Bike Computer Technology

Cycling requires putting in a good mileage base at lower intensity, and higher pedal cadence, in the early season and, it is from this platform, that all success occurs. Using a bike computer to measure this data through heart rate, speed, cadence, and the correlation between these variables has been a time honored method of improving your cycling.

Bike computers, like the Polar CS500 and Polar CS200cad, measure much of this critical data, as do GPS cycling computers like the Garmin Edge 800 and the Garmin Edge 500.

There are two systems of measuring speed and distance in cycling. First, the old standard, which is a spoke magnet and a front fork sensor that counts revolutions and translates them as distance and speed. GPS brings satellites into the mix and with 1 second recording intervals, and leaves a bread crumb trail that you can map to programs like map my ride and Google Earth.

For this next year Garmin is introducing the new Garmin Edge 800, which brings touch screen function and navigation to bike computers for the first time ever. Bike computers now leap into the world of Droids and I-Phones with incredibly intuitive navigation. Add to this pacing features, altimeters, incredible maps with SD cards and you have car like navigation in a cycling computer with smart phone type navigation features. It is a killer package, and although it is a bit expensive now, we feel this is the direction the bike computers industry is headed.

Having ANT communication standards with allow you cycling computer to communicate with ANT compliant power meters to get watts. Garmin is on this standard but Polar is not. Polar does make its own watts measurement device for the Polar CS500 however that measures chain vibration.

One of our favorite bike computers for all of the basics is the Polar CS200cad because it measures heart rate, speed, distance and pedal cadence - most of the core variables for cycling. If you are on a budget and want all the great data than this one is a superb choice.

Of course for multi-sport and triathlete's may prefer to use cycling watches that cross-train with the run. The Polar RS800CX PTE is the best cycling watch from Polar and one of the best period. The Garmin 310XT and Suunto t6d are triathlon machines with good cycling capacities.

If you need assistance with a cycling computer call us toll-free at 866-586-7129.