With Father's Day around the corner requests are coming in for me to identify potential gifts. I'm thinking about the CM 434 M from CicloSport. I know that the data download and power features have been discussed for other CicloSport products (CM 414 M, HAC 4), but I'm seeking experiences with the (new?) CM 434 M. It seems that this replaces the 414 M that was reported to have button troubles. Other complaints about previous CS products have focused on an oddball/nonintiutive/poorly documented software interface and the lack of a Windows-centric method for export of raw data to Excel. Finally, there are a number of references to troubles with the wireless speed sensor responding poorly, especially at high speeds.
So, anyone tried this version yet and willing to post some comments either in general or specifically addressing the notions above? Thanks...
Todd- There is the 434 which does not download to the computer and the 436M which does. I picked up a 436M a short while ago and am very pleased with it. They run about $214 in the US but I picked one up at xxcycle.com for about $180 with shipping. xxcycle is in France but it only took a week to get here (California). The computer works very well but you had better be a bit of a techno geek if you are going to be able to run it. The instructions in English are a bit vague but I managed to figure it out - it might help if you speak and read German. 2 software packages came with it. HACtronic is a quick and easy package to get some plots. ciclotour is a bit more involved to use but produces cooler graphs and such. If the two packages can share data, I haven't figured out how to do it yet. I just download the data into each program after each ride. ciclotour will output to EXCEL which is nice. The software packages run in an English option but some of the submenus and help windows still come up in the original German. What isn't in German seems to be in Germlish. Figuring out how it all worked was kinda fun but burned up some time when I should have been working after my morning rides. All in all it is a cool gizmo with lots of features and will display everything, such as climb rate, temperature and elevation, while you ride. It seems pretty accurate but the elevation does drift (see the plot at the link below - a round trip that climbeded 40 feet higher than it descended. It samples every 20 seconds so the downloaded data tends to miss absolute max speed, etc. but the unit itself stores this info. I like it. Ciclotour has a jpeg, bmp output for graphics but I just use screen shots. The pickup has short range and I found it didn't work well on the chainstay but is fine on the fork. I haven't got it over about 43 mph yet. I don't have the cadence or the heart rate options and cannot comment on them. Look here for a sample plot: geocities.combanquo livesOpen ↗ Vandy eh? My wife went to VU DSM
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Quoted message said:
Todd- There is the 434 which does not download to the computer and the 436M which does. I picked up a 436M a short while ago and am very pleased with it. They run about $214 in the US but I picked one up at xxcycle.com for about $180 with shipping.
I ordered my Ciclosport Hac 4 from the UK, www.msgbikes.com for 210 UK pounds, minus (-) 17.5% VAT (36.75 UK pounds) for a total of 173.25 UK pounds, which includes all of the optional equipment for which you pay extra big bucks for in the States.
Very good service, 10 UK pounds for shipping and there is no import tax!
Same computer used by Lance and the USPS team.
Great deal.
I don't have any connection with msgbikes, just a satisfied customer.
I have the cm414 without the PC link and I love it. Especially the road gradient function, which was the main reason I purchased it.
As to power output, temperature, etc. sure. It goes more than a little bit overboard in "geek-ness", But hey, isn't that what modern cycling is all about? ;-3)
May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris
