Dumb Computer Question

[wavedancer]

Nashbar has some computers on sale Nashbar

[uforgot]

I just won a Jamis Quest on ebay...(Yippee) that is flightdeck (shimano) compatible. Anyone have one of these or know anything about them? (Or can point me in the right direction...)

[melissam]

What do you want to know about the Flightdeck?

Mine is wired (they also had a wireless one), but I think at the time I bought my bike, they weren't going to have the wireless in stock by the time I picked it up.

Anyway, I've been pretty happy with my Flightdeck. I just wished they offered one with an Altimeter.

Let's see, the cool thing about the Flightdeck is that you activate it by pushing the little buttons on your brake hoods, so you don't have to move your hands to the computer to change what you're looking at. It has the typical readings: speed, time, distance, stopwatch, average speed, maximum speed, virtual cadence, odometer, clock. It also has a graphic that shows which gear you're in -- which chainring and which gear on the rear cassette.

The time shows the time you've been pedaling. So if you stop at a stoplight, that's not included in the time stat. If you want to keep track of the total time of the ride, you can use the stopwatch feature.

Mine has been troublefree, and I've had it for 2+ years.

If you're interested in anything else about the Flightdeck, please let me know, and I'll do my best to answer it.

-- Melissa

[annie]

I just won a Jamis Quest on ebay...(Yippee) that is flightdeck (shimano) compatible. Anyone have one of these or know anything about them? (Or can point me in the right direction...)

I have the flightdeck on my sweet litle road bike. I LOVE it. It's the only computer I've ever had that has given me no problems. It's a little complicated to set up, but if you take your time and follow the booklet directions, not too bad. It spoils you, by giving you the gearing info right in front of you. Not an inexpensive option, but worth the cost, IMO.

annie

[SadieKate]

Just because the questions segued from rear wheel sensors and to wireless, I'm just going to post a little factoid that you may or may not know.

Wireless sensors/computers only work when the two are within a fairly short and limited distance from each other. You may be able to put a wireless sensor on the rear chain stay but only if the bike is very small. Check the distance in the directions before making the assumption that you can put it on a rear wheel. This works for my Polar for the bike I use in the trainer if I set the sensor to the highest power setting. This only works on the tandem if I don't move my hand around a lot (I can see the wrist unit on the tandem bars) even though I am the stoker.

[aicabsolut]

Just because the questions segued from rear wheel sensors and to wireless, I'm just going to post a little factoid that you may or may not know.

Wireless sensors/computers only work when the two are within a fairly short and limited distance from each other. You may be able to put a wireless sensor on the rear chain stay but only if the bike is very small. Check the distance in the directions before making the assumption that you can put it on a rear wheel. This works for my Polar for the bike I use in the trainer if I set the sensor to the highest power setting. This only works on the tandem if I don't move my hand around a lot (I can see the wrist unit on the tandem bars) even though I am the stoker.

I ran into this problem too. The speed part works fine (spoke magnet) with the sensor on the chainstay. But the cadence sensor on the crank arm is too far away. My model says it needs to be w/in 5mm. But they give you this piece of rubber padding that once I cut it down and put about 4 layers of it under the cadence magnet, now it's close enough to the sensor to work.

Obnoxious, but the instructions don't indicate that there's any other setup that will work.

[Reesha]

BUMP!

i'm pretty frustrated that I can't get my computer to work right now. i installed it exactly as directed but the sensors aren't picking up anything! they are probably very slightly misaligned or something, but I've already strapped them on real tight. grr. i guess i'll need to cut the strappy things and get some more. they didn't give any extras.

yeah so i'm not getting cadence or speed from the two sensors. *sigh*

[maryellen]

I like my cateye double wireless but the speed sensor sometimes gives obviously wacky results (e.g., 4mph on a flat when i'm actually doing 16 mph or more) and the cadence sometimes doesn't work at all. Both of these problems started after I got a different model of a polar heart rate monitor so I think there may be some signal interference between the 2 devices.

I may get a flight deck for my road bike so I can look and see what gear I'm in.

Isn't it aggravating that they don't give you an extra plastic tie or two? I hate feeling as if I better not make a mistake!

[divingbiker]

Isn't it aggravating that they don't give you an extra plastic tie or two? I hate feeling as if I better not make a mistake!

You can buy a big tub of them in various sizes at Home Depot for about 5 bucks. They're in the electrical section. I use them all the time to strap my big wire basket on the back of my commuting bike when I need to take a cake in to work, to hang my Christmas lights on the fence, to secure various pieces of scuba gear. I love cable ties!

[Reesha]

If only home depot were less than an hour away!

I wonder if my local hardware store has them? I think some sensor adjustment is in order. More work!

[brok]

You can buy a big tub of them in various sizes at Home Depot for about 5 bucks. They're in the electrical section. I use them all the time to strap my big wire basket on the back of my commuting bike when I need to take a cake in to work, to hang my Christmas lights on the fence, to secure various pieces of scuba gear. I love cable ties!

Cable ties can also be purchased at most automotive stores (Autozone, etc.) or any store like Wal-mart, etc. who have an automotive section

[makbike]

Both of my bikes (DF and recumbent) have rear wheel sensors for my computer. I have a Sigma 1606L and use it on both bikes. I did have to purchase a "wheel 2" rear wheel sensor kit for my DF. I love the fact that both wheels can be programed into the computer and that the sensors recognize which bike I'm riding. I also have cadence sensors on both bikes.