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Cycling is a sport that provides lots of enjoyment. But if you are serious about getting fit on your bike, then you need to install cycle computers. Such computers provide important metrics that will help you improve on your riding. 1) Speedometer. Without a cycle computer, you have no idea how fast you are going. The only way to know, is to time your journey, measure the distance, and then do the calculations manually. The problem with this approach is that you can't monitor your progress as you ride. For instance, you may set a target to ride 40 km in one hour. That means you should be traveling at an average speed of 40 kph if you wish to arrive at your desired destination within 60 minutes. You can monitor your speed as ride and then adjust your effort accordingly. The speedometer also gives an indication of your own level of fitness. For example, you may be used to riding at the speed of 30 kph, and you find that you can't maintain that speed for more than 30 minutes during the ride. However, after a few weeks of training, you now realize that you can easily exceed that speed and ride for a longer time without tiring. That is a good sign. 2) Cadence indication. Not all cycle computers come with cadence sensors. Most leisure riders don't even bother about cadence. So what is cadence? Cadence is the speed at which you spin your cranks. The faster you spin, the higher the cadence. This information is helpful because you know exactly how fast you are spinning. That way, you can control your efforts more precisely. For example, you may be trying to conserve energy and your computer says that you are spinning at 110 revolutions per min (rpm). That's faster than your usual average rpm. So you ease off a little so that you can breath easier. 3) Gradient. Again, not all cycle computers show the gradient of the road. But the better models do. When training, the gradient of the slope gives you an idea of how much effort you should exert as well as the gear that you should be in. This is useful because you tend to misjudge when you are tired. With the gradient indication, you can never be wrong. Your assessment of the course becomes razor sharp and you can ride accordingly. 4) Wired or wireless? Cycle computers come with wires or without wires. Those that come with wires cost a lot less than the wireless models. Both are higher accurate though. But if you don't want the wires to tangle with the bicycle cables, and if you can afford to fork out a little extra, then go for the wireless models. They look a lot better on clean and expensive looking bikes.
Looking for a Cycle Computer? Check out the latest Cateye Cycle Computers.
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