Planet Bike Protege 9.0 Review

Planet Bike Protege 9.0 Rating: 3.7

Quality
Ease of Use
Battery Life
Features/Price

Advantages:

• 4 lines of data displayed at all times
• Good battery life
• Accurate

Disadvantages:

• Changing the battery resets your data
• Not all units are rainproof, so you might get one that isn’t
• Might reset on bumps, as the battery disconnects briefly
• Might fall out of its bracket, especially on bumpy roads

A friend of mine bought the Planet Bike Protege 9.0 last year. I had the chance to test it recently while we were out on a ride. I immediately loved the screen. Four lines of data are visible at all times, which is the most important feature the Protege 9.0 has. The fourth line can be changed from the default odometer (ODO), which is the cumulative distance for Bike1 and Bike2. It can be set to display the following info:

Average Speed (AVS) +Maximum Speed (MAX)

OR

Temperature + Clock

OR

Bike Odometer (Distance for Bike1 or bike2)

Yes, Planet Bike Protege 9.0 can be used on, and swapped between, 2 bikes. The second handlebar bracket/wire harness is purchased separately, though. The fourth line can be changed by pushing the computer forward in its bracket. Pushing for more than 3 seconds resets all your current trip data.

The battery lasts more than the stated in the manual 6 months with normal use.  You should know, though, that a wireless computer consumes batteries faster than a wired one. And changing the battery wipes your data, so backup your data (write it somewhere) before removing the battery.

After a few months of use, my friend had some problems with the Planet Bike Protege 9.0. It kept resetting by itself on bumpy roads. This is annoying, but fairly easy to fix. Open the battery compartment, take the battery out, and stuff a piece of paper under the spring. Or just raise the latter to prevent it from losing contact with the battery.

Click on a thumbnail for a larger view. Press arrow keys or click on the left/right of the picture to see previous/next one.

The temperature reading is fairly accurate in the Protege 9.0. Some people on forums and Amazon user reviews complain that it reports higher temperatures if you’re riding in the sun. Really? Isn’t the sun there to warm us and our surroundings?

Bumpy roads also might cause the Protege 9.0 to fall out of its bracket. This hasn’t happened with the Planet Bike Protege I tested. But it has happened with other users of this computer. I love how the Sigma BC 1609 computer mounts in its bracket. You just twist the computer clockwise and it clicks into place. Planet Bike should think of a better design for the brackets.

Planet Bike Protege 9.0 isn’t always weatherproof. What does this mean? It means that you might get one that is rainproof, or you might not be that lucky. Some reported that the display faded temporarily after the rain, then worked fine once it dried up. Others didn’t have any problems at all in the rain. A few, though, say that the computer stopped working after riding in the rain.

Bike Planet Protege 9.0 Features:

• Current speed
• Speed comparator (Up or Down Arrow at the left of the Current Speed)
• Ride Time
• Trip Distance
• Dual Odometer (for 2 bikes)
• Average Speed
• Maximum Speed
• Clock
• Temperature
• 4 lines / up to 5 pieces of data at any given time
• Fits handlebars sizes from 25.0 to 31.8 mm
• Case size (wired): 40mm x 47mm
• Case size (wireless): 40mm x 55mm
• Weight (wired): 57 grams with bracket and sensor
• Weight (wireless): 88 grams with bracket and sensor
• Lifetime Warranty

For the price, Planet Bike Protege 9.0 is a good enough computer. If you’re feeling lucky, that is. I can’t recommend it based on the fact that you might get one that isn’t rainproof. But if you really want the 4-line display, order it (wired or wireless) and put it to the test. It has a lifetime warranty, so returning it shouldn’t be a problem. Happy Riding! 😎