VDO C1DS Wireless Woes

Jim said:

Having a new bike I decided to splash out on a new cycle computer and I went
for a wireless model, the basic VDO C1DS (=digital system).
The spec looks good, nice large easy to read screen, the setup is dead easy
with the menus. It is supposed to tolerate radio interference by storing up
to 45secs of data in the sensor which is then relayed to the computer when
the interference goes.
However I couldn't get it to read reliably at all, firstly I tried the stem
mounting but got a speed reading only very occasionally, initally I thought
the stem was masking the radio signal. I didn't have time to experiment so I
put the computer in the clear map pocket on top of my handbar bag for my
weekend trip, VDO quote a max sensing distance of 150cm! so that position
should have been OK.
At the start of the ride the speed reading was on and off, mostly off.
Then for the middle part of my journey it apparantly read reliably for 31
miles, then zilch again. I tried several attempts at resetting the digital
connect (the computer has to recognise the sensor's coded digital signal) to
no avail. The following day the thing read zero or went into sleep mode.
There is a light on the sensor which flashes for 20 secs when it first
senses the wheel turning, this confirms the sensor battery isn't flat, I can
hear the reed switch click as the magnet passes the sensor, so the magnet
and sensor are correctly positioned. I have tried holding the computer
within 6" of the sensor and still it doesn't read reliably
The computer comes with a user info card with a unique membership number so
you can login to the "VDO forums" but alas when I tried this I discovered
that VDO hadn't got the members area running yet on their web site so no
user support there.
I also tried using their customer support form but as yet no response.
This model of cyclocomputer seems to be the updated version which has the
wireless antenna in a little bump under the body, as referred to in
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk.rec.cycling/browse_thread/thread/8b96767b1fab6cf2/5d929028a085db34?hl=en&lnk=st&q=vdo+c3ds#5d929028a085db34

Anyway it's going back for a refund and I will probably give VDO products
and wireless cycle computers bodyswerve in future.

Jim J

Jim,

You don't happen to have an LED front light do you ?

I have a B & M LED light on the front of the tandem connected to a SON
hub.When the light is on the Flightdeck becomes inoperable.

B & M are aware of the problem but there is nothing to be done apart
from separating the light from the computer by the maximum distance
possible.Unfortunately I can't separate them any further so I will have
to put up with it.

Sam Salt

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On 16 Oct, 13:07, Sam Salt <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Jim said:

Having a new bike I decided to splash out on a new cycle computer and I went
for a wireless model, the basic VDO C1DS (=digital system).
The spec looks good, nice large easy to read screen, the setup is dead easy
with the menus. It is supposed to tolerate radio interference by storing up
to 45secs of data in the sensor which is then relayed to the computer when
the interference goes.
However I couldn't get it to read reliably at all, firstly I tried the stem
mounting but got a speed reading only very occasionally, initally I thought
the stem was masking the radio signal. I didn't have time to experiment so I
put the computer in the clear map pocket on top of my handbar bag for my
weekend trip, VDO quote a max sensing distance of 150cm! so that position
should have been OK.
At the start of the ride the speed reading was on and off, mostly off.
Then for the middle part of my journey it apparantly read reliably for 31
miles, then zilch again. I tried several attempts at resetting the digital
connect (the computer has to recognise the sensor's coded digital signal) to
no avail. The following day the thing read zero or went into sleep mode.
There is a light on the sensor which flashes for 20 secs when it first
senses the wheel turning, this confirms the sensor battery isn't flat, I can
hear the reed switch click as the magnet passes the sensor, so the magnet
and sensor are correctly positioned. I have tried holding the computer
within 6" of the sensor and still it doesn't read reliably
The computer comes with a user info card with a unique membership number so
you can login to the "VDO forums" but alas when I tried this I discovered
that VDO hadn't got the members area running yet on their web site so no
user support there.
I also tried using their customer support form but as yet no response.
This model of cyclocomputer seems to be the updated version which has the
wireless antenna in a little bump under the body, as referred to in
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk.rec.cycling/browse_thread/thread/...

Quoted message said:

Anyway it's going back for a refund and I will probably give VDO products
and wireless cycle computers bodyswerve in future.

Quoted message said:

Jim J

Jim,

You don't happen to have an LED front light do you ?

I have a B & M LED light on the front of the tandem connected to a SON
hub.When the light is on the Flightdeck becomes inoperable.

B & M are aware of the problem but there is nothing to be done apart
from separating the light from the computer by the maximum distance
possible.Unfortunately I can't separate them any further so I will have
to put up with it.

Sam Salt

It's not just LED lights, it's all rechargable lights. I was driven to
distraction with my old Cateye cordless, when used along side a Smart
rechargable setup with bottle battery. I ended up snapping the fork
clamp of my wheel detector in a vain attempts to get a reliable
reading out of it.

I eventually upgraded my lights and computer to a Cateye Doubleshot
and Polar CS200cad. Lo-and-behold, in the Cateye literature there was
a warning not to mount the battery pack within 10cm of a bike
computer. The old Smart light probably gave out more interference than
the Cateye DoubleShot, as it knocked out my cordless computer whilst
spaced further apart than that.

David Lloyd

"Sam Salt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jim,

You don't happen to have an LED front light do you ?

I have a B & M LED light on the front of the tandem connected to a SON
hub.When the light is on the Flightdeck becomes inoperable.

B & M are aware of the problem but there is nothing to be done apart from
separating the light from the computer by the maximum distance
possible.Unfortunately I can't separate them any further so I will have to
put up with it.

Sam Salt

No I don't have any light on that bike.
I took the VDO C1DS back to the shop today, the annoying thing was it
appeared to work in the shop but I insisted that I didn't want the thing and
it wouldn't work for longer than about 2 mins. I got another VDO because I
liked the display but a wired one this time.
Have you tried wrapping your lights in tin foil?

Cheers
Jim J

On Oct 16, 1:07 pm, Sam Salt <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Jim said:

Having a new bike I decided to splash out on a new cycle computer and I went
for a wireless model, the basic VDO C1DS (=digital system).

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Jim J

Jim,

You don't happen to have an LED front light do you ?

Likewise here - new CatEye OptiCube thingy causes wireless computer to
have fit of heebie-jeebies.
No signal received whether, light is in "always on" or "flashing
mode". Switch off light - normal function is restored.

Quoted message said:

I have a B & M LED light on the front of the tandem connected to a SON
hub.When the light is on the Flightdeck becomes inoperable.

B & M are aware of the problem but there is nothing to be done apart
from separating the light from the computer by the maximum distance
possible.Unfortunately I can't separate them any further so I will have
to put up with it.

Sam Salt

You could also try replacing the transmitter battery - when these
begin to run low, signal is weaker and can be lost.
Even if the unit is new, the battery supplied with it could be quite
old and/or weak.

TBH, I'm strongly tempted to move back to a wired model.
Can't forget to switch it on, one battery with good life.
Bar the obvious difference (no wire), which was never a huge problem
anyway, the wireless ones seem to lose out on all the other counts.

hth,

bookieb