilled by the wind.

I hear cyclocomputer thermometers are inaccurate. PB mentioned wind cooling.

Looks as if I'm wrong about that. (Thanks for the corrections Sheldon and Frank).

I was thinking that electrical circuitry would make the thermometer probe normally warmer than the
amibient air, and also that wind cools anything if it's fast enough. The former factor is probably
too slight to matter, and the latter must be completely wrong or even the wrong way round (if
ambient temperature is no cooler than the object)!

Quoted message said:

Other people have told me the sun's heat causes wacky readings.

That's probably true, and in any case, temperatures for weather reporting purposes are usually taken
in the shade.

~PB

On 02/26/2004 09:07 PM, in article [email hidden], "frkrygow"

frkrygow'@omitcc.ysu.edu said:

But that's pretty unimportant in typical use. The short of it is, a moving thermometer will still
read correctly. A more likely problem is for it to be confused by excessive radiant heat gain from
the sun.

I can speak to this one ... My Vetta V-100 (in a black case) consistently reads about 10-15 degrees
hotter than the actual temperature in the summertime, when it's hit by direct sunlight. If I keep
the sun at my back, so the computer is shadowed, it's relatively accurate.

Of course, there are days when the ambient temperature is only 95, but it really does feel like 110
(or more) due to radiant heat coming off the road.

--
Steven L. Sheffield stevens at veloworks dot com veloworks at worldnet dot ay tea tee dot net bellum
pax est libertas servitus est ignoratio vis est ess ay ell tea ell ay kay ee sea aye tee why you ti
ay aitch aitch tee tea pea colon [for word] slash [four ward] slash double-you double-yew double-ewe
dot veloworks dot com [four word] slash

"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

JeffK said:

Quoted message said:

Very few have Temperature and I wouldn't expect a thermometer to give useful readings from a
computer mounted in the usual position as the whole unit would be greatly chilled by the wind.

I hear cyclocomputer thermometers are inaccurate. PB mentioned wind cooling.

Looks as if I'm wrong about that. (Thanks for the corrections Sheldon and Frank).

You would be right if you spat/dribbled sweat on it!

Quoted message said:

I was thinking that electrical circuitry would make the thermometer probe normally warmer than the
amibient air, and also that wind cools anything if it's fast enough. The former factor is probably
too slight to matter,

Note: its being powered by what is pretty much a watch battery that lasts for years, thats not going
to be using much power. OTOH your theory does work when people want it to - there are fluid
speed detectors that work in the way you describe.

"Bryan K. Walton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi, I am looking to purchase a cyclecomputer. I've never actually owned one and hope that people
in this group can offer advice. Here is what I am looking for:

1) Total Distance
2) Trip Distance
3) Current Speed
4) Large numbers/letters on the readout
5) Temperature
6) Works at low temperatures
7) Would be nice if the buttons were large.
8) Durable
9) Energy-efficient (doesn't drain batteries faster than average computer)

I don't care about cadence, average speed, or wireless.

Can anybody recommend a certain cyclecomputer for me? Also, any real good webpages out there that
offer comparison reviews?

I don't know about "best", but the Cateye Mity 3 works very well, has all the features you want
(except temp), is very reliable and cheap (~$15 mail-order). I liked the Mity 2 even more, since it
had fewer features, which made its interface less multiplexed, but I find the dual trip odometer of
the Mity 3 useful for some events (when I can remember how to use it).

I used to have a watch with a built-in thermometer. It gave me a very accurate idea of my wrist
temperature.

Bryan-<< I am looking to purchase a cyclecomputer. I've never actually owned one and hope that
people in this group can offer advice. >><BR><BR>

cateye Mity 8....great 'puter.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Pete Biggs said:

I was thinking that electrical circuitry would make the thermometer probe normally warmer than the
amibient air, and also that wind cools anything if it's fast enough. The former factor is probably
too slight to matter, and the latter must be completely wrong or even the wrong way round (if
ambient temperature is no cooler than the object)!

Right. Wind _heats_ anything if it's fast enough.

That's why space ships have special heat resistant tiles on the outside.

Sheldon "Hot Stuff" Brown +-----------------------------------------------+
| The difference between truth and fiction: | Fiction has to make sense. | --Mark Twain. |
+-----------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Sheldon Brown said:

Wind _heats_ anything if it's fast enough.

That's why space ships have special heat resistant tiles on the outside.

"Fast enough" is the operative phrase. The shuttle is an extreme case, obviously. Wind heating can
be ignored for just about everything else that's subsonic.

If the wind is to heat a body, the air speed has to be pretty darn fast, and that wind only heats
the leading edge of a body. The stagnation pressure of the air has to be high to raise the
temperature (using the famous PV=nRT equation), and the pressure differences are always minimal for
low subsonic flow.

So, even when you're descending that high mountain pass in a tuck, the wind is not heating your
temperature sensor.

For those who only believe numbers: At 1 atmosphere, 25 C, the stagnation temperature rise for a
rider going 50 mph (0.06 Mach) is about 0.2 C. And that is only at the leading edge, everywhere else
it's zero.

From a practical standpoint, air speed on a bike serves to cool the sensor and reduce the
temperature measurement error caused by the Sun.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA terrymorse.combikeOpen ↗

Someone said:

wind cools anything if it's fast enough.

I replied, in part:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Wind _heats_ anything if it's fast enough.

That's why space ships have special heat resistant tiles on the outside.

Terry Morse said:

"Fast enough" is the operative phrase. The shuttle is an extreme case, obviously.

Yes, obviously.

Wind heating can be ignored for just about

Quoted message said:

everything else that's subsonic.

Right, that's why I had previously written:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It has no effect on cylclecomputers or on thermometers.

Quoted message said:

From a practical standpoint, air speed on a bike serves to cool the sensor and reduce the
temperature measurement error caused by the Sun.

That's only true if the cyclecomputer is warmer than the ambient air.

If the cyclecomputer were colder than the ambient air, wind would help warm it to ambient
temperature.

When the cyclecomputer is not in direct sunlight, I would expect it to be at the ambient air
temperature, where wind would have no practical effect, as I originally said.

Sheldon "Topic Drift" Brown +-------------------------------------------------+
| There is something fascinating about science. | One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture |
| out of such a trifling investment of fact. | --Mark Twain |
+-------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