Test: The relatively young German manufacturer O-Synce has already managed to make a name for itself among the cycling community in its short existence. The bike computers from the Baden manufacturer often surprise with new, bold ideas and approaches - including the Urbanhigh Free, which we have examined in detail.
Features
In addition to the simple, small bike computer, the scope of delivery also includes a handlebar mount that looks quite large, a speed sensor, fastening material and a handlebar remote control, which we will talk about a bit later. With the sensors contained in the small box, only the speed can be measured - the bike computer itself also offers an altitude measurement thanks to the integrated barometer. The remaining functions are more or less standard: stopwatch function, distance measurement and the option of being able to specify two wheel sizes are now de rigueur in this price range. In addition to a chest strap for heart rate measurement, a data cable is optionally available, through which the training data can be evaluated on the PC with the free training lab software.
Installation
As soon as we mount it, we see the great feature of the O-Synce computer: the controls are not on the computer itself, as is the case with the competition, but on a separate remote control. This is attached to the handlebar mount with a cable. Of course, this means that the assembly effort is a bit higher and narrow handlebars could be a bit tight. Installation wasn't a problem for us. The setup itself was extremely intuitive, although the instructions could be a bit more detailed. On the other hand, the possibility of setting up the O-Synce Urbanhigh Free on the PC is nice – provided the optional data cable is available. The pairing with the sensor took place in record time and the connection was stable from the first moment.
Practice
At first we were quite skeptical about the operating concept that O-Synce called "simple2control". But our skepticism turned out to be completely unfounded after just a few seconds of operation: Not only is handling with the remote control child's play and self-explanatory, it is also ergonomically a real aha experience. The remote control is small enough to fit right next to the grip area on the handlebars, for example. In this way, the computer can be operated without having to change your grip – great!
We also really liked the layout on the average-sized display. The three displayed values are clearly separated from each other and can be recognized at first glance. However, we had problems with the relatively poor readability of the display in direct sunlight. One or the other competitor can do that a little better. The quality of the connection is good, although we had to complain about one or the other interference in the immediate vicinity of a radio mast. A real highlight is the very good, free software Traininglab, which can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website. This allows the data recorded by the computer to be excellently displayed, evaluated and archived. Ideal for training according to a plan.
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