- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Cross country mountain bikes
- Tubeless valves
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
forum
Bicycle Computer 'Gremlins'
What sets a wireless bicycle computer off when they're not in use? I have a Bontrager and a couple of Cat Eye variants that very occasionally either, all, or just one of them, get set off when they're stored at home. Usually it's a ridiculous speed (90mph). I've checked mobile phones, cordless phones, flashing bike lights, you name it and I still can't work out what sets them off. The only place that sets of a Cat Eye Micro wireless off is a supermarket check out and it happened once on a train. My Smart light also stopped the Cat Eye working when it was in dim mode.
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
Latest Forum Topics
Latest Comments
- Paul J 10 min 47 sec ago
The BBC engages in propaganda, in at least some topics.
- chrisonabike 51 min 12 sec ago
Wonder what could ultimately be behind that though?...
- mdavidford 55 min 22 sec ago
And now they're going to alder responsible.
- eburtthebike 1 hour 3 min ago
I read a report last week which said that in most police force areas, drivers had exceeded 100mph in 30mph zones, so the problem of illegal,...
- KiwiMike 1 hour 55 min ago
You don't get to make that call. They're rightly upset at seeing their dad airbrushed out of history by a company that wanted to big up a...
- Aluminium can 1 hour 55 min ago
Mechanical APEX model is $4400 in Australia. Have seen it in store at this price, so can confirm it's not an error with their website pricing. ...
- David9694 2 hours 12 min ago
Came here to see what all the fuss was about. Wasn't disappointed. ...
- Rendel Harris 4 hours 13 min ago
Ms.George was out in the Surrey countryside, Mr.Richardson was in Richmond Park, both very different scenarios to the traffic, cycle and pedestrian...
- Aluminium can 6 hours 53 min ago
Had a look at a photo of the hub on their website and I agree that looks completely unsafe. I think it's not unreasonable to expect that our rims...
- JEMVisser 9 hours 57 min ago
Yes, higher is better. You ever seen a time trialist some 10-15 years ago? Low aero bars and stretched out. Now they are all riding in that high...
Add new comment
8 comments
Had a cateye wireless, but after a few weeks of working intermittently or incorrectly it now sits in a box in the shed - complete waste of money.
I had a similar experience with a HRM, albeit a cheap Aldi one - half way through a ride it would rise to 230bpm and then beep at me for the rest of the ride (presumably to tell me I was about to die).
My winter/turbo bike now has a wired computer with cadence & rear wheel sensor - no problems.
Splashed out on a Garmin with cadence etc for my "proper" bike. A few bugs but generally very good.
My whizz bang bluetooth Flightdeck loves VW and Audis. It goes completely nuts. I wish I could accelerate from 6mph to 125mph in less than a second.
Watching the drivers faces,
"But I was not on the phone"
"Well my computer tell my otherwise!"
"Sorry"
My Cateye Strada is set off by older mobiles occasionally when they are checking for a signal.
Wired is still best.
I use a VDO C08C, an old wired model that does cadence, but most importantly has longer wires to reach to the REAR wheel - essential for the turbo!
I used to have a wireless computer - but got fed up with forgetting to trip it as I started and it was eating so many batteries that they cost the price of a chainset by years end.
So now I have a computer that has wires and starts automatically. I got it for £3 off Ebay. I find it hilarious. It shows average speed, but it works this out over time and not distance. It stays on for five minutes before turning off. This means that every time I twitch a wheel while shopping/moving the bike round the shed/maintaining it etc. it adds five minutes to the calculated average...
I go really fast in reverse these days!!!
In my experience wireless bike computers are useless unless you spend a lot of money and get one with ant+ signal or similar
I've only used cheap bike computers, but I agree that wireless ones really aren't worth the bother. I had _one_ that didn't have problems at all with interference, but then I broke it (easier to do with wireless because the sensors are bigger and easier to accidentaly hit!). Wired ones are far more reliable and I don't think a bit of wire is such a drawback.
In particular, wireless ones would often go mad (a) at level crossings and (b) in a building that had some sort of wireless fire-alarm system. I hope in the latter case the interference didn't go both ways!
Perhaps car remote locking, remote garage door openers? There are plenty of things that could be on the same frequency that might cause interference. IMHO, if they were well designed, they'd have a unique code and wouldn't respond to anything except your own sensors - not even another computer on a bike alongisde.
Could just be household wiring in general, mine used to do it every now and then. I put it down to power surges and a lack of shielding on the computer itself