Review of Cateye CC-RD200 Strada Cadence Bicycle Computer

Cateye CC-RD200 Strada Cadence Bicycle Computer
By: Cateye Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 22
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Great low cost option !

On: 2008-10-08

Put this on my Trek 820 3 weeks ago. I LOVE it ! Was easy to install per detaled directions. Easy enough to set up after you "get it" there is a way you cycle through the set up options. This thing tells you what you want to know and what you need to know. If you are getting serious about cycleing or just curious about how far and how fast your riding then put this on your bike. Youll be glad you did... I am !!

Cateye Strada

On: 2008-07-04

When I started to look for a cycling computer I wanted speed, average speed, and time on the bike. This computer is perfect. It meets all my needs and is easy to read and see. By that I mean that some of the computers are affected by bright sunlight and seem faded. Not so the Strada. The cadence function if you need it, is like an extra. You cant go wrong with this one. Also installation was easy and worked correctly the first time.

Excellent!

On: 2008-06-22

This bike computer tells everything that the beginner (me!) want, speed (+average), time, cadence, odometer, ... Its also very easy to install. I spent around 30 min to install and it works right after my first attemp :-) Im very satisfy with what I got at this price!

Nice low cost computer

On: 2008-06-02

Though wired, this is a nice easy to use bicycle computer. To access various data, you just tap the top of the unit which is easier than finding buttons. For the money, it works well.

Great bike computer

On: 2008-05-25

This is high quality and does what is says it does. The only trouble I had was with the cadence sensor and getting it close enough to the magnet. Its because my crank is very far from the chain stays, which is curved. I solved the problem by getting a piece of discarded rubber from my bike shop and placing it under the included shim, which shimmed it up enough.

Lots of the ties are included, though I could have used more due to my inexperience installing this type of computer. I used some of my own in addition to the onoes that are included.

Great product

On: 2008-05-20

Cycle computer works just as described. I would recommend. Easy to install - no problems.

AWESOME!! Works so well with a Cannondale Lefty!!

On: 2008-05-02

I have a cannondale lefty and its a challenge to find a computer that can be mounted on the front without buying the aeronautical piece from the UK. Many of the wireless units are just too big to mount. Although this is wired, it set up great, has been soooo acurate in its readings and offers the perfect combination of read-out information. Numbers are Clear and Big. Only thing I would like to see but I guess doesnt make much sense is BackLight. I ride my bike to rowing practice everyday in the early mornings when its Pitch Black Out - but then how may others "Go For a Ride In the DArk"?? LOL.
All in all - AWESOME!!

A Good Value

On: 2008-04-30

I have road with the Cadence for a hundred miles and like it. The only problem I have had has been with the speedometer magnet being too far from the sensor, and the wires arent the most attractive, but it is still very functional and the cadence comes in handy.

great computer for the price

On: 2008-04-20

The rd200 is an excellent computer for the price. The wires are not cumbersome, and having both speed and cadence for about $30 is a steal. The display is small (which I prefer), and only your current speed shows on the top display. Also, this does not give an average cadence (but thats only useful after the ride is over anyway). If this is your price range, and you dont mind the small display...this is the computer you should buy. (on the other hand, if you want to see all your stats and averages at once, look elsewhere.)

Great functionality with 2 minor problems

On: 2008-04-18

This is probably the cheapest computer with cadence function. It works well as far as I can tell. The main unit is well designed. Single button is easy to use, the all the numbers are big and not cluttered together on the screen, and the glass/plastic seems to have much lase glare than my previous Sigma computer.

Two minor problems have to do with the sensors. The main sensor is quite large and protrudes a lot from the chainstay. My Specialized has hourglass-shaped chainstays that are so close to the spokes that there is no space for the sensor. This is not a big deal - all I had to do is to mount it on the top of the stay rather than inside.

The cadence sensor had an opposite problem. The manual mentioned that the distance between the sensor and the magnet should not exceed 3mm, but in my case the gap between the crankarm and the chainstay is at least an inch if not more so it was not reading the magnet at all. Again, not a huge obstackle - I found a washer-like piece of rubber in my toolbox with enough thinkness to bring the magnet within range. But it would be nice if Cateye thought of this and enclosed a rubber insert for situations like this.

