Customer Reviews

Cateye CC-TR300TW Triple Wireless Cadence and Heart Rate Bicycle Computer

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this primarily to keep track of the mileage I put into my bicycling workouts. Installation was rather straight forward but I would suggest dry mounting the magnet on the pedal first - perhaps using a short strip of electrician's tape. Once you're sure it's positioned correctly, then apply as suggested in the manual, or glue it in place with an epoxy product. The little mounting straps get nudged by your shoes when pedaling and throw the tempo readings out of whack.

The best feature of this is the included heart rate monitor. I paid more for a bottom tier Polar Pacer heart rate monitor with wrist band display than I paid for this unit. With the integrated heart rate monitor the bicycle computer calculates your calories burned - a great motivator!

Sínce I'm on the other side of 40, I certainly would appreciate a larger display, a better written owner's manual and larger control buttons. The larger numbers on some of the display screens are adequate, but the time for example is displayed in a smaller font and not easy to read if you need reading glasses. I'm a computer geek and normally never even bother with a manual, but this programming this unit is not intuitive. The manual requires careful reading to figure out how to step through the programming menu. You have to negotiate buttons on the front and back of this unit to program it. Once learned, you should be okay - just don't lose the manual.

I don't need or want all the lap functions, since I mostly ride on bicycle trails and not on a track, but if you want to keep track of distance, speed, heart rate, calories burned and total miles of your bike rides, then this is the unit for you.

One last word... You will need to set the wheel circumference on a course with mile markers. Using the default settings in the manual get you close, but to nail it, you may need to add or subtract a few mm at a time.

Very small if you have old eyes.

Backlight does not stay on long enough and can't be reconfigured.

Must be turned on at start of ride and after stopping for several minutes. Is frustrating to look down and see zero MPH because you forgot to hit a button to make it wake.

Heart rate pick up isn't perfect. This is my second HRM and it is only slightly better than last which is well over 5 years old.

Claims to support two bikes, but extra speed/cadence sensor is eighty five overpriced dollars

I have been cursing at my Vetta V100HR for about a year, and finally bought the V3. All is can say is THANK YOU CATEYE!

I had this computer set up in 20 minutes, and once I learned the different screens it was easy to maneuver. Watching my cadence, speed, heart rate, and time all on the same screen is sweet. I was amazed that the computer worked without too much tinkering. The battery of the Vetta V100 lasted a week, so I no longer need to head to the drugstore during rides for more batteries. Great computer.

I have been using the V3 for about two months. It was easy to setup (about 20 minutes) and has worked well. I do love having distance or time along with speed, heart rate and cadence all in one display. Other reviewers are correct that the display is tough to read. I find that I can make out the speed and HR without any trouble. Time and distance are a little difficult to read - but generally OK if the light is good. Cadence is just a guess - but I find is useful to have average cadence at the end of a ride.

Other reviews have noted that sometimes the speed does not synch initially. I did experience this as well - but it was relatively minor and worked pretty quickly. I did need to replace the speed sensor - Cateye service was excellent and sent a replacement unit quickly and without hassle.

Some reviews noted difficulty in setup and missing steps. The only thing I noted was that the bracket to attach the sensor to the chain stay was not included in the directions. However, this was pretty intuitive and did not cause me any difficulties. Computer setup was a little tricky but fine once you get a sense of the menu flow.

Amazon pricing was the best I found - and had all the usual Amazon reliability. Finally if you are confused about the product description - this is the V3.

Overall, a very good option for data intensive folks - more cost effective than the Garmin 705 - if you don't need the GPS. Highly recommend the V3 - hope this helps others.

Well, I bought this unit hoping for an amazing computer, maybe my expectations were too high. The set-up is more painful than you would think. The senor unit has to be less than 3 millimeters from the magnets to read a signal properly. Yes, THREE MILLIMETERS! Even on a smooth ride, the magnets can move ever so slightly and when this happens, the unit will stop receiving measurements during your ride (ex. the Cadence or Speed will become zero). The zip ties included are garbage. I replaced them and I still had problems with the readings. The notion of a perfect "wireless" bike computer is still needed on the market because this is far from it.
No one really explains just how small the cyclocomputer is. The display screen is so tiny and the buttons are pretty hard to press. I am 26 years old, I have 20/20 vision, and I find it ridiculous. The fact that cadence is shown in a font that is half the size of other measurements is beyond lame. There is no way to change that either.
The heart rate is improved, but still acts up. It takes so long to sync and when it does, it can often give bogus readings. For this type of money, these problems really shoudn't happen. Also, the HR sensor is really sensitive and if your bike partner has a hr watch or computer, this unit malfunctions. If you are riding by heavy street lights, power lines, or if you're use a strong bike light, the HR will malfunction.
My last and final issue is the backlight. This was the biggest disappointment for me. What is the deal? Why even have a backlight if it can't stay on for more than 1 second? There is no way to program it longer. Cateye claims it should last 3 seconds, it certainly does not. Cateye claims it can be lengthened by pressing other buttons, but it only extends it by another second. Pressing two buttons on opposite sides of your screen while riding at dusk is not ideal.
Maybe other people brush these things off as no big deal, but for $130, I am on the search for something better.

