Tailwind Coaching Blog

A few posts on various forums have popped up recently about the poor design of the Garmin GSC-10 speed/cadence sensor.  One of the issues that people have been having is the method of attachment for the sensor itself, and some have had problems with sensors falling into the spokes and being destroyed.  There must be some way to prevent this, right?

Garmin's method of attachment is a pair of simple zip ties.  The sensor is (supposedly) prevented from rotating around by a small rubberized strip on the bottom of the sensor itself.  While this typically works just fine, if the zip ties are not snugged down as tight as they can get or if you have chainstays that are oddly shaped, there may not be enough friction to keep it from rattling loose (especially on rough or unpaved roads.)  While some people have rectified the problem by drilling small pilot holes in the chainstays and the bottom of the sensor case and screwing the sensor to the chainstay.  For those of you who aren't in the business of taking a drill to your multi-thousand dollar frame there's a simple solution that costs nothing more than a few scraps of old bartape.

By simply strapping a couple scraps of bartape to the chainstay under the zip ties, the zip ties can be tightened up enough to keep the sensor from moving around.  Not only does the bar tape prevent the ties from slipping, they also compress and provide extra pressure on the zip ties, ensuring they stay tight.  This will allow the sensor to be positioned more precisely, prevent the speed sensor arm from being ripped off by the spokes and prevent the entire unit from rattling loose and falling into the spinning spokes.

Who ever though something so simple could be so effective (and get scraps out of the garage.)