A bike, bicycle or cycle computer as they may be called can be a vital instrument for the serious cyclist. The benefits of having a bike computer help the rider to increase their performance while riding the bike. The bike computer can be fitted to the bike and in turn then allows the cyclist to keep track of the distances travelled, the speed and finally the time this distance was completed in. Cycle computers generally come with a good sized display unit which can be fixed to the handle bars of the bike easily, which allows it to be in a prime viewing position for the cyclist.

There are many parts to a cycle computer such as; total time, current speed, current time, maximum speed attained and finally as above the distance travelled. In more sophisticated bike computers the displays may also show, heart rates, temperature, altitude and incline. If you are wanting to spend a little more on your cycle computer you can even buy ones which will give GPS navigation and pedalling cadence. The head unit itself usually has good sized buttons so the rider can easily change or reset the settings on the bike computer if so desired, plus, if the cyclist prefers the computer can be purchased in a wearable form or a mobile phone.

More sophisticated bike computers sometimes have a cadence sensor that can be fitted to the crank arm by a magnet. Some of the latest systems use a term known as accelerometers which can be found in mobile phones. Once the phone has been attached to the riders leg the computer application inside the mobile phone can determine the cadence by the motion of the leg. This is a very similar method to how pedometers check walking distances and the number of steps taken.

A further part of the bike computer is the wheel sensor. These wheel sensors can calculate the distances and speeds of the cyclist by measuring the time it takes for the magnet, which is attached to one of the spokes of the wheel, to make one full turn of the wheel. The latest models now use a magnetic field to measure the angle of the wheel rotation to calculate time duration.

For a cyclist to know how fast they are pedalling the cadence function is essential. As the cyclist knows how fast they are pedalling they are in turn able to change the gears of the bike. By changing and using the correct gear the cyclist will ensure they are not putting too much strain on the cyclists body, especially the joints, potentially allowing them to cycle for longer periods of time.

One of the last major parts of the bike computer is the heart rate monitor. This allows the rider to know when they have attained their optimum heart rate. Rather than carrying a separate heart rate monitor the cyclist can now have this combined in the cycle or bike computer.