# Cateye Micro Wireless (CC-MC100W)



## Bobblehat (Dec 1, 2007)

Hi Folks .... anyone who uses this model can you tell me if it has auto-start and/or mode "scan" features? I checked their website and PDF file but still couldn't figure out if it does or doesn't  I also tried a search in this site  

Are there any similar wireless computers (with backlight and stem mount possible) that have both the above features?

Thanks for helping ...Bob


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## jrcxu (Oct 23, 2007)

I just got one a couple days ago and I'm looking at the owners manual now. Not sure what auto scan mode is but I can't find anything on it. It does have auto or manual start/stop though.


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## Bobblehat (Dec 1, 2007)

Thanks jrcxu ........ some computers have a setting that automatically "scrolls" the display on one of the lines every few seconds ....e.g. average speed ....then .....max speed .....then .....total distance ....then ......trip distance .....trip time ..... clock ...etc ..... without having to press any buttons. 

I think they also call this "scan". I got used to this on a cheapy wired Halfords job ....but would like the additional features of a backlight on a wireless model if possible. 

The Cateye Micro, .....and maybe the Delphi 4.0, Sigma 1606L, all seem to get close to my feature list ....but the specs on line are sometimes hard to decipher ..... better to ask the actual users of the device .....and there may be others I don't know about that fit the bill.

If I can find one that has:

auto stop/start
scan
wireless
backlight
stem mount possible

and has user endorsement that they don't fall off after a 100 miles ....then I'll be a happy bunny! I may have to go for the nearest that fits the most features. 

Cadence, heart rate, calorie burn, temp, alt, wind speed and direction, or a builtin coffee maker  are not on the "needed" list! 

Thanks for looking, Bob.


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## jrcxu (Oct 23, 2007)

Ahh, thats what I thought. Then no, it doesn't have auto scroll. It does have a handlebar mount thats pretty solid (but mine is on the stem). Of course I've only had mine for a few days/rides though. 

Got mine for $20 on ebay brand new. Not bad considering I already like it better than my $100 VDO C3.


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## Joules (Oct 12, 2005)

yes auto start/stop no auto scroll.
I rode with mine for a year, never lost it. The backlight button is on the back, kind of hard to get at.

the only reason I'm not still using it is battery life, a problem common to all wireless comps. Cateye is the only brand of computer I'd ever use, wireless or not.


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## Bobblehat (Dec 1, 2007)

Thanks jrcxu ..... at least I now know. Lots of folks say stick with the Cats. Good price! Ebay about £24, LBS about £29 in UK.

Joules ...thanks .... I've seen the position of the button ...not the best ....but from what I've been Googling, it looks like I'll have to go for the least worst (unless someone comes up with a new one to look at)! Someone else tried to steer me off wireless because of batteries ...no other reason.BTW ...what you using now?


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## Joules (Oct 12, 2005)

cateye strada. it does everything the u-wireless does, but with a wired sensor. I like the way you just press anywhere on the head to scroll through functions, and setup is a little easier than other comps I've used, and the mount works on bar or stem.


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## Bobblehat (Dec 1, 2007)

Hi Joules .... only just got notified about your reply ... 6 days is that normal?

Thanks, I looked at the Strada wireless version ....no light and no auto-scroll/scan.

I did think that the Vetta RT288L might fit all the needs, but I emailed Vetta to find a UK or EU retailer ...they never replied. Googling found no retailers either.

There were a handful of computers that nearly met all the requirements (and the mysterious Vetta that may have met all!), but in the end I had to pick one. A bargain new Sigma 1606L DTS came up on a well known auction site, so I ordered it ... should arrive shortly after Easter. I think it has everything I wanted except the scan feature, and a better backlight than the micro (so I'm told). 

Thanks to you and jrcxu for the help ... I'll post my opinion on the Sigma when I've given it a go. 

Cheers, Bob.


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## tduro (Jan 2, 2007)

Why would you want auto start/stop? I hate that "feature", but couldn't find one without it. It doesn't know whether I finished my ride, or just stopped for a pee. So my total ride time is hosed, as is the average speed.


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## Bobblehat (Dec 1, 2007)

Ermmm ..... the main reason is that I'd keep forgetting to start it when I set off (but that's just me!). Also, I thought the whole point of the auto stop/start is to not keep counting the time when you are stopped at traffic lights, go for a pee etc .... thus preserving your real average speed and real pedal times ...... otherwise it would start averaging the zero speed with your true speed every time you stopped, lowering your true average. 

I guess I'm used to this feature on my old Halfords wired computer and find it works really well, along with the autoscan feature ...stops me pressing buttons too much! The Halfords knows when I've stopped within seconds of doing so.

