Sigma Sport BC 800 Cycle Computer [24]

Sigma Sport of Germany manufactures a line of bicycle-mounted speedometers/odometers. This is a review based upon a 6 year evaluation of the Sigma Sport BC 800 Cycle Computer. The current model has a redesigned switch layout, but the basic functionality is still the same.

Sigma Sport manufactures 4 models currently with different features. We selected the BC 800 over the BC 400 because it offers a riding time and maximum speed calculation. The common features between the two are: Current Speed, Clock, Trip Distance, and Total distance. The BC 800 allows settings in miles or kilometers.

Installation
Installation was simple. A small magnetic pickup is mounted to the front fork. Its connecting wire is wound up to the handlebars. The mounting bracket attaches to the handlebars. The computer itself is detachable to prevent theft. A small magnet attaches to the wire spoke. In operation the computer counts the number of tire rotations to compute speed and distance.

Configuration
Configuration is not intuative. You need to read the manual closely to understand the button combinations. The tiny penpoint actuated button on the underside, which you might assume is a reset button, is actually part of the configuration sequence. The main number to enter is the wheel size. Wheel size is calculated based upon the diameter of the wheel and PI (3.14). You may also enter a previous odometer reading if you have changed the battery or this is a replacement odometer.

Operation
Using the BC 800 is easy. One button switches between displays: clock, speed, miles, trip, average. The other button resets the trip and average.

Extended Evaluation Over more than 3000 bicycle miles the unit has held up well. It has been protected from the elements so I cannot speak for rain or snow. It has been stored at temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit for extended periods. This includes a few times where the temperature dipped below twenty degrees below zero. The LCD still displays well. It has needed only ONE battery change, after six years. The battery change is what prompted this review. The screws holding the case require a large jewelers screwdriver and they are quite tight. There are rubber gaskets inside, so I speculate that the unit is water resistant. It requires two 1.5 volt button batteries. Since there is no light, it probably contributed towards long life. The one day-to-day issue is that sometimes the spoke-mounted magnet gets turned out of alignment. It was nice that I was able to go to the Sigma Sports web site and view a PDF copy of the BC 800 instructions!

I would recommend this unit to anyone wanting a simple bike trip computer. And I sorely miss another one of my bikes that was stolen along with another BC 800. {BB}

Added: April 9th 2005
Reviewer: BB
Score:    [24]

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