Assessment: Sigma Rox 11.1 Evo GPS Cycle Laptop Sensor Set

Sigma’s Rox 11.1 is a flexible and complete coaching device that is pretty simple to make use of and has good battery life. It is comparatively cheap, too, although you may want to put out (probably rather a lot) extra money to entry its full potential. GPS capabilities are primary however work superb and might be enhanced if in case you have a Komoot subscription. You additionally want a few apps to go together with it, which do not appear to speak to one another.

Like most bike expertise nowadays, the Rox 11.1 is absolutely simply the sharp finish of an built-in package deal of components that mix to offer a spread of capabilities and capabilities. On this case, there are the varied sensors, apps and third-party service compatibility that every one come collectively to make for a fairly versatile coaching and navigation device.

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The top unit itself is a pleasingly bevel-edged piece of compact dimensions. It is a lot much less intrusive than mounting a smartphone, or a bigger GPS unit, in your bike.

There are 4 chunky buttons on the aspect and a fifth, corner-mounted button that turns the unit on and off (and accesses the menu). This was a bit awkward to make use of off the bike, because the diagonal forces wanted tended to make the gadget slip out of my fingers, however as soon as secured to the mount all of it turned a single-handed job. The primary buttons are massive and chunky sufficient to make use of with gloves on, and their capabilities are easy so I quickly realized to navigate my manner round.

The unit measures 66 x 46mm, however the show space is relatively small at solely 38 x 28mm. I am unable to see why Sigma did not make extra use of the accessible area. Display screen decision is 128 by 160 pixels, in response to Sigma, so it follows that the show itself is of solely restricted capability and full mapping will not be an choice. Additionally, the extra little packing containers you set as much as show on every display screen, the smaller and harder to learn every one turns into. I discovered three or 4 objects per display screen about probably the most that may very well be usefully displayed, past that it was additionally too distracting to attempt to absorb half a dozen stats on the similar time, and I desire a fast look to keep away from doing a Bernal.

On the plus aspect, the backlighting is superb and adjusts to the ambient situations so is at all times seen. Additionally, you’ll be able to change the colors of every little field on the show to assist separate out the totally different capabilities.

Within the field

Sigma despatched us the Rox 11.1 Evo unit in its ‘sensor set’ field, which additionally comprises the sturdy mount (Garmin suitable), two on-bike transmitters (pace and cadence), a coronary heart price transmitter with its strap, and a USB-C cable for charging and PC connection. You can even purchase the unit with the mount and coronary heart price sensor solely (£199.99), or simply the fundamental unit with a easy rubber-band-attached mount (£169.99). It relies upon what you have already got mendacity round at house.

The pace sensor lets you use the pc with the GPS turned off, for instance on the rollers.

The sensors are simple to suit, and pairing them with the pc by way of Bluetooth (in my case) or Ant+ was very simple and all of it labored reliably all through the take a look at.

N+1 or 20…

One of many key advantages this unit provides is the power to arrange the show screens uniquely for as much as 20 bikes, which ought to be sufficient for probably the most diehard n+1er. The pc comes with 5 of those ‘profiles’ already put in, however you are free to fiddle with these, which is most simply achieved utilizing the smartphone app.

So, for every ‘profile’ you’ll be able to determine what number of screens you need to have the ability to scroll by (as much as six), what data is displayed on every web page, what number of mini-windows you need on every display screen (as much as six), how they’re organized and what colors you need them.

That mounts as much as a good quantity of set-up tweaking; even after a month I used to be nonetheless fiddling about with the shows and what I needed on them, however it’s simply accomplished and you’ll’t actually break something. The primary factor is to recollect which bike you might be on right this moment and be sure to’ve chosen the proper profile earlier than you set off.

Worth views

The pc can show an enormous vary of various values; Sigma reckons there are over 150 capabilities. I’ve listed them within the take a look at report beneath, if you wish to know all of them. There are 18 methods of analysing gradient alone, to provide the measure of it.

Fairly a couple of of the capabilities are duplicated – for instance, you’ll be able to select between guide or computerized laps and select from 25 totally different statistics for every, in order that’s 50 capabilities straight off.

It follows that, with a most of six pages per profile and 6 home windows per web page, you’ll be able to solely show a most of 36 of the 150+ metrics accessible, however you do get extras flashing up – every time you full a lap, a display screen with 5 stats pops up briefly, for instance.

Coaching

From a coaching viewpoint, there’s loads on provide. You should utilize both the provided coronary heart price monitor or an influence meter (provide your individual). It is easy to personalise your coronary heart price max and zones utilizing the app. There are 21 methods of analysing your energy figures if you’re so geared up.

You may add as much as 36 ‘exercises’, that are FIT format recordsdata with directions for intervals and efforts constructed into them. Sigma has loaded eight on itself, so I used to be capable of take a look at these out on the rollers, utilizing the center price monitor. Nevertheless, if, like me, you do not have an influence meter, a few of these put in programmes are off-limits. Moreover, Sigma tells me that it now not provides the power to design and create your individual FIT recordsdata on its ‘Sigma Information Heart’ software program, so you may have to discover a third celebration supplier (Sigma recommended trainingpeaks.com), which is prone to imply a paid subscription.

