My $9 Speedometer!!!

yamaha_dave · Posted: May 11, 2009, 5:19 pm Post subject: My $9 Speedometer!!!

Stumbled across a little gadget at Wally-world last weekend and thought I would give it a shot...

I've been putting off spending $85 plus on a speedo for my custom headlight niche. I came across this $9.00 Schwinn bicycle speedometer and figured I'd give it a "whirl" .

I am d@mned surprised at just how well it works guys! This little gadget has given me more bang-for-the-buck than just about everything else on my ride.

I drove a drywall anchor into one of the bolt holes for the front disc brakes. I then screwed the little magnet sensor into the drywall anchor. After fastening the receiver sensor to the bottom of the fork with zip-ties, I was off and running. (And I knew just how fast I was running too! Wink

)

Here's a couple snap shots...

Every time that little magnet thingy goes past the sensor, it registers as a full turn. All you have to do is calculate in mm the distance of a full revolution on the front tire. Punch in the numbers... and you've got yourself a $9.00 speedometer.

If I buy another one, I'm getting one with a back-light. And a heart rate monitor! Yeah... Definitely a heart rate monitor!!!

jimmythetrucker · Full Member Joined: Mar 12, 2008 Posts: 1283

Now you gotta get some playing cards, or maybe a partially-inflated balloon! Clip 'em on the fork tubes somehow so they rub on the spokes when the wheel turns. Makes a really neat motor noise!

But seriously, Dave -- where's the battery in that thing? Is there one battery, or two?

yamaha_dave · Posted: May 11, 2009, 6:47 pm Post subject: Re: My $9 Speedometer!!!

Just a small watch battery in the gauge itself. The sensor just registers the magnet every time it passes.

I thought about the playing cards!

nudude53 · Posted: May 12, 2009, 8:48 am Post subject: Re: My $9 Speedometer!!!

Maybe you should spend your next $9.00 on brakes, then you won't need the heart rate monitor.

jerseyjew · Full Member Joined: Mar 28, 2008 Posts: 48

This is definitely something new to me...

metalredneck · Full Member Joined: Aug 04, 2008 Posts: 308

I've looked at them, and wondered. Now I know!

yamaha_dave · Posted: May 12, 2009, 12:08 pm Post subject: Re: My $9 Speedometer!!!

nudude53 wrote:

Maybe you should spend your next $9.00 on brakes, then you won't need the heart rate monitor.

Or... I could combine an electronic brake system with the heart rate monitor! Wink

Although, It would be a little embarrassing coming to a complete stop every time a little bikini blond in a Jeep drives past on the highway...

tron · Full Member Joined: Apr 27, 2009 Posts: 63

i thought about getting a digital bike speedo a while back, i looked into some of them and they seem to be limited to 40mph or so, how fast have you gone with it?

pumps · Posted: May 14, 2009, 4:55 pm Post subject: Re: My $9 Speedometer!!!

Very cool! I dig doing things on the cheap. I love you guys for your ingenuity.

yamaha_dave · Posted: May 14, 2009, 5:05 pm Post subject: Re: My $9 Speedometer!!!

tron wrote:

i thought about getting a digital bike speedo a while back, i looked into some of them and they seem to be limited to 40mph or so, how fast have you gone with it?

Well... The fastest I've gone is 65 and I started worrying about my fillings vibrating out!

The package claims a maximum speed of 99 mph. Although it takes a second or so to register the speed, it seems to be pretty damned accurate.

The reason I placed the little magnet so close to the hub is to not offset the balance of the tire (any more than it is already!).

Took me every bit of five minutes to install it and everything can be removed and re-installed whenever you wish. Just need some zip ties!

The only thing I DON'T like is that it erased the odometer reading every time you have to re-program the track value. Not that you should do it more than a few times... What I found out later though is that you can program the odometer to begin mileage at whatever number you wish to punch in.

If I had known that before, I would have just entered my current reading after resetting everything.

SUGGESTION: Definitely get a unit that is back lit!

xsleo · Posted: May 16, 2009, 7:48 pm Post subject: Re: My $9 Speedometer!!!

I wasn't sure if my speedo or tach had problems. I got one of those bicycle speedos. Mounted it, rode the bike for a few days. The tach has the problems. My speedo reads about 1.2 to 2 mph slower than the bicycle one reads. Thats as close as most any speedo reads. I'll keep the bicycle speedo just in case.

killer · Posted: May 29, 2009, 4:26 pm Post subject: Re: My $9 Speedometer!!!

I have one of those too. Works great. I'd say its more accurate than the aged stock speedometer.

Does yours work up to three digits too?

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