I need a good Speedometer

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biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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I need a good bicycle speedometer. I can live a wired one, but I wish I could use a wireless. Has anyone ever found a wireless speedometer that's not effected too much by rf? Also a backlight would be nice.

I know a lot of you use your iphones, but I don't have one.
 

goog

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Sep 16, 2012
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Just got a Bontrager Trip 2L yesterday.18 bucks 1/2 price sale.It's wired and no backlite,I like it though.The wireless one was 7bucks more,could have been the 5W with backlite.Don't know about R.F. but salesman said they were pretty good.
 

biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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i have a wired bell f12. it resets everytime i start the engine(predator 79cc).
im going to re rout the wire see if that fixes it. ill let you know.
You might try a supressor spark plug. They also have supressor spark plug caps.
 

biknut

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Just got a Bontrager Trip 2L yesterday.18 bucks 1/2 price sale.It's wired and no backlite,I like it though.The wireless one was 7bucks more,could have been the 5W with backlite.Don't know about R.F. but salesman said they were pretty good.
I have a Bontrager speedo on one of my bicycles. It's wired with no backlight, but it's a very classy, good looking unit. One of my favorites. You'll probably like yours.
 

biknut

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I was just doing some online shopping, and reading reviews.

I just bought a Knog Nerd 12 function. It's high end computer that retails for about $90, but I found one on fleeBay for $48, with free shipping. I had to get a red one though. Since my bike is red, that might be great, or it could sux, we'll see.

What I like about it is, it's wireless, and made to be especially resistant to rf. If it gets rf interference I'll try to deal with with either a plug or cap.

The have 5, 8, and 12 function models, but only the 12 has a backlight. That's why I got the 12.

I'll report if it's any good after I try it out.

http://road.cc/content/review/4706-knog-nerd-12-function-computer
 

biknut

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I got my speedo installed. It's warm enough to ride today so it got to test it out, and it seems like a winner. I think I'll start a new thread and do a review, but for those that subsctibed to this thread, i'm giving this Knog NERD 12 function speedometer 2 thumbs up.
 

2door

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Sep 15, 2008
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Bumping this old thread instead of starting a new one.

I've been using the Wally World/Schwinn 12 function speedo, wired, with no problems. As far as I can tell comparing it with a friemd's motorcycle speedometer, A Tom-Tom GPS and my wife's car it is pretty accurate and I haven't had any RF interference problems. I've had four of them and went to Wally's place today to get another one for the newest bike and found they don't sell the old style anymore. The new one is bigger and the display is easier to read. It has the same 12 functions, mounts the same and so far, after a couple of miles, is working perfectly.

Of course, instead of the $10.00 I was used to paying they have increased the price to $16.00.
Wally also sells Bell. I've had two of them, both wired and both would not work with the engine running. I tossed them in the trash box. This new Schwinn is a good speedo but too bad they raised the price so much just for a bigger display.

Tom
 

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biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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I got my speedo installed. It's warm enough to ride today so it got to test it out, and it seems like a winner. I think I'll start a new thread and do a review, but for those that subsctibed to this thread, i'm giving this Knog NERD 12 function speedometer 2 thumbs up.
Now that I've gotten use to using the Kong NERD for the last 5 months I find it to be ok, but it's not my favorite. The main thing I don't like about it is it's not auto on/off. Having to remember to turn it on is a pita.

Now that the batterys aren't new it does get rf interference at about 35 mph and above. It didn't when everything was new.

This is what I like in a bicycle computer these days. A speedo of course, a trip meter, a clock, a thermometer is nice, and auto on/off. Auto on/off is pretty high on the list. Wired is good. After a while I forget all about the wire.

As long as you can program the circumference of the tire in MM they're all pretty accurate.

My favorite right now is this Bontrager Trip 2. It has all those things and is wired. I think it was $30 though. It never has any RF problems

 
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2door

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Sep 15, 2008
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I just found out that the new style Schwinn doesn't have a resetable odometer. If for any reason, changing battery, etc. that you loose your accrued milage you have to start from zero again. The old style had the capability to set the odomoter. I usually keep track of it and could reset back to the milage. Now I have to start adding and writing it down.
How come when they make "improvements" to a product they always seem to do away with a feature. Computer software is a good example. Everytime I upgrade PhotoShop it seems I loose a certain feature that I used a lot. I hate that!

