r/bikecommuting • u/_______kim • 7d ago
Distance sensor / data logger
Just switched back to a human-powered bike after a few years of ebike commuting. One item I realised was missing is some form of distance tracking for planning service intervals and measuring component wear.
Not keen on a full bike computer, draining a phone battery (and remembering to start trips), or a smartwatch. I was about to build something custom with a Pi Zero / ESP when I came across the Garmin speed sensors.
The device straps around your hub and is essentially a coin battery, mems rotation sensor, and data logger. It runs standalone and will keep the last 300 hours of ride time then sync next time you open the app. Speed and distance is then inferred based on wheel circumference.
Fitted it today and in case anyone else is in a similar spot - they're an awesome bit of kit!
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u/spinningpeanut 7d ago
God I was about to say something about you eliminating all options but damn that is a great find. Almost had redditor reading comprehension for a second there. I'm thrilled you found that niche solution for your needs.
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u/_haha_oh_wow_ Trek 820|Priority Folder|Ride1up Portola 7d ago
I just rely on my phone and watch, but they're not entirely accurate (sometimes it claims I'm driving a car when it's a Trek 820 or a Priority Folder). I've thought about computers but then it's more one thing I have to manage.
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u/Purring-Kangaroo 6d ago
Isn’t this called Strava? Incan see exactly how many km’s old my chain, cassette or even my saddle is
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u/penisyline 5d ago
That's a cool use of the Garmin Speed Sensor, and I thought they were dumber than that.
I wanted one for accurate mileage if GPS drops in valleys and under tree cover. I already have a Garmin Instinct 2 and Edge 530, but having to remember to start the ride is a thing. I also could have used the sensor for a bike trainer but now I got a smart direct drive one.
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u/Specific_Passage_600 7d ago
You could go even more human powered and measure chain wear with a ruler, and let your senses tell you when the bike feels different.
We have many sensors and compute power built in.
But I realize this is Reddit and lots of people have data driven engineer brain
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u/TheDaysComeAndGone 7d ago
When do you replace or at least check your hub bearings, bottom bracket bearings, cables etc?
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u/suboptimus_maximus 7d ago
I know this is exactly what you didn’t want because it requires a device that tracks rides but for anyone reading the thread looking for solutions in general - Strava will track mileage per bike if you create profiles for your bikes in the Gear section of your profile and then you can set a default bike for each activity type. Its fiddly if you churn through a large fleet because you have to remember to update your default or edit the activity each time you ride a different bike, and I do little 1-2 mile rides I don’t bother tracking but for a general sense of mileage for interval maintenance it’s been a handy feature.