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

[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

[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