Best Mountain Bike Computers

Once upon a time computers were relegated to the home and office, but today you will find computers in every aspect of our lives.

Mountain biking is a sport where computers are becoming widely used, for a range of reasons! You have some people using computers to find their location when they got lost on trails because computers come with cycling GPS.

Additionally, you have people using computers for training, as some computers come with sensors for heart rate, time, distance, and calories burned.

With the rise in demand for mountain bike computers, there has also been a rise in supply.

You may therefore feel overwhelmed when you go shopping, as you encounter so many options to choose from.

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When selecting a mountain bike you need to consider a few factors, including the number of features, quality of construction, ease of sharing data, and ease of operation.

It is important to determine your purpose for a mountain bike computer. If you love training or heading deep into the trails, a mountain bike computer will be the perfect companion for you.

As a passionate rider, I have had the chance to use a number of computers over the years.

Also, I spent hours of times researching, testing, and discussing with industry experts, I got to finalize a list of the best mountain bike computers.

The 5 computers that have stood out the most to me are reviewed below. These computers have shown more than once that they are the best models for the job.

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The CatEye Velo 7 is a cycling computer that is basic and simplistic. Unlike other computers that have complex features and functions, the Velo 7 has simple features and basic ride data.

It will provide data regarding speed, distance, and time.

The computer works via a wired speed sensor which is mounted to the front fork, as well as a spoke magnet for recording speed. When you begin moving, the computer will automatically turn on and start recording data.

Alternatively, when you are inactive for over 10 minutes, the computer will go into power-saving mode.

This feature will extend the life of your battery. This extremely affordable cycling computer provides you with all of the essential data you need, and it is incredibly simple to use.

The CatEye Velo 7 has a tactile button on the front of the unit, which allows you to flip through time, distance, maximum speed, average speed, and odometer.

When it comes to your current speed, this information is constantly displayed at the top of the screen. Therefore you will always have two data points (current speed and another of your choice), and you can use the display to compare these points.

As you can see, this mountain bike computer is simple, efficient, and easy to read. You can’t find better at this price.

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Another great mountain biking computer from CatEye is the Strada Wireless.

Unlike the unit above, this function-rich bike computer does not have any wires. The result is a sleek and elegant unit that looks good and performs even better.

The lightweight bike computer comes with 8 modes, which you can switch between by pressing the bottom of the computer.

These modes include current speed, average speed, maximum speed, trip distance, second trip distance, total distance, elapsed time, and 12/24 hour time.

You can then use these modes to determine the efficiency of your workouts and to plan for workouts in the future.

The Strada is also simple to use, as it has a touch screen interface. Your current speed is displayed at the top, while your desired mode will appear at the bottom.

There is also an up/down arrow that compares your current speed to your average speed. Additionally, this computer has an inbuilt digital wireless system that communicates with the wheel sensor.

When it comes to mounting the computer, you will use the tool-free bracket to secure the computer to the bike stem or handlebars.

Other features that you can take advantage of including an integrated clock, a programmable odometer, an auto power-saving mode, an auto start/stop function, a programmable speed unit, a pace arrow, and support for 2 wheel sizes.

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The Garmin Edge 830 is the ultimate GPS bike computer.

This computer has been built for the cyclist who is looking for an advanced device, which can cater to training and navigation alike.

This GPS bike computer has been ruggedly built, and it comes with a waterproof shell so that you can use it in wet conditions.

The computer also has a 17-hour battery life, meaning that you no longer have to worry about your computer going off mid-ride. When it comes to the touch screen of the computer, you will be happy that it is easy to operate even with gloves on or when wet.

The Edge 830 offers you a range of features via your Android or Apple device, and some of these features include social media sharing, live tracking, and weather updates.

You can also use the computer to access Ordnance Survey maps, making it perfect for commuting, touring, and other extended activities. Few computers provide such precise and versatile navigation capabilities.

Continually, the Edge 830 comes with advanced training capabilities, as it can record your speed metrics, distance, ascent/descent, and grade. Additionally, if you use it with ANT+ sensors, then it can measure your heart rate, power, and speed.

As if that is not amazing enough, the computer allows you to create profiles, and then tailor them to your cycling activity e.g. road, touring, and mounting.

You can create multiple profiles and then switch between them depending on your ride.

Once all of your data is connected, you can analyze it and send it to your phone or computer via Bluetooth.

You can also use Garmin Connect to share it with your friends and family. Garmin Connect also comes with a tracking page, so that your friends and family can follow your ride, training, or race in real-time.

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Another great mountain bike computer is the WolfRide Cyclists Wireless.

This affordable computer is similar to the CatEye Velo 7 that we reviewed above, in the sense that it provides riders with basic data.

The computer is highly accurate, and it will relay data regarding your current speed, average speed, maximum speed, elapsed time, total distance, temperature, and clock.

The data provided will make your life much easier, and you can use it to determine how good your performance was.

You can read this data on your LCD screen, which is clear and straightforward. Additionally, the WolfRide computer has been designed with waterproof properties, allowing you to use it in the rain.

However, it should not get soaked. This mountain bike computer is also lightweight, compact and durable, and it can easily be installed on your handlebars or stem.

The popular mountain bike computer also has a sleep mode for power savings and an automatic wake-up for convenience. Sleep mode is activated after 300 seconds of no activity

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Last, I have the Garmin Edge 530 GPS computer on the top 5 list.

This highly popular computer has been designed with the performance-driven cyclist in mind. Each of the features of the bike computer is geared towards helping you improve your performance so that you can become a better rider.

The Edge 530 is great for training, as it tracks your speed, distance, location, calories burned, ascent, descent, and elevation, using GPS and a barometric altimeter.

And if you add an ANT+ sensor/power meter/HR monitor, you can track your heart rate, speed/cadence, and power.

Once you have all of this data, you can fine-tune your ride so that you get better results with less effort. The computer also has a Courses feature, which allows you to compare different rides over the same route.

There is also an integrated Auto Pause, Auto Lap, and temperature readings, for a more efficient ride. This bicycle computer promises to take your riding performance to a whole new level.

Mounting the computer is a piece of cake, as you can easily attach it to the handlebars or stem of the bike. And when it comes time to analyze your ride, you can use the USB cable to send the data to your computer.

And if you’re interested, you can share your ride data with other cyclists using Garmin Connect.

Mountain bike computers are definitely accessories that you should buy, in order to help you navigate and improve your riding performance.

As you can see, the computes given above offer different features, and they also range from twenty – forty dollars making them suitable for people with different budgets.

You can feel free to choose from my recommendation. I selected them after hours of research so that you don’t need to do it yourself.

5/5 - (5 votes)