Building a modular bike computer (Feedback wanted!)

[Furina]

Hi everyone,

I’m working on a project now and I think it’s pretty cool: a modular, high-fidelity bike computer.
I'm a sports data analyst, working with pro teams, I found—whether on biking, rowing, or paragliding, we’re often stuck with proprietary ecosystems that don't play well with high-end sensors or specialized needs, so we are currently prototyping a "pro-data" hub.

Quick specs:
Modular: Support for add-ons like wind sensor (anemometer),camera and walkie-talkie for group rides.
Rugged: Monolithic, dual-shot molded case (IP68-ready).
Display: 3.5" screen, perfectly viewable in direct sunlight.

I’m just sharing this to get your thoughts.

Cheers!

 

[Dogtrousers]

Interesting, in a kind of theoretical way. But I'm not sure this forum represents your target market though.

For me (and I'm prepared to guess many or most of us on this forum) commercially available computers actually do more than I need. I don't have specialised needs that are not catered for. I'm not seeing any gap there, in fact I'm seeing a very crowded market of extremely capable devices from different manufacturers with little to choose between them, all capable of connecting to a variety of sensors: HRM, Power, speed, cadence, radar, temperature etc.

But don't let that put you off from posting, because this stuff is fascinating (to me at least).

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Mod Note:
I'm going to move this in the training section, maybe it will get more responses.
@Furina

 

[Ming the Merciless]

What would be interesting is how repairable or upgradeable it is over time by the consumer. The other necessity is how easy it is to use route planners on a phone to sync with it. Plus same for activities how easily can it sync with the different online platforms such as Garmin Connect or Strava or Wahoo.

 

[EckyH]

That's a really cool project.

Open standards for connectivity in hard- and software would be great, so that other people can develop own modules, extensions, plugins, whatever.
If the software would be open source with a license which allows other people to contribute, then that would be even better, because bug fixing and security updates would be possible for a very long time and not dictated by management constraints.

Fingers crossed that your project will be successful.

E.

 

[Furina]

Interesting, in a kind of theoretical way. But I'm not sure this forum represents your target market though.

For me (and I'm prepared to guess many or most of us on this forum) commercially available computers actually do more than I need. I don't have specialised needs that are not catered for. I'm not seeing any gap there, in fact I'm seeing a very crowded market of extremely capable devices from different manufacturers with little to choose between them, all capable of connecting to a variety of sensors: HRM, Power, speed, cadence, radar, temperature etc.

But don't let that put you off from posting, because this stuff is fascinating (to me at least).

I agree the market is crowded with similar devices.

However, for serious outdoor sports, we often need more than just a standard computer. That's why we’re building this as a modular hub to bridge cycling, kayaking, and paragliding, rather than a standalone unit.

Supporting plug-ins like camera, wind sensor and walkie-talkie, we aim to offer versatility that isn't currently available.

 

[Furina]

What would be interesting is how repairable or upgradeable it is over time by the consumer. The other necessity is how easy it is to use route planners on a phone to sync with it. Plus same for activities how easily can it sync with the different online platforms such as Garmin Connect or Strava or Wahoo.

Great points.
Syncing via OSM and Strava is already a day-one priority. Regarding longevity, the dual-shot molded case is built to be a tank, but the modular design is exactly how we plan to handle future upgrades and repairability. We’re still in the early stages, and feedback like yours is exactly what we need to get it right. Thanks for following our progress!

 

[Furina]

That's a really cool project.

Open standards for connectivity in hard- and software would be great, so that other people can develop own modules, extensions, plugins, whatever.
If the software would be open source with a license which allows other people to contribute, then that would be even better, because bug fixing and security updates would be possible for a very long time and not dictated by management constraints.

Fingers crossed that your project will be successful.

E.

The modular interface is designed specifically to be a flexible platform. My hope is that it will allow for a huge variety of future modules—whether it's specialized aero sensors or niche plugins for different sports—so the hardware grows with the user's needs. We're excited to see where this modular approach can go!

 

[Furina]

Mod Note:
I'm going to move this in the training section, maybe it will get more responses.
@Furina