Was interested in a cheap speedo for my bike... Looking at Gearbests massive list made me realize I need someone who knows more than I do to make several suggestions .
Any opinions
Doesn't have to be gearbest
Price 7$ to 20$ ?
Interested, too. All I ever had (and still have) is a steam-gauge speedo/odo. Nothing electronical.
If you have a smartphone, you already have a bike computer. download the free Wahoo fitness app and you’ll have speed and distance
Or Strava.
I bought this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01K1BX0IQ?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title
It worked fine and it was nice that it was wireless, but the wireless communication just stopped working after awhile. Was not a dead battery. So I can’t recommend it.
Just looked at the gearbest list you linked and several of those look identical to the ones I have. I just wouldn’t recommend the wireless variety based on my experience.
I ended up buying a cheap one from walmart. Bell dashboard 150. It’s basically the same as the one from Amazon, identical controls and features in the computer, but wired instead of wireless. It’s working fine. I think it was $12.
When you saw cheap, I’ll assume you’re only interested in speed and distance. If so, smartphone apps as suggested by RobertB can provide that for free, along with GPS mapping and navigation, as long as you only bike in areas that have cellular coverage.
I get into the boonies on occasion, so have come to rely on dedicated GPS units like Garmin. Models like the eTrex 20 are cheap (used ones within your stated price range), but ones like the eTrex 30 offer enough advantages for not a lot more to consider something like that. One can also spend way more on units like the Garmin Dakota and Montana models (I now wish I hadn’t).
Some of my older bikes still have their dedicated cyclocomputers from the old days, wired and wireless, with cadence and calorie counters and heart rate monitors. When the batteries die or they start acting up, I just take them off and put another relatively cheap Garmin mount on the handlebars so I can just flip my Garmin eTrex 30s and GPSMaps between the bikes as I’ve come to appreciate the simplicity and versatility of that approach. The eTrex units can run a whole day trip on a couple of Eneloops, and its no big deal to carry spares, just in case. The GPS breadcrumb trail feature can really be a big help when you’ve meandering for hours and decide it’s time to go home or go back to somewhere you were earlier, a cyclocomputer can’t do that.
If you still want to go with a conventional cyclocomputer, CatEyes are generally a good reliable brand, about $30 for wired and $50 for wireless (easier to install), depending on model. If you go with a cyclocomputer, you’ll have to calibrate it by storing a wheel size value for your particular bike in the unit, no need to do that with a GPS based App or dedicated GPS.
I just use my phone even on my eBike that has a big ass screen on it.
Wahoo looks decent only has 100k downloads- I use MapMyRun (owned by UnderArmor) with 5 million downloads and I also use RunKeeper (owned by Asics) with 10 million downloads.
I also use strava. Have used it for cycling, bushwalking and ice skating.
Dont go with a wireless one. Too many coin cell batteries to replace.
For hiking I prefer Viewranger. Great topo maps and GPS tracking.
I use the wired Sigma brand real inexpensive, single coin cell. I do look at the Garmin Edge 200 from Gearbest, but I am real cheap to buy this.
I just recently stepped into the current century and have been using Map My Ride on my cell phone.
I had my cell phone run out of power during one ride so now I carry a power bank for the phone.
The Sigma keeps going I change the coin cell once a year (needed or not). The wire is not pretty but the device is constantly working.
The others in my riding group have wireless computers and they seem to always have problems.
I have been using planet bike 9.0 speedometer for over 10 years. I have had to replace the mount once due to it just finally wearing out. I ride between 3-4000 miles a year, so my bike components see some use. Just replace the battery every so often, and it’s good to go. I’d rather not look at a cell phone while riding to see how far, how fast, whatever. I can just look down for a split second on my handlebar and see what time it is, what the temperature is, how long this ride has been, how many cumulative miles (85k and counting) I have.