[pricklypear]

After an unsuccessful attempt with a bike odometer last week (which I bought in Walmart without knowing for sure if it had the auto on/off, which it didn't, it turns out), I purchased one online and successfully set it up last night!

Since I had a bit of trouble setting it up since a lot of the tutorial forum posts were old and used the carolina storm bucket wheel that had the handle slots rather than the new ones, I wanted to share how I did it in case it helps!

I recommend searching the amazon reviews to see if the odometer you are considering has auto stop/start, I ended up buying this one: http://amzn.com/B001FCFK5C, the Bell Dashboard 100 for $12. It is not wireless (and that might be part of the reason it does have the auto start/stop, though the back of the package says touch-and-go which is confusing, since it starts when the sensor senses that the wheel is moving).

As far as setting the wheel value, I found 958 on this forum and just used that (when I calculated it for the last one I'm pretty sure the number I came up with was the same or very close), and I'm using the clear blue Carolina Storm Wheel.

Beware that resetting the odometer on this specific bike pedometer (Bell Dashboard 100) will reset the wheel value so that you have to put it in again (pain, and it resets the time). Resetting the trip distance is what you'll actually want to do, which the instructions falsely say is done by holding down the left and right buttons for 3 seconds, you should actually just hold down the left one for 3 seconds while you are on the trip meter/ distance (DST) setting [thank you to the amazon reviewer that mentioned that flaw in the directions].

I've only had it installed one night, and Percival logged an hour and 46 minutes, average speed of .9 MPH, max speed of 4.9 MPH, and 1.62 miles. I've read that it's possible when they rock back and forth to stop it may falsely record as a revolution, but I'm still really impressed! It'll be really fun to keep track of his distances and compare just for my own curiosity!

I added some images, but to sum it up, I attached the sensor with zip ties (I put them in the wrong way so that I could readjust and then re-insert them the permanent way once I figured it out), then wrapped the wire around the pvc pipe and attached the computer mount. To test the magnet I made some packaging tape into a double sided tape loop and affixed it as I played around with the positioning. The sensor had to be twisted at an angle towards the sensor rather than parallel to be close enough to register (the pic might help explain this). It took a few tries to figure it out, and on this model the wheels on the little bike graphic in the upper left corner will spin so you know it's working. Once I knew the positioning was good I glued the magnet on with Aleene's turbo tacky glue (I didn't have any gorilla glue or krazy glue handy) and propped up the wheel so it was sideways while the glue dried. Then I took a piece of packing tape and taped over/around the magnet to decrease the chance that Percival will figure out how to get it off. If it does come off I'll go buy a stronger glue.

I hope that all helps! Best of luck with setting up your own!

 

[GoodandPlenty]

Your system looks just fine. I would measure for circumference again as insurance. That number is critical and you want it to be exact. Except for elapsed time, all data - forever - relies on this number. I believe that 958 is about what I used for Sophie's CSW from Larry (taking an average from several measurements of the INSIDE of the wheel at about the center of the running lane. The CSW isn't quite straight-sided (minor taper), so you do want aim for the best possible average reading. (I'd have to check out my notes to be exact on that. Sophie's been on her new 18" wheel since last December.)

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". . . and I'm using the clear blue Carolina Storm Wheel.

I could be wrong, but is this the ~10/12" diameter wheel? If so, I would be wondering if the measurement is too large? Larry will know. (I actually have one, but it is stored away at the moment.) I've always felt he ought have the 'official' inside circumferences for each of his wheel offerings prominently posted as basic essential information. Measuring and remeasuring and making sure that you've got it exactly right is a huge hassle (at least it was for me because I wanted it to be perfect).

No one buying a treadwheel should ever have to do their own measuring for circumference. Anyone adding a computer should have that information at hand from the manufacturer's documentation.

(I don't know of any builders that actually do this and have always thought it ridiculous. Why should every single wheel owner that adds a computer have to work this out. It's silly.)

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". . . I've read that it's possible when they rock back and forth to stop it may falsely record as a revolution, . . ."

This is true but can be almost entirely eliminated by placing the magnet low on the frame post and placing the sensor high on the frame post. Even if you have an awesomely efficient wheel (which Larry's are), they will not rock back and forth so far that false laps are recorded. Every wheel tends to have a 'natural bottom' because no wheel is absolutely true. Identify the bottom and locate the magnet there. Then place the sensor high on the post.

People that aren't aware of this can get very bad data. A highly efficient wheel may swing back and forth past the sensor ten or twenty times every time the animal jumps off the wheel. Over the course of the night the data is going to be waaay off.

