What Info are you looking for on a display???

[Ken M]

I have been without a watch for a while and usually pull out my cell phone to tell the time. But, that is awkward while riding. It would be nice to have the time on my display as I am trying to get to a bus stop before the bus leaves. Others may want it for the same reason on their way to work. After battery level, assist level, and perhaps speed, time would be my most useful item.

When I turn my ebike off I would like to know there is no power drain continuing unless I have an alarm that I want connected to the main battery. I know clocks are very low power draw but maybe enough to add extra wear on the battery over time. I know it's not much but off should be off to me which would mean I'd have to set the time each time I power on the ebike.

I road a lot of motorcycles over time and never had a clock on one.

 

[AHicks]

I have been without a watch for a while and usually pull out my cell phone to tell the time. But, that is awkward while riding. It would be nice to have the time on my display as I am trying to get to a bus stop before the bus leaves. Others may want it for the same reason on their way to work. After battery level, assist level, and perhaps speed, time would be my most useful item.

I don't know how weatherproof they are, but they have small, very inexpensive, "stick on" clocks available if you haven't considered something like that already.

 

[tomjasz]

I have been without a watch for a while and usually pull out my cell phone to tell the time.

 

[vincent]

i dont want my very expensive iphone sitting on the handebars, no do i want to get it out to check time, miles ridden, check motor Temp, battery life left etc
want a relatively cheap display that i look down at quickly and see this stuff

 

[johnriggins410]

i dont want my very expensive iphone sitting on the handebars, no do i want to get it out to check time, miles ridden, check motor Temp, battery life left etc
want a relatively cheap display that i look down at quickly and see this stuff

ken's gonna have a field day with you!

 

[vincent]

Lol I don’t care what Ken thinks

 

[Tars Tarkas]

I figure to each his or her own. If someone doesn't want a clock on the handlebars because they never had a clock on their motorcycles, that's absolutely fine with me. I would like a clock though. Given that, I agree that it makes more sense to me to have some sort of clock on the handlebars rather than an $800 phone. And personally, I have a hard time seeing my watch, having to use one hand to move my long sleeve out of the way while holding up the other one to see the watch (i.e., ride with no hands).

The point about the clock drawing down the battery is a good one though. Clocks will run for months, if not years on a battery, so I don't think they'd draw down an ebike battery in a million years, but many ebike force, or allow, you to charge the battery with it removed from the bike. Of course removing the battery will instantly kill the clock, unless it has its own, dedicated auxiliary battery, which doesn't seem like much of a problem.

It seems to me a $30 +/- bike computer might be the answer to the clock issue. That's not likely to help with a lot of the other bike and battery specific things people are looking for though on a handlebar display.

TT

 

[GregGritton]

When I turn my ebike off I would like to know there is no power drain continuing unless I have an alarm that I want connected to the main battery. I know clocks are very low power draw but maybe enough to add extra wear on the battery over time. I know it's not much but off should be off to me which would mean I'd have to set the time each time I power on the ebike.

The display I have, a Bosch Purion display without a clock, receives enough power so that it can start up the battery and controller when I press the power button. Thus, it must receive a small amount of power to power up the embedded chip. I don't think adding a clock would make any difference at all. I imagine that is true of most displays.

 

[FlatSix911]

The Shimano Steps display has a clock that is always visible...

 

[Cyklefanatic]

When I turn my ebike off I would like to know there is no power drain continuing unless I have an alarm that I want connected to the main battery. I know clocks are very low power draw but maybe enough to add extra wear on the battery over time. I know it's not much but off should be off to me which would mean I'd have to set the time each time I power on the ebike.

I road a lot of motorcycles over time and never had a clock on one.

I stopped wearing a watch years ago and it does seem time information is available from everything. To show time on an ebike is such a low load that the battery probably doesn’t notice. The motor controller probably keeps a clock going at all time anyway so it’s just energy to turn on the display.

 

[tomjasz]

I imagine that is true of most displays.

The clocks in many kit displays used a self contained battery. When the battery goes the clock was dead. Changing the battery was nearly impossible. 750C displays needed to be set so that the display stayed on longer to charge the internal battery and not lose time settings. NUTS!

 

[MarkF]

Count me in as one who would like a clock. I don't wear a watch anymore and pulling my phone out is a hassle as already mentioned. Plus 1 on the clock

 

[Cyklefanatic]

The Shimano Steps display has a clock that is always visible...

View attachment 40954

So does the Specialized Vado.