Trek's missing Link

Trek's Incite Link-Team DW, Speedtrap Sensor and Digital HR Sensor

WITH more functions than R2D2, Trek’s Incite Link-Team DW cycle computer packs an amazing 14 functions into a tiny box that’s only slightly bigger than a standard wrist watch and is easier to fix up than George Clooney.

Boasting speed, cadence, distance and temperature – to name but a few – the Incite Link-Team DW certainly has everything any committed club cyclists needs to help them train towards their goals – plus the black and red Team version we tested had an inverted screen (black screen, white digits), which looks uber-cool and will only set you back £99.99.

Setting the Incite up couldn’t be easier. Banished is the need for messy wires, as the Incite is completely wire-free – the 2.4 GHz digital wireless data transmission eliminates cross-talk and increases range to three metres.

You even get a choice of how where you want to stick it on your handlebars – included are adaptors to fit both standard and OS handlebars, but you can also set it up on the stem like I did. For an example, click here.

What’s more, Trek make sure you’ve got everything you possibly need to set up your Incite. There’s an abundance of cable ties to fix both the cadence and speed sensors, as well as their accompanying magnets, to the frame and fork.

For a bit of fun, I tried setting the Incite up without looking at the instructions in order to find out just how idiot-proof it really is. And the result? Well, I managed to get the Incite set up and working perfectly in just under 25 minutes – and that includes stopping to take photos for this review.

The Incite is straight forward and simple to use. Like any other cycle computer, it has got the basic ‘set’, ‘mode’ and ‘select’ buttons placed around its four edges, so once you’ve worked out what’s what (or sensibly spent a bit of time actually reading the manual, unlike me) then you’ll crack it easy.

Once out of the box, the Incite is ready to tailor to your needs. After you input your wheel size and preferred measurements for speed, temperature and the time, etc, you’re then asked to ‘pair’ with the speed and cadence sensors.

Trek have equipped all of their 2008 models with a housing built into the front fork (for full review of Trek’s new 1.5, click here), so if you’ve purchase the Incite Speedtrap Sensor (£19.99) then everything is nice, neat and hidden out of sight.

With a couple of twists of a small sized allan key, the 2.4 GHz digital wireless speed sensor is firmly fixed in place and ready to pair with the Incite. Take my advice, though. Place the Incite as close to the Speedtrap Sensor as possible – just so there are no problems when it’s asking to ‘pair’. Do the same with the cadence sensor and everything should be up and running within a few seconds.

On the road, the Incite is easy to use and switching between readings is fluid. There is no need to tap some weird sort of sequence to get the information you require, simply press the ‘mode’ button on the left-hand side and wait until it displays either speed, cadence, clock or distance – brilliant if you whizzing along.

Visibility-wise, if you’ve opted for the Team version with its inverted screen then you’ve made a good choice, as it’s much easier to read when going full pelt downhill at 40mph than a bog-standard display – believe me!!!!

The Incite Link-Team version is also compatible with Trek’s heart-rate sensor, so you don’t have to spend any extra dosh on yet another version – just the heart-rate strap, which is a steal at £39.99.

Be warned, though. Trek’s Incite Link-Team version will not pair up with any other heart-rate sensor kit, which is a pity because like most people I use my sports watch to record how many calories I have burned during a training ride.

And if that wasn’t enough, you can have two different bike settings programmed into the Incite. Basically, if you purchased the Incite Link-Team DW, Speedtrap Sensor and Digital HR Sensor then that means you’ll have a spare speed sensor left over – perfect for fitting to you other bike.

In fact, if you wanted to switch all the equipment between bikes frequently then only thing you’d need would be a ready supply of cable ties to attach the sensors to the frame. Versatile doesn’t even come close to describing Trek’s latest offering.

FINAL VERDICT: Trek have really done their homework when it has come to the Incite Link-Team DW. Not only have they eradicated having to mess about with wires, but they’ve produce a truly dual-bike computer. For £160 for the works, you can’t go wrong.

Trek's Incite Link-Team DW

Included are adaptors to fit both standard and OS handlebars, but you can also set it up on the stem

Just two cable ties is all it takes to fix the Incite to the stem

All Trek 2008 models have a housing in the fork for a Speedtrap Sensor

Trek's aero-magnet is easy to set up and works well with the Speedtrap Sensor

The Incite's cadence magnet only needs two cable ties to fix it to the frame and is wireless

Bikenut only needed 25 minutes to set the Incite up - including stopping to take these photos

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