# Cyclometer / Odometer question.



## Schwinny (Feb 2, 2022)

Thought Id put this here since I imagine a cyclometer more of a lightweight road bike thing.

So I got one.
The old style that is attached at the front hub and has a striker attached to a spoke.
I've never had one of these before and there are no instructions right off hand.
This Bike/wheel/hub/fork was never intended for one of these, at least not with such a short bracket.
The spokes were too close to the fork for the length of the striker so I shortened it a little to get it to clear the fork. Worked great. Ran the odometer backwards.
The pic is of right side hub attachment with the numbers readable facing up from sitting/standing on the bike.
So to get it to run forwards at this level, attached as it is, the striker must be just above the hub, below the odometer wheel, a place it will not go without more modification AND it _*must*_ make a difference whether the striker runs the top of the odometer wheel or the bottom. There is an over-all diameter difference there.
 The only way to get the wheel to run it forward from the top is to put the whole odometer on the other side facing the opposite direction from the rider.
Or...
Raise the odometer by raising the bracket somehow. (ugly)
But...
Is the odometer wheel intended to be run from above or underneath?
🤔

Update.... Found some instructions.
Says to run the odometer wheel on the right side of the bike, from underneath, as close to the hub as is possible.... great.


----------



## juvela (Feb 2, 2022)

-----

typically these mechanical odometer units are made for a specific wheel size which should be marked on there somewhere

if run on a different wheel size than intended results will be very inaccurate...


-----


----------



## Schwinny (Feb 2, 2022)

Yes of course.
This one is most likely from the 30's and for 26". Most likely at that time was the 597 EA1.
This is a Lucas KOR model with a nickel plated bracket and striker nib.

There has been an argument as to the intended ISO size but aren't 26" rims for 26" tires, which measure 26"+/- in total tire height no matter which ISO 26" rim they are on?
Case in point 700c road bike rims of a nominal road bike size compared to the 29'r rims.... which are 700c Bead diameter yet intended for tires 29" tall.

I have now seen a version of the bracket with an elongated hub hole for adjustment up/down of the odometer. Considering the instructions saying the wheel is driven from the bottom, and this bracket I have being short with a single round axle hole, I have to imagine this was intended originally for a wheel with a very small diameter hub.
Which brings up an interesting point....
Where the striker is along the length of the spoke makes a big difference in the effective realized diameter the odometer itself sees as the striker spins its wheel. It is strange that the instructions don't specify a distance above hub centerline for the striker pin.
In my case, the pin position could differ better than an inch. I could _adjust_ it and get it onto a spoke to a height just barely above the hub flange, or the next would be raising the odometer body and thus the striker pin by about an inch.
The closer it is to the hub, the faster it spins AND the instructions also says this is for 18-19mph maximum speeds.

Overthinking it maybe, or maybe its better as a non-functioning period piece. 
It does making an irritating metallic click each time it hits. Nuts its that loud.


----------



## J-wagon (Feb 2, 2022)

Schwinny said:


> There has been an argument as to the intended ISO size but aren't 26" rims for 26" tires, which measure 26"+/- in total tire height no matter which ISO 26" rim they are on?



Good point! When I compare my 597 and 559 wheels, the height, diameter size is same. For accuracy you CA always compare cyclometer mileage to Strava or similar measurement app


----------



## dnc1 (Feb 3, 2022)

There was an auxiliary fork mounting bracket available through the 30's/40's/50's and possibly earlier, this allows fitting to pretty much any bicycle with a 26 inch wheel.....





...although I have never personally seen this bracket in use. 

This 26 inch size really only relates to the tyre sizes 597mm (26×1 1/4, 'clubmans' models) or 590mm (26×1 3/8, 'sports' or 'light roadsters'; in effect most British 3-speeds) that were the only two 26 inch tyre sizes in use over here at the the time.
The fact that it may also be useable on USA size 559mm tyres is purely coincidental, and relative to the fact that all three of these sizes effectively have a real diameter of 26 inches at the tread surface, give or take a bit depending on the tyre brand.

I'm surprised you find it noisy in use.
I suppose it could sound noisy when listening to a wheel being spun in a quiet workshop,  but in actual use on the road I doubt you would notice it.
I regularly ride in groups with often several machines fitted with these and under general riding conditions amongst the sound of pedalling, freewheels ticking, tyre noise etc. I can't say it's ever stood out and become annoying. 
As to the speed, the wheel is still moving exactly the same distance with each revolution, regardless of the speed; and distance is what this device measures after all, it's just a basic odometer.


