Customer Reviews

PTI Schwinn 12 Function Computer

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I own two of these--one of which I installed on an old exercise bicycle and the other I installed on a street bike. It operates based on a magnet mounted to a spoke and a pickup sensor on the fork. Very easy to install and mounts using four zip ties--two for the sensor and two for the computer, itself. Functions include: (1) Speedometer--configurable as MPH or KM/hr, (2) Tripmeter / Distance, (3) Odometer, (4) Trip timer, (5) Maximum speed, (6) Digital clock--configurable as 12 or 24 hour, (7) Average speed, (8) Scan, (9) Freeze frame memory, (10) Speed comparator, (11) Speed Tendency--indicates acceleration or deceleration, and (12) Odometer reset. Overall size of computer is approximately 1-3/4" x 1-3/4" x 3/4" (not including mounting bracket). Display size is approximately 1-1/16" x 7/8".

Wheel size must be entered when the unit is first power on. This is the circumference of the wheel in millimeters. A conversion table is provided in the instructions; however, it can also be calculated as:

Diameter in inches times 25.4 = Diameter in millimeters
Diameter in millimeters times 3.1416 (Pi) = Circumference in millimeters

Example:
22" x 25.4 = 559mm
559mm x 3.1416 = 1756mm

I really like the scan feature, which cycles the display through distance, maximum speed, average speed, and trip timer. Even in "scan mode" speed is always displayed. I found the instructions unclear in explaining how to place the unit into scan mode; however, I learned through trial & error that you press the right button multiple times until you see "SCAN" displayed below the little man on the bicycle. Then press & hold the right button for a few seconds and it should start to cycle through the displays properly.

Speed comparator shows a "+" if you're traveling faster than your average speed or "-" if you're traveling slower than your average speed.

Finally, another feature that I really like is the fact that the unit powers itself off after five minutes of inactivity to save the battery. The unit can also be removed from the mount on the handlebars for storage when not in use.

05/07/2011 Update: This bicycle computer uses an LR43 button cell. They don't seem to be common in department stores, as I could not find one locally. I'm most likely going to have to order one through Amazon.

I've had one of these for about six months and just ordered another from Amazon. This little computer is accurate, reliable and easy to use.

The display shows your speed in large letters and has a selectable smaller readout for whatever function you choose. I wind up having it show speed and time all the time. If you're satisfied with a simple, cheap speedometer and only occasionally use the other functions, this is the one.

Here are some hints that fairly eliminate most of the small complaints.

1. Install the magnet close to the wheel's hub and adjust it (twist the sensor in) so that the magnet passes as close as possible without touching.

2. Remove the computer when the bike is not in use. It has a quick release; store it inside or in your pocket and the battery will last.

3. Leaving it outside in direct sunlight may cause a dark splotch on the screen. This is normal for led displays, and goes away in a few seconds. Also see hint #2.

4. Read the manual to learn how to reset it (which buttons to hold down), and to calibrate it for your wheel size.

The only issues I've had: the buttons will eventually get some "play" if you use them a lot and become contrary, and I need to be careful to secure it firmly in the quick release mount (so that it doesn't fall out when I hit a bump).

I picked one of these up and thought it was too cheap to be decent, but it actually ended up doing everything I would need. Install was very easy, operation is easy, and it's cheap! If you don't need cadence this is a great cycle computer.

I bought mine from a nearby Wal-Mart and it's worked perfectly so far. Having never installed one before, I just took my time & had some extra zip ties ready...just in case. The only tool you'll need is something to trim the ends off the zip ties when you're done. I like the "scan" mode which flips thru max speed, avg. speed, distance, total time, etc. On the down side, I bought another for my son's bike. It either had a bad sensor or a broken wire from the sensor to the unit. It never did work. I took it back for a refund. For $10 - what do you expect? You may get one that works fine - you may not.

I just bought mine a couple days ago at a local WalMart, for a wee bit more than it costs here on Amazon -- I didn't plan well and needed it quick. Set it up in 5-10 minutes max, it seemed to work fine. Gotta be patient to put the magnet as close to the sensor as possible without touching, though. That is the only "time consuming" part of the setup. The owner's manual lists a few wheel sizes and the corresponding C factor that you have to enter in the computer, and fortunately mine (26 x 2) was there, so I didn't even have to mess with measuring tape and calculator.

Today I had my first ride with it, and it performed great for such an inexpensive product. I rode to the soccer field, which is exactly 5 miles from my place (as measured on Google maps and by car). Lo and behold, the little computer measured exactly 5 miles when I got there. I was impressed. It gives the current, average, and maximum speeds, odometer and trip meter, the riding time, and has a regular watch. It tells you whether you're speeding up or down, and whether you are currently above or below your average speed. The ONLY thing I miss on this unit is a thermometer. It's perfect apart from that.

