Bike computer guide

Bike computers add an interesting extra dimension to cycling. In their simplest form they tell you your speed and the distance you have travelled. The more complicated ones will give you much more information such as your pedal revolutions. They can be useful for improving performance or simply for curiosity sake to see how many miles you have covered this week or whether one route is shorter than another.

Plus it’s a lot of fun to keep beating your highest speed!

What to look for

Setup process – Often where bike computers stumble is in the setup process when you need to input your wheel size for accurate calculations.

Wired vs. wireless – a lot of the newer bike computers are now wireless. This makes them slightly more expensive but is usually worth it for simplicity. Avoid the cheapest wireless ones as the accuracy is likely to not be very good.

Mount – It should be possible to very quickly remove the bike computer when you reach your destination. Also the mount should be easy to fit and not wobble whilst cycling.

Display – You want a clear display so you can check stats without taking your eyes off the road for too long. The larger screens usually mean you can fit in more statistics which is a bonus.

Functions – Checkout the list of functions to see if it provides you with the statistics you need. Ask yourself which ones you are genuinely interested in.

Well recommended bike computers

Cateye Strada Wireless Cycle Computer (£39.99)

Towards the higher end of the bike computer scales is the CatEye Strada. You’ll fall in love with the nice slim design, the ease of use and the big clear screen. Rather than fiddly buttons you simply press the body of the computer towards the base of it. This ends up working really well, even with cycling gloves on. The setup process has been well thought out and is easy to do. On the downside the lack of backlight means in the dark it is tough to read the display. Whilst the list of functions will be perfect for most, more advanced riders may be looking for more.

Bryton Rider 50E GPS Biking Computer (£179.99)

Bryton Rider 50 is a GPS cycling computer designed for cyclists of all levels. You can personalize your preferred settings with 33 options of display information. Brytonsport.com provides you a cyclist's playground where you can share cycling and training results, join teams for games or competition and explore new horizons.

Deuter Speed Lite Series Packs – The Demi Pack of Godly Proportions

Truc Reviews recently went out in the Pacific Northwest to beat up the Speed Lite packs…and yes, they liked ‘em. Here’s what they said:

“What do Hermes, the messenger god, and backpacks have in common? Nothing, until you strap into Deuters Speed Lite series packs.

The Speed Lite packs are for the fleet of foot who don't want to be burdened down while transporting their prayers to the mountain gods. My chosen method of worship was back country skiing with my chosen vessel being the Speed Lite 10L

At first, some of the features struck me as a little odd. A front stash pouch with a sewn top confounded me because it seemed that I couldn't put much in with only two small side access points. Luckily, Hermes showed me the errors of my ways ( for who am I to question the gods?) by proving that the pouch was a perfect fit for my skins and downhill ski equipment. This resulted in lightening fast transitions – skins on, gloves off – and allowed for some offerings of sublime Ambrosia and downhill skiing.

One thing that made perfect sense was the weight. It weights in a smidge over a pound (500 KG) and is about as naked as Hermes himself. This weight, in league with the well thought out, non-hindering shoulder straps and streamline tapered design means you hardly notice the pack while you’re wearing it. Completing the package is Deuters patented tensioned Delron U-frame suspension system, a small zippered pouch for keys, snacks, incense and side straps that work well to compress A-frame skis. You could even strap a sacrificed goat to the outside of the pack and you'll look and feel like a demi-god while practicing your chosen method of worship.

Pros: Lightweight and streamlined makes this pack an awesome addition for your side/back country ski pursuits as well as paying homage to the gravity gods (i.e. climbing).

Cons: The waist belt is too small and thin to be any good other then holding up your pants. No sweat though, it’s easily removable. Strapping on some ice tools is limited because there’s no way to securely attach the shaft of the tool to the pack.

One Note: Since this pack is so cut, you won't be able to put anything larger then a Deploy 3 shovel inside. Didn't see this as a Con just the nature of doing business with this pack."

The Speed Lite 10 is currently £19.99 reduced from £30 from www.equipyourtrip.com

Well, we couldn’t agree more. Much less suggest things like using it as a hydration pack for rides, plane carry on and throwing stuff in for a day at the beach…mmmm….beach.