Electronics
Browse used cycling electronics for sale from riders across the UK. The category covers head units and GPS computers, chest and armband heart rate monitors, crank- and pedal-based power meters, smart watches and phone cases, nearly all of which talk to each other over ANT+ or Bluetooth. For riders assembling a training setup one piece at a time rather than all at once.
What electronics does a cyclist actually need?
A head unit first, because it records the ride and navigates; a heart rate strap second, as the cheapest way to add training data; and a power meter last, since it costs more than everything else here put together. A phone in an out-front case stands in for a computer if you accept the battery drain. Start with the computers and GPS listings and add sensors as you need them.
Bike computer or smart watch?
A watch keeps recording when you get off the bike and reads heart rate at the wrist without a strap. A bar-mounted computer gives a screen you can read at 30km/h, battery life measured in days rather than hours of GPS, and better mapping. Plenty of riders use both, the watch as a sensor and the computer as the display — compare what is listed under smart watches before deciding.
Will a heart rate strap work with any bike computer?
If it broadcasts ANT+, effectively yes, because that is an open standard every head unit will pair with. Bluetooth-only straps pair with phones and watches but not with every computer, and some units hold just one Bluetooth sensor at a time. Dual-broadcast straps sidestep the problem, which is why they are the safe used buy in heart rate monitors.
What should I check on used cycling electronics?
Battery health decides whether a used unit is worth owning, so ask for the runtime from a recent ride rather than the rated figure. Look inside the charge port for green corrosion and check the rubber flap still seals, since sweat and road spray finish off more head units than crashes do. On coin-cell devices, open the hatch and look for stripped screws and a perished O-ring, both signs water has been getting in. Ask the seller to unpair the device from their account and factory reset it before it ships.
How much should you pay for used cycling electronics?
Head units and watches shed roughly half their value in two years and then keep working for years more, which makes the generation-old model the best buy in this category. Power meters hold value far better and are worth near-new money only with evidence of a recent calibration check. Buy new where a battery is not user-replaceable and the unit is already several years old, because that is the fault you cannot fix.