List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $14.99
Today's Bonus: 63% Off
FINALLY one of the lower-priced cyclometers that delivers everything one of these should, and IT WORKS.
After being fed up and frustrated with other cyclometers that had magnets that worked only intermittently, or had difficult non-intuitive function navigation, or had wireless connections that seemed to lose their connection, this one was a joy!
The setup was simple. It comes with a HUGE user's booklet (really multiple languages in one, but each section is about 1/4" thick). The downside is, the print is really small and sometimes creeps into the binding area. But it's loaded with good info and lots of step-by-step picture diagrams.
The cyclometer includes 2 magnet sensors (for odometer/speed and cadence), and CAN BE INSTALLED TO WORK OFF THE REAR WHEEL (great for trainers). In fact, I'd recommend that, the wires are perfect length with no need to tie up excess. I installed it on a mountain bike that I'm using indoors with a trainer (it's wintertime), but it will install just as nicely on a street or racer bike.
Watch out for the flat magnet that goes on your pedal, the glue isn't that good and it will pop out. I used cloth "gaffer tape" to tape all the wires down, and even put a small piece right over that sensor magnet. (The gaffer tape does not interfere with the magnetic pickup.) (Get gaffer tape from any theatrical supply place, much better than electrical or duct tape.)
The LCD panel is big and easy to read, and after familiarizing yourself with the manual, you'll find the 4 buttons (3 front, 1 on top) become intuitive.
This one is a great bargain for under $40. If Amazon doesn't have it in stock, FIND IT. It's well worth it.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I've owned this for 4-5 months now. I've been challenged in getting the cadence and speed sensors to pick up and can't seem to figure it out. First of all, the cadence sensor has to be real close to the magnet on the crank, but they don't give you enough rubber padding to make this work, so I had to rig my own thing--then I lost the magnet on the crank and it hasn't worked for months. I suppose I could replace it, but it kind of ticks me off. Lately, the speed sensor is going in and out and I can't seem to figure out why. The magnet on the wheel is right next to the sensor, but it doesn't pick up and then when I'm riding, it will just start to work. Maybe it's the cold weather, because this wasn't a problem all summer. Anyway, this computer is OK, but I'll probably buy a different one next spring.Best Deals for Blackburn Delphi 3.0 Bicycle Cyclometer
I bought the Delphi 3.0 because a local sporting warehouse was having a sale I thought $11 for a new cyclometer with a cadence function sounded like a good deal, so even though my Cateye Mity 8 was working fine, I switched. I wish I hadn't.My main gripe with my Blackburn is the delay my Cateye (now on another bicycle) reacts instantaneously to changes in speed, starting and stopping. That instantaneous feedback is crucial you know exactly when you've started to slack and can pick up the pace to get back on track. My Blackburn, on the other hand, has a delay of at least two seconds. Every time I come to a stoplight and put my feet on the ground, my Blackburn will read '8 mph' or the like.
Other problems:
Even with the magnets properly aligned I often get erroneous readings. I'll be going 25 mph and all of the sudden it will show me going 14 and then jump back to 25.
The buttons often don't react or overreact. Either you press a button and nothing happens or you press a button and it jumps 2-3 screens (making you have to rotate again.) This is especially aggravating because a lot of functions require you to press and hold the button. I still can't figure out why you have to press and hold to display cadence a.) the button doesn't do anything but turn the cadence display on or off and b.) it's ridiculous that the default is to not display the cadence, that area of the screen isn't used for anything else, which brings me to my next gripe...
The cadence display often disappears. It just decides to turn off every now and then. Again, it wouldn't be so much of a problem if you only had to tap the button to get it back on (instead of pressing and holding) or if the buttons just always worked to begin with.
It freezes. It's frozen on my twice while switching from the A to the B bike. I've just decided to that this feature is no longer usable unless I want to risk losing all of my data again.
It only has one trip feature. I really miss the two trip features from my Cateye.
The wire is ridiculously long. You'd have to be riding a 65 cm time trial bike to use up all the wire here. I have the wire wrapped around my cable housing as much as it will go, my Cannondale's thick downtube twice, and it still gets bunched up around my chainstay. It looks terrible and what's worse is that it adds unnecessary weight. The wire is also considerably thicker (and heavier) than my Cateye's.
It does have two advantages over my Cateye:
1. The cadence feature.
2. The ability to program in your odometer. This is especially useful for when it crashes.
It's still on my bike and I don't have any plans to take it off, but I certainly won't be buying another Blackburn in the future.
Honest reviews on Blackburn Delphi 3.0 Bicycle Cyclometer
Pros:4 lines of data at once
Wired so no interference
Works on an indoor trainer (rear wheel speed data)
Cons:
No back light
Ziptie width uncommon
Don't overtighten handlebar bracket screw
I have tried a few cyclecomputers. This wired 3.0 modle has proven to be the
most usefull. It can SIMULTANIOUSLY display 4 lines of data, I like, from top to
bottom of the display:
1)Cadence (current)
2)Speed (current)
3)Ride time (cumulative)
4)Distance travled (cumulative)
You can also cycle through Average and Max speed or Average and Max cadence
(Current cadence is in the top data line but average and max can also be cycled
through, on the very bottom line of data). Cycle through various info with the
bottom right button and alternate Avg and Max with the bottom left button.
