I think my bike is generally allergic to electronics. Blinkies break within months, and for the life of me I can't get my Polar computer to detect a signal.

So: what blinkie have you found to last? (Edk, what lighting system do you use for your commute?)

And: what simple (just distance, ave speed, time) wireless computer would you recommend?

As far as a cyclocomputer, I never got the wireless ones to work. However, I've had excellent luck with the Astral and the Enduro, both by Cateye. I use the Enduro on my MTB, and the Astral on my road bike (Astral keeps cadence).

Lights? Blinkies? Front or rear? I put in the blinkies that go in the ends of the roadie bars for rear, and a standard blinkie light for the front; nothing spectacular. Cheap, more than anything else.

For offroad, I use the helmet-mounted NiteRider Storm HID set-up - or, I would, if my cat hadn't chewed through the frikken wires.

T

Forgive me for thread deviation, but why does a bicycle need a computer?

For the same reason that a fish needs a bicycle.

However, if you're really training - or, you just want to keep track of your mileage for whatever reason, or you're just a gear whore - having a cyclocomputer isn't a bad thing.

T

Or if you're riding an organized ride with route slips full of directions like "38.2 R at Camino Carmel" .... it helps to know where/when to look!

I seem to kill blinkies every few months. They're cheap individually, but a few a year gets ... annoying. I do have the kind that fit into the ends of the handlefars - those are good, but I like to have one on my seatpost as well.

Ok Tai & Julie, I'll admit ignorance. What is a cyclocomputer all about?

julie

get a planet bike brt-7
i have one on each of my bikes
http://www.planetbike.com/rearlights.html
if you cant find one let me know and i'll hook it up

i've been using the specialized turbo elite (i think it was $60), is wireless and has a cadence thingy i never attached. i like it enough to buy a second mount for my other bike and, since i can change between two wheel diameters, i can keep track of my commuting miles and my training miles---something oeny clearly wouldn't understand.

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=12577

one big feature i liked about any computer was a nightlight--so often overlooked in these products. i bike a bunch a night and always hated not being able to see how fast i was going on the brooklyn bridge (sigh...still miss that commute).

but if i buy a new roadbike this fall, i'm going to buy a gps-based cyclocomputer for it because i enjoy getting lost but still knowing if i have 20 or 50 more miles to go before i hook back into a road that will get me home again.

as far as blinkies go, i got the frame-mounted fore and aft cheapo set from performance (i think it was $10 for the pair). they have yet to die (in a year) or get trashed/stolen. but i would say that i care less about being seen at night on these mean streets than most people do.