| Author | Message | ||
     Vic Kusin Moderator Username: Vic Post Number: 54 Registered: 03-2007 |
We have used cycle computers for years for this. There are three types of cycle computer - wired, wireless and GPS. The wired ones are the cheapest, but you will find the wire from the sensor to the display unit will not be long enough and you will have to extend it. This is normally simple 2-core cable which can be extended by splicing in a length of speaker cable or something similar. Waterproof the joins and use cable ties to run it along the carriage chassis to a suitable point where you mount the display. Another problem is attaching the sensor to the carriage wheel. This usually comes in two parts - a small magnet that you can tape or glue to a spoke on a wheel and a sensor that needs to attached to a fixed part of the carriage. Some improvisation is required here, because the brackets that are supplied with the unit to attach to a bicycle will probably not work here. We have successfully attached the sensor to the top of the brake calliper using a bracket made from a piece of aluminium. Whatever attachments you make, they have to be good and strong to withstand the vibration. Remember that the wheel and axle is on the unsprung part of the carriage, so it takes a real battering. Wireless devices have a slightly larger sender unit which attaches to the wheel, but there is no wired connection between it and the display. They are slightly more expensive and both the sensor and display units need batteries. With all these sensor-type units, you will have to measure the circumference of the carriage wheel very carefully and enter the measurement into the unit's settings. This means it's not so easy to move it from carriage to carriage - but the units are cheap enough that you can have one per carriage if required. For the last couple of years we have been using a GPS cycle computer. This has the big advantage that it does not need a sensor at all and can be easily moved from carriage to carriage. You can have it on your wrist or mount the bracket that usually comes with it in a suitable place on the carriage, where the driver and backstepper can both see it. These units are the most expensive, but they do work well. Garmin do a good range and you can also download the data from your drive to a map that shows you where you went, speed elevation and time. The Garmin Edge200 or Edge500 are both good basic units - around £75 - £140. We have the 500, which is maybe slightly better suited for carriage driving, as you can customise the main display screen to show the parameters you want. There are much more expensive ones if you want colour maps and lots more bells and whistles, which you'll probably never use. Look on-line on the Garmin site for the latter or in cycle shops or eBay for cycle computers. Go for one with a nice big display. These can start at about £20. Amazon is also a good place to look - and probably just in time to get one for Christmas (the Garmin Edge500 is £139 at the moment). We combine ours with a Polar Equine heart rate monitor for the ponies, which is also quite useful. | ||
| Sam H Member Username: Jazzyb Post Number: 34 Registered: 01-2012 |
Hi All Does anyone know where to purchase a mileage counter that attaches to the carriage? I am currently using an app on my phone but its not that reliable. Thanks Sam |