New bike--Trek Madone 4.5 AND bike 'puter ?

[MollyJ]

I actually went bike shopping last fall and looked at this bike...thought about it this winter and got it just last week. The weather has not been good--cold and rainy but I've been out twice.

I went from a 20 year old mountain bike to this and it's been a change. I'm mostly biking on city streets and took a little more of an out in the country ride tonight. Wow! Smooth-smooth.

This is my first experience with bicycling shoes and clips. They are amazing but I'm always glad no one's watching when I first start up. Picture a startled cat trying to find purchase on a slippery floor.

I thought the posture might really be horrible but--I can feel it in my shoulders but it's not bad. I just like being out of the wind (relatively). This is important when you live in KS.

I have always biked alone because I'm pretty spontaneous. And on the other bike, a bit slow for group riding. But I want to try some group riding for a variety of reasons.

So this sounds silly but I want a bike computer. I like estimating miles and I like knowing time and speed. Knowing this will help me know if I'm ready for group riding.

Any thoughts out there about bike computers? I _think_ I want something with cadence measures because while I have no aspirations to speedy, I want to get faster and stronger and I have an inkling that working on cadence will help towards those goals. So in terms of _features_ any one have recommendations?

TIA!

[Azurah]

Nice looking bike! I'm new to road biking and I find that my shoulders/neck get a little sore. I'm not used to the posture yet and my muscles aren't quite strong enough to support that posture for very long. I'm sure it will come with time...

I know what you mean about no one watching with the clipless pedals. When I got my bike the bike shop installed the pedals before I picked it up and the owner made me practice, for the first time, in the shop, with him holding the bike steady for me, and with other people around! It was embarrassing and I had the hardest time at first because the feeling was just so foreign to me!

Once I got home and practiced on the trainer, it was way easier...

I haven't researched bike computers because I'm not experienced enough to make use of most of the features yet. I did buy a basic one from the shop though, so I can keep track of my speed/total mileage. The Garmin Edge computers seem to be pretty good, but are too pricey for me.

[Roadtrip]

Congrats! I test rode the Madone when I was looking at road bikes and it was a really sharp looking bike I wanted to fall in love with, I ended up getting a Specialized Ruby for a really good price and preferred the relaxed geometry a little more.

Bike computers... I bought a Bontrager Node 1 computer (Node 2 includes the HR strap) and it does everything I need. The Madone also has either a SpeedTrap or DuoTrap, which is a formed space in the front fork for the sensor, making installation much cleaner/easier as you don't need to zip-tie the sensors onto the bike. You can get much fancier with the Garmin, etc models that include GPS and some cool features like elevation and a nifty touch screen.

Shannon

[Velocivixen]

Just a couple of weeks ago I bought and installed the Cateye Strada Wireless. It doesn't have cadence though. I got a local bike shop to "match" a much lower price I found it for online, so I bought a $65 computer for $42.88! Cateye makes one with cadence and they're not too expensive. If money is no object, Garmin Edge models are nice.
Have a great time with your new bike.

[Catrin]

I have one of the Sigma computers with cadence, also have the Cateye Strada Cadence on one of my other bikes and they both are fine. I prefer the Sigma greatly, but there is nothing wrong with the Cateye and it is less expensive.

Cadence is very helpful, and I use it a lot. I am not fast nor am I focusing on speed. That will come in time, or not, that isn't my focus. It does help me in climbing and to check myself. I use it for intervals, and it certainly helps me to maintain a steady cadence which I like to do most of the time.

[MollyJ]

Thanks for all the food for thought. I think the shop I bought the bike from carries Sigma but at least I'll have some more intelligent questions to ask now.

[m.eliza]

I use the Sigma Rox 8.0. It's a triple wireless (speed, cadence, heart rate). It also has an altimeter, so it's kind of interesting to see what kind of climbing I'm doing. I love it. I had to train myself to not pay attention to speed, though, and train mostly by heart rate, cadence, and perceived exertion.

I can also plug it into my computer after a ride and see a summary of all sorts of cool things, plus add my own notes. There's also a thermometer and a clock (and lots of other things I haven't gotten around to using yet), which are cool, but not essential.

Not sure what you're looking for in a computer, but if you want tons of features, this isn't too outrageously expensive for what you get out of it.

[kermit]

I am a big fan of Cateye computers. If you want wired the Astrale 8 is a great computer for the price. Or you can go with the Cateye double wireless CD3000W. Both have cadence.

[HillSlugger]

I have a Madone 5.5. I really love having the DuoTrap speed/cadence sensor. The way it integrates into the chain stay is so elegant compared to zip-tying on something else. The DuoTrap is compatible with most Trek bike computers and is also compatible with Garmin gps computers or any that use ANT+ technology. I recommend the DuoTrap highly!

[zoom-zoom]

I run and bike, so the Garmin Forerunner 305 has been an ideal computer for my needs. I had it long before I started biking, so simply added the cadence/speed sensor to make it the perfect bike computer. It works great in the indoor trainer to track my "mileage" over the Winter months, too.

[MollyJ]

I went to the bike store and what they carry is Borntrager computers. Of course with the net, the world is your store.

I had a good discussion with them regarding the wireless versus wired computers and I am thinking that I am more interested _at this time_ in something wired. Because a girl can always change her mind later, right?

Any thoughts on wired versus wireless.