Update May 2011:
The heart rate sensor went bonkers resulting in erratic & impossible readings. Sometimes no readings at all. I contacted Cateye who asked me to send it in. They had a brand new sensor in my hands in 4 business days. Excellent!
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I am returning to the sport of cycling after 20 years so I know the importance of keeping an eye on what your body is doing during a ride - if you want to do more than take in the view. I found the V3 to be easy to install with minimal tools (just a cutter, but scissors probably would've sufficed). It did take me over 30 minutes and some trial and error. The fact that it's wireless is fantastic and it measures anything and everything you need except power output (need several thousand $ for that). It saves to files all the information I might need for several rides, including lap times. However it can't transfer to a computer - you have to do that manually. At this price, I in no way consider that a problem. If you're serious, you're probably keeping a log so you can spend an extra 2 minutes typing in your workout data. Nitpicking: the buttons are not very easy to operate while in motion, but you should be keeping your eyes on the road anyway. Lap button is easy to click with minimal practice, and is probably the only one you need while pedaling since almost all main measurements are on the screen all the time (speed, cadence, bpm, pace arrow, heart rate zone info etc). A full 5 stars from me but I intend to come back and update this accordingly if it doesn't prove durable - although from what others are saying, it does great on that front too. A note to non-techies: once you set it up (you do need the manual for that) it'll start measuring on its own every time you ride. But you need to read the manual if you intend to cycle through all the data it saves. I find that it's easy to learn, but takes a bit of practice.

I have had this computer for about a month and have put around 250 miles on my bike since it has been installed. I reallly like the unified wireless sensor. Since the sensor is on the back wheel I can use the speedo on my trainer if I want. Cadence and heart rate are also excellent. I previously used a Polar HR monitor in wristwatch form, but I had to bring my hand up off the bars to see the HR level, not any more this is all on one easy display. Inputing prior mileage on the odometer was problematic at first, but I figured out the issue and the unit has worked flawlessly. My only request would be more tactile buttons, I don't use them often but they seem hard to press and small. One thing to note, the manual advises you to make sure you dont store the bike with the magnets next to the sensors, it will speed the drainage of battery life on the sensor unit.

This is my first computer adn everything that i read out it is true. The display is easy to read and change and having a heart reate monitor has helped. Never had one before and now i can see as well as feel how my workout is going. Instalation was pretty simple, even for someone who hadn't installed one before. Don't know if i didn't understand or just didn't know, but i installed the sendor on the top of the frame and it was lost during a ride. Called Cateye and they shipped one out to me in 3 days. Great customer servie.

I've been using this product for a couple of months now and it has been great. I would recommend it to anyone serious about bicycle fitness.

Installation on my bike took around 15 minutes and only required scissors to cut a few tab ends. All functions worked immediately and have been consistently reliable.

This is a great device for moving your gym cardio workout to your bike. It stores stats on your last 14 rides and give you immediate feedback on the road regarding how hard you are really working. I like to keep a running spreadsheet of each ride to track my cadence, speed and heart rate improvements over time. The cadence meter helps to develop pedalling discipline and can be used as a part of cycle training (i.e. varying average cadence to keep the body challenged).

I noticed that the heart rate monitor works best if I dampen it a bit before putting it on. If I don't, then it can take a few minutes to start working.

In summary, this product is a great value and works as advertised. I'm expecting it to be the only bike computer I'll need for many years to come.

I have been very happy with the Cateye Cadence, Speed/Distance, Heart Rate bicycle computer. In fact, this is the second one I bought, this time for my racing bike. I have been using my first one for over a year on my training bike with really good results.

The price is right (not that much more than a stand alone heart rate monitor), and the convenience of being able to read your pulse just by looking at your cycle computer is something you definitely get hooked on, especially when going up long steep hills.

Wireless is absolutely the way to go. My previous Cateyes were all wired and as the wires aged, the connections would become intermittent causing lots of frustration. I also found installation of the wireless sensors to be fast and easy.

For those looking to improve their pedalling efficiency, the cadence feature is a must. The combination of being able to monitor your cadence and heart rate with a single glance makes it easier to consistently deliver power to the pedals without the cost of a power meter. It also really helps you to get dialed into your specific pedalling style, again especially in hilly terrain.

The heart rate monitor is as accurate as my wrist Polaris.

For those who care, the calorie count on the Cateye runs lower than on my Polaris and does not appear to be as accurate since important parameters such as your age can't be entered.

Like I said, I now have two of the triple wireless cateyes. I shopped around a lot before I bought my first one, and didn't hesitate to buy my second.