Shimano Flight Deck

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Specialized Tarmac
Litespeed Tuscany

Summary:
This product has all the potential in the world....integrated with the shifter/brakes, ability to set up for several bikes but comes up short with several shortfalls primarily the difficulty to shift between bikes.

Strengths:
Broad range of information, integrated into brakes/shifters, easy to read display

Weaknesses:
Overly complicated for the price, Inability to switch between bikes without reentering all data

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Don't Remember

Favorite Ride:
CRW Saturday Fitness

Bike Setup:
2006 Toyota United (Non-Fuji)
2004 Fuji Team Issue
1997 Schwinn Paramount

Summary:
I bought my Wirelss Flight Deck in 2005 and its been virtually trouble free since day. The unit froze one after riding a metric century in the rain. I lost the last few miles of my ride, but it retained everything else.

Gear indicator and shifter buttons are my favorite features on this unit. Very accurate when a proper rollout is done, matching speed and distance with Garmin 705.

Since buying this unit I've bought two more wireless kits so I swap this unit between 3 bikes. Two are 10speed, one is a 9Speed rig.

Strengths:
1) Gear indicator
2) Thumb Shifter Buttons

Weaknesses:
1) Manual is terrible, but it's not rocket science.

2) Kits are expensive

3) Installations requires some mechanical ability.

Similar Products Used:
KK Power Computer

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Two Wheeler Dealer

Favorite Ride:
East Mtn Rollers

Bike Setup:
2001 Giant TCR w/Ultegra, Easton Circuit wheels.

Summary:
I bought this unit in 2001 and had it installed on my new road bike and I haven't had any problems with it. I just sold it and the bike I had originally bought it for in 2008 and it was working perfectly. The only change I had made was when I updated my shifters and went ahead and upgraded to the wireless unit; otherwise, I never changed the computer.

Strengths:
I love the cadence function and current gear display. Everything worked as advertised.

Weaknesses:
The wireless only worked on the front wheel so I couldn't install the magnet on the rear wheel for trainer use. The computer ate batteries at the rate of 2 per year. This required me to reset all of my settings every six months or so, but not a real big deal. The wireless was worth the 'clean' look.

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $175.00 at Freewheeling

Summary:
I was talked into buying this product with the purchase of a new bike. They pointed out all these great features, which it turns out the folks in the shop do not even understand how to use. Don't say look in the manual. They have it in numerous languages. They should have just printed it in Japanese for all the good it does me. I asked how much and was told $60. They did not mention the $112 cost for the "wiring". The product is junk. The unit shuts itself off 3-4 times in the average 40 mile ride. It has the neat feature of showing what gears you are in, but often they do not match the actual gears you are in. The cadence is based on a derived function based on the speed and gear you are in, which of course, is not accurate when the gear is wrong. I have had it back to the shop numerous times for repair. If they can't fix it this time, I am going to go back to my Cat's Eye which never fails.

Strengths:
Numerous features which either don't work or are not of use to me.

Weaknesses:
Most features are unreliable or don't work. Unit shuts itself off numerous times during a ride. Horrid manual.

Similar Products Used:
Cat's Eye

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Price Paid:  $0.00 at maplewood cycle in s

Favorite Ride:
any ride is my favorite

Bike Setup:
merin road with all dura ace with new wheels
mavic sys

Summary:
WOW i have read many of these reviews and am suprised!
I got my flight deck with my Merlin road bike seven years ago, and i LOVE it, i have never had a single problem with it, i now have 20,000 miles on the bike and on the same oringinal computer etc. I love the info on what gear i am in, i love the easy change between displays at my finger tips. i always tell friends to buy it? i am being honest it is old and never had a single problem, i did not know of this problems with the flight deck. maybe i got one of the early models, maybe i got the only one that works?
i have to think hard and long when it i need to replace it?????

Strengths:
RELIABLE lol
easy read of gears and gear ratios

Weaknesses:
for me....none

Similar Products Used:
cateye on cross bike...dont like it as much