If I wasn't in a hurry, I would have bought the 17-function Schwinn one that is here on Amazon, since it costs a little less than I paid for the 12-function one and measures temperature -- although I don't know how accurate that is in direct sunlight anyway. I don't care for measures of calories and stuff like that, since I don't believe the manufacturers know my metabolism.

For so little money, hard to go wrong unless the product is defective. It wasn't, worked as advertised and quite accurately. Simple to install. Fairly easy to use.

Has a decel/accel (speed tendency) feature which isn't too good. Has a little picture of a cyclist and wheels on it spin forward or backward to show when you are acclerating or decellerating. But it is too small, and hard to see which way the wheels are spinning. Much better would have been an easy to see arrow pointing forward or rearward. Then again, I don't find much use for this, as you normally feel in the pedals if you are speeding up or slowing down.

The plus or minus sign next to speed to show whether you are above or below your current average speed is sometimes nice to have. Other than that, it has speed, average speed, max speed, and a totalizing odometer plus a scan mode which switches every four seconds. I found it accurate especially after bothering to measure the distance in millimeters of one loaded wheel rotation. Simple to input into the device once you have done the measurement. The built in clock function is nice also.

The unit only counts time on the timer when you are moving. This is nice as it doesn't interfere with getting an average speed or riding time should you stop for a few moments. Unit also switches off when wheel isn't moving to save the battery.

I find it seems to do some time averaging of the speed readout which takes 3 seconds to fully even out. Don't know if others similar products work that way, but really this doesn't interfere with the use of the product and is only the result of having a sensor that pulses once per wheel revolution. It also doesn't read below about 2.4 mph which of course is slow enough you are barely able to stay upright anyway.

I also noticed it sometimes double counts every few revolutions. The distance will jump two thousands of a mile rather than one. Maybe a rounding error or some such in the electronics. I have counted rev's of the wheel over a known distance and it isn't counting twice the overal distance shown is accurate. So probably a non-problem unless you compulsively watch the distance readout while riding.

I haven't owned one of these before having only used simple mechanical speedo's and odometers in the past. But this works great and is a handier more useful device. Unless you need cadence or detailed pacing not sure what else you would want this device to do. Cheap enough to replace if damaged, or buy multiples if you have several bikes. Would rate it 4 and 1/2 stars. Just not quite perfect or it would get 5 stars.

Worked fine for 3 weeks. Stopped sensing the sensor. I could move the magnet past the sensor and hear its internal reed switch click open/close. But, the computer wasn't detecting it. Computer could be manually turned on. But, still, it didn't detect anything happening at the sensor.

I read the brief direction for this product and put it together with great attention to detail...the product has never worked and I am very dissapointed after buying the brand I thought was trusted

I've been biking for a few years and I'm really into bikes so I usually like to buy the best if I can afford it.
I've owned a cateye computer with temperature and altimeter features .. that ran over $120 or so back in the day. I have various other computers (avocet, nashbar, etc) that cost between 40-120 and I recently purchased a Magellan GPS computer that was way over $200. So, what am I getting at? They basically all do the same thing regardless of price. They have all been reliable, but the features are what you pay for (GPS, altimeter, temperature, wireless, etc).

This past week I bought a pair of electric bikes for my wife and I. I didn't want to go and spend big bucks on another bike computer. I went to performance bikes and they had a few on sale for $20. Now, that's cheap. They even had one for $14.99, but I figured I can do better than that and found a wireless Bell bike computer for $19.99. I stopped by another walmart and found the schwinn 12 and 17 function computer for $10 and $15, respectively and decided to take the schwinn 12 func bike computer for $10.

Got home, and set it up on the e-bike. It took about half an hour or so because I actually read the manual carefully. I haven't even ridden the bike yet, but I took it out on a ride the next day and the verdict is:
it does basically the samething all my bike computer does. I don't need gps or temperature or altimeter functions. If I need GPS, I'll put the gps computer on there from my other bike...

I took the e-bike off onto a dirt trail and the ebike was rattling around, but the bike computer had no problems keeping the speed, time, etc. I had no intermitten issues with the bike computer and it's sensor.

The only issue I had with it is that behavior on how to reset the trip computers distance / avg time / max speed. On my cateye, I press the two buttons to reset the current ride (dist to 0, avg time to 0, max speed to 0). When I do this on the Schwinn bike computer, it reset the entire computer and I had to setup the computer again. The way to do it is slightly different: you have to go into the trip computer screen and hold the left button for 2 sec and you reset the current trip.

For $10 it's a steal. If I didn't need it right away, I would have bought it at Amazon - no tax and it's cheaper here!

I'll recommend this cyclometer.

Gary

I bought this same item at Target a year and a half ago, and so far it has worked flawless for me. It does everything I need for bike riding including an accurate clock. I bought another cheepie computer at Target before buying this one for my Schwinn bike, but the clock on that computer was accurate to within something like 2 minutes an hour. And if I remember correctly, I paid more for that computer then this Schwinn computer.