Stats rule over today’s cycling world and having your cycling metrics at the tip of your fingers is a feature a lot of people are taking advantage of nowadays. Knowing your average speed, distance travelled, and other metrics will not only show you your progress but also allow you to adjust to better your skills with each workout. Choosing from the best bike speedometers, however, isn’t an easy task especially since most of them are complicated and packed full of data.
In this guide, we will go through some of the top models for this year, evaluate their features, compare them, and see which is the best bang for your buck. On top of that, we will dive deeper into speedometers and help you learn how to pick the right model for your bike.
Table of Contents
Bike Speedometers Comparison Chart
| Product | Speed Sensor | Battery Life | Mount Included | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
CAT EYE - Velo 7  Shop On Amazon! | Wired | Three Years | Yes | |
Garmin Edge 530  Shop On Amazon! | Not included Tracks Via GPS | Up to 20 hours | No | |
Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt  Shop On Amazon! | Not included Tracks Via GPS | Up to 15 hours | Yes | |
CAT EYE - Padrone  Shop On Amazon! | Wireless | One year | Yes | |
SY Bicycle Speedometer  Shop On Amazon! | Wireless | One year | Yes | |
West Biking Computer  Shop On Amazon! | Wireless | Two Years | Yes |
CAT EYE – Velo 7 Bike Computer
Our Rating:
Cat Eye has taken the market by storm in recent years and is now the leading manufacturer when it comes to bike speedometers. The Velo 7 bike computer has one of the best price-to-value ratios out there and is packed full of useful features for the beginner cyclist.
The large display is easy to read and has a great contrast ratio for those sunny rides. It displays the different modes through which you toggle with the single big button below it. You can choose to view the clock, total distance, trip distance, elapsed time, your average speed, max speed, or current speed. There is also an arrow next to your current speed which indicates whether you are up or down from your average tempo.
The biggest disadvantage is also the biggest disadvantage here, however. The simplicity is great for beginners but simply won’t cut it for intermediate or advanced cyclists.
Pros
- Great price
- Waterproof
- Easy to read display
- Up to 3 years battery life
- Auto-stop tracking feature
- Fairly accurate wired speed sensor
Cons
- Not ideal for intermediate or advanced cyclists
- Doesn’t display anything above the basic stats
Garmin Edge 530 Performance Cycling Computer
Our Rating:
From one end to the other we just to the Garmin Edge 530 which is undoubtedly one of the most advanced cycling computers out there. It uses Garmin’s GPS system to pinpoint your location from which it extracts all the necessary data such as all the speed and route metrics. Additionally, it has route mapping to go with it all.
The scope of metrics this computer tracks is a bit mind-boggling when you put it side by side with its competitors. It can calculate your VO2 max, training balances, altitude and heat acclimation, recovery periods, proper nutrition and hydration. It is also highly compatible with third-party sensors (such as Vector) and other third-party apps like Strava. It also pairs with Variant rearview lights and radar.
The display of this computer is vibrant and colourful, as well as touch screen compatible. All that is backed by a battery which can last you up to 20 hours with the GPS turned on. The biggest disadvantage of this computer is its price. For beginners on a tight budget, I would really suggest looking elsewhere, as this is unnecessarily complicated for someone that is only looking for basic ride metrics.