SIGMA BC1606L 16-Function Topline Wired Bicycle Speedometer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)(1) I rate this product a lowly 3 because the speed readout steps up in only half mile an hour (or kilometer per hour) increments, (rather than tenth mile per hour increments), meaning it will jump from say 20.0 mph to 20.5 to 21.0 . Thus you won't see if you're beginning to trend up or down until you've changed speed by as much as around 0.6 mph, which is a notable speed difference on a bike. Paradoxically, max speed, average speed, and the trip odometer are precise to the hundredth mph (or kph), so internally the device measures to the hundredth of a mile per hour and the designers, inexplicably, purposefully degraded the CURRENT SPEED display.
(2) Even though you're running a wire to the chain stay anyway for the cadence pickup, the speed pickup is on the front wheel, meaning it won't measure speed when you're training on a stand or rollers.
(3) If you've ever installed a cyclocomputer before, you'll probably have no difficulty installing this one in around ten minutes; if this is your first, then the instructions might turn you into a bitter, hateful person. The rubber band mounting system might also present challenges for mounting on non-standard frames, though that can probably be overcome with some bits of old tube folded over.
(4) After testing this for 25 miles on a route with a few surface bumps and some rough pavement, I haven't yet found any of the pickups or mounts to have shifted, but I can see how I might accidentally kick the cadence pickup someday with my foot. Whatever the logic, the rubber-band system for holding most of the components in place is not, in my view, as secure and stable as cable ties and screw-clamps. The mount for the computer unit itself will slip around unless you use the provided two-faced tape, which means that - despite the rubber band system - wherever you mount it initially is supposed to be permanent.
(4) Finally - although this might just be due to my inexperience with the unit - the mode and set/reset buttons are opposed to each other at the upper and lower edges of the computer, so if you want to cycle through the displays of say Mode 1 - which you would press with your thumb at the bottom right of the unit - you have to be sure to not squeeze the Mode 2 button, which is at the top right of the unit. That's not the biggest problem, but if you're moving, it's a nuisance you'd rather avoid.
FOLLOW UP: After a few weeks, in addition to confirming my initial impressions, I have found that the unit dismounts too easily. Twice it has flown to the ground, once while I was using the reset function (which means pushing a button on the upper left which might twist the unit counterclockwise and thus dismount) and once when I had been stopped and most have tapped the side of the unit without even realizing it (I went back to find it on the ground after I started moving and it wasn't there).
BOTTOM LINE: The Sigma 1606L is sold here at a good price considering its numerous functions including cadence, but the CURRENT SPEED display reads in only 0.5 mph/kph increments and (at least for this rider) that profound deficiency almost completely devalues the product. The mounting system is also way too loose, and the unit can EASILY be lost. The placement of the buttons is a problem since pressing two of the four can cause the unit to dismount. The button logic is also annoying. Admittedly, this unit has more (and possibly an excess of) functions than most other units, but there are two-button cyclocomputers which can more quickly navigate you through the menu. From one's armchair, this unit looks reasonably intelligent, but on the road it is very deficient. For those whose use of the computer is relatively minimal, the design might be entirely fine, but if you continually attend to your cyclocomputer readout while you're riding, this unit is not for you.


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Sigma's BC 1606L is the top model for the most demanding of riders, even at night. The BC 1606L succeeds in this not only by providing a better overview of the essential information during a ride by hiding the total accumulated functions and cadence if not installed, but also through its backlit readout that delivers optimal readability of information even in the dark. In addition, an integrated storage chip prevents the loss of set values during battery change.
General Functions:
7 language settings, Dot matrix LCD readout, watertight design
LCD backlight
Low battery indicator
Backup function/through saving chip
Two wheel sizes adjustable
Clock and model name in standby

Bike Functions:
Actual speed
Average speed
Comparison of actual and average speed
Maximum speed
Trip distance
Programmable trip section counter
Total distance bike 1
Total distance bike 2
Total distance bikes 1+2
Actual cadence
Average cadence

Time Functions:
Clock
Stopwatch
Riding time
Total riding time bike 1
Total riding time bike 2
Total riding time bikes 1+2
Programmable time meter (countdown timer)

What's in the Box? BC 1606L bicycle computer, two-piece spoke magnet set, bike sensor/receiver/mount with wire, 3-volt CR2032 lithium battery, 42mm O-ring, 32mm O-ring.
Manufacturer's Warranty Five-year warranty on defective parts or products.
About Sigma Sport Sigma Sport represents German technology at its highest level, combining innovative design with precision engineering. Sigma tests all their products in their in-house laboratories to withstand the harshest conditions, ensuring quality continually throughout production. All Sigma Sport standard lights conform to the stringent German traffic standard, and all Sigma Sport products are CE-approved.

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