No, not one of these – i think the mounting bracket might be too big

Need something to do the basics, don’t need to know the ground humidity in Bejing.

Pref cordless, oh and an altimeter would be cool

Whats good then?

Android phone with runkeeper installed if you are happy enough looking at it after the ride.

runkeeper is very, very good indeed. I bought a garmin edge 305 GPS (no routing guidance) for better accuracy than smart phone based product, has heart rate monitor and cadence sensor, but not cheap at £170 but gives me the info I want.

Garmin 500 is great. Not the cheapest but you get the GPS tracking with it, works with power hubs, cadence and speed sensors, HR monitors, the upload to the web based garmin connect, and the ability to program it with intervals is all great. Nice if you’re a geek and like to analyse stuff. And comes with two bar mounts so it’s dead easy to switch between bikes. Time/speed/distance with no extra bits on the MTB, then just pop it on the road bike where it wirelessly picks up the power hub and cadence sensor. Only 130 quid from tesco direct with is good value IMO.

Garmin FTW. Edge 305 here – look on US eBay for reconditioned units.

Expensive, but you’ll come to love it (maybe).

+1 for Edge 500. Great bit of kit. Know roughly where I’m going so not concerned about the lack of on-the-fly mapping. Plus as I am making a concerted effort to get fit (first time ever) the added bonus that Garmin Connect and Base Camp bring are awesome.

As basic, wireless computers go, I’d recommend a Cateye Vectra Wireless. Doesn’t have an altimeter but it does do everything else you will need. Really small and tactile package (but with a larger display than most) and Cateye tend to have a decent reliability rep.

Oh and the Garmin 500 also has a configurable display so you can set up multiple pages with different sets of parameters you want to monitor depending on the type of ride you’re doing. Excellent stuff.

Also because it’s GPS mrs blobby pops the 500 in her pocket when she goes running, so pretty handy for that too. I prefer my forerunner 405 but she finds that a bit bulky on her wrist.

I’m using a Garmin Forerunner 305 – can be had quite cheaply from Amazon, think I paid £105 for mine.

ffs, all these garmin boys with more money than sense…

cateye wireless will do the job, like this one:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-micro-wireless-cycle-computer/

EDIT: Oh and for elevation/profile: mapmyride on PC before or after ride, imapmyride or my tracks apps on your smartphone during ride

imapmyride or my tracks apps on your smartphone during ride

I started off doing that on my iPhone but the short battery life was getting to be a problem even on MTB rides (about 2 hours tops) and was way too short for road rides.

The Garmin Forerunner 305 is £105 on Amazon at the moment and the 205 only £85 (the main difference is that the 205 doesn’t work as an HRM). Ok either of those is still more than that Cateye but also hugely more functional. I run as well and the Garmin is also good for that.