The gadget is suitable with sensible trainers and I believe this can be the place it actually comes into its personal, since you may have all the facility knowledge you may want. The actually good factor is you’ll be able to have a look at your figures ‘on the go’ fairly than having to attend till after the session ends to analyse them.

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The Sigma Information Heart software program is the place you’ll be able to crunch all of your coaching statistics and design and obtain routes. It is to not be confused with the Sigma Journey app, which is what you put in in your smartphone that lets you play along with your show settings, although that is additionally concerned in your route file administration.

‘SIGMA tracks, akin to these created within the SIGMA DATA CENTER, might be synchronised within the SIGMA RIDE app by way of the SIGMA CLOUD,’ says Sigma’s web site. If that sounds complicated, it’s. You may’t merely design a route on Sigma Information Heart and switch it to the Journey app – you must join the Rox 11.1 to your PC and obtain it from there, then reload it into the Journey app as a way to choose the route out of your record.

Not solely that, however you’ll be able to’t switch routes straight out of your Strava app both. They should be downloaded onto your PC, uploaded to the Sigma Information Heart App, then downloaded once more onto the Rox 11.1 and again as much as the Journey app. This appears unnecessarily cumbersome and scores a black mark for the navigational performance in contrast, for instance, with the simplicity of utilizing Strava routes in your smartphone. Sharing your actions with different apps, together with Strava, may be very easy.

The Sigma Journey app’s mapping capabilities provide no specific benefit. Sigma makes up for the dearth of mapping on the Rox 11.1’s show by permitting you to make use of the app to show your place on Google maps. It appeared to me, if it is advisable get your cellphone out to see the place you might be, you would possibly as nicely go straight to Google maps and reduce out the center man.

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Sigma’s personal mapping, which is Google-derived anyway, did not appear to work as soon as zoomed in past a sure level. In any other case, the app works nicely, giving an intuitive manner of setting all the things up and a few engaging graphics for some gentle exercise evaluation.

As soon as I would designed a route on Sigma Information Heart (fairly simple, when you’ve used Strava’s personal providing) and acquired it transferred by way of the above rigmarole, I discovered it provided a primary breadcrumb path to observe. It does warn you to the very fact when you drift off route, however I by no means acquired the ‘turn-off directions’ Sigma’s web site assures me ought to come up on the show, attempt as I’d. An enquiry to Sigma revealed that that is solely accessible to Komoot customers, which it ought to make clearer. I’ve had a good bit of to-and-fro with Sigma’s assist centre, who’ve been reliably replying however it all takes time and suggests a number of the capabilities may very well be a bit extra opaque.

Crash alert

I often journey with the Strava app working on my cellphone, not least as a result of I just like the dwell monitoring facility, which lets my spouse see how far-off I’m and whether or not it is value ready for me to return again earlier than she places the kettle on. The Rox 11.1 Evo does not have this. It does provide a crash detection system which ought to ship a textual content alert to a pre-selected quantity within the occasion of a mishap.

I examined this by tossing the pc onto a grass verge as I rode alongside, then waited the requisite 30 seconds for it to ask me if I used to be okay, after which it is purported to summon assist. It did not work – maybe my simulated crash wasn’t violent sufficient – however it’s value noting the pc must be related to the cellphone app for this to work anyway, so in case your bike is within the ditch and your mangled physique is hanging from a tree 50 toes away, you are out of luck.

Battery life

Battery life was very spectacular. In fact, I by no means managed to flatten it utterly, as a result of each time I plugged it into my PC to add knowledge or obtain a route, the battery acquired a little bit of a top-up. I did go 9 hours with out charging it, although, and nonetheless had 50% exhibiting on the show, which inserts with Sigma’s personal declare of 18 hours in typical use.

GPS location was gradual compared to my iPhone, taking round 45 to 50 seconds to lock on, however the system was very secure and I had not a single glitch through the take a look at interval.

Worth

This ‘sensor set’ pack retails at £249.99, which is kind of a saving over shopping for the varied components individually – by itself the top unit is priced at £169.99, the sensors are £29.99 every, the center price strap £54.99, and the mount £17.99.

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In the event you desire on-screen mapping, Sigma’s personal Rox 12.0 does this, and is in most respects an 11.1 with this addition. Stu preferred this very a lot when he reviewed it, however it’s an additional £100 (together with the sensors).

Lezyne’s Mega XL GPS pc, which Dave examined, is someplace in between, with some very primary mapping and over 50 capabilities. It additionally has glorious battery life. Bundled it is just a little cheaper than the Sigma, at £230, £180 by itself.

Conclusion

There is not any doubting that the Rox 11.1 seems to be significantly better in your greatest bike than a slab of cell phone or one of many chunkier GPS items; it additionally preserves your smartphone’s battery life and, in regular use, runs for days between costs. I used to be additionally happier about exposing it to the weather and it is easy to make use of in-ride. There are plenty of capabilities, it is extremely adaptable and the coaching stats might be damaged down in a myriad of the way, at the same time as you journey. However to benefit from the pc’s coaching functionality, there is not any getting round the truth that it is advisable pair it with an influence sensor too, which you’ll or might not have already got.

The navigational perform is okay on the primary stage and provides much more when you pair it with Komoot. As a long-term Strava person I discovered it much less simple, and I would desire it if Sigma’s numerous bits of software program talked to one another.

Verdict

Massively versatile coaching pc with plenty of capabilities, however navigation is primary and the display screen, although color, is small