Vetta V100a Altimiter With Percent Grade Cycling Computer Review

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(More customer reviews)I used this computer for almost 3 years. I did have some issues a couple times with a connection problem between the unit and the cradle/mount, but nothing that alcohol/cleaning would not cure. Battery life was like 18months which is fantastic. I ride on the N. Cal. Coastal region and so while I protect the unit from direct rain with a cellophane cover, it does get exposed to fog. Perhaps this contributed to the connection issue. Main problem was that the #2 button became non-responsive. I had to push it so hard my finger would get a sore spot. Then the unit fell into a state where you could not recalibrate the altimeter which is why I use the thing. It would go into the recalibrate mode, but would not accept the adjustment. The unit still worked in every other way, just not altitude. I called the NEW company that handles Vetta and could not even talk to anyone. The personnel that had announcements don't even seem to be able to pronounce English words well and call the product "VETTER" (sic), which sends out red flags for me. I left a message and also sent email and got no-where concerning a warranty on the item as they are supposed to warranty it for 3 years.
Bottom Line: The unit was a fine unit and caused little problems until the end. I will likely purchase another one as they can be found for $79.00 on a couple sites and if the next lasts 3 years it will be worth it when comparing to complaints about other brands with battery life. Batteries are $7-10 and if others only last 4 months... Well you do the math on how long it will take for this unit to pay for itself compared to others even if you throw it in the garbage after 2.75 years.... Hope this helps someone. Ride safe, keep the rubber side down.....

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The Vetta V100A altitude computer combines 21 functions with 7 different altitude functions, including readouts for total altitude gain and maximum altitude for any given ride. The display also shows the slope or percent grade up ( + ) or down ( - ) during a ride, and it can even track intermediate altitude and distance on a segment of a longer ride.

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Cateye CC-AT200W Adventure Wireless Bicycle Computer Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the Cateye CC-AT200W Adventure Wireless Bicycle Computer last month to put on my new touring bike. I've used it for about 200 miles so far and have been pleased with it.
The main reason for getting this unit was I wanted altitude gain as well as the usual speed, distance, maximum speed, and average speed. This unit does not measure cadence and I really had no interest in it, so if that's something important to you, you should look elsewhere. During a two-day ride on the Great Allegheny Passage, the altitude gain measured just under 3,000 feet which was well within 100 feet of the published value, so I was quite pleased with that. I also very much like the automatically measured riding time (a manual mode is also available) which starts and stops within a second or two.
The reason I didn't rate this unit 5 stars is that the initial setup is not totally straightforward as the directions are quite condensed. It took me several tries before I got the hang of the terminology and the logic. Additionally, the buttons on the back are quite small and I ended up using a pencil eraser to push them instead of fingers, especially when I needed to push two at once. Now that I've been using it a bit, it's actually quite easy to use on an everyday basis, but I can see some people getting a little frustrated initially until they get the hang of it. More clearly written directions would eliminate most problems in my opinion. Note that directions are given in many languages, so they'll be one for you no matter where you live.
Overall, I am pleased with the unit and would get it again. It provides the data I'm looking for and the wireless attachment to the bike is a breeze and quite secure. Given I've used a lower-end Cateye unit on my old bike for five years without any problem, I fully expect this unit to provide good service for years to come.

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Whether for capturing the elevation off-road or all the rolling hills on a road ride, the Adventure is simple to use and feature packed. The ClickTec Plus single button design that is easy to use even in the most challenging terrain. With innovative features like reference and home altitude, second bike sensor recognition all in a digital wireless design, this is a computer rugged enough for off road and elegant enough for sleek road bikes.; Innovative features meet smart design in the CatEye Adventure.

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VDO MC1.0 Altimeter/Cycle Computer Review

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(More customer reviews)15 AUGUST, 2005
I bought this computer because I wanted an altimeter, so this review will focus on the alt functions. I researched other altimeter bike computers and found others either had suspect reliability or were inaccurate. Having only read good things about the VDO, I took the plunge.
I decided not to get the wireless version because simpler is better in my opinion.
My first ride with the VDO was 235 km through everything from hard rain to hot sunshine. The VDO worked fine in all those condition. I avoided pushing the buttons during the hard rain because I didn't want to risk getting water into it on my first ride. Plus my attention was elsewhere during the thunderstorms. But like I said, the VDO worked fine under some rather harsh condition.
The display has a lot of info on one screen. Maybe too much info because the screen is a bit crowded and some info is displayed in rather small characters. I'd like to see less info per screen and bigger characters. The % grade readout is particularly small. However, I was able to read all the displays under all the conditions.
The altimeter seems to work very well. I paid particular attention to the % grade display and I never saw it give me unreasonable info, such as negative grade when I was going uphill. I was surprised at the sensitivity of the % grade display. When going up a slight uphill, for example, the display might read 1%. Then say the grade increased a bit and sure enough, the display changes to 2%. I am surprised that the VDO can calculate such slight grades just from the change in air pressure. Remember, a 1% grade is only 1 meter over 100 meters. Nevertheless, it seems to work. The alt gets updated about every 10 seconds and it does have a fair amount of smoothing built in. So if you start going down a 6% grade the display will not jump from 0% to 6%, but rather it will count up from 0% to 6% at an increasing rate. All in all, it seems to work quite well.
Since I just got this computer, I can't comment on its long term reliability. It does have a 5 year warranty, but it appears the only service center is in Germany. Due to this and the other nits I've pointed out, I'd probably give the VDO 4.5 stars if I could. Still, I'm happy with my purchase and I would recommend this computer for someone looking for an altimeter.
The seller shipped on the same day I ordered via Priority Mail so I got the package in a couple of days. Good work!
UPDATE ON 3 SEPTEMBER, 2006:
I've used this computer for a couple of thousand kilometers now, and through a lot more rain, so it's time for a review update.
The computer seems to be holding up just fine. In fact, I'm still using the original battery. The VDO has been through several days of rain and there is no hint of water getting into it.
The clock seems to keep pretty good time. Over the course of a year it was only off a couple of minutes.
I have a friend who owns one of these, and he has at times seen some strange alt data. For example, he says he has seen max grade readouts of 48%. (I didn't know the VDO would register such grades!) He attributes such anomalies to rapid temp changes, such as when you take the computer from an air conditioned room to your bike parked on the street on a hot summer day and immediately start riding. That makes sense, since the alt calculation is dependent on the temp. I have never seen any such strange data on my computer, but I usually leave my computer on the bike.
I don't want to get into an argument with one of the other reviewers, but this computer DOES accurately measure inclines. It calculates inclines by measuring the alt change divided by the distance traveled. So you have to be moving to get a change in the % grade readout. The fact that the grade does not change when you tilt the unit means nothing. The VDO does not calculate instantaneous inclines, but it does measure average inclines.
In conclusion, I'd still give the VDO 5 stars. In fact, I like it so much I bought another one.

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For the cyclist that likes to track climbing feet even if it's small rolling hills, it still adds up. Cycling functions include: current/average/max speed, ride time (total bike 1/bike 2/bike 1+2),Trip (total bike 1/ bike 2/ bike), 2nd programmable trip distance and stopwatch. Altimeter functions include: Current, maximum and average altitude and gradient. Current temperature, maximum altitude, total feet climbed (total bikes 1/bike 2/ bike). Also, home altitude is adjustable with a quick recalibration feature. Additional features include auto start / stop, a service interval indicator (programmable),5 Year warranty.

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