If getting fit and reducing greenhouse admissions was part of your new year’s resolutions we would like to recommend riding your bike to work. There are some great apps out there to help you track your fitness and create the best rides possible.
Strava
Strava is an app you can use on your phone, however, most riders use a Garmin to record and upload their rides and then use the app to see what their friends are up to. All rides uploaded to Strava deliver automatic rankings of your times over popular routes, known as segments in Strava, with a GPS map of where you rode. There is also a premium edition, which is called Strava Summit. Summit provides post-ride analysis, and can map out future rides and get real-time feedback depending on the level you pay for.
There is also a real-time feature, which tells you how fast you are tracking on a selected segment, such as the local hard climb, works on smartphones but also the newer Garmin Edge.
- Price: Free (premium version also available)
- Download Strava for iOS or Strava for Android
The Road Bike Manual
Australian/Uk biking site BikeRadar has created a very useful bike repair app. The Road Manual App features videos and detailed images to illustrate the steps of every workshop, maintaince and repair task a bike rider could ever need. New tutorials are also added every month.
- Price: $2.99
- Download The Road Bike Manual for iOS or The Road Bike Manual for Android
Wahoo Fitness
This fitness app integrates with many other devices and apps to help you track your progress. It syncs with Bluetooth sensors such as heart-rate monitors, speed sensors and progressive power meters. Unlike most apps, Wahoo Fitness shares your data and uploads to all the major sites — Strava, MapMyFitness, TrainingPeaks, MyFitnessPal — or share your data in five different file formats via email or Dropbox.
If you are into data, the number-rich presentation of the app, with eight customizable pages of data on speed, power, heart rate will make you happy. Plus, there’s a GPS map — though it burns through the battery pretty quickly. The app can also be used indoors — with the Kickr power trainer, a best-in-class indoor trainer.
- Price: Free
- Download Wahoo Fitness for the iOS or Wahoo Fitness for Android
Bike Gear Calculator
For our more advanced and mechanically minded riders, check out this app. Bike Gear Calculator is great for calculating speed and cadence figures from tweakable virtual drivetrains. Feed the app information on the tyre size, crank length and gear ratios of your bike and revel in the immense data this app will provide. This app is for those who want to optimise their bike’s gearing for their strength or riding style.
- Price: Free (premium version also available)
- Download Bike Gear for iOS or Bike Gear Calculator for Android
Now you have all the information you need to get out there and make the most of this lovely summer weather! Go on, on your bike!
