Last updated on July 1, 2026
Broken Clip on Cateye Strada Wireless Bike Computer BracketBack when I got my bike I also ordered a Cateye Strada Wireless bike computer. It’s simple, but did just what I wanted: time, speed, average speed, multiple odometers, multiple stored wheel sizes, and a couple other little things. It also did all of this wirelessly. Nicely, the computer latches into a quick release mechanism, allowing the computer itself to be removed easily.
I would generally leave this mounted on my bike, taking it off only for washing, adjustments, transporting the bike on the car, and locking it up. I would imagine that the computer has been latched and unlatched, at most, 75 times since I got the bike. As you can tell from the wear marks above, it hasn’t been inserted and removed very much.
Today when I went to put it on my bike I noticed that it didn’t snap into place this time, and didn’t stay put particularly well. Looking at the mount (above), I noticed that the small retention clip is broken. This is really disappointing, as I rather like this computer. It doesn’t sit particularly snugly without the clip, so I’m going to have to either modify the clip, or acquire a new one. I could probably put a bit of epoxy in the groove the computer fits into. That may very well make it a tight enough friction fit that it won’t come loose.
I do wonder if this is a consistent problem, as the Cateye Small Parts Store is out of that part. Maybe I’ll just try contacting Cateye to see if they’ll just send a free one. After all, this is practically brand new.
They’ll probably send a replacement free, especially since it’s just a hunk of plastic. I have heard of Cateye sending freebies before. Planet Bike is excellent at that; they’ll replace entire lights if they break.
It’s worth sending them a note and a link to the picture.
I’m hoping they will. I actually sent a friendly note with the photo not long after this post, ending with “Would you please let me know what needs to be done to replace this bracket?”. Hopefully they’ll just send one.
I actually ended up getting a Planet Bike blinky rear light / headlight combo (a Super Flash and Blaze combo pack), so it’s nice to hear that they are good about it all as well. Those lights are quite nice, except I had to use some Scotch-Brite and steel wool to remove the logo from the Blaze light. I don’t really care for logos on things, and the headlight had what is essentially a logo staring up at me all the time. The steel wool allowed the finish of the housing to be blended back to a sheen similar to the original molded surface.
For what it’s worth, the debadged headight can be seen here. Also, seeing the new Superflash Stealth makes me want one, just so it’ll look more fitting. Then again, I only clip it in when it starts getting dark out, so I guess it doesn’t matter…
Could be worse. For a few years Cateye was making their headlight optics so that the pattern it send the light out in made a Cateye logo like the bat-signal. Hard to get rid of that.
Ergh. That’d be bad. I thought I’d read something about that, but I didn’t realize it was so intentional. Glad I don’t have one of those…
If you needed to retrofit a better catch, you could use a small nut/bolt, a spring and a ball bearing to fit into the cavity left by the catch to retain the device in place.
I had a similar problem with my pepper grinder and car stereo dial. A critical part is made from forged while metal powder fittings, so it isn’t robust enough for the job. And I don’t see why hundreds of pounds for a stereo or ten pounds for a pepper grinder should be lost for such a pathetic piece of engineering.
So I used a drill, some stainless steel rod and a bolt and and managed to keep the pepper grinder handle together for another ten years until the housing holding the grinding elements together then broke apart. More cheap tat. I’d have paid good money for a hardened surgical steel one..
The problem is, the bottom of it is hollow. There’s nothing more than a self-adhesive rubber decal over it, so it’d take a bit more work than that.
I’m more just hoping that the company sends me a new bracket. They sell the piece for $2.50, so hopefully they’ll just send me one.