CYCPLUS’s mini GPS bike computer

In the not so distant past, cheap cycling computers were limited to wired designs that required magnets and carefully placed sensors. With the advancements in GPS and affordability of computer chips that’s no longer true. Case in point, the $29.99 CYCPLUS G1 GPS cycling computer that is the topic of this review. Described as a “mini GPS cycling computer” the CYCPLUS G1 has square profile, IPX6 waterproof rating with a 2” FSTN screen. It is one of the most affordable GPS computers available on the market and developed for riders who want a simple and easy to use computer. However, the computer cannot be connected to any sensors and does not record or track rides (i.e. you cannot upload rides to Strava or other platforms). Instead the CYCPLUS G1 is a budget computer that provides real-time and average speed as well as distance and time displays. The computer also has an integrated 600 mAh battery that can be recharged with a micro USB cable and has upto 10 hours of runtime.

The CYCPLUS G1 is a small 2” GPS cycling computer with a budget friendly price and easy to read grid layout.

Rating	7.5/10
Retail Price	$29.99
Measured Weight (in g)	54 (G1 GPS) / 10 (mount)
Likes	+ Budget price + Three item grid layout is easy to read + Installs and setups in under a minute
Dislikes	– Bulky profile – Not able to connect to any sensors – Configuration menu can be confusing
Where to Buy (US)	Amazon

UNBOXING

The cycling computer comes in a simple cardboard box with high contrast black on white graphics. Specifications and a package list are printed directly on the back of the box. Inside the box you’ll find:

• CYCPLUS G1 GPS Computer
• Handlebar / stem mount + rubber pad
• 4x O-rings for mount
• Micro USB charging cable
• Instruction manual

MOUNTING

The CYCPLUS G1 utilizes a simple Garmin style quarter turn mount directly molded into the base of the computer. It’s a very common mount design that can be found on a variety of computers and bike lights. The design uses a simple two tab design that locks into place with a 45° twist and has nearly zero play or wobble. One of the biggest advantages of this design is that you aren’t limited to expensive proprietary mounts as you would be with other computers such as the Bontrager RIDEtime Elite. Included in the box is a simple yet effective o-ring style mount that can be placed on your handlebar or stem which uses two o-rings that crisscross for a strong hold but we’d recommend investing in an out-front style mount. The advantage of an out-front mount is that the computer is placed directly in front of the handlebar which leaves your handlebars clean and provides a better viewing angle.

FIT AND FINISH

Visually, the CYCPLUS G1 has a somewhat unusual square shape with a surprisingly bulky profile. The face of the computer has a glossy lens with the 2” FSTN screen centered inside it. Aside from the CYCPLUS logo below the screen, the computer has an all-black plastic body. There are two soft rubber buttons on the right side of the computer and a micro-USB charging port on the underside of the computer. You’ll also find the Garmin style mount molded into the center of the base of the computer. While the build quality and tactile feel of the buttons seems good, the FSTN screen is one of the main reasons the CYCPLUS is able to achieve such a low price point. It’s a segmented style screen which means all the text and graphics are pre-arranged on the screen. The screen hardware is similar to what you’ll find in other sub $100 computers and works well for the most part despite the limitations.

One of our main criticisms of the display is the backlight which isn’t uniformly distributed. There are four visible light sources at the bottom of the screen – something we noted on the CYCPLUS M1 GPS computer as well and gives the computer a cheap appearance. Speaking of the backlight, it seems to always be on regardless of the time of day or light conditions. There is no way to override that behavior or adjust the brightness like in more expensive GPS computers. Although the screen is glossy and tends to reflect trees and other things around you, the contrast and clarity is quite good. We didn’t have any issues with visibility during sunny or darker days as there is good spacing and sharp contrast between elements.

USER INTERFACE

Although the CYCPLUS G1 is half the price of its bigger brother, the CYCPLUS M1, the user interfaces are nearly identical. In fact, it seems like both computers appear to be using the same underlying software with the non-applicable features disabled for the CYCPLUS G1 computer. The interface consists of two physical buttons on the right side of the computer which do different actions depending on whether you do a short or long press.

• Power / Display Mode (Top Right Button) – A short press will cycle through the real-time / average / maximum data display when on a main page, or cycle through options in the configuration menu. Holding the button will power the computer on or off.
• Configuration / Page (Bottom Right Button) – Holding the button opens the configuration while a short press cycles through configuration options or the active page display.

Given that you can’t connect any sensors or save rides, the configuration is limited to four basic screens with a confusing “CX” lettering displayed in the center of each option’s screen. The four screens are:

• Time Zone (C4) – This allows you to set the time zone in hour increments relative to GMT. This unfortunately means if you live in a country offset by 30 or 45 minutes, you won’t be able to set the proper time.
• Unit Display (C6) – Basic option to display metric (kph / meters) or imperial units (mph / miles).
• Factory Reset (C7) – Reset all setting and odometer back to the factory default values
• Odometer (C8) – Set the overall odometer value to transfer any mileage from another computer

Aside from the poorly labeled pages, many users may find the non-sequential number confusing (i.e. C1-3 and C5 are missing). Those configuration pages include features such as sensor pairing which is not available in the CYCPLUS G1. Once you understand what each page does, it’s very quick to get the computer setup and riding with the proper time, display units, and odometer. The wireless design also means there are no magnets to attach to your wheels or sensors to carefully position. You simply attach the head unit to your handlebar or stem and the computer will pull speed, distance, and altitude directly from the GPS signal.

Data is displayed in an easy to read 3-grid layout with a large speed display on the upper portion and two additional data displays on the bottom. There are three pre-configured pages with no available way to customize them.  Each page always shows speed in the top display field while you have the options of: cumulative ride time / odometer (page 1), current ride time / distance (page 2) and time / altitude (page 3). While on any page, you can also show the real-time / average or maximum speed by pressing the top right button. While the data fields are easy to read, we would have liked the option to see gradient info or have the option to reset distance or time info without power cycling the unit. Because the CYCPLUS G1 doesn’t actually save rides, there is no way to start/stop a ride. The current ride time and distance are started as soon as the computer is turned on and reset when it is shut off.

THE VERDICT

Overall we found the CYCPLUS G1 to be a budget friendly and simple GPS computer. The 2” screen has a three grid layout that is easy to read and has great contrast. With a retail price of only $29.99 it’s easy to forgive the fact that the computer cannot connect to sensors or record and upload ride data that the more expensive CYCPLUS M1 offers. Instead, the CYCPLUS G1 GPS cycling computer is quick to set up and start riding with. Given the fact that it’s been developed for riders simply looking for speed / altitude data, the CYCPLUS G1 does a good job providing that info with a three-page design.  The main negatives we found with the computer were the confusing configuration menu labels and the non-uniform backlight. Otherwise, the CYCPLUS G1 is a great option for riders looking for a simple budget friendly wireless GPS computer to track speed and distance.

Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by CYCPLUS. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.