Good while it lasted

On: 2008-04-18

This computer was good while it lasted. I bought it in March. At the end of May the main sensor started to shut off sporadically - the speed indicator would go to 0 in the middle of the ride, then would turn back on 20 min later. This became progressively worse and by mid June it died completely. A week ago the cadence sensor bit the dust too. I expected a longer lasting piece of electronics from a Japanese company...

my old cateye astrale vs the new strada

On: 2008-03-28

this unit win in:

better sensor
low weight
more stilysh

BUT

my old astrale shows the cadence in a big large numbers, the strada ONLY shows the cadence in a tiny bottom numbers, for me, this is a big problem, because i use always the cadence, more than the speed in my trainings...i write to the cateye guys, and say "in the future products maybe include this feature"...

my old astrale vs. my new strada

On: 2008-03-19

my old astrale (with the same features) stop working, y buy the new strada, a little smaller than Astrale, better sensors, BUT my old astrale shows a cadence in a big large numbers, the strada only shows cadence in a lower smaller numbers... for me, the cadence sometimes is more important than the speed, in my astrale always hide the speed and only see the cadence and time, now, there is no way to hide the speed... and need to effort to see the cadence in a small numbers. only for this, 3 stars for this product.

Perfect little computer

On: 2008-03-18

This computer is tiny! The installation is a breeze. There is only one thin wire for the speed and cadence sensor. By using a rear wheel speed pick up, it records speed and cadence even on a trainer. The price is great considering the compact design and the cadence feature. You can order an installation kit for use on a second bike directly from Cateyes website.

Excellent bike computer.

On: 2008-02-24

This product is exactly what I was looking for. The computer provides all the stats I wanted including cadence. The computer is sleek and the wiring system is discrete and easy to setup. I recommend this for anyone looking for a trip computer. Excellent product!

Perfect for the basic bikers gift

On: 2008-01-25

This product was great for a christmas gift i gave a cycling friend. It has all the basic functions and works great for those who want to know speed and distance. My friend loved it and says its the best gift he received. LOVE IT!

Easy set up

On: 2008-01-08

Set up was very easy. Rear wheel pick up and cadence option are nice for winter evenings on the trainer

great for indoor training

On: 2007-12-28

Ive been using the cateye heart rate monitor/cyclecomputer to train indoors, but it started getting a little boring. I added the strada cadence computer and that added some pleasure. Its a great way to monitor your time spent in the saddle (time/cadence/speed/distance). I have not yet used this outdoors, but its great for indoor training since all the info is received from the rear end of the bike. The only feature missing is average cadence over the entire trip. It only offers instantaneous readings which for me are just fine. Overall, this is very versatile (indoor and outdoor use) and great product.

Does just what is is supposed to do

On: 2007-12-17

Bought the new strada cadence to replace and older model cateye astrale. The new model is smaller in size, yet has atleast as large of display. The new connection on the handlebar is much improved for just a small piece of plastic. The single button interface is actually easier to use than the previous two button display, and works like a charm. The astrale was a nice looking unit, but the strada looks more sleek. Overall, it does just what it promises to do.

Less than Lukewarm

On: 2007-12-02

Im a long-time cycle computer user. I recently bought this Cateye model to use on a new bicycle. My previous computer a Cateye Astrale with cadence that worked well for several years. My disappointment with this computer began on my first ride: I noticed that the refresh rate is quite slow, especially with the cadence function. Since my previous computer was very fast (though also inexpensive), this was a big disappointment. Secondly, while there is a dual-display on this model (speed display large, other functions small), not being able to toggle between speed and cadence as the main display has been a let-down, since I typically am more concerned with cadence than speed at any given time. They can, however, be displayed simultaneously, which is the mode I typically use with this computer. Lastly, and most importantly, the contacts between the computer head and the mounting bracket are not reliable. Several times per ride I notice that either my speed or cadence, or both are reading zero, and I have to wiggle the computer in the bracket to get the reading to come back. This is not only inconvenient and creates inaccurate records of time and average speed for my rides, but is dangerous as well, since Im taking my eyes off the road as I fiddle with the computer. With other units, this poor contact is typical in wet weather, or when computers get aged (the contacts wearing from vibration), but on a month-old unit, I find it unacceptable. Ill be ridding my bike of this computer ASAP.

