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Shimano Flight Deck Computer
Product Description
User Reviews
Submitted by
sbarner
a Cross Country Rider
from Bolton, VT, USA Date Reviewed: July 26, 2011 Strengths: The hands-free controls are very convenient. I love the fact that it displays the current chainring and cog; this is especially handy on a tandem. I also think it's really cool the to have cadence without a crank sensor. Weaknesses: The controls take a little getting used too; they are not intuitive, but the biggest problem is the sensor mount. Somewhere in Japan there is an engineer who should be handed a tanto so that he can commit seppuku (hara-kiri). Only a total bone-head would design it using a built-in zip-tie, requiring replacement of the entire sensor and mount if you want to do something as simple as to remove the fork to service the headset. It's the most idiotic mount in the history of bike computers, and that's saying a lot. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Mill Loop Duration Product Used: 2 Years Price Paid: $75.00 Purchased At: eBay Similar Products Used: Sigma Sport, Cateye, Avocet, Vetta Bike Setup: Harry Havnoonian racing tandem 
Submitted by
rye
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson Az. USA Date Reviewed: January 16, 2010 Strengths: The information it gives is very useful, particularly on a tandem, where you can't always see what gear you're in. I really don't know what I paid for it. It came with the bike. Weaknesses: The pickup, which is quite expensive, broke twice in the same place. I've elected not to replace it...it'll only break again. The last time it broke, I just put the broken part in my toolbox. Six months later, the display portion of the head fell off. (I've owned it almost 3 years) It needs some design work before it's ready for prime time. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Arivaca Road Duration Product Used: More than 3 years Price Paid: $150.00 Purchased At: Gear to Go (Tandems) Similar Products Used: Copious and multifarious Bike Setup: Tandem  
Submitted by
lightweight
a Weekend Warrior
from Mammoth Lakes Date Reviewed: July 22, 2009 Strengths: Great info and accuracy. Patience and memory are all you need. Sort of like learning the gas and brake on a car, only 2 buttons. Excellent training tool, especially if you already know your heart rate. Weaknesses: Not always connected. Fork mount slips on fork occasionally. Still have to hide wires under bar tape which may be a pain for re-wrapping. Wish it transmitted off of rear wheel so it would be useful on my rim trainer. Transmitter signal is a bit weak and needs direct line of sight to computer.Fine with 2 wheel rollers. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Upper Rock Creek Duration Product Used: More than 3 years Price Paid: $95.00 Purchased At: Head unit at Ebay, s Similar Products Used: Too many Bike Setup: 2 Specialized Roubaix's.
Submitted by
timt
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal, Quebec, Canada Date Reviewed: May 28, 2009 Strengths: Can't really see any particular strengths Weaknesses: Too many features and it quits working when I hit bumps. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 2 Years Price Paid: $100.00 Similar Products Used: Cateye
Submitted by
Ross Craft
a Weekend Warrior
from Encinitas Date Reviewed: December 31, 2007 Strengths: Looks Cool Weaknesses: - Too many features. - Too much time navigating through options - Qiuts working at altitude and cold Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Del Dios Duration Product Used: 3 months Purchased At: Came with used bike Similar Products Used: Cateye Bike Setup: Orbea Orca
Submitted by
Chris
a Racer
from Lowell, MA Date Reviewed: June 15, 2007 Strengths: Controll buttons integrated on hoods, virtual cadence. Visual gears. Weaknesses: Where to begin: No back light; functions are not logically connected to each other, the big three: distance, time and cadence, should all be in the same loop, (indeed, they should all be on the same screen.) No 12 hour clock! Come on Shimano this is the 20th and 21st century. Sender unit is hideous and its mount is awkward. There is only one fork mounting bracket. The supplied magnet sucks, I don't even use it, instead relying on aftermarket or custom set ups. There is no memory after battery death or change! I had to trim the handlebar mounting bracket so it would fit cleanly fore of my stem. (Although I admit, this was just me trying to keep a clean install). Many more... Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 2 Years Price Paid: $75.00 Purchased At: LBS Similar Products Used: Many Bike Setup: Trek 5.2SL/Ultegra/numerous wheels and cassetts
Submitted by
Jeb
a Cross Country Rider
from Idaho Falls, ID Date Reviewed: June 9, 2007 Strengths: SC-6502 Computer and SM-SC70 harness Great ideas and clean installation. Cool to see the gears on the display. Control buttons built into grips. Lots of functionality even though it is very poorly implemented. My setup instructions worked fine. Setup took a while, but I had no hitches. Weaknesses: The unit stops accumulating time and mileage with one touch of the left button. You use the left button for several functions, but if you are in the wrong mode, one touch stops the computer. You should have to hit 2 buttons or hold one in for 2 sec to turn it on and off. The pace arrow does quit blinking when it is not accumulating mileage, but if you are concentrating on your ride and not the computer, you won't notice this for a while. It still shows your speed, so it is easy to ride along thinking it is working correctly when it isn't. Touching both buttons at the same time resets your time, distance and mileage to 0. Since both buttons are used for normal functions, you should have to hold them both in for 2 sec to reset. It is way too easy to reset when you do not want to. In stopwatch mode, you have to take your hands off the bars and find a tiny button on the back of the unit to see your distance, ave, and max speed for the stopwatch group. The pace arrow is tiny. The unit goes into "power saver" mode if you haven't ridden for 30 minutes. It is too stupid to wake up when you start riding, you have to press one of the little buttons on the back of the unit. That is 10 year old technology. The implementation and the interface are so poor that the unit is not useful to me. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 3 months Price Paid: $120.00 Purchased At: JensonUSA Similar Products Used: Various Cat Eye wireless and wired computers. Basic features, but well designed. Performance Bike Axiom wireless. Again, simple but well designed. Bike Setup: Trek Madone SL 5.2 My mtn bike is a Specialized Epic Comp
Submitted by
John Deeley
a Racer
from South Wales, UK Date Reviewed: May 4, 2005 Strengths: Integrated, with no sensor wires, has a gear indicator, which is great for my wife (who's bike it's on) as it can be hard to remember just which of the 9 cogs on the back you are in - you know what it's like when you're climbing, and you think you have 1 gear left, you push the lever and it's already on the stop - Argh - you just want to climb off don't you ? Well at least you know all the time exactly what you have left. Weaknesses: It is quite complex to learn! Won't work when the Bike is on the Turbo. This unit suffered some shifter flakyness last winter after a wet ride on our beloved salty roads, however, after flipping open the lever sensor interfaces and giving then a litle TLC with some Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) and drying with a hair drier, it now behaves properly. I just resent spending 60quid ( a whole hundred bucks) and having to do this on a unit only just out of the warranty. I kinda expect it on my 6 year old Sigma's that cost a third of the price, but this should be better. However, NEW problem, it now thinks its occasionally not fitted, so it looses all "real time" indications. I have cleaned the contact pads and wait to see if that's done the trick. Also, it only fails during races, usually 300m after the start, and then starts working again when the problem is being described by the rider (Wife) to the Mechanic (Me)I'd like to hear from anyone else who's had the same problems and fixed them ! Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: anything hot and fast Duration Product Used: 2 Years Price Paid: $100.00 Purchased At: Rocky Mountain Cycles Similar Products Used: Catey Astrale with Cadance, Sigma BC800, BC900, BC1100 (all with cadance) Cateye Mity 8 Bike Setup: Giant OCR 2 with 9spd Tiagra Group, The only mod from purchased spec is the wireless Flightdeck (6501) and ttt bioarm Tribars 
Submitted by
Ray
a Racer
from Ohio Date Reviewed: August 30, 2004 Strengths: OK, there are a lot of reviews here that talk negatively about this product. First, the latest product is the SC-6501, not the SC-6500. Second, the product comes without instructions in the primary pacage. Instructions are in the wiring harness package which is required. I noticed that the instructions were for the discontinued SC-6500, but the latest instructions are on the Shimano Website www.shimano.com. Please beware that many of these reviews are for the older product, and improvements have been made. Here is a list of positives: - This product is easy to install for a person that services his/her own bicycle. Approximately one hour of installation time. Programming takes about 45 minutes. Most of this time is in checking cluster tooth count and wheel size. Incidently, the 6501 does have more standard wheel/tire sizes. - Computer has four (4) memories for different bikes. - The unit allows for a initial setting of the odometer. No longer do you loose your total miles. I changed computers just a week after purchasing a new bike. I just added the total miles from the old unit to the 6501. - The gear selector works perfectly and is a great tool. - the stopwatch function includes a seperate memory for Top Speed, Average Speed and Trip Distance. - Speed is always displayed in large numbers unless cadence is selected. - The unit is auto start. I believe averages and maximum speed are still tracked in sleep mode. I will have to test this feature. - Buttons in brake handles are very positive and are not easily hit by accident. - Display is large and clear and can be viewed at all reasonable angles. - Lap counter - Pace arrows indicate if you are above or below average speed. This only works in Trip Distance Mode "TIM". Weaknesses: - No accumulated miles for all bikes in memory - Bracket not designed for larger diameter Headsets - Magnet for spokes is old fashion and heavy. Not designed for flat spokes or other wheel designs. - The unit is really only designed for Shimano equipment. This is not a negative, but buyers should be aware of this fact. - No option to use rear wheel for pick-up. Maybe if you use the wireless version. - Wireless version may not work with HID headlights or LED headlights. Possible radio interference. This is true with many wireless computers. - No backlight! Sigma makes a nice external light as an option. - Only has a 24 hour clock, no 12 hour option. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Ohio Metro Parks Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $90.00 Similar Products Used: Cateye and Avenir Bike Setup: Fuji Team Super Light (Road) 2.4lb. X-Fusion aluminum road frame with competition proven geometry. Feather Carbon Road fork, 380g. American Classic Sprint 350 wheelset. FSA Carbon Pro Elite crankset with 34/50 compact drive chainrings. Shimano Ultegra/Ritchey components. Giant NRS (Mountain) fork Mantiou Skareb Elite, 80mm travel derailleur Front: Shimano Deore LX, Rear: Shimano Deore XT derailleurshifters Shimano Deore 9-speed cranks RaceFace Ride XC ISIS Splined, 22/32/44T pedals Shimano PD-MD505 Clipless handlebar Easton EA50 low riser stem Easton EA50 headset integrated, 1 1/8" levers Avid Fr-1 brakes Avid CPS disc saddle WTB Rocket V seatpost Easton EA50, 27.2 rims Mavic XM117 Disc, 32H hubs Alloy Disc, 32H, QR, cassette tires Hutchinson Python AirLight, 26x2.0 rearshock Fox Float AVA Air, 3.75" rear travel cassette SRAM PG950 11-34T, 9-speed spokes Stainless Steel 14/15 G butted
Submitted by
Dave
a Weekend Warrior
from Glen Rock, NJ USA Date Reviewed: March 15, 2004 Strengths: The Flight Deck is a brilliant idea with a sometimes not-too-brilliant execution. The strength of this unit lies in its visual gear display and the virtual cadence. I use it on a tandem so I can tell which gear I am in; and the cadence function is quite helpful when you have a stoker on the back who may be used to a slightly different cadence pace. There are better(more logical and intuitive) computers out there if you just need the basic speed and time functions. Weaknesses: If you don't really need the gear display and cadence features, look elsewhere. The menu is exasperating to use and the contents of each menu don't necessarily relate to one another. The auto-start feature is a misnomer. When first starting on your ride, you have to push a wobbly rubber button on the back of the unit to wake it up. Once you do that, the unit then becomes auto start/stop as long as you don't stop for more than 30 minutes, in which case you have to "wake it up" again. Try that with cool weather gloves on! I have the older unit(6500) on another bike and the wake-up works perfectly whenever you rotate the wheel or move a lever. Other problems: The mounting bracket is fragile when cold(don't try to mount it unless the temperature is above 65 F.-it may break). The mounting bracket cannot be centered above the stem unless you have a very thin ahead stem or an older one-piece stem. The advertising claims it can be set for 4 different bikes, but the manual does not include instructions. In fact, the manual I got with my 6501 was for the discontinued 6500. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Road cyclist Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $70.00 Purchased At: Colorado Cyclist Similar Products Used: Sigma Sport BC800 and 400. Very easy to set up and operate. I used two wireless versions on a tandem and it worked fine in the front and rear. Bike Setup: Co-Motion Supremo with Dura-Ace.
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Addison, IL Date Reviewed: December 3, 2003 Strengths: View gear selection Virtual cadence w/o extra wires or transmitters Control display w/o taking hands off the handlebars Weaknesses: No Avg or Max Cadence feature (however it may not be accurate due to it being virtual cadence) Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Any long smooth road, any bumpy trail Duration Product Used: 1 Year Price Paid: $95.00 Purchased At: Summit City in Fort Wayne, IN Similar Products Used: Various Cateye's Bike Setup: Specialized Allez Sport 27
Submitted by
Bonjing
a Weekend Warrior
from Philippines Date Reviewed: November 17, 2003 Strengths: Easy to install. convenient buttons and information retrieval. Weaknesses: Price Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 3 months Price Paid: $80.00 Bike Setup: Giant hardtail, full shimano group, avid ballbearing disc brakes.
Submitted by
ryan
a Weekend Warrior
from baltimore Date Reviewed: October 24, 2003 Strengths: gear indicator integrated clean look virtual cadence Weaknesses: price tempermental and sometimes defective button sensors no rear mount sensor option (trainers) Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: More than 3 years Purchased At: work Similar Products Used: cateye everything Bike Setup: too many road and MTB
Submitted by
Braveheart
a Racer
from UK Date Reviewed: August 28, 2003 Strengths: Fully integrated computer that tells you what gear ratios you're using and works out your cadence without a cadence sensor. Weaknesses: Maybe a little expensive for the cordless option, but I'm nit picking really. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 2 Years Similar Products Used: Various Cateye computers. Bike Setup: Two road bikes, a tandem, and an MTB, all fitted with flight decks.
Submitted by
RandyP
a Weekend Warrior
from Irvine CA Date Reviewed: December 29, 2002 Strengths: "Virtual" cadence, gear indicator, large primary display, integrates with shifters, clean installation. Weaknesses: Small secondary display; Pace Arrow, data labels way too small to see when riding; digital clock is 24 hour format only; when setting up, wheel circumferences can only be entered in multiples of 5 mm; documentation could be better. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: San Juan Trail Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $120.00 Purchased At: Supergo Similar Products Used: Performance Axiom, Cateye, Sigma Bike Setup: Cannondale R2000 road
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