Shimano Flight Deck

[alpinerabbit]

I really can't help you but I'll have my say -
why does one need the comp to show what gear you're in anyway? You just look down!

I'm perfectly happy with a basic 30$ computer, no wireless transmssion, that shows me speed, average and total mileage, plus the time of day.
Of course I'd like the watch that has it all - HR, cadence, power, elevation, GPS, AND lets me put it onto my wrist in transition - but nah.

The computer should, simply put, not be that fickle, a simple spin of the wheel when the mechanic installs it should tell you if it picks up and then it should keep picking up - and a battery on a basic model like I have lasts you 2-3 years.

[Veronica]

I really can't help you but I'll have my say -
why does one need the comp to show what gear you're in anyway? You just look down!

When you're riding a tandem!

Veronica

[alpinerabbit]

Tandems have gears? Just kidding.

It also occurs to me it might be useful on a hill - I just run out of gears. But then again, that would happen even if I had a comp that talked.

[Miranda]

When you're riding a tandem!

Veronica

Never thought of that.

I really can't help you but I'll have my say -
why does one need the comp to show what gear you're in anyway? You just look down!

I'm perfectly happy with a basic 30$ computer, no wireless transmssion, that shows me speed, average and total mileage, plus the time of day.
Of course I'd like the watch that has it all - HR, cadence, power, elevation, GPS, AND lets me put it onto my wrist in transition - but nah.

The computer should, simply put, not be that fickle, a simple spin of the wheel when the mechanic installs it should tell you if it picks up and then it should keep picking up - and a battery on a basic model like I have lasts you 2-3 years.

When I bought the computer from the lbs, I did so with two thoughts in mind:

1) watching the total mileage accumulate on my ride on the computer... I find it motivating to look down and know how far I have gone, and also gauge when my "half way tired' mileage point is to know when to turn around to come back.. plus I made up my own routes, and didn't have a clue how far it was... well, when the FD wouldn't work, I would get so mad sometimes I would re-ride the route in my car just to *know*

2) I like the idea of not having the wires on the bike frame and zip ties all over... I have a $30 CatEye that I have used a few times in my gear somewhere that I bought to read the rear wheel on the trainer... I never liked catching my leg on the wires or zip ties... I thought about using it on my mtb... but I frankly do not see how zip tied wires would survive riding through brush and weeds... just looked like something that would get ripped right off, and tangle me up in a wreck... IMO, wireless stuff has some pluses

That being said about wireless stuff, and interference, that's not it either I believe. I own a Polar HRM F6 and even without wearing it, it does it. My Polar is also the coded T31 strap that is not suppose to get cross talk... the FD just wigged out now in my living room, Polar no where near it.

RE: the wheel spin test... Thx, good point. That I forgot to post. The mechanic did do that. I have done that. Sometimes attempting to re-align the magnet. No luck. My own wheel spin test I just did in my living room after your posted this is same result. All other functions seem to pick up. I checked the od read before. Did the wheel spin... NO read on miles accumlated on the "trip" function/display... but when done, it did read on the od accumulation. The speed of miles per hour did read though as the wheel spun around.

Hey Alpinerabbit... I do know what you mean about "showing the gears"... the principle of the matter. OK, that one... I couldn't even tell you by looking down and back, much less what my Flight Deck shows, what gear I am in (what it *means*, the number does show to read it)! At heart, I can be a pretty Simple Suzie...

I had someone ask me once "so, what gear were you in on that hill?"... my answer, "errr... I was in a gear that worked well enough for my legs to get up it without falling over clipped in mid climb, and bonus prize, it wasn't too hard that I didn't puke my gutts out when I got to the top!... SO, I think I was in 'the right' gear!". So, "no" fancy techy toys don't make the ride (but, they can be helpful tools).

I *could almost* be a member of the clean bar club. With the Garmin... it's just wondering about what grade of elevation the hill is. The FD does not have an altimeter...

Same as miles... I'd be done riding a hill and think, WOW! how steep was that sucker anyways???... OF COURSE holding the grade against my hard core favorite standard of "the puke factor".

The thing that makes me crazy is seeing the trip miles roll over. Yes *sigh* I coud, and have, left it in od mode... but I'm too ADD/perimenapausal forgetful, especially in traffic, to make my brain remember my starting od read... then when I can't recall, I just get obsessively p*ssed about it.

Yea, neurotic I know. PLUS, for the $, it's disappionting that I even have to put thought into it working.

[Miranda]

OK... after asking two lbs (who didn't know), going back over Shimano's technical documents, and reading about 50 old threads on BikeForums dating back to 1993 I finally found my answer *I think*. My version of the FD is about the thrid generation. At some point, they built in an auto sleep mode. Part of the pc stays awake, while part goes to sleep. There is a certain sequence to wake part of it up each time when it happens. Plus, the trip resetting mid ride has to do with the length of time contact is made with the lever button on a ride. Not long enough... the trip resets. Long enough, it changes modes... and doesn't reset. My bike is having some other mechanical issues that I can ride her far atm. But, just playing in the house, I think I got it.