The Jones Counter is a device fitted to the front wheel of a bicycle which counts the revolutions of the wheel. It was invented in 1971 by Alan Jones in order to measure the length of road running

Road running

Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...

 race courses. It has gears that drive a mechanical digital counter. Depending on the gear ratio used, one count typically corresponds to about 1/20th of a wheel revolution. This provides a resolution of about 10 cm in course length, although overall accuracy, depending on calibration and other factors, is lower, but normally better than 1 part in 1000.

Clain Jones Counter

This was the original production version, manufactured by Alan Jones's son Clain from 1973-1982. The gearing produces 20 counts per revolution of the bicycle wheel.

NYRRC Jones Counter

Production was taken over by New York Road Runners

New York Road Runners

New York Road Runners , founded in 1958 with 47 members, has grown into the foremost running organization, with a membership of 40,000. NYRR conducts more than 100 events each year, including races, classes, clinics, and lectures...

 Club from 1983 to approximately 1990.

Jones-Oerth Counter

Paul Oerth took up production around 1990 and continued to around 2006. These models have a different gear ratio (260/11 counts per wheel revolution). In 2006 supply of the gears dried up, and an alternative plastic-encapsulated set of gears was introduced. This was short lived and the Oerth model went out of production

The Jones-Oerth-Lacroix Counter

The JOL counter is a variation of the Jones-Oerth model. Created by Laurent Lacroix in 2000, its distinguishing feature is a 27" rotary cable that allows the user to mount the Veeder-Root Counter on the handlebars.

Jones Counter model JR

Development of a new model started in 2007. The first production units became available in April 2008, and were used for the measurement of the London Marathon

London Marathon

The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...

 which took place on 13 April 2008.

The gearing (260/11 counts per wheel revolution) is identical to the Jones-Oerth model.

Use of the counter for measuring road race courses

To measure road race courses the counter is fitted to a bicycle between the left fork leg and the front wheel. The tab or tabs on the large ring gear engage with the spokes, thus providing drive to the Veeder-Root counter.

In use the bicycle must first be calibrated by riding between marks on a straight section of road whose separation has been accurately measured by steel tape. A calibration can then be calculated in terms of counts per kilometer. Next the bicycle is ridden over the race course to determine its length. Finally the bicycle is recalibrated by riding again over the calibration distance. This is done to check for changes in bicycle wheel diameter due to temperature changes, air leakage and other causes.

External links

• The Measurement of Road Race Courses (handbook of the IAAF)