Best iPhone App for Cycling

[deccoo]

Does anyone who has used the apps available on the iPhone for cycling have any recommendations?

Looking for the ability to:
- track routes and export
- import gpx or kml
- average & max speed / distance

have had a read up on runkeeper and motionx and am struggling to pick between the two.

Sorry if this has been asked before but did have a search and could only find a thread on general iPhone apps recommendations.

 

[New Horizon]

viewranger.com with a Dahon mount if you want it on the handlebars. No contest, easily the best smartphone GPS that uses OS maps. Been around for Symbian for a while (I use it on a Nokia 5800) and just released for the iPhone. Also use endomondo, which just logs gps data and uploads it to their site (by phone or wifi) to display on googlemaps. Shows basic speed, distance, time on the phone itself - free (at the moment). Works well.

 

[Panter]

I have Motion-X, and am very impressed with it, although I've never tried the other one you refer to.
Highly recommended.

 

[lanternerouge]

Weird, I was just about to start a similar thread. I am using Everytrail and Mapmytracks at the moment with my iPhone - neither really gives me total distances, calories burned etc. Do you guys know one that does?

 

[jimheaney57]

Cyclemeter. It's a bit heavy on the battery though, but it gives you all the info you could want.

Without an additional battery pack you will only get about 4 hours before it dies. I bought a Mophie battery pack and it got me through 8 hours and still had power left.

 

[deccoo]

I bought a Mophie battery pack and it got me through 8 hours and still had power left.

jimheaney57 - do you mount your iPhone to your bars/stem? If so, what mount do you use that works with the battery pack? Really want to get it on the bars but going to need more than 4 hrs juice

 

[Rob3rt]

What about for Android? Anyone use anything good?

One of the android ones supports bluetooth heart rate monitors, look for that one? I cant remember its name. But assuming the software is well designed then it should be superior by default.

I tried a few before I got my garmin, also compared cardio trainer to the garmin, was utterly useless imo. Speed data is unreliable from gps (average speed can be worked out from time taken over distance so do it yourself, any speed data by gps is potentially errounous due to some tracking irregularities, my garmin told me I hit 45mph in the slowest section of my commute, others have given them ridiculous speeds, now have a garmin rear wheel speed sensor fitted), so unless you are looking for something to simply track your route and total time I'd give them a miss. But android have many free ones so worth a try, nothing to lose. Can always pair with a cheap computer



Nokia also have one, its not OS specific as such, just requires a supporting nokia phone with gps, or a non gps phone plus gps reciever add on.

 

[Fnaar]

What about for Android? Anyone use anything good?

There's MyTracks (which I've used, but apart from trying some out, I don't use the cycling apps generally anyway..)
Also tried SportyPal which seemed good.
I have RMaps (I use it for OS maps... it has other maps on it too, including a cycling one, i think) but the most recent update gave a tracking tool too... tried it out on a dog walk... didn't seem to give 'live' track, but you could see the recorded track after... no other data though. You can also put kml (poss other formats too) on your sd card and import... but you can also do this on the ever-improving google maps app too.

Thread on mytracks here:
https://www.cyclechat.net/

 

[jimheaney57]

jimheaney57 - do you mount your iPhone to your bars/stem? If so, what mount do you use that works with the battery pack? Really want to get it on the bars but going to need more than 4 hrs juice

I had been using a bag/holder that I got from here http://www.velotrac.com/

I have their app as well but I don't think it's as good as Cyclemeter.

Unfortunately one of the straps has broken on the bag and I haven't got it repaired yet. It was great when I was using it and it held the phone with the Mophie pack very nicely.

 

[Chrisc]

I use imapmyride. Seems OK.

 

[Rezillo]

viewranger.com with a Dahon mount if you want it on the handlebars. No contest, easily the best smartphone GPS that uses OS maps. Been around for Symbian for a while (I use it on a Nokia 5800) and just released for the iPhone. Also use endomondo, which just logs gps data and uploads it to their site (by phone or wifi) to display on googlemaps. Shows basic speed, distance, time on the phone itself - free (at the moment). Works well.

Useful looking offer for a 5800 + all UK maps on their website. What's the battery life like when running Viewranger?

John

 

[New Horizon]

It’s a cracking offer (and the phone is unlocked too) - I bought the whole of the UK 1:50k before this offer, at £150, plus the phone (locked) at £240, so £300 for both is a bargain. The longest I've used it for is about 6 hours, and it dropped one bar. That’s with bluetooth and 3G turned off - I don't use it as a phone anyway, I have a small Nokia for that.

 

[Rezillo]

It’s a cracking offer (and the phone is unlocked too) - I bought the whole of the UK 1:50k before this offer, at £150, plus the phone (locked) at £240, so £300 for both is a bargain. The longest I've used it for is about 6 hours, and it dropped one bar. That’s with bluetooth and 3G turned off - I don't use it as a phone anyway, I have a small Nokia for that.

Thanks for the info. It's certainly tempting - makes the Memory Map Adventurer look like a one trick pony! It is an older smartphone, though, and I do like the look of the HTC models. Hmmm - more cost research needed for me before a decision.

John

 

[New Horizon]

Another + is that the maps are portable - change the phone, take the maps with you, it’s a simple process to sort the new registration out with Viewranger office. Change platform as well - Symbian S60 & Android are included and maps are not platform dependent.

 

[Steve H]

+1 for imapmyride. It is free and uploads directly to mapmyride.com (you need to create an account, but there are free accounts available if you don't mind a few adverts)

The app traces the route, records time, distance, avg speed, min and max speed. Battery pull is a bit heavy, but there have been a few application updates recently that are trying to improve this.

I have't got a bar mount for my iphone, so I stick it in the pocket of my thin jacket. I still get a pretty good gps signal - good enough to trace the whole ride.

I haven't tried any others, so can't compare. This one does everything I need for now.

Steve