A bicycle computer can be helpful when following a map or to let you know fast you came down that last hill. The bike computer can be used to monitor your fitness levels but can also tell you when to replenish your cake-levels.
A basic bicycle computer will measure speed (current, maximum and average), distance and time.
More expensive bicycle computers will measure pedal-cadence, lap-times, calories and more...
With most bicycle computers a small magnet is fixed to a spoke and a sensor to your bicycle fork.
The bike computer, mounted on your handlebars receives information from the sensor.
Cheaper bicycle computers use a wire to connect the sensor to the computer.
More expensive wireless bicycle computers are also available.
A wireless bicycle computer looks tidier and fitting it is usually very simple to do - in many cases you don’t need any tools at all.
Top of the range models can also act as heart-rate monitors and give a wealth of information to a serious cyclist or triathlete - their data can be downloaded and analysed on a home PC.
Garmin cycle computers incorporate mapping and GPS functions.