Tom
 

comfortableshoes

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Jul 22, 2008
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I have 2 Sigma bike computers, the 1200 and the 800. I got them at Target a few years back after experimenting with the Bell bike computer available at wallyworld and a few others. All had issues with RF interference except the Sigma computers. They are a little more expensive than the walmart /bell/schwinn bike computers but they haven't failed me. The 1200 was around $30 3 years ago and the 800 about $20. I did find similar Sigmas on Amazon for about $20. The good thing about the Sigma computers is that you can get additional wires and magnets for about $10 and each computer can be programed separately for 2 bikes. Replacement magnets can be found all over the place- Amazon has them for around $5.

They have a programmable odometer a max speed and average speed as well as a time out and ride time depending on what model you get. No back light but they do have auto off.

The kicker of them is, I haven't used them in 3 years. I bought new batteries for both and they both work as well as they did the day I bought them. One I left in the garage after my last ride, the rubber on the buttons was a little sticky, but scraped off easily. The other rolled around my desk drawer, it is perfect.
 

bigbutterbean

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Jan 31, 2011
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I use a smartphone that the service has been discontinued on as a gps speedo. Navigation doesnt work too well without a data connection, but the gps chip itself is still active and apparently thats all the speedo app needs in order to function. Its an android phone. I'm fairly certain that its dead-on accurate, since my cruising speeds are always within range of my gear ratio. New gps speedo's go for $100 or more. The phone I already had, and the handlebar mount was $6 on amazon with free shipping. The handlebar mount was much better quality than I expected. I've had it for over 6 months now, and it's holding up pretty great so far.
 

biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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My favorite right now is this Bontrager Trip 2. It has all those things and is wired. I think it was $30 though. It never has any RF problems

One slight problem I've found with this speedo is it only goes up to 44.5 mph. After that it displays zero until you get back below 44.5. That's probably not going to be a problem for most motor bicycles, but sometimes my moped gets a little over that speed going downhill
 
Mar 31, 2013
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One slight problem I've found with this speedo is it only goes up to 44.5 mph. After that it displays zero until you get back below 44.5. That's probably not going to be a problem for most motor bicycles, but sometimes my moped gets a little over that speed going downhill
...is it back lit by any chance? ...my Sigma isn't and so it's nearly impossible to read in the dark. ...it's been great otherwise and i don't ride much after dark anyway so the Sigma is mostly fine.

but having a speedo i can read at night would be a definite plus.

TIA, bozo
 

biknut

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Sep 28, 2010
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...is it back lit by any chance? ...my Sigma isn't and so it's nearly impossible to read in the dark. ...it's been great otherwise and i don't ride much after dark anyway so the Sigma is mostly fine.

but having a speedo i can read at night would be a definite plus.

TIA, bozo
No, this one isn't backlit. Usually you have to get a fairly high end bicycle computer to get a backlight, and even then you have to hit a button to turn the light on for a few seconds.

I made this thread about another speedo I have. This one does have a backlight, but overall I don't like the speedo very much compared to the Trip 2.

http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=44146
 

paintgun

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Nov 17, 2013
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I just found out that the new style Schwinn doesn't have a resetable odometer. If for any reason, changing battery, etc. that you loose your accrued milage you have to start from zero again. The old style had the capability to set the odomoter. I usually keep track of it and could reset back to the milage. Now I have to start adding and writing it down.
How come when they make "improvements" to a product they always seem to do away with a feature. Computer software is a good example. Everytime I upgrade PhotoShop it seems I loose a certain feature that I used a lot. I hate that!

Tom
Is this the one you're talking about?



Got it at Wally World for around $15. Has quite a bit of info on it. But I think you're right about the reset when it comes to battery change time. I've had it a couple months and so far no problems. I like the fact that it turns itself on and off. I think I will let the battery go all the way and see how far I got. Then maybe change it at certain mileage intervals just to make it easier to memorize. If anyone does decide to get it, KEEP THE INSTRUCTIONS!!! It has the codes for the wheel size, which needs to be input when you install/change the battery.