Cateye Strada Slim (CC-RD310W) Fits A Retrospec Harper Coaster Break Bicycle

Cateye says the Strada Slim cycling computer (CC-RD310W) is designed for road type bikes and is not compatible with other bicycle designs. The Harper Retrospec is a single speed coaster hub break bike, and the Cateye Strada Slim works perfectly on this bike.

The Retrospec Harper has a conventional saftey bicycle design.  There are no factory disc or side-pull breaks included with this bicycle. However, after market breaks can be purchased and added for safety reasons. Here is my bicycle equipped with a front break in case I drop the chain somewhere along the road. This side-pull break has no effect on the computer sensor or any effect upon computer output.

I have read scathing reviews of the Cateye Strada Slim online. Maybe these negative reviews are written by cycling computer competitors, or by idiots who are functionally illiterate as to the proper set up and maintenance of cycling computers.

Regular road rides tend to knock things out of adjustment. Strange behavior exhibited by your Cateye Strada Slim is most likely caused by weak batteries or by the wheel magnet becomming misaligned with the sensor unit. Check the batteries and wheel magnet first. The wheel magnet should have a gap of no more than 5mm from the sensor. If the gap is too large the computer will record either intermittent data or no data. If the batteries are weak the computer will show strange unexpected displays of data, or intermittent data, or no data.

Securing the computer and sensor to resist road imperfections is extremely important for excellent error free data streams. Here are some methods.

Double Up. The Strada Slim comes with three heavy duty elastic bands. Two for the head set and one for the front fork. If you use the stem and not the handle bars to mount the computer use both elastic bands, and the small zip tie provided in the kit. This will greatly stabilize the computer against road imperfection and if one band breaks, the other will survive long enough to hold the computer in place to ride home.  Replace both bands if one breaks. Fatigue failure in one one band usually indicates imminent fatigue failure in both bands.

The same thing applies to the sensor. Double large heavy duty all weather zip ties. If one zip tie breaks the other should hold the sensor long enough for the ride home and you won't lose your sensor somewhere on the road. Double zip ties also hold the sensor firmly in place to avoid sensor wheel magnet misalignment issues.

The wheel magnet has caused some mighty complaints among Cateye Strada Slim users. Some complain that the forks and spokes are too far apart on some bicycles to meet the 5mm wheel magnet to sensor tolerance. The problem can be fixed by adding rare earth magnets, perhaps secured by hose clamps to the existing wheel magnet provided in the kit, or perhaps constructing shims out of old tubes to fill in the gap. I was lucky enough to own a old style wheel magnet that is chrome and is secured with a screw. This magnet is a perfect fit and does not slide up and down the spoke.

Here is a photograph if my slightly modified Retrospect Harper coaster break bicycle.  

Have a great ride today!