Speed, cadence and heart rate sensors
A dedicated pair, or one sensor doing both jobs?
Garmin sells the two sensors together. Magene sells one that becomes either, so two of them cover the same ground for less. What separates them is what happens when no head unit is on the bars.
| Compared on | Speed Sensor 2 and Cadence Sensor 2 bundle | S3+ speed and cadence sensor |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | Speed Sensor 2 and Cadence Sensor 2 | One sensor, speed or cadence by mode |
| Protocols | ANT+ and Bluetooth 5.0 | ANT+ and Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Records without a head unit | Stores distance on the sensor | Not published |
| Mounting | Wheel hub (speed), crank arm (cadence) | Elastic band |
| Magnet required | Not published | None |
| Listed on amazon.com | Yes | Yes |
A tick marks the better answer on that line only. Counting ticks does not decide the page — the two verdicts below do, because these products answer different questions.
The pair to buy if you want the bike to log itself. On-board recording means a commute tracked with nothing on the bars, and Bluetooth 5.0 is the newer radio. Hub and crank mounts mean nothing hangs off a spoke.
The best-selling sensor here, and the reason is arithmetic: two of them cover speed and cadence for less than one conventional pair. Magene also publishes that two versions circulate with different battery compartments, which is worth knowing before buying a second one later.
Yes. Both broadcast ANT+ and Bluetooth, which is what keeps a sensor usable across head units. A sensor speaking only Bluetooth can be invisible to a unit that expects ANT+.
Barely, for this job. Both carry a cadence figure across a meter of air. The version number is a published difference and it is not a difference you will feel.
Magene states the mode changes by reseating the cell. That is a deliberate design rather than a menu, and it means the sensor cannot switch by accident.
Both sensors · ANT+ and Bluetooth 5.0 · on-board storage · hub mount
A bundle of both sensors, storing distance on board so rides record without a head unit present, over ANT+ and Bluetooth 5.0.
Best for: Garmin users who want both measurements, and anyone who wants rides logged without carrying a computer.
≈ $125
Dual mode speed/cadence · ANT+ and Bluetooth 4.0 · magnet-free
The best-selling sensor in this hub: one unit that switches between speed and cadence mode by reseating the battery, broadcasting on both ANT+ and Bluetooth.
Best for: A first sensor, or a pair of them, at the price of a set of brake pads.
≈ $17