A Good Choice for Those who Need Cadence

On: 2007-11-11

A bike computer is much needed accessory for your bike. If nothing else, most people want to know how fast they are going and how far they went. Of course, this computer, like just about all of the ones on the market, will tell you that and more. It has two trip odometers as well as a non-trip odometer, elapsed time, time of day, average speed, maximum speed, speedometer, and cadence.

On this model, the speedometer is always on display on the top of the screen with large numerals that are easy to read. There is a secondary display on the bottom of the screen with the other data, such as time, cadence, and the like. You scroll through the bottom display by pressing the bottom of the front of the computer, and one by one, the other data readouts are shown. As noted, the speedometer display remains constant as you scroll through the readouts for cadence, elapsed time, etc.

You can easily reset all the trip-related info (one of the trip odometers, elapsed time, average speed, and maximum speed) with the press of a fingertip. You can reset the second trip odometer by repeating the process when the second trip odometer is on the screen. The regular (non-trip) odometer can be reset through a more complicated procedure that wouldnt be done accidentally.

There is never a problem reading the speed readout. The large numerals can be read at a glance. The bottom display has much smaller numerals, and as a result cant always be read at a glance. Sometimes I have to study the display for a few seconds, particularly if I am trying to tell whether the seconds on the elapsed time readout are at ":12 or :42".

Why did I pick this model? The deciding factors were cadence, cost, and reliability.

Cadence tells you how many times a minute your pedals are rotating. As the Cateye puts it, "Your legs are your engine, and the Strada Cadence is your tachometer." Pedaling at the right cadence is important to pedaling efficiency and thus rider endurance. Thus, I eliminated any computer that did not offer cadence.

Cost was a factor since, with an entry level bike, I felt no need to have the top of the line gadget.

And reliability and cost concerns translate into having a hard wired, not wireless, computer. Wireless costs more. And I have heard a number of reliability complaints about wireless systems. It may be nice not to have wires, but its certainly nicer not to have reliability problems. And since many of the wireless computers use a wire for the cadence, why not just go with two wires and not worry about it? As it turns out, the second wire does not detract any more than the first wire, and the wires are out of the way in any event.

I did not install the computer myself and therefore cant address the difficulty of installation and of initially programming the computer, but having seen how the bike shop installed it, it doesnt look that hard to do.

Given the price and features, I have been completely satisfied with this product.

A Good Choice for Those who Need Cadence

On: 2007-11-10

A bike computer is much needed accessory for your bike. If nothing else, most people want to know how fast they are going and how far they went. Of course, this computer, like just about all of the ones on the market, will tell you that and more. It has two trip odometers as well as a non-trip odometer, elapsed time, time of day, average speed, maximum speed, speedometer, and cadence.

On this model, the speedometer is always on display on the top of the screen with large numerals that are easy to read. There is a secondary display on the bottom of the screen with the other data, such as time, cadence, and the like. You scroll through the bottom display by pressing the bottom of the front of the computer, and one by one, the other data readouts are shown. As noted, the speedometer display remains constant as you scroll through the readouts for cadence, elapsed time, etc.

You can easily reset all the trip-related info (one of the trip odometers, elapsed time, average speed, and maximum speed) with the press of a fingertip. You can reset the second trip odometer by repeating the process when the second trip odometer is on the screen. The regular (non-trip) odometer can be reset through a more complicated procedure that wouldnt be done accidentally.

There is never a problem reading the speed readout. The large numerals can be read at a glance. The bottom display has much smaller numerals, and as a result cant always be read at a glance. Sometimes I have to study the display for a few seconds, particularly if I am trying to tell whether the seconds on the elapsed time readout are at ":12 or :42".

Why did I pick this model? The deciding factors were cadence, cost, and reliability.

Cadence tells you how many times a minute your pedals are rotating. As the Cateye puts it, "Your legs are your engine, and the Strada Cadence is your tachometer." Pedaling at the right cadence is important to pedaling efficiency and thus rider endurance. Thus, I eliminated any computer that did not offer cadence.

Cost was a factor since, with an entry level bike, I felt no need to have the top of the line gadget.

