Bicycle Speedometer MPH – How to Turbocharge your Ride!

Bicycle speedometer MPH

Once you’ve ridden a bicycle with a speedometer, you’ll quickly see their many advantages.

Bicycle Speedometer MPH, distance traveled, average speed, etc. are all normal functions.


Are Bicycle Speedometers Accurate?

Most bicycle speedometers offer accurate readings as long as you use the right type of speedometer for your bicycle’s wheel size.

But higher-priced digital speedometers are usually more accurate than analog models.

More expensive digital bike speedometers allow you the option to enter your wheel size, so they can be used on bikes with any size wheels.

These are easy to adjust for any size wheels and you can also change their settings like changing from KPH speed to MPH and more according to your needs.

How Do Bike Speedometers Work?

Different types of bicycle speedometers are available on the market, and they come with different functions and features.

Distance traveled, current speed, and maximum speed are some common functions.

Digital bike speedometers work with the use of a small magnet and a corresponding sensor. The magnet gets installed on a wheel spoke. and then a sensor is fastened on the fork.

The sensor detects the magnet at each full revolution of the wheel. The speedometer calculates the amount of time it takes between wheel revolutions. This is the bike’s speed.

The program also keeps track of the total distance by recording the total number of wheel revolutions and calculating how far the bike has traveled.

Do most Bikes Have Speedometers?

Most bicycles don’t come with a built-in speedometer but you can easily buy and install one onto your bike.

Different speedometers come with different features, prices, and build quality so should do your research and choose the one that will best suit your needs.

Bicycle speedometers also go by some other names, bicycle computer, cycling computer, and odometer.

How to Choose the Best Bike Speedometer?

Bicycle speedometers are available for all types of bikes. These include folding bikes, road bikes, mountain bikes, unicycles (just kidding on that one), and kids bicycles.

To choose the best option, you should consider your bike and your cycling habits.

If you’re a casual cyclist who enjoys riding around town or on light trails, a basic speedometer is a probably good choice for you.

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The more simple models usually attach to your bike’s handlebars and provide the basics.

  • Speed measurement
  • Distance traveled
  • Time elapsed

If you’re a more serious about cycling and you train regularly, a more advanced speedometer will be a better choice for you.

More advanced models of bike speedometers not only measure your speed, distance traveled, and time elapsed, but also often include features such as heart rate monitors and GPS tracking.

For instance, if you like to ride your bike at night, you’ll need a speedometer that comes with a backlit digital display.

If you find it difficult to choose the best speedometer for you, consider checking out this guide. With more info, you should find it easy to pick a device that suits you best.

Bicycle Speedometer Display

Bicycle Speedometer Display

The display is one of the most important factors to consider when buying a bike speedometer. After all, this is where you’ll see all the important information.

Most newer digital speedometers come with a quality LCD screen. These offer functionalities like adjustable light levels, and font customization.

A bike computer with a quality LCD display makes checking your cycling stats a breeze.

Many LCDs also feature buttons that you can use for quick navigation while riding to see important data easily.

The display should be clear and large enough to read even while cycling.

A backlit display is not a necessity but can make night rides easier on your eyes. 

The Cateye Strada Wireless is one of the most popular bike computers on the market.

It is simple to set up and use, and its wireless design eliminates interference from other electronics.

The large display is easy to read, even in low light conditions.

The Cateye Strada Wireless also has a backlight for night riding.

Features and Functions

Collecting different types of data is the primary function of any bike speedometer.

This data includes your location, trip distance, odometer, riding time, current speed KPH or MPH, maximum speed, and average speed.

These features are more than enough for normal cycling.

But if you’re a fitness enthusiast, you may want to buy a speedometer that’s also equipped with a heart rate monitoring sensor and cadence sensor.

Some modern speedometers can also store your 800-hours of workout data. You can also take some of these off their mount and carry them.

More expensive models also offer an app that you can use to upload your workout data to the cloud.

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Durability

If you like to ride your bike in rough terrain, it’ll take a lot of hits.

That’s why it’s important to choose a durable bike speedometer that can withstand harsh impacts easily.

There are a few things to consider when choosing a durable bike speedometer:

  • First, look for a model that’s made from high-quality materials. This will help to ensure that the speedometer can withstand heavy use and abuse.
  • Secondly, look for a model that features reinforced construction. This will help to prevent the speedometer from breaking or becoming damaged during a fall or other accident.
  • Finally, make sure to choose a model that comes with a warranty. This will protect you in case the speedometer does break or become damaged within the first few years of use.

Additionally, if you live in a place where it rains frequently, you’ll want to buy a bike speedometer that’s waterproof and fully sealed.

There are also bike speedometers available that offer automatic maintenance alerts.

It’ll allow you to make sure that your bicycle speedometer runs perfectly whenever you need to use it.

Connectivity

You can buy both wired and wireless bike speedometers.

We recommend you buy a wireless model if you’re not on a very tight budget because they offer enhanced functionality.

A wired bike speedometer can only receive and send data and you also need to deal with the hassle of unwrapping and wrapping wires.

A wireless speedometer allows you to track your performance and analyze your data seamlessly while cycling.

A wireless speedometer can be connected using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or a third-party application.

Some speedometers can also be connected to a smartphone which means you can stay connected to your speedometer no matter where you are.

You’ll only need to sync it with your smartphone and it’ll send text messages and email notifications to your linked account and phone number.

Battery Life

Battery life is yet another important factor to consider while buying a bike speedometer. It’s especially true if you plan on cycling for longer periods.

The battery life of speedometers ranges from 20 hours to months depending upon the brand and model.

You can also buy solar-powered speedometers that charge using sunlight or any other type of light.

Price

The price of speedometers ranges from $10 to hundreds of dollars.

Depending upon your budget, choose the product that offers a perfect combination of price and value.

The Wrap up

Bike speedometers are valuable and useful devices that allow you to track your cycling habits. We hope this guide will help you understand how bike speedometers work and how you can choose one that best suits your needs.

About Informed Cyclist
Michael Rogers
I’m Michael, a cycling fanatic and the founder of Informed Cyclist. I started this site to give back to the sport I love! My mission is to bring the very best cycling advice & know-how to my readers. I hope you enjoy this site as much as I love working on it. I put a lot of heart & effort into it!

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