UKC

Looking at getting a cycling computer for my girlfriend for Christmas. I know very little about all this so looking for recommendations/things to avoid. GPS are looking over budget but what features and brands do you like, don't like, couldn't do without?

Budget can stretch to about £80 but hopefully less.

Cheers,
Paul

In reply to PTatts:

Road or mountain bike? I've always used Cateye computers. Features are all much the same on any brand (current, max and ave speeds, distance, time, clock, auto start-stop), unless you want "extra" bits like cadence, second distance trip or calorie counters.

MTB, I use Cateye Enduro 8 - heavier duty wire for off-road abuse.

Road, I use Cateye Strada wired.

Wife has Strada wireless on her mountain bike.

Wireless are easier to fit and reception has got much better, but more expensive.

In reply to PTatts:

Probably the cheapest GPS unit is the Garmin 200 - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/garmin-edge-200-gps-cycle-computer/ but it is just slightly over your budget.

Other than that I'd go with the Cateye Strada wireless which is what I used before I moved on to a GPS unit (Garmin 510). I went wireless as I had a standard Strada but the mount broke when I crashed on a corner and it was nearly as much to replace the mount and wire as it was to get a new unit.

The Cateye style ones that use a magnet will work no matter what whereas the GPS ones can get confused when you are in tree cover so if you do a lot of mountain biking at trail centres then they might not be the best - I've been blasting downhill only for the unit to report I'm doing 10mph! GPS units have the advantage(?) that you can use the various online tools (Garmin connect; strava; etc) to compare your times both with yourself and others, obvious pluses and minuses here. If you are in to touring then the more expensive GPS units can take downloads and give instructions and have a map display - my wife's unit is one such and she has maps of the whole of the UK at 1:50K.

ALC

In reply to LastBoyScout:

It's for a road bike. Would a cheap GPS unit (e.g. Garmin 200) be worthwhile over say, the same price, snazzy none GPS?

Cheers for the responses so far.

Paul

In reply to PTatts:

Yes, definitely a good idea to go with GPS if you can as it allows you to download data and start using things like Strava etc to track your riding.

The Garmin 200 is very good

In reply to balmybaldwin:

yup. If you can go for GPS its very handy for being able to see what you have been up to.
I think even the 200 has limited routing ability (eg download a route to it and follow rather than create on the fly).
Plus depending on riding style and keenness the virtual partner can apparently be good for training.

In reply to PTatts:
I'd go for the GPS, well worth the extra money IMHO
OK I've got the Edge 800, cos I wanted maps, but I'm sure the 200 would be good enough
I've had a variety of simple computers over the years and found them all to be pretty frustrating. Sometimes difficult to set up, often unreliable, all too easy to knock the sensor/receiver, and with wireless ones, the batteries don't seem to last long.
But the big advantage of the GPS is that you can upload the data, see where you've been, and store the details in Garmin Connect or Strava

Pity you missed the 30% off yesterday though!

In reply to PTatts:

Cheers all, combined with: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=571781 the Garmin 200 is now bought.