[kermit]

Wired will live forever. I love my wireless but it does burn up batteries.

[Catrin]

Wires can also get in the way and cause visual clutter.

[ny biker]

Why do you say "at this time"?

I have an old Polar heart rate monitor/speedometer/odometer/cadence thing. I stopped using the HRM a few years back when the battery died in the chest strap. Decided I didn't need it anymore. The whole thing is wireless, which can go on the fritz and show extremely high numbers when you're near power lines, but overall that's not a large problem IMO. I prefer wireless because it's neater and there's one less thing to get caught on stuff when I'm loading the bike into the car.

I can upload data to a pc, but I haven't done that since I first bought it because I found it wasn't necessary to see the data on screen.

When it finally dies, I might get a Garmin in order to have the gps cababilities. But since I have a Madone 4.7, I think the Duotrap thing is really cool and much neater than the system I have now, so I will try to get something compatible with it.

[MollyJ]

NYbike as you said,
"I can upload data to a pc, but I haven't done that since I first bought it because I found it wasn't necessary to see the data on screen."

The guy I was talking with said that the wireless tend to give you a lot of capability that he found he didn't use. And it was fussy. Lotsa parts/additional purchases. (This may primarily be a feature of the Borntrager wirelesses)

He said and I agree, that uploading data wasn't somethng that he was that interested in. Now I have a Polar FT7 which does let me upload minutes of exercise, and other data to my computer. I find this motivating but I'm not sure I want to upload my Polar info AND my bike computer info. I DO want to monitor and work with cadence but I'm not sure I need to upload info to get that.

Because I am relatively new to getting a snazzier bike and now computer, I'm not sure I need the expense of the wireless when I'm not sure what exactly I want.

So in summary:

Advantages:
Wireless, fewer parts

Disadvantages
relative expense
features I likely won't use
fussy
Not wholely sure what it is I want at this time.

But that said, I'm still open to some other ideas and that's why I'm posting on this topic. ;)

I am finding the discussion helpful.

[Catrin]

Molly - I have moved from a wired to a wireless on a new bike and I do not find the wireless to be any more fussy than the wired. As noted above, I like it because there are fewer wires that can catch and break - and it is less cluttered. That being said, the only problem I had with the wired was the same that can happen with the wireless, the magnet on the wheel spoke getting moved and having to be readjusted.

Wireless is dropping in price, and I didn't have to purchase anything extra and no additional purchases. I am confused what your salesman might mean about this.

Either option will work for you, the important thing is what you want. You are also not limited to Bontrager, you might want to research some of the other wired computers online. I don't know how Bontrager is in the computer department and didn't know they even made them. Which doesn't mean anything at all :D

[ny biker]

Looking at the two Analog Wireless computers offered by Bontrager, I doubt they have any useless functions. Although unfortunately you can't tell here is cadence is one of the functions.

http://bontrager.com/products/accessories/computers

[MollyJ]

Catrin probably your comment that wired or wireless, things like a nudged sensor can impair accuracy was really a helpful comment. I really wondered about that--did one over the other reduce that?

Nybiker, your links are very helpful but following the link on the Node 1 you see this:

"Node computers DO NOT INCLUDE speed sensors. An ANT+ speed sensor or combo sensor needs to be purchased separately to complete the kit
Node 1 can expand to add cadence and heart rate with optional ANT+ sensors."

I think that is what he was referring to. It is also helpful to hear that this may be peculiar to the Borntrager.

But if I go with a wired Trip 3 and decide to upgrade to a wireless when I have a better idea of what I want, cost wise that's the pill I'm thinking about swallowing.

It was "karmic" that they didn't have a Trip 3 in and so no big deal. I have some time to decide.

I am also interested in knowing more about the Duo Trap feature which is, I believe, an aspect of my bike.

This is all very helpful.

[Catrin]

I really find the cadence feature VERY useful, I would suggest you make that a deal-breaker, regardless of what you decide. You can purchase a wired Cateye Strada with Cadence for less than $50.

I would also comment that any bike computer that doesn't come with a speed sensor automatically is not worth the money. Sorry, but that is one of the very basic things that a bike computer should have.

[MollyJ]

No cadence=no deal.

I agree with that Catrin.

My DH is a geocacher and he loves the Garmin. I don't know what Garmin's have for cyclists but it's impressive, by all reports. At this point, I think what I've learned is that I'll probably go for somethng entry level and learn more later.

And I agree that the add ons to the Borntrager Node 1 seem kind of "gouge
-y". Why else would you spend that like $130+ if you didn't want some extras you would expect with a bike computer of that category.

But based on the answers to this thread there doesn't seem to be a lot of single clear answers (just like bikes themselves). So I am ready to have a bike computer but not ready to shell out big bucks. Let see, there's a word for that? Maybe more than one?

[Catrin]

Bike computers are very helpful, but not everyone uses them. Garmins are quite expensive and do have very many features. My Sigma 1609STS is wireless, has everything I need, and cost $90 though I paid $75 on sale :)

If I were you I would do more research on the internet, and catch a sale on whatever you settle on. I know nothing about Bontrager computers, they may be fantastic, but they do sound overly complicated and expensive if you have to buy extra parts just to get speed :rolleyes:

Wireless computers are quite easy to install, and come with a manual to help with setting it up. Are there other bike stores in driving distance that you can visit to see what else might be available locally, or who could help you with installation if you aren't comfortable doing it?