iBike II & Garmin GCS-10 Combo sensor

[jayt]

I have an iBIke II (actually an iAero) running V1.31 of the software. I just bought a wireless mount and have Garmin Combo speed/cadence sensors. I can get the iBIke to recognize the speed/cadence sensor. The Garmin HR belt comes on right away. I have seen where this is supposed to work, but I can not make it happen. ANy specific instructions to get the combo sensor to be recognized. When I look at the profile in the iBIke 4 software there is a green light by cadence, speed and HR, the the indicator for the combo is not green and I can find no way to make it green. Must I be on the iBike III generation to get this combination to work?

[lorduintah]

You need the Garmin upgrade to you iBike for the sensors to be read. If you do not have that, you will need to send the serial number to Velocomp and pay for the key to unlock this feature.

Tom

[jayt]

Tom, do you represent Velocomp (aka iBikesports)? Is this the official answer that you must buy a software upgrade to use a Gramin Ant+ sensor? There seems to be much confusion here because I have found other places where John Hamann stated (or seemed to state) that any iBike with a wireless mount should work with any Ant+ speed/cad sensor. My understanding is the Garmin upgrade enables you to send data FROM the iBike TO the Garmin. Can someone please confirm all of this?

Jay

[lorduintah]

From the iBike Store describing the GT Firmware:

The new iBike GT firmware upgrade allows your iSport wireless, iPro wireless or iAero to receive signals from any wireless ANT+TM speed, cadence, and heart rate sensors (like those found on the new Trek Madone 6 series bicycles and to transmit it to your iBike or transmit all of the data, including iBike® power data, from your wireless iBike to any device that use ANT+® wireless technology (including the Garmin® 310XT, Garmin 500, and the Garmin 705). So you can share one set of speed, cadence, and heart rate sensors between your iBike and your ANT+® wireless technology-equipped Trek or Garmin® .

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I won't disagree with you - and I do not represent or work for Velocomp. But in the above statement, I do see the the word "receive." (Bold added for emphasis)

Note: I have had the Garmin option since it was first made available and used the iBike-wireless with the GSC-10 and either a 305 or 705 Garmin Edge.

The HR sensor is essentially the same as that of Garmin, however and would be picked up in any case, I believe.

Tom

[Velocomp]

Here's the history.

When we first started out with ANT+ wireless in 2007 there was no demand for Garmin-compatible sensors. In fact, there were no ANT+ power sensors, except the (new) CinQo.

Even though Garmin owns the ANT+ technology, they elected to make their combined speed/cadence sensors incompatible with other ANT+ sensors (the sensors that we and everyone else bought).

So, when there were requests for "Garmin compatibility" we had to invest a lot of money to change our firmware to receive combined ANT+ sensor signals and transmit our power signals to other ANT+ computers (the 705 was the first).

iBike has always been about performance and value. Our thought was: "Why make people who don't own Garmin sensors or Garmin 705 computers pay for the cost of our firmware development?"

So, we created the GT key, focused on those who want Garmin compatibility.

The GT key does two things:

1) It enables the reception of signals from ANT+ combined speed/cadence sensors. This now extends to many manufacturers, including Trek (the "T" in GT)

2) It enables the transmission of iBike power signals to ANT+ bike computers (originally Garmin, now others too)

If 1) or 2) are important to you then there is a cost--the cost that helps us recover the investment to create these features.

If 1) or 2) are irrelevant to you, then you don't pay the cost.

It's that simple.

[jayt]

John,

Thanks for making it really clear what is needed here and what the GT key does. One last question, if I buy the GT key now and then later upgrade (say iBike II to iBike III) do I have to purchase the key again or is there a process to transfer it to the iBike upgrade?

Thanks,
Jay

[Velocomp]

It's a one-time purchase. If you upgrade units later on we will create a new key without charge.

[jayt]

Thanks for the prompt info. I totally understand the extra charge for a feature to cover the development cost and your upgrade policy is quite fair. I'll purchase a key ASAP and be on my way.

Thanks,
Jay