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Garmin Bike Speed and Cadence Sensor
Garmin Bike Speed and Cadence Sensor Review Facts
The Garmin Bike Speed Sensor and Cadence Sensor is best used for cycling and works well in areas where a GPS signal cannot be detected. It is equally suitable for indoor and outdoor bike riding as it works well with turbo trainer and is wireless. Use them separately or combined to measure speed and cadence with the low drag, lightweight design. No tools are necessary for installing, and the sensors can be relocated from bike to bike easily. These are not noticeable on a bike by other people, plus they can be removed for cleaning often. This Garmin product comes with three different sizes of rubber straps to attach the devices to the bike hub, rather than magnets as other products use. when connected, there are no exposed parts or magnets to line up for placement on the bike. Nothing will get caught in the bike spokes either as you ride. The frustration of these issues have been eliminated with the incredible technology from Garmin to make your life easier and more pleasant when training and exercising. The device will self-calibrate quickly in connection with Garmin Edge to give you constant results of speed and cadence. These sensors have over 1,000 online reviews from buyers and a very good approval rating from happy customers.
Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
Wireless and changeable from bike to bike
No exposed parts or magnets for installation
Accurately measures speed and cadence
Wireless and easy to put on sensors
Works indoors too with turbo trainer
Best used for cycling
Self-calibrated and connects with Garmin Edge
Works well without a signal from a GPS
Can be removed for cleaning
No tools are required to install
Cons
- Bands will stretch out once used for a while
- Batteries not lasting long for some people
Durability
For those of you who are very familiar with cadence sensors and speed sensors of other brands and models, you will be excited to use and own this exceptional model. It does not use magnets that are hard to manage and put in place, plus there is no worry of the sensors falling off when in use. The devices will not end up tangled in the spokes of the bike as some others do, and they are not noticeable on the bike by others. Long-lasting and secure, the Garmin Sensors promote low drag with the lightweight design for the bike hub. You can expect to use these for years and years of continued use, especially if you do not move them from bike to bike. As we tell you in detail in another section of this review, the included bands for fitting to the bike are like rubber bands. They can lose their elasticity with use, time, and age, so moving them can be problematic, even though the manufacturer states that it is one of the main features of this product.
Flexibility
When searching for and finally purchasing an item of this sort, you worry about how it will perform when you receive it. Will I be able to connect it properly? Will it work with my devices? Will it fit on my bike? Is it easy to sync with the provided app? These questions, of course, are all running through your mind as you go ahead and click to buy the product. you do not want to be disappointed because, really, who does? We all want things to work as they are promised, but we know that sometimes they do not. From our research of product details and customer feedback, we can honestly say that you will most likely not be disappointed with the connecting, syncing, and installing of the Garmin Bike Sensors. The majority of users found this to be simple and quicker than they anticipated. With the flexibility of being able to change the sensors from one bike to another or from front to back for indoor cycling, you have the versatile option to move them about.
Key Features
-Promotes low drag with the lightweight design
-Detecting device and pairing is easy
-Includes straps, sleeves, both sensors, and a manual
-Wireless and easy to put on sensors
-Works indoors too with turbo trainer
-Not noticeable on the bike
-Detecting device and pairing is easy
-Includes straps, sleeves, both sensors, and a manual
-Wireless and easy to put on sensors
-Works indoors too with turbo trainer
-Not noticeable on the bike
Size
Size is not a real concern about the Garmin Speed and Cadence Sensor since it is minimal in form. If you do not mention that you have it on your bike to others, they will most likely not even notice these items on the bike at all. The overall dimensions are 2.4 x 1.6 x 1.4 inches with a weight of only .48 ounces (23 grams). These sensors may be small, but they are powerful in helping you track your exercise and training performance accurately and quickly. As technology advances to make our world more connected and simpler to use, the devices seem to get smaller even though they are at the same time becoming much smarter and more adaptable to our individual lives.
Stability
The actual physical design of the Garmin Bike Sensors is the most stable part of the product. It is revolutionary in how it fastens onto the bike and how it can be relocated to different bikes or bike hubs to measure statistics. There are no exposed parts or magnets you need to line up for installation as you attach these to either one of the wheel hubs to operate. The speed sensor attaches to any size of arms to measure pedal strokes each minute, and both can be combined to improve your performance against the professionals. When the sensors are installed, you do each one separately because they can be used individually or combined. Even though there are no magnets to slip out of place, the one drawback from the included bands for installing the sensors may stretch out once they are used for a while. This is important to know if you plan to move the device from bike to bike. These bands are rubber elastic, so over time, they will eventually lose their elasticity and not be as tight or functional as when you first received them. none of the buyer reviews address this concern because no one has had this product long enough to experience this happening yet.
