Thursday 28 May 2009

Instructions for CatEye MICRO Wireless Cycle Computer (CC-MC100W)

So - I got a new wireless computer for my bike today - a CatEye MICRO Wireless Cycle Computer (CC-MC100W) - and the instructions are, quite frankly, crap. This seems to be a very common complaint and having sat down for a while and done a bit of research on the net, I can now write out some instructions to hopefully save some people a bit of time!!!

There is an option to use this computer on two bikes and save two sets of data. I think this is a bit pointless seeing as you have to buy a whole new sensor and mountings for your second bike and may as well then get a second computer. Therefore, I've ignored the '2 bikes' options. It's a rubbish idea!

Fitting the Device:

This is perhaps the clearest of the instructions in the manual. I would suggest fitting the sensor first. I mounted mine on the right hand side of my fork (opposite to the disc brake) and about halfway up. You basically cable tie the sensor to the fork (don't do it too tight at first) then slide the magnet onto the spoke. The trick here is get the magnet to glide past the sensor zone (marked on the sensor) with a gap of 5mm or less between the two. This is VERY important! It's a case of tweaking to move the arm of the sensor round and the magnet up and down to get the best path. Don't forget that realistically you need to keep the sensor and computer less than about 50cm apart for it to pick up the signal!

Once you've done this successfully, you will hear a nice quiet 'tick' when the magnet passes the sensor as you spin the wheel. I snipped the cable ties down to leave 1cm spare to pull on with pliers should it work loose, which is unlikely, but you never know.



Mount the computer on the handlebars how you want. I prefer in the centre as I have a lockout switch on the right hand side of my handlebars already.


To Set the Device For First Use:




* With a pen or a bent paperclip, push the AC button on the back of the Cycle Computer.

* Flip it over and the screen will say “UNIT” and KM/H will be flashing. This is so you can set whether the unit uses KM or MILES. If you want KM, just press the MENU button once. If you wish to select MILES instead, press the MODE key once then press MENU.

* Now you come to the part where you select your wheel circumference. It needs this so it can compute your distance according to how many rotations the wheel has made. You can find your tyre size either printed on the side of your tyre or in the owners manual and then match it to the table below to get your circumference figure for the Computer.



On the screen, you should see a small wheel flashing with a figure next to it (2096). Using the MODE button to increase the figure and the START/STOP button to move to the next number, set your tyre circumference. Press MENU.

YOU’RE READY TO GO!

Main Functions:

Now you are confronted with the main screen that you'll see 99% of the time when you're riding. As you’re pedalling along, you can press the MODE key to cycle through the following modes:

(clock) - This is.. wait for it.. a clock. You can set this to 12 or 24 hour (see later).
TM – The total time you’ve been cycling
DST – Trip Distance
AV – Average Speed
MX – Maximum Speed
ODO – Odometer. This is your total distance travelled since the last time you reset the Cycle Computer.

To reset the Trip Distance, Average Speed and Maximum Speed, hold the START/STOP button and tap the MODE button. This clears everything but the Odometer.

Advanced Functions:

Press MENU once. This takes you to the Advanced Functions menu. To advance through these sections, press MODE and press START/STOP to go into each of these options.

SLCT (A/B)
This is used to select whether you are using the Cycle Computer on Bike A or Bike B. Switch between A and B using the START/STOP button and then press MENU to confirm. Alternatively - go buy a second computer!!

(o)2099
This is used to change the wheel circumferences without resetting the whole Cycle Computer. Neat eh? Using the MODE button to increase the figure and the START/STOP button to move to the next number, set your tyre circumference.

SLCT (AT)
This controls whether the Cycle Computer automatically stops/starts or whether you wish to do it manually. Use the START/STOP button to toggle this on or off and press MENU to confirm.

SET
This is used to set your clock. When you first go into it, the 12h will be flashing. If you wish to change it to 24hr clock, press MODE. Press START/STOP when done. The time below starts to flash. Use the MODE key to move the digits up or down. Pressing START/STOP moves between hours and minutes and back up to the 12/24 hr selector if you missed it first time. Press MENU when done.

INPUT
This allows you to enter a figure in for your Odometer. Say you replaced the batteries and previously you’d done 10,000 miles, this is where you can enter that figure to restore your glory! Again, set this figure by using the START/STOP button to switch between numbers and the MODE key to change them. Press MENU when done.

How Well Does it Work?

Put bluntly, it works well! It got my ride this evening pretty much spot on. However, the backlight is terrible. Truly terrible. However, as far as bike computers go, as a whole package it's awesome! Plus - I got mine for £30! Bargain!

Some Other Useful Resources:

The official CatEye website - Go HERE
The English Instruction Manual from CatEye - Go HERE