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Garmin Edge 500 speed / spoke sensor issues

  • 22-11-2013 01:57AM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 193 ✭✭


    Having some issues with my speed sensor (on the spoke) for my Garmin Edge 500. My cadence sensor is working perfectly (on the crank) so I know the battery is ok.

    I've tried all the usual suggestions, moving the sensor closer to spoke, reset it, change the battery, etc but no joy. I've contacted garmin and just got the usual generic response, tried all their suggestions but no help.

    Has anyone experienced this problem? Is it just a case of picking up a new sensor?

    Sorry if this has been asked before but I've done a search and can't find any answers.


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,700 ✭✭✭triggermortis


    I have issues with mine too. The frame where the sensor sits is squared off on my bike so it's hard to get the position right. The cadence sensor works really well but the speed can be hit and miss. I did have a slight buckle in the rear wheel which I thought was the cause of my problems, but it didn't cure it. I've switched the sensor off now and don't use it but I need to sort it before I get the rollers out again.
    With mine, the speed shows roughly half what I'm doing, as if the sensor is only picking up every other revolution of the pick up.
    I should really look at it properly


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 430 ✭✭bren_mc


    jimzy, I had exactly the same problem with a speed sensor that I got back in May. I wasn't too bothered about it until a couple of weeks ago when I started using the turbo again and needed it to work properly. Like you, I tried all the usual suggestions to no avail. Anyway, I got in touch with Garmin customer service. They asked me to email them on proof of purchase (in my case a pdf of the sales receipt from amazon). They promptly sent out a replacement sensor - no need even to send back the original. Excellent to deal with I have to say.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 358 ✭✭RunDMC


    You also need to check the wheel size setting on the Edge. Go to Settings|Bike Settings|<Bike1>Bike Details. You can set it to Auto which will use the GPS to calibrate the wheel-size, or measure the circumference of the wheel yourself. Mine is set to 2110mm, I think.

    To see if the sensor is reading properly, press and hold the reset button on the sensor and then spin the wheel. The LED on the sensor will flash red each time the pedal magent is picked up (cadence) and green each time the spoke magnet is detected. That should tell you what's working and what's not. I find the spoke magnet works better passing closer to the vertical arm end of the horizontal arm, if that makes sense, but there is a line on the spoke sensor arm so try and line up with that.

    R


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,201 ✭✭✭manwithaplan


    The reed switch in the sensor arm is a delicate enough yoke. It's very easy to damage it, unlike the cadence sensor which is in the body of the device. If it's under warranty Garmin will just send a replacement - they replaced mine which I killed through it colliding with the spokes when sprinting.

    There are bodges online if it's out of warranty - you can get a reed switch for very little but you need to open up the sensor arm and patch it up afterwards.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 193 ✭✭jimzy


    Cheers for that guys, sounds like it just needs to be replaced as I'm not getting the green light at all. Checked with Garmin, I'm out of warranty so ill order a new sensor. I thought it may have been something simple as the crank sensor is working perfectly, but I guess it's been damaged along the way somewhere!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,234 ✭✭✭✭Cee-Jay-Cee


    Slightly OT but i thought the Edge 500 used GPS to calculate speed negating the need for a sensor on the spokes? I was just about to buy one but wouldn't bother if I still need to fit a speed sensor to the bike...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 430 ✭✭bren_mc


    CJC999 wrote: »
    Slightly OT but i thought the Edge 500 used GPS to calculate speed negating the need for a sensor on the spokes? I was just about to buy one but wouldn't bother if I still need to fit a speed sensor to the bike...

    You're right - the Edge will use GPS to calculate speed and does so very effectively. The spoke sensor will (I think) give a slightly more accurate reading in that it will react more quickly to changes in speed. Really, you'll only need the sensor if you want to measure cadence.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,700 ✭✭✭triggermortis


    You don't need to fit the spoke sensor to get speed as the GPS will do that for you. However, if you want to use a turbo or rollers then you will get no speed or distance recordings as you're not moving and for this you will need the spoke sensor to work out your speed and distance


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,173 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    The GPS will do it, but not as accurately as the speed sensor, especially in poor weather conditions, covered conditions (like trees overhanging the road), or in forests (if you're an MTB person). "Slightly" more accurate is understating it a bit, the accuracy of the speed sensor (correctly configured) should never vary by more than about 0.1%. The GPS calculation even with a perfect lock could be anything up to 12.5% off target (1m tolerance) @ 30km/h. Though obviously in practice it's less than that. GPS counterintuitively gets more accurate the faster you go.

    Also, in practice the Edge 500's battery life is reduced when using GPS-only, though Garmin don't mention this and it's only in my experience, so YMMV.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 830 ✭✭✭Slo_Rida


    You don't need to fit the spoke sensor to get speed as the GPS will do that for you. However, if you want to use a turbo or rollers then you will get no speed or distance recordings as you're not moving and for this you will need the spoke sensor to work out your speed and distance

    What? You measure speed and distance on the turbo?
    Surely it's nowhere even close to accurate? Unless you have a magical turbo that can set the resistance itself to match a piece of road that you are "virtually" riding.
    It seems pointless to me as the only thing you can accurately measure on the turbo is effort and cadence.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,226 ✭✭✭gerrowadat


    Slo_Rida wrote: »
    What? You measure speed and distance on the turbo?
    Surely it's nowhere even close to accurate? Unless you have a magical turbo that can set the resistance itself to match a piece of road that you are "virtually" riding.
    It seems pointless to me as the only thing you can accurately measure on the turbo is effort and cadence.

    Once you have the GPS turned off and the wheel size set properly the speed and distance on the turbo is pretty accurate, assuming you're not slipping.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 513 ✭✭✭Cond0r


    You don't need to fit the spoke sensor to get speed as the GPS will do that for you. However, if you want to use a turbo or rollers then you will get no speed or distance recordings as you're not moving and for this you will need the spoke sensor to work out your speed and distance

    Is it not the case that if the speed/cadence sensor (one unit from the Garmin's perspective) is present, it expects to get speed data from it and won't switch to GPS?

    In my experience, if the magnet falls off or gets out of place during a spin the head unit will cease displaying current speed.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 830 ✭✭✭Slo_Rida


    gerrowadat wrote: »
    Once you have the GPS turned off and the wheel size set properly the speed and distance on the turbo is pretty accurate, assuming you're not slipping.

    That's not my point though. Suppose it tells you that you're wheel has travelled 50 virtual miles: was that up hill or down hill or flat?
    Measuring distance on a turbo seems pointless since you've no idea how far your effort would have actually brought you on the road.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,226 ✭✭✭gerrowadat


    Slo_Rida wrote: »
    That's not my point though. Suppose it tells you that you're wheel has travelled 50 virtual miles: was that up hill or down hill or flat?
    Measuring distance on a turbo seems pointless since you've no idea how far your effort would have actually brought you on the road.

    Right, I get what you're saying, resistance should count for something. I guess if you're counting speed and crank cadence and heart rate, it'd count for something (I use the strava 'suffer score' as a rough analogue).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,338 ✭✭✭Lusk_Doyle


    I had a similar issue before where the speed display was constantly changing from one second to the next first giving one speed and then half that speed and then back again and so on. A double up in sensor and GPS resulting in an information overload I guess.

    I was out riding so I just took the sensor off to get rid of the issue. I must fix the settings so it doesn't repeat itself again.


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