Be honest... are color LCD displays just a bad idea for riding in sunlight?

[Thumbszilla]

They look REALLY cool... but are the old style displays just more usable in daylight?

 

[Code54]

Seems to depend of the display and the angle to the sun. I cant say I noticed any issues but I just glance at mine now and then so I have not noticed an issue with it. If you prefer to look at it all the time then maybe it would be more noticeable too some.

 

[Cstefan]

They look REALLY cool... but are the old style displays just more usable in daylight?

Yes monochrome LCD screens tend to be much more readable in full sunlight. There are color displays that will work well in daylight but they tend to be very expensive and therefore something you aren’t likely to see on an ebike.

 

[tomjasz]

I ride with very little interaction with the display. Preferring the older monochrome versions. I save color screens for the TV.

 

[tomjasz]

Yes monochrome LCD screens tend to be much more readable in full sunlight. There are color displays that will work well in daylight but they tend to be very expensive and therefore something you aren’t likely to see on an ebike.

most will NOT be usable with sunglasses.

 

[harryS]

I'm just too cheap to spend $30 more on a color LCD screen on a DIY build. Never thought about not being able to see them.

 

[AHicks]

I've used a few now, and would agree if there's a color display it's going to wash out to a degree in direct sunlight. The ones that come with the Bafang mid drives seem to be the least affected. I'd rate them an 8 or 9 of 10. Others are nearly useless.... washing out just about completely, to the point they're difficult to read anything at a glance.

The aftermarket color KT-LCD8H that come from KT aren't too bad (they work only with KT controllers), but I agree with Harry above. Given the option of an LCD-3 display and their color LCD8H, after trying the LCD8H, I'm using LCD-3's. Not seeing the value of the extra money spent for color here at all. -Al