I do like riding with a cycling computer and got several models over time. Until yesterday my Brompton was equipped with a wireless Sigma BC 1609 STS.
My old Sigma BC 1609 STS. A wireless computer on my Brompton. I like the wireless option – no cable to bother with. The automatic start/stop works fine, the battery lasts for a long time (still the first). The display is easy to read and it is a small and light device. I use mainly the following functions of the computer:
- current speed
- trip distance
- total ride distance
Close to never I switch on things like current time, temperature average speed or the stopwatch.
Problem no. 1: the Sigma has two buttons on the top and two on the bottom of the casing. If you press one, you will press accidentally a second one on the opposite side too. I use my thumb and the forefinger together – one as a support when pressing the other. This happens every time I reset my trip distance.
Problem no. 2: it needs a small push to flip the computer out of the mounting bracket. If you fold the Brompton in one out of three cases the computer will drop out off the bracket and I don’t like to remove it before folding. I nearly lost the computer twice – I didn’t notice that it fell off.
And here is the new one for my handlebar: a Ciclosport CM 4.41 A. It comes with the bracket, a transmitter and the compulsive lithium button cell type 2032. The CM 4.41 A shows more or less the same functions as the Sigma. New options are an altimeter, a heart rate and a cadence option (you have to order the last two separately). The important change is that the computer sits firmly in the mounting bracket! This should solve the major problem I had with the Sigma.
The CM 4.41 A comes with three buttons only on the lower part of the computer. So problem no.1 is solved too.
I cable tied the transmitter to the fork of my Brompton. The bulky magnet has to be fixed to a spoke with no more the 3mm distance to the transmitter.
In the setup menu I had to enter the wheel size (1316mm) of the Brompton and now we are ready to go.
I like the new display of the Ciclosport. It is very clear and a clean design and I prefer it over the Sigma display. But the Ciclosport is bulky. Seems to have twice the volume of the Sigma. So it’s a draw if we talk about the design of the two competitors.
Next thing is the proof of concept in the day to day use of the new one.
Follow up: after two weeks of use I have to state that I like my new cycling computer. It is a considerable improvement over the the Sigma. It doesn’t fall off when folding the Brompton – never did so far. I like the display. It’s a sharper more brilliant look. The altimeter targets on longer trips without any shift of the barometric pressure by a weather change. Since I don’t reset the trip counter every day (and so the altimeter), the altimeter reading varies from day to day.
Follow up: after three weeks I had to send the Ciclosport back to the reseller – it resets itself loosing all it stored data. It starts with a total distance of 0 and a wheel size that results in an average speed of 210km/h :)
Got it back – but it still shows the same problem. Will send it in again and hope to get one that works
After nine weeks: got the third one in exchange. All show the same problem. I think it is a software bug related to the small wheel size of 1316. I will try other values to see if this fixes the reset problem.
Player One - Game Over
I gave up. After three different versions of the Ciclosport CM 4.41 A – all with the same problem – I send it back and will now look after another alternative. The Ciclosport is not usable at all for me.
Track Me – Withings Pulse