Style
Included with this Garmin Bike product are the straps for the cadence sensor, a manual, a cadence sensor, a sleeve for speed sensor, and the speed sensor. The purpose of this item is to accurately measure your speed or cadence when you ride a bike either indoors or outdoors. Wireless and easy to put on, these sensors have a very high approval rating with customers and over 1,300 online reviews. The manufacturer supplies a list of compatible devices in the online product description for you to check before purchasing. This is a wise thing to do to ensure compatibility with your current device. From customer feedback, we can tell you that this product does not work well with spinner bikes that are used indoors since there is no rear wheel on these bikes. You must have at least one wheel hub to attach these sensors to for the data to register. No wheels equal no information of speed or cadence. Three sizes of bands are included with the product for the crank and inner wheel of the product on the bike. These are used to attach the sensors to the bike hub.
Use
If you ride a bike indoors or outdoors, you can track your performance with this incredible device. It works indoors with a turbo trainer so you can get the best performance from your training and exercise sessions.
As we stated before briefly, the devices must be affixed to a rear-wheel when riding a bike indoors. Since the front wheel does not rotate in these sessions, it will not be the measuring wheel for the data. If you use the same bike interchangeably for inside and outside, then save yourself the time and trouble of moving the sensors and install on the back, wheel hub. This way, you are all set for either area.
As you can see, this item is best used for cycling activities to track the speed and cadence of the user. Customers say in their comments that the Garmin Bike Sensors might not perform well or will skip info when hitting bumps or holes in the road. Knowing this, you have another incentive, besides being hurt or thrown from the bike when hitting a bump or hole, to avoid these obstacles.
As we stated before briefly, the devices must be affixed to a rear-wheel when riding a bike indoors. Since the front wheel does not rotate in these sessions, it will not be the measuring wheel for the data. If you use the same bike interchangeably for inside and outside, then save yourself the time and trouble of moving the sensors and install on the back, wheel hub. This way, you are all set for either area.
As you can see, this item is best used for cycling activities to track the speed and cadence of the user. Customers say in their comments that the Garmin Bike Sensors might not perform well or will skip info when hitting bumps or holes in the road. Knowing this, you have another incentive, besides being hurt or thrown from the bike when hitting a bump or hole, to avoid these obstacles.
Connectivity
This Garmin product will self-calibrate in connection with Garmin Edge to provide distance and speed results immediately and constantly. It does this on its own without you doing anything to join them together. It will link quickly to Garmin devices and many others such as Forerunner and Edge products. Make sure that you check the long list of devices that these sensors work with well that the manufacturer provides online. You do not want to order and then be disappointed that yours was not on the list in the first place. The main point of using such a device when we do have GPS technology to rely on now is that these speed and cadence sensors work well when you cannot get a signal from a GPS. If you like to ride in remote areas or on long stretches from a GPS signal, then this is the perfect item you need for performance tracking.
Ease of Use
These cadence and speed sensors from Garmin are so simple to install on the bike that many people are pleasantly surprised at how quick it really goes. Just hook up the sensors and begin riding – it is that easy! You can easily put these on, maintain them, and even move them from bike to bike as often as you want. The mechanism straps on the bike like a rubber band, so it can be removed quickly and easily for cleaning. No tools are required to install these wireless dynamos for performance measures. We think that you will be very happy when you purchase these sensors, as most customers are quite excited and pleased with them.
Power Source
Of the negative reviews online from buyers, probably 90% of them concern the batteries of these terrific sensors. Some people received the products with both batteries dead and non-functional right from the start. They had to purchase new batteries from the get-go, which of course, made them very upset. Other customers received batteries that did not last as long as they were not completely dead. Those had to be replaced too. The item comes with one required lithium battery for operation since the cadence sensor uses a crank operation. If you purchase the product and receive good batteries, then you will be in the majority of buyers. If not, then new batteries will have to be purchased also.
Bottom Line
Loss of elasticity in the bands and short battery life are the two constant concerns and grievances from buyers online. It is expected that if you move the sensors from hub to hub or bike to bike that the rubber bands used to affix them to the bike will eventually lose their stretch. If left in place, they should hold out a long time and not be a problem. The status of the battery you receive for the speed sensor is just by chance or luck that you get one that is still good. Several buyers had to purchase more because they were dead or low. This is not a major problem when you stop and consider exactly what this device can do for you. Battery-operated mechanisms of any sort will over time require the repurchase of more batteries. It is not expected when the item is first received though. After researching and examining the many comments from customers and product descriptions from sellers, we can say that the pros outweigh the cons for the Garmin Bike Speed Sensor and Cadence Sensor. The majority of users tend to agree with that stance also, so chances are, if you do decide to purchase this item, you will be pleased too.
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