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What Bike Computers Do the Pros Use?
Professional riders use different types of bike computers. There is no one preferred brand. It is more about deciding which is appropriate for the moment. Pro riders don’t necessarily need to have the most data from their bike computers. For them, accuracy is the most important aspect.
If you’re a pro and looking for a quality bike computer, you may use the following criteria to guide your purchase.
What Pro Riders Look for in a Bike Computer
While pros each have features they individually consider necessary, some are almost always found on their list.
At the very least the computer must record your speed, distance you have traveled, total distance covered, average speed and total time. A clock is also handy. Pros also need to keep tabs on their top speed and how much progress they’re making.
Apart from the basic features, you also want more advanced tools like a GPS, cadence, a pulse/heart rate monitor, etc. You will find these on a lot of pro level bike computers.
Types of Bike Computers
There are many kinds of bike computers you can choose from, but the following are the most common.
- Regular Bike Computer: These are computers designed for use on bikes. You mount this on your bike and it displays real time data as you ride. They are weatherproof and most are water resistant. They’re easy to mount and inexpensive. However, they can only be used on bikes.
- Health Monitors: Some bikes allow you to mount a fitness watch or monitor on the handlebar. These devices are weatherproof, and they’re also versatile. The drawback with fitness monitors is they’re not as compact and they are more vulnerable to damage.
- Mobile Device App: Cycling apps have lots of features. With a few taps and swipes, you’ll have access to your data. However, these devices re not waterproof and need a special mount to attach on your bike.
Between the three options, the bike computer is the best for several reasons. A smartphone app is too risky to use on your bike. You’ll need to purchase a heavy duty case, and keeping the screen and GPS on eats up a lot of battery.
More than that, mobile devices are more expensive than bike computers. If you crash your bike, you risk destroying your smartphone or tablet. The same problem applies when you use a fitness monitor. For these reasons you’ll be better off with a bike computer.
Which Pro Bike Computer is Right for You?
To answer this question, you have to consider what type of pro rider you are.
- What type of data do you want to record? If you just want to record your speed, time, and distance covered, even a basic bike computer will suffice.
- If you want to record everything including the smallest details, you’ll need an advanced bike computer with all the bells and whistles.
- Just like with anything else, the more expensive the computer, the more features it has. However, there are now budget bike computers available.
- Pro riders take their bikes on off-road adventures and rugged terrain, sometimes in rainy weather. If you belong in this category, you’ll need a heavy duty computer.
- : High end bike computers provide enhanced functions, but the features vary by product. It’s up to you to decide if they’re essential.
- A long battery life is essential for professional riders.
- Look for a powerful backlight, data transfer, and computer compatibility if you want to study your data on a laptop.
- A lightweight compact design is also ideal.
GPS or Magnetic?
Some pros use GPS and some use magnetic. Each type has its pros and cons. The gist is that magnetic sensors cost less, are easy to mount, and have long lasting batteries. GPS systems provide more customizable options and have more features. They’re also more expensive.
So which of the two is better suited for the pros? If you’re on a budget and don’t want to have to recharge batteries (magnetic sensor batteries are good for 8 to 12 months), a magnetic sensor will do.
If you want a customizable model with lots of data recording, then a GPS bike computer will be more to your liking. These are also more suitable if you want to use the device on more than one bike. However, it is possible to mount magnetic sensors on other bikes too.
Pro bike computers are almost always wireless. There are wired magnetic sensors but they’re impractical for pros to use. GPS enabled sensors are wireless by nature.
Conclusion
As we have shown here, there are a lot of factors that need to be considered if you’re going to buy a professional level bike computer. Since the pros use many types of bike computers, it is up to you to do the research and pick the right one for the situation.
