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Tate Labs Bar Fly Cateye mountBar Fly Cateye mount

Tate Labs Bar Fly Cateye mount

6
by Jez Ash
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Jan 19, 2014

6
£19.99

VERDICT:

6
10
Neat way to move your Cateye computer forward, but pricey
Weight: 
13g
Contact: 
www.2pure.co.uk
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Jealous of your mates' Garmin mounts? The Tate Labs Bar Fly Cateye mount allows you to mount your Cateye cycle computer out front of the handlebar, so that you don't need to look down as far.

Cateye computers come with perfectly good Flex Tight mounts, of course, which work well on either the bars or (my preference) the stem. Using the Bar Fly positions the computer about six inches further forwards then it would be on the stem.

Fitting the bracket is simple. The moulded plastic is flexible enough to open up to fit over the bars, and is secured in place with a single capscrew. The nut is moulded into the plastic so can't get lost - a nice touch.

Some retailers market this as being compatible with all Cateye computers but Tate Labs' website specify which models it works with. I found it worked well with the popular Strada model, but less well with the larger Adventure model, where it was difficult to operate the buttons to scroll through display modes.

The clamp appears identical to that on a Cateye Flex Tight bracket, but I found some Cateye computers tended to rattle a bit. That got annoying quickly, but was easily fixed with a small piece of tape.

Priced at £20 or a couple of quid less, this does seem expensive (you can buy a wireless cycle computer for almost the same) but I guess Tate Labs have got to pay for the Sausalito office one way or another. They offer a 'buy one and you're done' policy, so if you break it for any reason, they'll send you another, which is a nice touch.

Verdict

If you really need to position your Cateye six inches further forwards then this is certainly the neatest way of doing so. Quite pricey, though.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Tate Labs Bar Fly Cateye mount

Size tested: Black

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Made in the USA out of Delrin with no screws to lose, the Bar Fly Cateye is the only mount that positions all of your Cateye devices directly in the center of the handlebar in a safe and aesthetic viewing position.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

As this is moulded not 3D-printed, it is smooth to the touch and well-made. The moulded-in nut is a nice touch.

Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

Using this made me loads faster. OK, it didn't. It just made it slightly easier to see how fast I was going.

Rate the product for durability:
 
10/10

As Tate Labs will replace your Bar Fly if you break it, it's good to know that you'll only have to buy it once.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10

Probably weighs about the same as the bracket that your Cateye came with. That is, not a lot.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

It's expensive, as are most low-volume boutique upgrades for your bike. At least they'll replace it if you break it.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes, once I'd fixed the rattle.

Would you consider buying the product? No - I never really had a problem with mounting on the stem.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Only a certain sort of friend.

Overall rating: 6/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 6  Weight: 78kg

I usually ride: Boardman CX team for the daily commute  My best bike is: Rose Xeon CRS

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

 

Tate Labs Bar Fly Cateye mount
Tate Labs
out-front mount
Cateye
Bar Fly
Jez Ash

Jez spends his days making robots that drive cars but is happiest when on two wheels.  His roots are in mountain biking but he spends more time nowadays on the road, occasionally racing but more often just riding. 

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6 comments

Avatar
kitsunegari | 10 years ago
0 likes

I can't understand the pricing behind all these "out in front" mounts. Who on earth buys them?

You can get rock solid OIF mounts off the bay for under a tenner.

Avatar
ronin | 10 years ago
0 likes

This was good for my Cateye stealth 50, although a little expensive. It's just a bit of plastic after all, and the wholesale price is around £12...
I have a k-edge mount made of metal (£27) ; it's very nicely made, and it's used a lot as I usually upload after every ride. Can't deny they both put the computers in the best position for viewing though...especially when heading downhill at 40+ MPH

Sometimes the constant marketing and reviewing of cycling gear helps you to justify the price as you think more about the perceived benefit and less about value for money...but then I guess that's capitalism.

Avatar
Spangly Shiny | 10 years ago
0 likes

I feel that BarFly are early on the market with their 3D printed products. However they are outperformed by mainstream manufacturers. I cite their Garmin Edge 800 mounts as evidence, outdone by both the Garmin product and the significantly cheaper Sram offering, both of which came later to market.
I stopped using my Barfly Garmin mount due to it's flimsiness and lack of positive engagement in favour of the Sram version.

Avatar
jimc101 replied to Spangly Shiny | 10 years ago
0 likes
Manglier wrote:

I feel that BarFly are early on the market with their 3D printed products. However they are outperformed by mainstream manufacturers.

Tate Lab Barflys are injection moulded, not 3D printed, guess your thinking of raceware's mount http://road.cc/content/review/83474-raceware-direct-garmin-200500-bar-mount

Having used/own Tate Labs Bar Flys's 2.0 & 3.0 never had an issue with them feeling anything like being flimsy, both are very good products.

Bit confused about how this review gives the product a 6/10 when the 2.0 got a 9/10, and it's such a similar product http://road.cc/content/review/96400-bar-fly-20-garmin-mount

Avatar
Jez Ash replied to jimc101 | 10 years ago
0 likes
jimc101 wrote:

Bit confused about how this review gives the product a 6/10 when the 2.0 got a 9/10, and it's such a similar product http://road.cc/content/review/96400-bar-fly-20-garmin-mount

£20 to mount a £350 Garmin might seem fair (if I had a Garmin, which I don't). £20 to mount a £40 Cateye seems steep. Plus both my Cateyes rattled annoyingly in it until I stuck some tape on it.

Avatar
brucethebruce | 10 years ago
0 likes

Hmm. A solution to a problem that doesn't really exist.

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