XI.  Advantages

1. Clarity of readings

     The standard Jones is mounted on the wheel axel with the display at right angles to the normal direction of eye scan and is impossible to read while riding. Measurement finish has to be estimated from the reading at the last stop. Even after stopping digits cannot always be read if they are in the middle of a transition. In contrast, the Protege is mounted on the handlebars and has a display that is 50% larger, so that it can be read comfortably while riding.

     Road safety is somewhat improved because the measurer does not have to take his eyes off traffic as much.

     With the Jones I occasionally made errors in reading the meter such as omitting a digit. I have found that this never happens with the Protege where numbers are much smaller in value on the meter and fractions of a revolution on the rim are distinctly separate.

     Although I have never done any, I imagine that night measurements would be greatly facilitated as compared with the Jones. Sigma Sport sell a light that can illuminate cyclocomputers.

 

2. Instant zeroing capability

     The instant zeroing capability of the Protege means that far fewer readings and calculations are necessary than with the Jones. Obviously,  efficiency is improved and error rate reduced.

    It often allows particularly easy laying out of a course complete with splits. For instance after determining the working constant in rev/km, this value can be used repeatedly to mark km splits and complete a metric course by zeroing before measuring each split. Should anything go wrong in any one measurement, all that need be done is to return to the last split and rezero. To do this with a Jones would require calculation of a new table of values for the remaining splits.

 

3. Permanent installation

     Many measurers will want to remove the Jones after use because of noise, drag, and wear. The Proteges can stay in place and be instantly converted to normal bicycle computers.

 

4. Availability

     The Jones is available from only one supplier whereas the Proteges are available at many bicycle stores and on-line sites.

 

5. Cheapness

     The Jones costs $80-120 whereas a Protege can be had for as little as $15.

 

6. No wrap-around

     With the Protege counters the meter display never returns to zero before the end of the measurement, whereas this is always a possibility with the Jones.

 

7. No skip

      In contrast with the Jones, the Protege never skips impulses without indication. In fact a measurer recently checked a Jones counter for skipping by using a Protege. If both counters are run simultaneously, counts shown by a new model Jones should be exactly 23.6363 times the revolutions found by the Protege. Those from an original  Jones should be 20 times.