Plan for Your Use Case

I needed a new bike computer, so I ordered a new one. What a mistake! There’s no need to replace something that works fine. I settled on a Cateye Padrone. It had a large screen, I trusted the Cateye brand, and it had good reviews. I regret the purchase.

Problem

The Cateye Padrone showed a speed of 0 mph for any speed.

Fix 1

The manual states that the maximum distance between the pickup and computer is 27”. Believe it or not, it’s very possible to be outside of this limit. I reviewed the manual and realized the system needed some adjustment. I scooted the magnet closer to the rim of the wheel, so I could move the pickup farther up the fork to be closer to the computer. Still, the Padrone didn’t register any speed.

Fix 2

In order to mount a light, I moved the Padrone from the handlebar to the stem. This positioned it about another 1/2” to 1” closer to the pickup. I realized that, I was suddenly getting consistent speed readings. Problem solved!

Fix 3

On my ride to work, the speed immediately went back to 0 mph. I couldn’t believe it. It upset me so much that I turned off the music playing on my phone. That’s when I realized what the problem is.

Solution

The Padrone’s readings are impacted by phone speakers! Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself. I can turn the phone on, and the speed will drop to 0 mph. Turn it off, and it goes back to working perfectly normal. Don’t buy one of these if you plan to listen to music from your phone while you ride.

Lesson Learned

TEST! TEST! TEST! It does matter! Think about how your user will use the product. Use your product! I still prefer the Cateye brand for bike computers, but I’m incredibly surprised that their engineering team did not expect a cyclist to listen to music while they ride.

Disclaimer

I did get a refund from Cateye (before I fully found the solution).