iPhone apps and bike mounts - any advice please

Thebigbee

Hi - have just aquired an iPhone 3G for £100 after resisting the temptation to get into the smartphone market.

I am not interest in most of the features. I have a decent mp3 player if I want to listen to music and a reasonable camera that is 10X better than the shite on the iPhone.

However I am a convert to "apps" - they are pretty cool - especially the free ones.

I have used map my ride - not analysed the data but looks pretty damn accurate about the route. The average speed seems to be about right as does the miles covered.

My question is can anyone reccommend any other decent cycling apps - free or paid for?

Also does anyone use a bike mount with their iPhone and any reccomendations on them?

I know that it is quite bulky but the processing power "should" mean that you have all the power + of a Garmin.

Any advice or suggestions greatly received.

Cheers

fludey

Two worth trying that I have used are cyclemeter bit like a garmin and quite a useful one, seems fairly accurate as well which is a bonus.

Another useful one is bike hub this can actually plan routes out for you using more suitable cycle routes and can also be used like a bike sat nav.

Probably lots more out there but these 2 seem to do all I need, I also use a garmin 500 and for distance and speed recordings it's very similar to the iPhone, not so sure about elevation recordings in the iPhone but it give you some idea.

Crem

I use cyclemeter and the Dahon bike mount.

Does pretty much all I think I would ever need - the only downside to using an iphone as a bike app is they do look pretty bulky and there is no cadence/HR monitoring available.

fludey

I have read but can't remember where that you can get a heart monitor for the iPhone 4, may be something to do with the Nike training system....I'm sure someone will post up a link.

Thebigbee

Thanks for the replies.

My other question is do these apps use the internet when in use?

I don't have any mobile web at the moment but imapmyride seemed to work yesterday.

The phone was in my bag and I was very impressed with the route it outlined - seemed pretty accurate.

Will try cyclemeter out.

On imapmyride it does seem to have elevation stats.

You can get a mount that has ANT+ technology to record HR and also a cadence sensor
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

Review http://nyvelocity.com/content/gallery/e ... ess-fisica

Looks pretty good but once you have bought all the extras you are near on a Garmin and I haven't got that kind of money.

The other downsides are that sticking an iPhone on the bike is pretty bulky and the battery life seems to be shite - maybe that's just mine though!

Any other reccomendations for a mount?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT
I thought this one looked pretty secure at least -

fludey

Cycle meter doesn't use net unless you have it updating to your twitter or Facebook as you go. They do tend to kill the battery esp if you have screen on as well, when I use cycle meter I turn screen off and just leave it running as a record.
Other good bit on cycle meter can save all old rides and compare times etc as a virtual rider.
Bike hub does use the net to download map and routes, not sure how much it uses once on the move.

Can't help with a mount, mine stays tucked away in my pocket sorry.

kev77

Search for Endomondo, i have started using it a month ago and i tink it is a quality free app.

Pross

Battery life really struggles using the iphone as a cycle computer. Mine tends to die on a 3 or 4 hour ride.

mickyc1

Hello all

I have been using mapmyride for Android but i its not accurate and gps problems.
I have used it numerous times and tried it on the same routes only to get indifferent readings some longer rides have come out on my recording a workout shorter than my shorter trips.
Anyone else experienced this with mapmyride and does anyone know a good alternative cheers mik.

geoff93

Topeak mount, it sits in a waterpoof and schock absobring pouch. Good product and easy to use. http://www.topeak.com/products/Bags/iphone_drybag

Your LBS will probably have one.

mad mik 925

just used map my ride on iphone 3gs, i too dont have tinternet on the go but uploaded when i got home, great interface, and regular feed back through headphones about progress.

when on the website you can see a map of your ride plus loads of other features, all this and its free. what more could you ask for?

mickyc1

I have sorted mine now and everything is fine a few tweeks and all is good went on the website and watched the fly byes brilliant.
Just picked up a phone bracket for my handlebars for a desire £14.00 but need a good water proof case for it now .
Went out yesterday morning did about 9 mile and got drenched and just when i got home it stopped raining classic.

Thebigbee

mickyc1 wrote:

I have sorted mine now and everything is fine a few tweeks and all is good went on the website and watched the fly byes brilliant.
Just picked up a phone bracket for my handlebars for a desire £14.00 but need a good water proof case for it now .
Went out yesterday morning did about 9 mile and got drenched and just when i got home it stopped raining classic.

So what did you actually do to sort out the problems?

I have only used imapmyride once and the route I used and it tracked seemed absolutely spot on. Not too sure about the av speed and actual distance - but then in theory - if the route was exactly the same as what I actually went on and was mapped - should be accurate.

It is probably my Cateye computer that is not too accurate.

mickyc1

Thebigbee

I had problem as stated earlyier regarding mapmyride they were my gps setting on my Andriod Desire which i messed about with until i was happy.

Regarding my rides i went out in my van i double checked some of the routes which i had done that were road routes.

As for the other routes which were done on my f/s mtb i re:rode them to see what the mileage was back tracked on some of the routes to find out what were the problems /gps not coming on properly was one which i have rectified.

The others were the a 17 mile ride done twice only to re ride the route to find that it was really 11 mile could not understand the difference until i did the fly bye online and noticed that my missus that was the phone controller in the vehicle that day had messed up the gps and started at the wrong position hence the difference if it was`nt for the fly bye i would,nt have noticed it .

I have been out this sat and sunday morning and both rides accurate 8.45 miles done the course twice and bang on.

The gps was the main culprit really but i have sorted this just need a waterproof phone case now for handle bar bracket for a desire because sat & sun i got drenched
.

whitestar1

I make use of the following apps on my iphone 3GS. cyclemaps, bikemateGPS (paid and the most used), cyclestreets, bike hub, bikedoctor (paid). I haven't had a go with the ones that are web connected yet.

Jamie Mullen

I bought a Wahoo Fisica bike kit 2 (mount, waterproof case, speed sensor, cadence sensor and HRM strap) and really like it. You can then use the Wahoo fitness app although I'm hoping runkeeper will soon add speed and cadence support so I can go back to using their app. The case comes with inserts for iPhone 3 and 4. The only negative I've got about it is the size of the case. It does look quite big sat on the bars but other than that very good.

lef

+1 on the battery i found it hopeless so invested in a Edge 500. I was a little anxious about riding through the city to get out to the country with an iphone, just asking to be snatched from my bars while stodd at traffic lights.