Measuring cycle distances etc - I like METRICS!

[Clariman]

Mrs C and I bought our bikes back in May and have some good cycles - building up from 8 miles very flat to 14 miles with some more ups and downs. Because of rubbish weather here we've only done 4 or 5 cycles. Will be doing another this afternoon (about 14 miles) with an aim to be ready for a group cycle of 18 miles in the next few weeks.

Anyway, to the point. I enjoy seeing metrics of what distance has been covered, calories burned, speed etc - distance being the most interesting. I currently have none of this. What are the best apps or devices for this?

Ideally I'd like to be able to see what distance I've cycled while actually on the bike, rather than just look at an app after I get home. Would you recommend Smartphone apps with something to attach the phone to the handlebar - or a dedicated gadget on the handlebar?

Advice much appreciated.

Clariman

[redsturgeon]

Mrs C and I bought our bikes back in May and have some good cycles - building up from 8 miles very flat to 14 miles with some more ups and downs. Because of rubbish weather here we've only done 4 or 5 cycles. Will be doing another this afternoon (about 14 miles) with an aim to be ready for a group cycle of 18 miles in the next few weeks.

Anyway, to the point. I enjoy seeing metrics of what distance has been covered, calories burned, speed etc - distance being the most interesting. I currently have none of this. What are the best apps or devices for this?

Ideally I'd like to be able to see what distance I've cycled while actually on the bike, rather than just look at an app after I get home. Would you recommend Smartphone apps with something to attach the phone to the handlebar - or a dedicated gadget on the handlebar?

Advice much appreciated.

Clariman

It depends if you cycle in all weathers or just in the dry, you wouldn't want your iphone getting wet!

If you use a phone app then strava is very popular, otherwise Garmin are probably the main brand in bike GPS systems.

John

[Clariman]

Thanks. Good points both. Have ordered a Garmin Edge 25

[didds]

My 2p now possibly too late, but your typical smartphone has plenty of suitable apps for free available to it - endomondo, strava (and spin-offs for windows phones). They give disatnce and height profiles and time etc, and the phone just sits in a cycle shirt pocket/jacket pocket/shorts pocket, wherever, snug and safe.

What these things CANT give you is calories burned. Sure they might give you a number (based on some basic input from yourself like weight and age etc etc) but its no netter than " a finger in the air" guess. The best you'll get from it is a relative measure between rides.

didds

[Clitheroekid]

I've used Cyclemeter for years and found it excellent - https://abvio.com/cyclemeter/

And it's free!

I'm not happy about carrying a phone in my pocket, as it could all too easily come out and be smashed in the event of an accident. I've therefore used one of these and again I've found it very good - http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/produ ... ase-147507

[JMN2]

I use this for running, walking and rambling, it uses fuzzy logic and Google map.

https://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm

[Clariman]

The Edge 25 has a phone app which allows route details to be shown on a bluetooth connected smartphone.

So could someone else (with appropriate permissions) view the location of the cyclist at any given time? Actually, I think the iPhone has a tracking app on it anyway doesn't it?

Mrs C is doing a long (for us) cycle tomorrow and I'd like to be able to track her progress in case she needs picked up from anywhere. I was supposed to be doing it too but am not well (nothing major).

[djbenedict]

Strava on your smartphone. Free. Voted 'best cycling innovation' some years ago. Really worth a try. You might find it addictive.

[jofc]

You need a reasonably new smartphone to get the current version working though
Strava stopped working on my old Huawei phone after an update about 6 months ago (after several years of faultless performance)
But I am now up & working again after swapping to a more modern android phone

The free version does everything I need & more