----------



## Schwinny (Feb 3, 2022)

The top bracket is the one I have, and Ive seen another elongated hole style also. I think this is where I started thinking about it inside out. I started thinking of it as; it traveling around the wheel rather than it counting the wheel traveling.
Silly.
You're right of course, the ticking is a literal din while spinning on the bench. And while paying attention to it on the road I could pick out its sound but it wasn't terrible compared to the jarring effects of the road. But when I got on the asphalt bike trail with very few bumps it stood out noticeably.
I guess Im going to try and squeeze the striker under the odometer, pretty much sitting on the hub flange. Its in a nice compact placement at the hub and I dont want to raise it. 
Worst case, I'll move it to the other side.


----------



## juvela (Feb 3, 2022)

-----

what those pesky grenouilles were up to with respect to cyclometers at this time...

catalogue page of 1937 from the firm Deprez -





-----


----------



## dnc1 (Feb 4, 2022)

juvela said:


> -----
> 
> what those pesky grenouilles were up to with respect to cyclometers at this time...
> 
> ...




Those belt driven ones. 
The later 'Huret' ones were terrible!


----------



## juvela (Feb 4, 2022)

-----


😉

popular song of MCMLXXVIII  -

"...some enchanted evening you will meet a Multito..."


-----


----------



## Arnold Ziffel (Feb 4, 2022)

If anyone is interested and considering adding a highly accurate , inexpensive, and very reliable "dumb" speedometer, odometer, clock, etc.,   then  you should consider the $15  INBIKE IC-321 (wireless) speedometer.

I refer to these as  "dumb"  because these are no different than the bike computers that first appeared about forty years ago back in 1981 and 1982.       They are called "dumb" because like those from forty years ago,  you cannot upload/download  the data to a computer/tablet/or phone.    These current "dumb"  units  do have a larger and much better display than the most expensive dumb units of yesterday, as well  as having better/longer batteries as standard.    These INBIKE IC-321 units have two CR-2032 button batteries,   one  in  the  head unit(display part that affixes to handlebars)  and  one  in the sensor unit.
This is the way to go if you wish to know the ODOMETER    and   SPEED   and  TIME of DAY.........plus  if you care about such things, you have essentially also a various stopwatch function and trip odometer  too.
I do prefer this particular INBIKE IC-321 speedo because it does have an ODOMETER function (just like your cars' unit which gives total cumulative miles, always,  until you either remove the battery or the battery dies,  and if that occurs,  you can reset the ODOMETER with the total mileage  assuming you remember what it should be)
The Speedo  is  a relatively large display and very easy to read.     ODO  is  top right  and  TIME OF DAY(clock) is top left.
THIS INBIKE IC-321  is  available  in either WHITE display  or  GREEN display.   Other than that, there are no differences.
*You will probably need to resort to the BINDER CLIP method of mounting the SENSOR on an antique/vintage bike..*
This allows the sensor to hang from the left front axle, as the wire ear of the binder clip becomes the "hanger".  The following link gives further explanation:





						Need Recommendation for a Basic Bike Computer - Bike Forums
					

General Cycling Discussion - Need Recommendation for a Basic Bike Computer - Not looking for anything fancy.. I just want to be able to record my speed; distance covered and AVG MPH. Don't need cadence, bluetooth, phone, time of day etc, power rating etc. I would like it to be light if possible...



					www.bikeforums.net
				











						Binder clip - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				




Here is the Owners Manual for the INBIKE IC-321  in  pdf form to view it:


			http://www.kupkolo.cz/data/files/manual-39110-11_21-22.pdf
		


Various random  US vendors on the bay that routinely stock and carry the wireless INBIKE IC-321 for approx ~15 total including shipping.  #401470121204,  #124179972939,  #383036631546 , #293341112660 (YOU MAY BE ABLE TO FIND THIS wireless INBIKE IC-321 for less from others & China based ebay sellers.)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/401470121204?campid=5335809022https://www.ebay.com/itm/124179972939?campid=5335809022https://www.ebay.com/itm/383036631546?campid=5335809022








						Wireless LCD Waterproof Cycling Bike Computer Backlight Speedometer Odometer USA  | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Wireless LCD Waterproof Cycling Bike Computer Backlight Speedometer Odometer USA at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.com


----------



## J-wagon (Mar 16, 2022)

Hi all, happy belated Pi day was March 14, or 3.14. I measured inches per revolution of various 26" wheels:
26“ (559 iso). 82.125" / revolution
26" (559 iso) with mtb knobbies. 82.25" / revolution 
26" X 1⅜ (590 iso). 79.5" / rev
Schwinn S7 26" X 1¾ (571 iso). 81" / rev
Schwinn S6 26" X 1¼ (597 iso). 81.5" / rev

Eventually I'll mount my Capri speedo/odo on each and see what the difference is, esp with the 559 vs 590 26er wheels.


----------

