Spin Control
A friend of mine has a $7,000 dual-suspension mountain bike made of titanium. Naturally it’s outfitted with the lightest fork on the market. He recently swapped out the original wheels for a pair that costs $800, because the original set was technologically lagging. Come to think of it, every last bolt on the bike has been hand-picked with the care of a
jeweler sorting diamonds. (I swear, the guy isn’t me.) But I’m afraid he’s gone overboard: Strapped to the titanium handlebars and stem are no less than three separate digital devices: one for measuring distance and speed, another for heart rate, and a third for altitude.
And though it may be hard for the unabashed cycling dweeb to grow up, we’re thankful that bike electronics have. Some or all of the functions in my friend’s quantitative arsenal can now be had in a single, consolidated unit. At minimum, the average cyclometer’s functions include speed, distance, maximum speed, average speed, a clock, and a timer. Many
add such delights as wireless sensors and a dual wheel-size function to allow easy swapping between road bike and mountain bike. The five instruments we’ve rounded up represent a variety of features for bikers who range from the casual cruiser to the infomaniac. —ALAN COTÉ
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