There is also a clock for time of day.
Unlike a wireless computer there is no delay/lag in updating your current speed
and other data, and no interference from other sources or near by cyclist on a
group ride with uncoded wireless transmitters.
The cadence window (top data line) which is lightly shaded and L shaped usually needs to be activated when you start a ride which is done by simply HOLDING DOWN the lone top edge button untill the the display "wakes up".
You reset ride data to zero by cycling the bottom right button to DISTANCE and
then holding down the bottom CENTER button till the data resets, simple!
The computer is held securly but is easy to remove by simply pushing up on the
bottom edge. This is not so easy if you OVER TIGHTEN THE SCREW ON THE HANDLEBAR
MOUNTING BRACKET !!! Over tightening causes the bracket to bend around the handle bars. OVER TIGHTEN IT to much and you will also pull the electrical contacts on the bracket away from the contacts on the computer and then it CAN NOT WORK !!!!!!
It should also be noted that since this cycle computer picks up speed data from the rear wheel it works when you have your bike clamped in an indoor trainer during the winter, bad weather, or when its to dark to ride outside.
I suggest begining installation with:
(1)the cadence magnet and then the cadence pickup sensor and wire. However you
should first loosly wrap up or tangle up the bracket and its wire on the handle
bar or cables to keep it out of your way. By installing this way you can work
out toward the speed pick up on one end of the wires and toward the handlebar
mount on the other end of the wires and have the 3 main mounting points well
positioned and all slack wires neatly wrapped and secured.
Put the cadence magnet on the left pedal crank arm (non drivetrain/non-chain side)
and snug it some, only a bit (but slideable with some force to position it) then position the pickup sensor on the left chainstay and check the gap. Reposition as needed. You don't want them to hit and click as you pedal but keep the gap small.
Preserve the included zip ties (strong but rare width) for the cadence magnet
especially, and for the two pick up sensors to some degree. Use other zipties
elsewhere and save a couple of the included ones incase you break the one on the
cadence magnet while pedaling and loose the magnet. I also added two small
pieces/bits of 2 sided foam tape to the crank arm, one on either side of the cadence magnet to help keep it inline with the pickup sensor.
(2) Then *loosely* put the wheel/spoke magnet on the opposite side from the
valve stem (helps counter balance the valve stem weight a bit) and wrap the
speed pick up wire around the chain stay, avoiding positioning the wire to close
to the tire near the bottom bracket! Hold the speed pickup in place and move the spoke magnet to line up with and check the GAP SIZE between the two. Get the gap small. If the gap needs to be closed down a wrap or two of handlebar tape on the chain stay and electrical tape over the handlebar tape works well. When you are satisfied with the gap tighten the magnet to the spoke and zip tie the pick up to the chainstay. The zipties will compress the handlebar tape some so be sure the gap to the spoke magnet is small.
(3) Compleet the installation by guiding and zipting the cable up from under the
bottom bracket, avoiding the DERAILLEUR CABLES UNDER THE BOTTOM BRACKET !!! The derailler cables could saw through the wires over time as you shift gears. One ziptie at the bottom of the down tube is all I used on the entire down tube.
Then wrap and ziptie (with a couple of your own small zipties) the bracket wire
around a cable housing leaving some slack so you can turn the handle bars
without pulling the wire out of the bracket or pulling the bikes cables. Choose
between the 2 different thickness of included red rubber handlebar shims as appropriate for your handelbar diameter and tighten the bracket to the handlebars. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THE BRACKET SCREW or the contacts won't conduct signals and removing and reinstalling the computer will be difficult.
Trim all zip ties.
Trouble shooting should be done at the magnet gaps and the bracket to computer
contacts for no gap. I also used a q-tip to put a very small amount of some electrical contact grease on the electrical contacts between the back of the cyclecomputer and its handelbar mount. I suspect any grease, even vasaline will help prevent corrosion and therefore help maintain conductivity.
Good riding and enjoy ! EB
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Blackburn Delphi 3.0 Bicycle Cyclometer
I've been using the product for 3 weeks (5 10 uses, 80 miles).PROS: Price, Cadence, Layout, User interface & Controls.
Cons:
Tough install;, Have a handy clever McGyver type around to help with the install
The wires are thick and nasty, they look like a science experiment is taking place on your bike.
The software is a little buggy, but nothing unacceptable (again, because of the price)
Not designed for popping the computer on and off the mount.
If you want to see cadence for cheap, this gets the job done as long as you can handle the install and the Frankenbike look.
No comments:
Post a Comment