Specialized SpeedZone Sport Wireless Test

Specialized is wellknown for producing some of the best frames out there, but they manufacture other stuff too. shoes for clipless pedals, and bikecomputers. I have been testing the Specialized SpeedZone Sport Wireless, and have been impressed by it. it is much smaller than for example the Bontrager Trip 4W, but nevertheless is big enough to be readable. It is also a lot cheaper than the ultimative bikecomputer with inbuild GPS, the Garmin Edge 800.

On the road

A thing I really like about it is the holder of the computer, which is installed on the upper headset of the bike, rather than fitting it on the stem. It looks really cool actually, but in reality it’s not totally thought through. On lightly rough roads, it begins slamming against the stem, which creates a noise you definitely will notice. The first time this noise was represented to me, I kind of panicked and thought that something was broken on my bike, until I realized what it was. I got used to it though, and I am pretty sure most people would. But there is a solution I later found out. A simple one actually. The solution was to just tip it a bit up, so it does not hit against the stem, unless you are riding on cobbles. So the solution is easy to make the coolest looking bikecomputerkeeper on your bike, without the drawbacks, apart from 1 gram more drag.

The signal is strong. Never have I experienced it losing the signal to the sensor, not even amongst electric fences or antennas with great magnetic fields. Other cheap wireless bikecomputers tend to do this a lot, but not the Specialized SpeedZone Sport.

It is good on ending up with the same distance on the same routes. Just like the Bontrager Trip 4W it only have about 20-30 meters of difference per 40 km from day to day. It is more than acceptable, when you think of the possibility of the tires not having the same pressure every single time, which could lead to either a smaller or larger distance per rotation of the wheels.

As I mentioned, the screen is smaller than most other screens, but the speed is still easy to read. You do have to look a little bit harder for the odo-, tripmeter, distance and average speed, because those values are showed in smaller numbers. It is not a total problem reading the values on it; it just demands 1% more concentration. The screen is easy to read in direct sunlight though, so that is positive for those riding in high sun most of the time.
It does also give you all the basic information you need with the things mentioned above, so for that matter, I have nothing negative to point out on it.

The verdict

This is a great wireless bikecomputer for the money. It looks cool with its special(ized) holder and the size of it of course makes it light and compact, but still readable to a degree where it is easily acceptable. The signal is strong too, and it is good at showing the same data for each trip on the same routes, so it is trustable on that matter. All in all I can easily recommend this bikecomputer.

Written by René

Read more: http://cyclingtipsonline.com/news/specialized-speedzone-sport-wireless-test/