On this page, I explain how I perform bike computer tests so you get a better idea of the details. Each category’s results contribute to my overall verdict on the bike computer’s quality, which looks as follows:
Battery Life 3/5 | Ease of Setup 5/5 | Display 3/5 | Ease of Use 4/5 | GPS Accuracy 3/5 | Maps & Navigation 3/5 | Price 2/5 | OVERALL 3.7/5
Scores 1โ2.5 are RED, 2.6โ3.9 are ORANGE, and 4โ5 are GREEN.
Most of the following criteria are subjective. I base them mainly on my experience with bike computers. Furthermore, scores are not weighted. I am aware that future update of this scoring is needed and should likely be weighted to prioritize some features (e.g., battery life over ease of setup).
I approach each bike computer as objectively as possible. However, like everyone, I am subject to biases and expectations.
Scoring Criteria for Bike Computer Features
Below is the list of the features of bicycle computers with an explanation of the scoring.
Battery Life
Battery life is relatively easy to assess due to its measurability. I currently do not have a standardized test. This is mainly because bike computers last a relatively long time, and testing them all in the same way (e.g., riding the same routes, using the same features, etc.) would be too time-consuming.
For this reason, I use the bike computers I test like any other bike computer. I use auto-brightness (or brightness set to 50%) and turn on navigation for roughly 30% of the rides.
The advantage of this approach is that I get real-use battery life data, which you can expect to get.
The scoring is as follows. It’s based on the real battery life, not the claimed one.
- 1 – Below 10 hours.
- 2 – [10-15) hours.
- 3 – [15-20) hours.
- 4 – [20-25) hours.
- 5 – Above 25 hours.
Below are some of the selected bike computers and their claimed battery life.
Ease of Setup
The ease of the setup involves mainly pairing the bike computer with my smartphone (or customer account), pairing sensors, and changing individual settings (units, data pages, data fields, etc.).
I divide bike computers into those that:
- Can only be set directly.
- Can only be set using a mobile app.
- Can be set directly and using the mobile app.
In my experience, the third category is the most flexible one. However, this does not mean they are the easiest to set up.
Therefore, I have the following scoring:
- 1 – You need a manual to set up the bike computer.
- 2 – The setup process is complicated and time-consuming.
- 3 – The setup process is either complicated or time-consuming.
- 4 – The setup process is either easy or quick.
- 5 – The setup process is easy and quick.
Display
The quality of the display is mainly influenced by its resolution, brightness, color, and overall speed of the device/system, which affects its responsiveness.
This is true for both non-touch and touchscreen head units. However, responsiveness is more important for touchscreens as it significantly affects user-friendliness.
I also evaluate readability in direct sunlight and the ability to operate the device in the rain or with gloves.
The scoring of the display includes the features mentioned above. It’s again on a scale from 1 to 5.
- 1 – E.g., monochromatic, non-touchscreen display.
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5 – E.g., colorful, bright, and responsive touchscreen display.
Ease of Use
Ease of use is mainly influenced by the system and the number of functions of the bike computer.
The unwritten rule is that the more functions, the more difficult it is to navigate through the menus. However, this all depends on the user-friendliness of the system.
For example, the Garmin Edge bike computers have a lot of features, but their menus are not as intuitive and, therefore, more challenging to use. In 2022, however, Garmin started implementing the ability to set up its new bike computers (x40 line) using a smartphone app.
Wahoo ELEMNT bike computers, on the other hand, are simple and easy to use and can be easily set up using a user-friendly mobile app.
Whether or not the bike computer has a touchscreen display also significantly impacts the interaction with it. Touchscreen bike computers are generally faster to operate than button-based ones.
- 1 – E.g., hard-to-use interface with a steep learning curve.
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5 – E.g., easy-to-use, and intuitive interface.
GPS Accuracy
Most of today’s bike computers are compatible with GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellite systems (or others). However, their accuracy varies.
The most accurate bike computers are those that support Multi-band GNSS technology. This allows communication with multiple satellite systems at once, providing half-meter accuracy.
Position accuracy is affected by many factors, including signal quality. It is usually worse in harder-to-reach areas, cities with tall buildings, or forests.
Since we don’t have many high-rise buildings in the Czech Republic, I test GPS accuracy in forests on one particular segment.
Inaccurate bike computers struggle to communicate with satellites and often go off-road when tracking the ride. Bike computers with multi-band GNSS (Edge x40 line, ROAM v2, etc.) can nail the side of the road I am riding on. That’s why the scoring is on a scale as follows:
- 1 – E.g., bike computers with inaccurate GPS.
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5 – E.g., bike computers with multi-band GNSS.
Maps & Navigation
For maps and navigation, I pay attention to the detail of the maps, the ability to calculate the route along adequate paths, rerouting, and the instructions while riding.
Some bike computers, for example, warn about sharp turns, while others don’t. Then there are computers whose systems plan a route on unpaved roads when you need paved roads for a road bike.
For maps and navigation, I pay attention to the detail of the maps, the ability to calculate the route along adequate paths, rerouting, and the instructions while riding.
In addition to the above, I also comment on whether updates or new maps can be downloaded to the device wirelessly or whether a wired connection is required.
- 1 – E.g., bike computers without maps or navigation.
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5 – E.g., detailed, easy-to-use maps and a wide range of navigation features.
Price
I also included the recommended retail price (RRP) in the evaluation, although its perception is highly subjective.
But the truth is that some bike computers provide better value for the money than others. The evaluation is as follows:
- 1 – Above $500.
- 2 – Between $400 and $499.
- 3 – Between $300 and $399.
- 4 – Between $200 and $299.
- 5 – Below $200.
Conclusion
I hope you now have a better idea of how I review bike computers. I aim to communicate my experience to potential buyers and help you make educated buying decisions.
Please remember that I am still tweaking and improving this process to provide you with the most valuable information possible.
I am open to suggestions on how to improve. Feel free to contact me. Here is the list of all the bike computers I reviewed:
Recent Updates
- Dec 11, 2023: V1.0 testing procedure introduced.