And so on to the Sigma 1606L DTS .......err........ anyone want to buy it off me! The UK rep told me it had auto-stop/start, so I bought one. It doesn't (or at least I can't get it to work!). When it goes into sleep mode after 5 mins, it needs a button press to wake it up:madman: . Several times I set off again (I stop a lot to take photos) and forgot to press a button to wake it up ...... totally ruins distance data for the ride. It doesn't record the distance when it's in sleep mode and won't wake up by itself!

I sent the rep a couple of emails to ask if I've done something wrong and he hasn't replied in two weeks. I got the item off Ebay and the seller is unlikely to want it back because there is nothing wrong with it ....just doesn't do what I wanted ...or was told it would do! I'm a bit miffed really! It's got a good backlight and is otherwise a very nice comp!

I wish I could find out more about the Vetta RT288L and where to buy it in the UK or EU .... Vetta didn't reply to two mails either! In the meanwhile I think I'm going to put the old wired Halfords on the bike ..... does everything I want ...but no backlight.


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## tduro (Jan 2, 2007)

Bobblehat, that's another way of looking at it. But with auto start/stop, you can maximize your average speed by resting a lot. I'd rather be able to compare my total time, to see my improvement. How hard would it be to provide that function? It's got a freakin' clock, but it can't tell me how long I was out! That's ridiculous!


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## Bobblehat (Dec 1, 2007)

tduro ....see what you mean! I guess it's down to the reason for the trip .... I take a lot of photos so I'm always stopping, also use the bike as a commuter and a shopper (that's why I like the true auto-start ....saves my senile brain from having to remember to start the computer off again!). So, I'm more interested in how much I've cycled, not how long I've been out.

I often go for continuous rides mostly at night ... just to get some exercise .... and I love night trips anyway! So the back-light is great for seeing if it's time to head back or to check how far I've gone etc. Guess it's all down to personal preferences to what you use the comp for, and for me it can differ depending on the type of trip I'm doing.


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## tduro (Jan 2, 2007)

Bobblehat said:


> ....saves my senile brain from having to remember to start the computer off again!


I know what you mean by remembering to start it -- happened to me a lot. But with auto start/stop, I have to remember to reset it before the ride, so I haven't really gained anything.

I know I'm beating a dead horse here, but my auto start/stop pissed me off again today. I remembered to reset it before the ride, but I forgot to start my stopwatch (on my wristwatch). So I made sure not to stop at all. Then, when I got off the trail, I wanted to stop it, so as not to record the time and distance up the road and across the parking lot (my circuit here starts at the trailhead). There's no way to stop it! I had to repeat in my head the time and distance over and over until I got back to my car, then keep repeating it all the way back home. This is so stupid!!! Next time I'll have to remove the magnet or pull the sensor out of the way. WHY????:madman:


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## Joules (Oct 12, 2005)

tduro said:


> I know I'm beating a dead horse here, but my auto start/stop pissed me off again today. I remembered to reset it before the ride, but I forgot to start my stopwatch (on my wristwatch). So I made sure not to stop at all. Then, when I got off the trail, I wanted to stop it, so as not to record the time and distance up the road and across the parking lot (my circuit here starts at the trailhead). There's no way to stop it! I had to repeat in my head the time and distance over and over until I got back to my car, then keep repeating it all the way back home. This is so stupid!!! Next time I'll have to remove the magnet or pull the sensor out of the way. WHY????:madman:


gee, and I thought my life was hard  
what are you doing with this information that it possibly being off by a minute or 2, or a couple tenths of a mile has you so upset?


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## tduro (Jan 2, 2007)

Joules said:


> gee, and I thought my life was hard
> what are you doing with this information that it possibly being off by a minute or 2, or a couple tenths of a mile has you so upset?


It all goes into my "training log" database, where I track and analyze all my physical endeavors. After years of doing this, I can graph how my average heart rate has slowly decreased, while my average speed has increased. (I'm an engineer, so I'm anal about these things):thumbsup:

I do 30 minute "sprints" on my lunch break (complete with "ready-set-go"). I'm always trying to beat my previous times. This requires precise starting and stopping of the clock and odometer. I've done some of these circuits so many times that my 10 fastest times differ by a only a couple seconds at most. One sloppy turn can blow my time. If I ignored a minute or two, I'd have no idea if I was getting better or worse. Why do I do this? Just to keep it challenging, and interesting. And it gives me a reason to push really hard and try to be technically perfect in every way. Is there a way to get a greater benefit from a 30 min. ride?

I also find it odd that when they phased out calling these things "bike odometers", in favor of "bike computers", it was around the time they became less like computers, and more like simple odometers. I mean, really, how hard would it be to keep the ride timer running when the bike is stopped? Now I pay more for features that make my record-keeping more difficult 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not losing sleep over it, it's just a pet peeve I like to rant about when I have a chance.  I'm still getting the data I need, it's just a pain in the butt. Plus, I'm paying more for that.

Think about it -- we all know that when the tortoise raced the hare, the tortoise won. If they had been using auto start/stop timing, one could argue that the hare had won (faster "average speed"). Of course, that would have been cheating.


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