recommend iphone cycling apps

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

After 5 or so years of using my trusty Garmin Edge 205 it has unfortunately been discontinued at the end of 2011. As it so happens I'm also in the market for a new phone. I don't feel the need to spend more money on a replacement Garmin unit if the iphone can run a multitude of apps to more than compensate for a dedicated unit.

I just want GPS data, no HR, cadence, or power metering, that's for uptight roadies. My concerns with using the iphone are battery life, data usage, durability, and reception in remote areas.

Help a brother out....

 

[rph1960]

Runtastic Roadbike

 

[Parera]

iPhones make ****ty bike computers, especially if you do trail riding; extremely inaccurate. My buddy's phone was tracking him up to 100m off trail. Also, the displays are harder to read and the battery life is terrible. Complete waste of time, just save yourself the headache.

 

[elapid]

I use Cyclemeter occasionally. That may be OK for what you're looking for, but as Parera mentioned it does drain the batteries.

 

[kuoirad]

You could run off the iphone, but then to save battery, you may wish to turn off the wifi and data radios, and it still may not be enough.

I've used MapMyRide a few times on my Android phone - I'm pretty sure they have a (free) iOS version as well.

Why not just get one of the "cheap" Edge 200's ($150)? They don't do any of that stuff you don't want anyway...

I'd go for a 500 myself, but I like to watch my cadence, I've discovered. I also don't want to mount my phone to my handlebar.

 

[richwagmn]

I've been using MapMyRide this season on my Droid Bionic. Works great for me.

When I start a ride, I switch to the app and hit record workout. I can pause it at anytime if I stop for some extended time. When I'm finished I hit stop and it asks if I want to save it. I hit yes and it saves it up to my MapMyRide account. The complete route is saved, along with speed, altitude and time. A ride summary displays calories burned, average speed and total amount of climbing.

Every week, it e-mails me a summary of what I did for that week.

If I can't record a ride, I can use their google maps app to map it out by hand and still record it as a ride.

I'm still just using the free version.

I did end up getting an extended battery for my Bionic but that phone is a battery pig anyways. I understand iPhones have much longer battery life (though the Motorolal Razr Max is outstanding too).

Here's what a route map looks like (hey, you may have even ridden some of these roads in MN).

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/93202985

 

[Bala Verde]

Strava (free), very straightforward to use. Online program, where you can upload your data to keep track of your workouts, works quite well too. Nothing fancy, but I'd say useful. The fun part is that you can see accomplishments of sections (i.e. a pave section of a mile) and compare our stats (i.e your speed) to those of other users. Just make sure to keep it safe and don't compete with people on sections that include traffic lights

cyclemeter gets good reviews (2.99/ never tried it myself).

Used mapmyride before they had an app and I didn't like the interface of the program online. In addition, i hated the screen hijacking ads (don't know if that has changed, because I stopped using it). The useful thing was that you could plot a route and visualize the profile. There are 100s of online sites that have that functionality and they are much more user friendly.

The downside with iPhone and gps is battery life which you can't really do anything about. I think you can go out on a max 3-4 hrs ride and you'll be out of juice. It might help to close all your other apps (double click that one iphone button and when your taskbar shows up, hold an app, wait for it to vibrate and press the red '-' sign top left to quit or close the app, which, up til then, was still running in the back ground.) as others menitioned before, perhaps you can turn off other things that run in the back ground and you don't need.

Another option is to get something like this, http://www.kensington.com/kensington/us/us/p/1408/K33459USA/mini-battery-pack-and-charger.aspx

A battery extender, which you charge with a USB, and then you plug it into the iPhones charger outlet. I don't know how well it stays connected on bumpy rides, but otherwise just use some tape.

Reception in remote areas... Get a better provider, if there are any that service such areas?

 

[Notso Swift]

Strava is the most popular by a mile over here.

I use Endomoto. Only issue is you can have friends that can see you live, so my wife will know how much time I spend at the coffee shop

 

[karlboss]

Another vote for strava, gives me everything I want. I'd prefer not to see other people's data most of the time, but it's pretty useful.

 

[ethanmae]

I use Runkeeper occasionally. Runkeeper has an awesome website for keeping track of rides. It tracks and stores your rides so that you can track your progress.. check out it's review here: http://www.appfavour.com/health-fitness/runkeeper-gps-track-running-walking-cycling_300235330/

 

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

Ended up with a Garmin 500. Once you've have had a real GPS unit, there's no substitute really. I played around with a few iPhone apps in the meantime and they're all pretty limited with what you can do. Strava being one of the most inane. Let users set up sections on multi use paths and through stops, dumb. One thing that I don't understand, why does only one or two apps can I find even a lap button feature? The most common button besides start/stop!!! Something I utilize quite often, and find weird that it's missing on most apps.