Where bought and price - $260 ebay Aust
How it is used
Daily riding - mostly training rather than commuting.
Description
The Rox 8.0 is a wireless cycle computer with all of the usual distance & speed functions, as well as heart rate, cadence, and altitude/climbing functions. The manual says it has 63 individual functions! For a full list check out http://www.sigmasport.com/en/produkte/b ... ss/rox_80/
Set Up
Installation could not have been easier. Head unit and both sensors have wide mounting plates with soft surface (no scratches or rubbing yet) and are secured with rubber o rings, as well as cable ties for extra security. Cadence magnet has a 1cm spacer if required.
Calibrating the unit was a little time consuming, but not difficult. All of the usual bike sizes needed to be input, as well as age and weight (for HRM). I had read that navigating the 63 functions could be frustrating, but I found them very easy to use. The best way to describe the set up is that the main menus are navigated left to right, the chosen one entered, and then the individual functions are navigated left to right also. The 4 buttons make this very quick, even on the move - bottom 2 L & R, top 2 back & enter
Main display can handle speed, distance/time, heart rate, cadence, altitude & incline at once, and can be customised with Favorites A and B. Defaults for these are flat for A, and climbing/hills for B
Daily Use
Synchronization between the head unit and the sensor is quick, and so far problem free. The heart rate chest strap connects straight away, and isn't fooled by a flapping jersey, and the speed & cadence pick up as soon as the bike is moving. The sensors pick up any changes in speed etc quickly.
While on the move the unit is easy to read at a glance, and you can choose what data is displayed the biggest if you like. The heart rate monitor automatically sets up 3 zones based on your age & weight, and beeps when you go from one to another. It also records how long you spend in each zone. Aside from that it performs as a computer should on the go.
Once you get home the unit automatically remembers the last ride until cleared, with the option to save up to 7 individual rides. All data is saved, including averages and temperature. There is the option to buy a docking station and recording software (USB based, not audio) to record your data after each ride, but I didn't bother with this as I already have a file that does this for me. Even scrolling through 60+ records to the 20 or so I keep and entering them takes only a few minutes. The docking station is standard with the next model up (Rox 9.0) if you want to spend a little more.
Positives
+ Easy to use, comprehensive functions, great value for the money. Has handled rain well so far. The batteries are also user serviceable, so you don't need to send the components away to be serviced
Negatives
- I still can't get the altitude to calibrate correctly to home, so it says my current altitude is -148m or something silly, but it does accurately record actual incline distance and grade, so you get the data that actually matters.
Additional notes
Shop around for the best price, as the Rox 8.0 sells for $350+ online or at LBS
Reccomendation
Defiantly worth a look if you are after a fully function computer with heart rate, but don't want to spend big dollars
OVERALL SCORES
Quality
Performance
Value for money