Does anyone have an app that they like or a product they use to gage how far they've ridden? If anyone else is working on increasing distance and wants to ride with me- please let me know. Somehow I know it will be more fun with a few others with the same goal.
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On routes I don't know, I use Google's My Tracks app to compute the distance (I have an Android phone - I assume it or something similar is available for the iPhone). For routes I ride regularly -- such as my three different routes to/from work -- I measure them the first time, then remember the numbers.
At the end of the day I enter the day's results in an online multi-sport fitness log offered to members of US Masters Swimming. It doesn't offer a lot of bells and whistles, but it works for me. It also lets me record my weight and resting heart rate numbers. I'm sure something similar is available online without having to resort to joining USMS. :-)
I'm a big fan of Runkeeper, which despite its name, does a good job of supporting cycling and other activities.
+1 for Strava.
I've used Endomondo and like it. It also works for walking, running and other exercise. There's a free app or you can buy a premium version.
If you're just measuring distance, why not a regular bike computer? Like the Cat Eye Strada? I guess if you already have a phone that can run one of the aforementioned apps then you don't really need it, but I tend to ignore Strava and Google's MyTracks only because they kill my battery before my ride is even half way through. Otherwise, those two are my top picks for cycling phone apps-- especially for GPS tracking and all the awesomeness that comes with it.
But like I said-- if I were just logging mileage and don't want to quickly drain my phone's battery, I'd spend the extra scratch on a bike computer.
David Mann said:
If you're just measuring distance, why not a regular bike computer?
Not sure who your comment was addressed to, but I will answer from my perspective. I have several bikes, a fixed gear commuter (which I sometimes ride on the weekends if the mood strikes), a few vintage road bikes, and a couple others that don't fit into those two categories. Consequently, I'd have to have multiple bike computers to support all my two-wheel choices. I agree though, if you have just one bike and can manage the calibration okay, a cyclocomputer makes sense.
Yeah sorry, the question was for the OP, but you make an excellent point. Some computers have settings for multiple bikes, but even then you'd need to have multiple sending units and hardware and such, and I don't think I've found a computer that covers more than two bikes.
Skip Montanaro 12mi said:
David Mann said:If you're just measuring distance, why not a regular bike computer?
Not sure who your comment was addressed to, but I will answer from my perspective. I have several bikes, a fixed gear commuter (which I sometimes ride on the weekends if the mood strikes), a few vintage road bikes, and a couple others that don't fit into those two categories. Consequently, I'd have to have multiple bike computers to support all my two-wheel choices. I agree though, if you have just one bike and can manage the calibration okay, a cyclocomputer makes sense.
I've been using Endomondo for a little over a year and it works as well as anything else that's free. There are so many 'activity types' that it would be easy to use different ones for different bikes.
I do use a Garmin more often now due to the phone battery drain issue. Obviously it requires more investment up front, but the nice thing is it comes with 2 mounts (and you can buy more), and it is GPS-based so no need to calibrate for each bike.
You can get a simple cyclocomputer at Target for $15 and the batteries last forever. As long as your rims are the same size (e.g. 700c) there isn't a need to calibrate btw bikes (yes I realize that tire size will make a small difference but its negligible.)
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