And reliability and cost concerns translate into having a hard wired, not wireless, computer. Wireless costs more. And I have heard a number of reliability complaints about wireless systems. It may be nice not to have wires, but its certainly nicer not to have reliability problems. And since many of the wireless computers use a wire for the cadence, why not just go with two wires and not worry about it? As it turns out, the second wire does not detract any more than the first wire, and the wires are out of the way in any event.

I did not install the computer myself and therefore cant address the difficulty of installation and of initially programming the computer, but having seen how the bike shop installed it, it doesnt look that hard to do.

Given the price and features, I have been completely satisfied with this product.

What service!

On: 2007-11-03

I havent had time to use this product much, so I cant say much about its performance. However, if your considering buying, you should know this about my purchase from Amazon: I received the product at lightning speed. But when I got it, it was missing the cadence magnet. Cadence was the main reason I bought this computer. I didnt want to wait on the mail to exchange the computer, so I called Cateye. They said no problem! They mailed the magnet to me at no charge and I received it the next day! WOW! I am confident that if I do have any issues with the computer, that Cateye will stand behind their product.

What service!

On: 2007-11-02

I havent had time to use this product much, so I cant say much about its performance. However, if your considering buying, you should know this about my purchase from Amazon: I received the product at lightning speed. But when I got it, it was missing the cadence magnet. Cadence was the main reason I bought this computer. I didnt want to wait on the mail to exchange the computer, so I called Cateye. They said no problem! They mailed the magnet to me at no charge and I received it the next day! WOW! I am confident that if I do have any issues with the computer, that Cateye will stand behind their product.

Good for cadence

On: 2007-07-02

First to note that this is NOT a touch screen device. Rather, you press down on the bottom part of the computer, and that depresses a button on the back, which switches modes. So instead of putting the button on the face of the unit, they put it on the back. It works good though. It took me a while to install because the instructions say you need to have the magnets 3 millimeters from the sensors. That was hard to do on my bike. I had to switch the rubber mounts between the speed and the cadence sensors. But most people wont have to do that. I bought this unit mainly for the candence benefit. I thought the cadence magnet that attaches to the crank might slip because it spins so much and so fast. But, it is very secure. The magnet is sticky on the back, and the fasteners hold it well.

The speed readout is nice and big. So I have speed on top and cadence on the bottom. I also use an expensive Polar heart monitor on my bike. When I switched them both to the speed readout, they were identical, so I believe the cateye is accurate. One good thing about wires is that you do not have to worry about interference.

Another nice thing about the cateye is that you dont ever have to lose your odometer miles. If you change the batteries or reset it, you can always manually enter in your odometer miles. If you have two bikes, you can program tire sizes for both bikes and switch the unit between them.

The handle bar bracket works good. You can also mount it on the stem. Overall I would recommend this, especially those who want cadence. Be prepared for a little time to install it correctly though. I still have a cateye cycle computer I bought 20 years ago that is as big as a hockey puck. It still works.

Good for cadence

On: 2007-07-01

First to note that this is NOT a touch screen device. Rather, you press down on the bottom part of the computer, and that depresses a button on the back, which switches modes. So instead of putting the button on the face of the unit, they put it on the back. It works good though. It took me a while to install because the instructions say you need to have the magnets 3 millimeters from the sensors. That was hard to do on my bike. I had to switch the rubber mounts between the speed and the cadence sensors. But most people wont have to do that. I bought this unit mainly for the candence benefit. I thought the cadence magnet that attaches to the crank might slip because it spins so much and so fast. But, it is very secure. The magnet is sticky on the back, and the fasteners hold it well.

The speed readout is nice and big. So I have speed on top and cadence on the bottom. I also use an expensive Polar heart monitor on my bike. When I switched them both to the speed readout, they were identical, so I believe the cateye is accurate. One good thing about wires is that you do not have to worry about interference.

Another nice thing about the cateye is that you dont ever have to lose your odometer miles. If you change the batteries or reset it, you can always manually enter in your odometer miles. If you have two bikes, you can program tire sizes for both bikes and switch the unit between them.

The handle bar bracket works good. You can also mount it on the stem. Overall I would recommend this, especially those who want cadence. Be prepared for a little time to install it correctly though. I still have a cateye cycle computer I bought 20 years ago that is as big as a hockey puck. It still works.