After riding for a full season without any speedometer or odometer (since my Sigma Sport BC1600 broke down,) I finally caved in and bought a new computer last year.

Despite the past problems, I’m still a fan of Sigma Sport (to an extent,) and the display and button setup on this model looked good, so I grabbed one. Plus, the Sigma Sport BC1106 “team edition” color was on sale for $19.99 at Nashbar, and I couldn’t pass up a good deal.

(The team edition is red, which looks weird on my silver/blue Trek, but perfectly matches my white/red Cannondale.)

Installation and Setup

Setting up the BC1106 was as simple and straightforward as any wired computer can be. The only problem is the time consuming initial installation, thanks to the wire that must be wrapped around the brake cable.

The instructions involving setup were clear. After easily setting the time and wheel diameter, it was time to roll.

In Use

I really like the interface of Sigma Sport computers. It’s nice and simple. And the fact I was familiar with it already was a big plus.

This computer was on par with my BC1600 from years prior, with two minor differences. First, this one takes an extra two seconds to reset everything before a new ride. Second, the “sweet spot” on the buttons is a little different and took some getting used to. (The buttons are big, but there is a certain angle where you have to hit them.)

The display on this one is a tad bigger and brighter, which I like.

Functionality

The BC1106 offers 11 functions:

• Current speed
• Average speed
• Comparison speed / average speed
• Maximum speed
• Clock
• Trip distance
• Total distance bike 1+2
• Trip riding time
• Total riding time bike 1+2
• Memory function
• 2 wheel sizes programmable

I only set this up for one bike, so I can’t speak to the multi-bike and wheel size functions, but all the features I used seemed to work fine.

We Have a Problem!

Well, the computer worked fine for a few rides. Then one day I’m descending a 4 mile hill at 40mph. I tucked down to go faster, checked the computer, and it said 28mph! Next thing I knew, it said 0mph!

Since I was still cruising down nicely, I was sure the magnet had fallen off, because I thought I heard a little “ting” on the road. Nothing else seemed to happen, so I just rode calmly to the bottom (there was no way I could stop on that steep downhill!)

Once I had a chance to slow down, I stopped and checked, and everything looked perfect! The sensor and magnet were still lined up as before, the wire was still hooked in, and the clock function on the computer still worked.

It must be another case of the mysterious burnout of Sigma Sport computers!* This is the third computer I’ve had from Sigma Sport, and the third one that failed mysteriously! But while the others lasted a couple years each, this one lasted for about a week! The total time was about 7 hours and total distance just about 109 miles.

*Keep reading to see what happened…

The Sigma Sport Big Magnet

As luck would have it, a few hours after that fateful ride, the mail arrived, and there was my big magnet I ordered from Sigma Sport. I had ordered it mainly to test my BC1600 Wireless computer, but it will make a good test here…

As I went to remove the old magnet, I noticed something… the plastic case was still firmly attached to my spoke, but there was an empty hole in it! The actual magnet must have ejected on the downhill! Now it makes sense!

But man, talk about a poorly built magnet. It fell apart while cruising down a smooth road!

Anyway, the big magnet solved the problem and has worked well for six or eight months now.

Customer Service

I never bothered doing anything with a warranty since the computers did last a couple years each, but after three failures, I decided to email them my story about all the mysterious failures.

A Sigma rep responded the next day thanking me for the information and said she forwarded it to the service techs. I can’t say how good they are with warranties, but they are kind and courteous at least.

My final verdict is…

I used to think Sigma Sport was so great, but now I have had two Sigma computers mysteriously quit working, and the third one I get falls apart within a week!

So… “fool me once, shame on me. Fool me three times, well, the point is you won’t be fooling me any more!” Actually, the joke is on Sigma Sport’s competitors, because I’m finding these computers so cheap it’s still a better value to replace them consistently than to switch brands!

If you don’t mind replacing $20 computers every year or two, this is a good option.

Official website: www.SigmaSport.com

The first accessory that everyone wants when they start riding is a speedometer. It’s so cool to see your speed while riding. For kids it’s usually a novelty to have a speedometer like a car, but for serious riders, it can be a useful tool for measuring fitness and pacing yourself.

After going through a few crappy computers, the first computer I used that really pleased me was the Sigma Sport BC1600 Wireless CycloComputer.

This computer offered every basic function: current/average/max speed, trip distance, total odometer, clock, stopwatch, etc. Plus, it was totally wireless!

And you know how much it cost? About $26 on sale at Nashbar or Performance Bike! (About 3 years ago.) That’s a sweet deal for quality German engineering without wires.

You can see it looks normal, but instead of wires, there are wireless sensors to transmit the signal. It’s a little bulkier but it saves you about 10 minutes of setup time, and makes it easy to switch the unit between bikes.

This Sigma Sport computer was very easy to set up and configure. Then it worked great for about two years. Sometime after 2 or 2.5 years I had to replace the batteries. That’s perfectly easy to do, but being a wireless computer, it needed three new batteries!

I’m willing to spend a few bucks more to not have to deal with wires, so I see it as a worthwhile trade-off. (The battery is a CR2032, which is easy to find at most department stores.)

Another nice part of this computer is the magnet. The magnet is molded into the plastic piece that clips onto the spoke. That means, for all practical purposes, that the magnet is a one-piece unit. (Which means it’s unlikely to break.)

You also get a little piece of metal to help hold the magnet to the spoke. I never needed it though because the clip fit tightly onto my round spokes.

(It’s a good thing, too, because I was sick of sliding that metal piece up and down when switching wheels, so I slid it over the other side of the magnet and it got stuck for good!)

Anyway, after about two years, I totally loved this Sigma Sport BC1600… Then one day, halfway through a ride, it just quit working!

I inspected everything, and all the parts were fine. First, each sensor has a little green light built in for a battery indicator. Both light up just fine. The clock and stopwatch still work, so the actual computer piece is fine. And the spoke magnet works fine when paired with a different computer, so it’s still good.

But when it comes to speed, distance, and ride time functions, nothing works! I tried everything, from cleaning contact points and moving the sensor and magnet around, to resetting the computer and testing it indoors and out!

See, each part of the computer seems fine, but when put together, it does not work!! It’s a mystery!

I have contacted Sigma Sport before and their customer service is fast and friendly. I didn’t bother asking for a refund because I still got my money’s worth out of this, and I still use the stopwatch function on my mountain bike, but they surely would have replaced this unit.

But I just want to know why it mysteriously quit working??

My final verdict is…

Despite the setback, I’d get another one. It’s just so easy to use and it looks good. For the $26 I spent, I was very happy with the years of service I got from it.

Actually, I have already purchased another cyclocomputer from Sigma Sport! I like the Sigma Sport display screen and button setup the best, and the prices are very reasonable. So until I find something better, Sigma Sport is my personal favorite brand when it comes to cycling electronics.

(Stay tuned for a review of the BC1106 computer, which I am currently using.)

Official website: www.sigmasport.com