Community > Tandem Talk

Inexpensive computer for stoker - basic functions only

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Mike Ayling:
Any suggestions?

All we want is speed, distance ridden, average speed.

Maybe a model with the sensor on the rear wheel would be the way to go?

What do othertandem riders have?

Mike

mickeg:
I don't suggest a particular model for a basic unit as there are so many to choose from.  But I will comment that if you go with a wireless, you may have trouble finding one that can have the sender and receiver at a significant distance from each other.  I put a wireless VDO on my Nomad with the sender on the rear wheel instead of front wheel, the wireless signal is so weak at that distance that I have to change the battery several times each year.

If you have a wireless for the rider in front and if the sender for that has a strong wireless signal, could that sender provide a wireless signal to both front and rear computers?  If so, then you need a compatible unit so that both computers share the same sender signal.

One that uses GPS for speed function instead of a wheel sensor might solve these potential problems.

Danneaux:
Hi Mike!

On my tandem, I use two Vetta C-15 wired computers -- that alone will tell you how long they've been in place, working reliably. They were inexpensive and have proven durable. I have avoided installing wireless computers on any of my bikes. I've trialed many, but found a number of issues with reliable signal transmission, a problem made worse on tandems due to the greater distance between transmitter and receiver.

I wired both my Vettas to a single front wheel pickup to minimize variations in tire size. What? "Variations in tire size"?!? Yes. I take a variety of stokers with me, and so rear tire pressures vary depending on whether the person weighs 47kg or 164kg and whether we are day-riding or fully loaded with trailer (when the lot including riders can reach 272kg).

Weight and inflation change the effective rollout, so I had a terrible time keeping two separate computers/heads in sync. The solution was to split the leads so a single pickup sends "counts" to both heads. It was easy, has been reliable, and worked well. I have a long-travel adjustable stoker stem I Tig'd/brazed together, so I just left a loop in the lead to allow the stem to vary in length.

All I really need/want in a bike computer is time, speed, trip/total distance, average speed (TSDA), waterproofness, and a reliable lead. This means I don't spend a lot on them, nor do I need to upgrade often. I've had good luck with basic Vettas, CatEyes, and the occasional Specialized (Comp models), and now PlanetBike. All of these are easy to hack for pairing to a single pickup. I use PlanetBike Protege 9.0 computers on my one rando bike and the Nomad and like it very much except for one flaw which irritates me greatly, but not enough so far to switch: It figures average speed on a 10-hour time base. If you ride more than that (i.e. the 17-24 hours I sometimes do), it will display an error on average speed. Otherwise, it works well and has no buttons -- the case slides in its mount to change the 4-line display. I have my GPS on the stem as a double-check on long day rides in unfamiliar areas when TSDA is more critical.

If you don't mind good-natured arguments about who "rode" furthest or fastest, then wiring two computers separately (one to each wheel) is wholly viable. If you always have the same stoker, then mismatches can be minimized to almost no variance with careful calibration and setup.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Dan.

Mike Ayling:
Thanks for those replies.

WE have ordered a Cateye long wire kit for the back wheel and a basic Cateye computer to suit.

Mike

robert-S:
I use Garmin bike computers -  500 for most of my riding and a Tour for, well, touring. So I just bung both of them on the tandem! Tour on the front (helps with navigation), and the 500 on the stoker bars. No wires, all GPS enabled.

Robert

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