OpenTrailPaper
Hardware
bike computer
SHOW HN2026
How HN took it
22 positive, 19 neutral or asking, 4 mixed, 12 critical, out of 57 comments about the project. Thread score +0.15.
Idea: 11 for, 4 againstDesign: 2 for, 4 againstPerformance: 3 for, 3 againstExecution: 2 for, 1 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
eInk is very readable in direct sunlight
From 2 comments
Because most people cycle outdoors and when the sun shines, and eInk is much better than any other display type in bright environments.
carlosjobim on HNrefresh rate is sort of a non issue. i can push the refresh rate to up to 20Hz, it is largely unnecessary for this project. it has a nice backlight (basically identical to a…
stingrae on HN
ANT+ over BLE implementation is impressive
From 2 comments
Wow. You managed to receive ANT+ via BLE hardware?! I didn't know these two protocols were so similar.
kccqzy on HNInsane! Quality on the ANT too!
maxrev17 on HN
Objections
Battery life and durability concerns for eInk in bike use
From 2 comments
I've found e-ink displays super fragile for this use case. They break from a little fall, or even from the constant shaking.
zsoltkacsandi on HNThis is cool, but I bet it will be a grind trying to get to Garmin levels of battery life. They just have it nailed, and an Edge 550 that's ¼ this size can run for over a day,…
jeffbee on HN
Unclear need for a separate device versus phones
From 2 comments
I love my eInk displays, I love my bike head unit. But I don't see how they both fit together honestly. ``` The pros of eInk: - low energy usage -> don't matter, current GPS…
wiether on HNCool project. Not sure I'd use it, as my iPhone works quite well for this purpose. iPhones have had always on display since the 14 Pro and 17, and they've had good water…
rjrjrjrj on HN
Requests
Weatherproof hardware board
From 2 comments
Love the project and progress made, along with the ESP32 ANT! But to be more involved and support a project like this I really would need it to be based on a board with proper…
Ninn on HNI can't imagine using this in the Netherlands with random rain. The tradeoffs are hard to accept, wondering how it looks and performs in various weather conditions, and if a…
evrimoztamur on HN
Compatibility with Garmin Varia radar
From 2 comments
Wow, amazing work. My use case is a bit more basic than most. I am nearly always on routes I know and just want a few basic stats, but… I require a bike radar to work. I use a…
lostlogin on HNawesome stuff. I have a Wahoo bike comp but would love to use an OSS alternative the dealbreaker for me is whether it could eventually work with the Garmin Vario radar (which the…
insane_dreamer on HN
Questions
Does it work in direct sunlight
From 1 comment
Does this work well in direct sunlight? I know a lot of e-paper panels struggle to refresh in strong sunlight. The waveshare panels look very faded if they update while exposed…
dinan on HN
How is the GPS mounted and how does it get bike telemetry
From 2 comments
There’s no mention of the wheel sensor. How does it get the bike telemetry?
hi_hi on HNI love this. How do you house & secure your lily on your bike?
memoryfault on HN
Alternatives named
Garmin Edge
From 1 comment
This is cool, but I bet it will be a grind trying to get to Garmin levels of battery life. They just have it nailed, and an Edge 550 that's ¼ this size can run for over a day,…
jeffbee on HN
Wahoo Elemnt Roam 2
From 1 comment
In my humble experience the gold standard for bike computer screens was the Wahoo Elemnt Roam 2. It had like 64 colors or so but you could see it everywhere. That being said,…
Gualdrapo on HN
Coros Dura
From 1 comment
Funny, I just got done researching the Coros Dura, another eInk bike computer.
me_online on HN