Bicycle computers with nonvolatile memory

Question

The one thing that keeps me from pulling the trigger on some bike computer is the lack of information about the odometer, the lifetime mileage on the bicycle. When you change the battery in your car, your electronic dash odometer doesn’t go to zero. It would be stupid. When my Samsung Note 4 battery dies right in the middle of something, I remove and replace with my hot spare and it remembers right where it left off. I’ve been told not all bike computers are nonvolatile like this.

Which cycle computers are able to remember information when the battery is changed? Or better yet, is there someplace in the spec sheet or other way to find out if it has non-volatile memory without buying it?

battery bike computer

Which cycle computers are able to remember information when the battery is changed? Or better yet, is there someplace in the spec sheet or other way to find out if it has non-volatile memory without buying it?

ojs · Answer

Several Sigma bike computers with model numbers that start with BC16 have persistent memory for wheel size and odometer.

I have been personally using these because they are effortless way of keeping track of totals and do not lose count when battery runs out, very accurate when calibrated and work where GPS does not.

Criggie · Answer

I always log my rides on Strava.  By spending a couple minutes to set up any bike I own, they show up in a dropdown list at the end of each ride.

Yes - I have one bike that is still in single digits.  "Company bike" refers to two owned by my workplace, and "Someone else's bike" is a placeholder for if I ride another bike.  I don't record the second bike if I'm ghost riding two.

kuzavas · Answer

I am also searching for a computer with non-volatile memory.
According to Sigma the computers

BC 5.16
BC 7.16
BC 7.16 ATS
BC 9.16
BC 9.16 ATS
PURE 1 (according to the reply from Sigma customer service)

do not save your values after a battery change (however, you can manually set the odometer). And following Sigma computers retain data:

BC 14.16
BC 16.16
BC 14.16 STS
BC 16.16 STS
BC 23.16 STS

According to VDO M Zero loses memory after battery change.
But following VDO models have non-volatile memory:

M1.1 WR/WL
M2.1 WR/WL
M3.1 WR/WL
M4.1 WR/WL
M5
M6.1
M7 GPS

All settings must be re-entered for bike computers Prophete 0511, 0512, 0531 after the batteries have been inserted.

Bicycle computers with nonvolatile memory

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