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When I built Sophie's new wheel, I made a slight change and added a coroplast flange to the back of the skate wheel (at its natural bottom). I made a tiny groove to slide the magnet into and it simply friction fits in place. The coroplast flange attaches with an extra set of washers and nuts. (I did use slightly longer machine screws than otherwise required to accommodate this design.)

I just use rubber bands to secure the sensor and wire.

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I am currently using a Sigma BC 8.12 wired computer for Sophie.

NOTE: Some computers do not reliably compute data at the very low speed that hedgehogs turn their wheels. It's not a bad practice to double the wheel size number and then halve the data (except for elapsed time) for recording to your spreadsheets.

NOTE: Keeping spreadsheet data for total time, average speed, and maximum speed can be very useful medical information. Sophie's vet don't generally need it, but love that it available.

For example, as a young animal, her average speed was about 1.9 mph. As a near three year old animal, her average speed is about 1.3 mph. (Comparatively slightly less probably because her new wheel is more efficient than her CSW was.)

For example, I never really cared about her maximum speed. I just kept the data logged because I had it. It was 4.25 mph hour night after night after night. Once in a while she would sprint to just over 6.0 mph. However, when she was just over two years old, her maximum speed to a big tumble - almost 50% - and it has never recovered. She was perfectly fine. Her average speed seemed to be unaffected, but it may be a 'stage of life' phenomenon. I don't know anyone else with the extent of data that I have so it is hard to know.

For example, her average time on the wheel as a baby and a growing girl was over three hours per night - every single night. Over time, her average time has dropped her and there, bit by bit to down to around 40 minutes. Again, it may be a 'stage of life' phenomenon. I don't know anyone else with the extent of data that I have so it is hard to know. This data has been extremely useful at helping to make diet changes.

NOTE: Sophie has had a couple of health issues which may mean that some of her data and trends are skewed from average in some respects. My best guess is that in the 'big picture' - mostly no. But for some specific deviations, probably yes, at least to some unknown degree.

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NOTE: Comparing average speed of animals can be extremely unreliable. A hedgehog with a highly efficient wheel; and a hedgehog with a lesser wheel; can exert the same amount of energy for the same amount of time - and the hedgehog on the better wheel will seem to be a faster animal.

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It is not wireless (and that might be part of the reason it does have the auto start/stop, though the back of the package says touch-and-go which is confusing, since it starts when the sensor senses that the wheel is moving).

NOTE: Definitely do your research if buying a wireless computer. Many of them are unreliable (or worse) for what we want. (Great for cyclists bad for hedgehog owners.)

I don't doubt that there are wireless computers that will work just fine for people, but I've not seen one that I loved. This is an item that I don't order. I pay extra for the expertise that the bike shop pros give me. For example, in most cases the range of wireless computers is literally inches. This is no good at all for me at all because I run the wire of Sophie's computer through the wall of her room and on through the wall into the living room. This lets me remotely monitor when she is on the wheel and see how she is doing each night, but with out her ever knowing that I am spying. Ha!

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Images:

http://serenebreezes.com/treadwheel/computer-flange/IMG_7086.jpg

Note the use of additional hex nuts and washers to tweak the exact positioning / spacing between sensor and magnet.
http://serenebreezes.com/treadwheel/computer-flange/IMG_7086-cr.jpg

http://serenebreezes.com/treadwheel/computer-flange/IMG_7101.jpg

http://serenebreezes.com/treadwheel/computer-flange/IMG_7103.jpg

http://serenebreezes.com/treadwheel/computer-flange/IMG_7103-cr.jpg

Note the use of additional hex nuts and washers to tweak the exact positioning / spacing between sensor and magnet.
http://serenebreezes.com/treadwheel/computer-flange/IMG_7148.jpg

http://serenebreezes.com/treadwheel/computer-flange/IMG_7447.jpg

http://serenebreezes.com/treadwheel/computer-flange/IMG_7447-cr.jpg

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Videos:

I've got tons of videos which nobody cares about but me, so I'll spare everyone on this one. Ha!

.

 

[LarryT]

Good and Plenty/Erizo we DO NOT sell bike pedometers with our wheels, so sorry that our site does not have a walk through about installing one. If a person wants to buy one and install it it's fairly simple to do, read the pedometer instructions and go from there.

 

[HedgehogsAnonymous]

I cannot for the life of me get the Bell Dashboard 100 to work, it's attached, everything seems to be in proper order but when I spin the wheel to make sure the sensor is working nothing happens. Any advice? I keep readjusting the sensor. Thanks!

 

[PurplePansy]

I have the same Bell Dashboard 100 and the CSW, but the magnet and sensor are too close together and smash into each other. I'm not sure why you don't have the same problem in your pics above. I'll have to get some kind of spacer to extend the wheel out further.