Planet Bike Protege 9.0 Wireless Review
Cons: Setup is complicated, phantom speed readings
Manufacturer: Planet Bike
Our Verdict
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Planet Bike Protege 9.0 Wireless | |||||
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Price | $52.57 at Amazon | $393.95 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $399 List | $379.99 at Competitive Cyclist Compare at 2 sellers | $229.99 at Competitive Cyclist |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Stem mount, good display size, multiple modes displayed | Awesome features and app environment, Bluetooth Smart and ANT+, good battery life, touchscreen, radar and bike light control | Beautiful display, great navigation, user-friendly, lots of premium features | Excellent battery life, reliable, multi-color screen, tons of GPS navigation features, robust phone app | Competitive price, aerodynamic, GPS and GLONASS, ANT+, Bluetooth smart, WiFi, maps, large screen, easy to use and set up, zoom feature |
Cons | Setup is complicated, phantom speed readings | System might crash, navigation glitches, Strava Live Track integration issues | Integrations with 3rd parties is spotty, pricey, battery hog | No touchscreen, head unit relies on phone a bit too much, app setup and syncing can be a pain, routing can be clunky | No color screen, slower to startup |
Bottom Line | Larger in size than the Strada Slim, yet basic and similar in function | A top-end GPS bike computer with cool, useful features and a slick touchscreen interface | Sleek, beautiful, powerful. Comes at a premium and it’s worth it | Lots of practical features and a long battery life - what more could you want in a bike computer? | Fully featured and incredibly easy to use, this computer seamlessly integrates with your smartphone and offers ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart sensor compatibility |
Rating Categories | Protege 9.0 Wireless | Garmin Edge 830 | Hammerhead Karoo 2 | Wahoo Fitness ELEMNT ROAM | Wahoo Fitness ELEMNT BOLT |
Ease Of Use (30%) | |||||
Ease Of Setup (20%) | |||||
Features (20%) | |||||
Versatility (20%) | |||||
Water Resistance (10%) | |||||
Specs | Protege 9.0 Wireless | Garmin Edge 830 | Hammerhead Karoo 2 | Wahoo Fitness... | Wahoo Fitness... |
GPS enabled? | No | GPS, Glonass, Galileo | GPS, Glonass, Beidou, and QZSS | GPS, Glonass, BEIDOU Galileo, QZSS | GPS, Glonass, BEIDOU Galileo, QZSS |
Cadence Sensor? | No | ANT+ or Bluetooth | ANT+ or Bluetooth | ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart | ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart |
Heart Rate Monitor? | No | ANT+ or Bluetooth | ANT+ or Bluetooth | ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart | ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart |
Power Meter? | No | ANT+ | ANT+ or Bluetooth | ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart | ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart |
Smart Trainer? | No | ANT+FE-C | ANT+FE-C | ANT+FE-C | ANT+FE-C |
WiFi? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Weight | 57g | 81g | 132g | 95g | 62g |
Dimensions | 1.5" x 1.8" x 1" | 1.9" x 3.2" x 0.8" | 2.4" x 4" x 0.76" | 2.3" x 2.3" x 0.7" | 2.9" x 1.8" x 0.87" |
Display Size | 1.4" x 1.1" | 1.7" x 2" | 3.2" | 1.35" x 2.25" | 2.2" |
Battery Type | CR2032 | Re-chargable lithium ion | 2500 mAh high capacity | Re-chargable lithium ion | Lithium Ion |
Battery Life | 1+ years | 20 hours | 12 hours | 17 hours | 15 hours |
Touchscreen? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Phone App | None | Garmin Connect | Hammerhead | ELEMNT | ELEMNT |
Accessory Interface ANT+, BTLE, BT. | Analog Wireless | Bluetooth Smart, ANT+ | Bluetooth, ANT+ | Bluetooth Smart, ANT+ | Bluetooth Smart, ANT+ |
Strava Segments | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Text, Email, Call notifications | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Navigation | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Our Analysis and Test Results
This simple wireless computer is inexpensive and gives the rider basic data: speed, distance, and time.
Performance Comparison
Ease of Use
To be blunt, the setup for the Protégé 9.0 was a hassle. A flathead screwdriver is needed for the battery, and once the battery is in, the computer goes through a series of prompts to set miles, wheel size setting (WSS), odometer, and trip distance. In order to set these, you must find something small enough to hit a button recessed into the plastic back of the computer. We found that a Q-tip cut in half did the job, but that was after trying various other items.
Planet Bike provides a chart to find the WSS for your bike. We changed it from the default of 2096 to 2105, which is what the chart shows for 700x23c wheels. For the first two rides, the speed and distance varied from what another GPS computer showed. Only after changing back to the default WSS did speed and distance match the GPS.
The Protégé is wireless, which greatly reduces installation time. However, we had issues of phantom speed and time right before our first ride. Before we even got started, the Protégé registered 30mph and the timer had begun. It stayed a little screwy for a few minutes after starting the ride but calmed down after registering a max speed of 73.0 mph. (In our dreams!).
The size of the computer is quite a bit larger than the Cateye Strada Slim, which allows more information to be displayed at one time. Current speed, ride time, and distance are all fixed on the screen. You can then scroll through odometer, average speed, max speed, temperature, or clock. This cuts down on how often you have to hit the mode button on the computer to see the different metrics. The mode button is similar to the one on the Cateye Strada, where it is actually a button on the back of the device that is engaged when you push the whole computer down.
Features
The Planet Bike Protégé tracks current speed, ride time, distance, average speed, max speed, and temperature for each ride. It also has an odometer that tracks overall miles ridden with the computer, which can be reset if so desired. The timer only records while the wheels are moving, so the time spent taking a rest or sitting at stoplights is not factored in.
The Protégé also has a speed comparator setting, which gives an "up" arrow if your current speed is faster than your average speed, and a "down" arrow if you are slower than your average speed. This is helpful when you are trying to maintain a certain speed over the course of a workout or ride.
Attachment Method
Unlike the Cateye Strada, the Protégé requires tools to get everything in place, making setup time longer. It clips securely into a mount that is zip-tied to the handlebars, and there is an option to mount it to the stem by unscrewing and rotating part of the mount, which is a very nice feature. It is a little difficult to unclip the computer, but it eventually comes loose with enough force.
The spoke magnet is screwed onto a spoke with a Phillips screwdriver. The spoke sensor is zip-tied to the fork and can be rotated and locked into position to maintain the 2mm distance needed to keep a signal between the two. Planet Bike did provide extra zip ties, which was beneficial since one of their ties was faulty.
Value
In the lower-cost range, the Protégé 9.0 is similarly priced to the other comparable wireless computers we tested, like the Cateye Strada Slim, but didn't offer the same reliability. Your money is better spent on another computer.
Conclusion
The Planet Bike Protege is a reasonably priced wireless cycling computer. Just looking at the specifications would lead the consumer to believe that it is a bargain compared to the more expensive Cateye Strada Slim which has a similar set of features and functions. Unfortunately, reliability issues and tedious setup plague the product and we would recommend you invest a few extra bucks and opt for the more reliable Cateye Quick.
— David Mackey