The Bell Spinfit Calorie Speedometer
I purchased the Bell Spinfit Calorie Speedometer for my bike at the beginning of spring this year. The biggest risk with a bicycle speedometer is that when you store your bike away for the winter, you’ll forget how to reset the speedometer and get it in some stupid mode where you have to remember the magic number for your size tire. Worst of all, by the time next spring rolls around, you know I’ve lost the instruction booklet. How does this speedometer rate now that I’ve lost the booklet?
Fortunately this speedometer is easy enough to use that I don’t really need to hunt down the instruction manual each time I try to use it. The top button changes the display from Calories Burned to Speed (MPH). If you hold down the button while on Calories Burned, it will clear that screen so you can reset it for each workout. The bottom button switches between Time, Trip Time (Chronograph), Trip Distance, Odometer, Average Speed and Max Speed. The Chronograph will stop counting when the wheels stop spinning, which is very convenient if you’re timing how long you’ve been working out. You can reset the Chronograph and the Trip Distance by holding down the bottom button while you’re in Trip Distance mode.
I have lost my instructions, so I don’t know how to reset it for my weight or what the magic numbers are for my tire size, so when I have to change the battery, I’m out of luck. I wish the manufacturers of these speedometers would just let us input 27 inches for the size of our tire. It would take a little more programming, but it would greatly increase the ease of use. It would also be helpful if Bell would have PDF files of their instruction manuals online so that when someone does lose their manual, they’re not lost.
The instructions state that the sensor should be mounted on the front tire, and that’s the easiest way to install it. If you’re going to use this speedometer with a bike on an indoor trainer, then you should mount it on the back tire. If you missed it, here are the instructions on how to do that.
I have really liked this speedometer because it’s easier to use than others I’ve had in the past. It’s very easy to reset the Trip Distance and I really like that the Chronograph stops counting when the wheels stop turning. It’s a great buy and I have really enjoyed using it.
Update 06-23-06: I’ve received so many comments about the instruction manual that I scanned mine in. You can find it here:
My son purchased this model and we can’t seem to get it to work, even after installing two different batteries. followed the instructions in the manual, but it would not display any numbers, nor did the magic grey button do anything. Any suggestions?
Comment by Marge Stetler — July 4, 2009 @ 3:16 pm