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Cheap ANT+ computer
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Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby boss » Mon Oct 01, 2012 6:26 pm
Looking for some advice.
Been riding a singlespeed for a few months now, and (significantly) upgraded to a Trek Madone 5.2. The new ride has an integrated ANT+ cadence/speed sensor, and I am keen to put it to good use.
I've been doing the iPhone/Strava thing, and have considered upgrading to a Garmin 500. From the brief research I've done the Garmin can pair to my cadence sensor.
However, right now $200-300 on a computer just isn't in the budget.
Million dollar question. Are there any cheap computers that can do the ANT+ thing?
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby RonK » Mon Oct 01, 2012 7:35 pm
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby DarrylH » Mon Oct 01, 2012 7:48 pm
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby ldrcycles » Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:12 pm
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby ozdavo » Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:26 pm
ldrcycles wrote:I got a Bryton 20 for $120 and i'm pretty happy with it so far.
+1 (similar to garmin Edge 200 but has ANT+)
I use a Bryton 35 ( similar to Garmin 500) and have no issues.
(Cell bikes do good prices on Bryton http://search.cellbikes.com.au/search?p=Q&lbc=cellbikes&uid=215232200&ts=custom&w=Bryton&af=&method=and&view=grid&isort=price )
Cheapest option is a iPhone dongle such as http://www.wiggle.co.uk/garmin-ant-plus-adapter-for-iphone/
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby Alien27 » Tue Oct 02, 2012 9:15 am
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby boss » Tue Oct 02, 2012 4:28 pm
I have done a bit of googling on Garmins and Brytons, and despite the price differential (buy nice or buy twice) I am leaning towards a Garmin 500. Found one for $299 with cadence + HRM locally, seems like a really good deal.
I've spent a bit more time on the bike today and while speed/cadence will be nice, it's not as essential as I thought. I was having trouble metering how fast I was going compared to my singlespeed on a few segments. Turns out that just sticking it in as high a gear as possible and grind it out works really well.
So I think I'll skip getting a cheapie and just wait the month or so it will take for my savings balance to look a little bit healthier, then go straight to a Garmin 500.
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby Red Rider » Tue Oct 02, 2012 7:54 pm
jimboss wrote:Thanks guys.
I have done a bit of googling on Garmins and Brytons, and despite the price differential (buy nice or buy twice) I am leaning towards a Garmin 500. Found one for $299 with cadence + HRM locally, seems like a really good deal.
I've spent a bit more time on the bike today and while speed/cadence will be nice, it's not as essential as I thought. I was having trouble metering how fast I was going compared to my singlespeed on a few segments. Turns out that just sticking it in as high a gear as possible and grind it out works really well.
So I think I'll skip getting a cheapie and just wait the month or so it will take for my savings balance to look a little bit healthier, then go straight to a Garmin 500.
There's nothing wrong with Brytons, in fact the Bryton 35 is better than a Garmin 500 personally, you just don't pay for the brand name.
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby boss » Tue Oct 02, 2012 8:53 pm
I really want something that will just work. No brand preferences or anything. Just want something that works, that I won't need to mess about with and, most importantly, won't leave me with buyer's remorse wanting for something else!
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby Red Rider » Tue Oct 02, 2012 11:07 pm
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby boss » Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:33 am
I'll keep an open mind to it and see what the budget allows. Last night I saw a Bryton 35 for $130 including cadence and heart rate - it had already sold (very quickly) but if it had not, I would have grabbed it no doubt.
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby kirky92au » Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:24 pm
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby OppyA5 » Thu Oct 04, 2012 7:29 am

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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby Aushiker » Sat Oct 06, 2012 8:17 pm
RonK wrote:You can get an Ant+ dongle and iPhone apps from Wahoo Fitness.
and now from Chain Reaction Cycles rebranded as NC-17 for $84.00.
Andrew
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby Aushiker » Sat Oct 06, 2012 8:21 pm
jimboss wrote:No GPS on the Sigma Rox9 though?
No GPS. I buried my ROX 9 in the rubbish bin. Had better performance and customer service from my Garmin Edge 800 and Garmin via Highly Tuned Athletes than I ever got out of Sigma Sports. Burnt so much will never go back to a Sigma Sports product.
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby boss » Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:36 am
Paid yesterday at 3pm, arrived this morning at 10am.
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby Aushiker » Tue Oct 09, 2012 12:30 pm
jimboss wrote:I ended up with a Garmin 500 Premium HR + Cadence bundle from Highly Tuned Athletes. At $299 it was close to the best price I could find online, plus local.
Enjoy! Also good to have local support via Highly Tuned Athletes with items such as bike computers.
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby dynamictiger » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:12 pm
OppyA5 wrote:Had a Bryton Rider 50T but had so much trouble with it I decided to get rid of it and went back to a Sigma and upgraded (Rox9) best move I ever made.
Sorry to resurrect an older thread, but just looking about at GPS now.
I see comments like the above, then in other areas I see comments like since they improved the software so much better and so on. Anyone got more feedback?

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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby boss » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:18 pm
Garmins are workhorses. They just work. And at under $300 locally for a 500 pack you can't really go wrong.
Also, don't discount the inherent value in buying electronics locally. I had a problem with my 500 - the 'enter' button stopped working, and it's quite an important button so you can't just deal with it. I sent it back to HTA and I had a new unit in my hands 2 days later. You can't expect that sort of turnaround from an O/S retailer. And with electronics - products do fail!
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby DarrylH » Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:30 pm
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby dynamictiger » Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:37 pm

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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby ldrcycles » Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:35 pm
Out of interest, my brother got a Garmin 200 2 months ago and while the uploading is super quick and easy, he has had a number of instances where it has recorded his route incorrectly, meaning he didn't record a time for Strava segments he had ridden. NOT happy.
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby Wal42 » Wed Jan 30, 2013 10:00 pm
Purchased a Garmin 500, when I 'fixed' the bryton, 15 months later I've had only one minor software issue, which was solved by not keeping 100's of courses in the memory, I now keep them on the computer & upload them if I intend to use them (limited memory but I'm not sure the bryton doesn't have a similar memory capacity).
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Re: Cheap ANT+ computer
Postby wombatK » Wed Jan 30, 2013 10:30 pm
On the downside, the Bryton uses a barometric altitude meter, which, just like the Garmin's, is hopelessy inaccurate. Don't buy any of these if you need accurate elevation readings.
If you want coverage for rides longer than a couple of hours, check that whatever device you buy can handle it. The big upside of the Garmin and Brytons is the battery life.
If you really must buy a Garmin, the local Garmin distributor/service center do not stand behind their product and could not resolve either of my problems satisfactorily. Save some money and buy from flea-bay or overseas.
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