Sports Tracker

This free app allows you to track your cycling and then upload it to Nokia Sports Tracker Online. On the screen you can either see a map view of the ride or take a look at stats such as distance travelled, time and speed. You can also bring up rides you’ve completed previously. You can also share rides on social networks such as Facebook. It should be a good app for those looking for motivation to ride more.

Outdoor Navigation

A really beautifully designed bike app for Windows Mobile. It allows you to view different types of maps including open cycle maps and Google. It also has a very useful offline map mode which should be useful for conserving battery or when visiting locations without much mobile signal. You can follow your route on a map, add any points of interest and you can also draw out a route. Data can also be exported to sites including Facebook. You also get bike computer functionality to display details such as average speed and so forth. Great app that does a lot for the $4.99 price tag.

Workout Tracker

From the early days on a bike such as the Townsend bikes or as you move up onto a full road bike you inevitably have an obsession with how fast you are going. The Workout Tracker will tell you. The app also integrates with trainingpeaks.com and also allows you to share .GPX files of your rides which should make it possible to upload them to most websites. It is simple to use but does cost $0.99. You can view details on rides you’ve done such as speed, elevation data and distance travelled.

Trax

Another great cycling app for Windows Mobile for GPS tracking your rides. Can run whilst in the background and doesn’t crash.

Cycle Log

Another GPS tracker but without map capabilities which may result in better battery efficiency as less data is being downloaded.

Cycling News

Keep up to date with Tour De France and other cycling news with the RSS aggregator.

Bicycle Gears

Well designed Windows Mobile app for calculating the gear ratio of your bike.

London Cycle Hire

Find the nearest bicycle hire docking station and track how long you’ve been cycling. This very useful app will be a must have companion for any Boris Bike user. Out of all the apps available to do this job it seems to be the best one. Also has offline mapping capabilities which dramatically speeds up load times.

Endomondo

The Endomondo app is available on pretty much every phone ever made. Windows Mobile phones are no exception. It is a nice little app which is easy to use and has most the functionality anyone would need.

All of these bike apps can be found in the Windows Mobile Marketplace.

If you know of any other good bike apps for Windows Mobile please post them in the comments below.

See also:

• Bike apps for Android
• Bike apps for iPhone

Whilst testing the app (which is free to download) I’ve been thoroughly impressed with the features they’ve managed to pack in there. Compared to other offerings some of it is pretty revolutionary.

The new kid on the workout tracking block

Since GPS was introduced to smart phones, some of the most popular application have been GPS trackers. These enable you to keep an eye on the distances you are covering either for the purpose of training or general interest. The apps vary from those that simply store the data on your iPhone, to those that encourage you to share the data with others such as Endomondo. I thought the offerings were already pretty comprehensive. However, the new Sports Tracker app adds a few features not seen before.

Logging the first workout

Before we dive into the new features let’s take a quick tour of the app. The first thing you’ll want to do is setup an account. This can be linked with your Facebook allowing you to share your workouts with friends. If you do set it up with Facebook it will automatically mention that you are now using Sports Tracker.

Then, after a quick tweak of settings where you enter your weight to calculate calories, grab your bike and head for a ride.

To start tracking you hit the “Start new workout” button.

It will then ask you your workout settings. You can choose which activity you are doing and whether it should auto-pause. Personally, I think this screen is an unnecessary extra step when you just want to get going. In this respect I prefer the famous Cycle Meter app where you just tap once and you get going immediately. Perhaps the developers will re-consider this in future editions.

Then, annoyingly, there’s also a third step where you have to hit the Start button. Again, this could be streamlined.

Once on this screen however the application really shines.

You are presented with four different screens you can scroll and view. This should satisfy all users of the app and the presentation is impressive. You also have the option of tapping the map if you want to see a full screen view.

Once you are done with your ride you have the option of sharing it. This will allow other users to view your workout if you select “All”. I did try to share my workout on Facebook however this didn’t seem to want to work. Every time I tapped it I was told I was already signed in to Facebook. This is something that will no doubt be fixed in later versions.

Viewing the ride online

Your ride is also then viewable on the Sports Tracker website. I find this functionality incredibly useful as looking at a large amount of data on the iPhone can be a cumbersome process. Online the presentation is an excellent, advert free experience. There’s really no more I could ask for.

You can view your rides in your diary, graph your speed, elevation and distance.

Those worried that your data is too tied to the Sports Tracker website can breathe a sigh of relief as it is possible to export your rides.

Viewing the ride on your phone

It’s also possible to view previous rides on your iPhone. Tapping the diary in the Sports Tracker app allows you to do this.

Extra features

A feature that I really liked that makes the Sports Tracker app stand out is the explore view. This is great for getting inspiration for rides you could copy and seeing what other users are up to. Tapping the map view even allows you to follow their ride.

The features that are missing

There’s a couple of extra features that wouldn’t go amiss in the Sports Tracker app. The first is centred around following routes.

Say you’ve downloaded the excellent London Cycle Routes eBook and you want to follow one of the rides. Whilst you can import it online as a workout, which is then synced with your phone, there isn’t a way to track your progress along this route. You can view it on a map and see your position but you can’t track your speed and so forth.

Similarly, if you want to follow one of your previous rides, it’s not as easy as it is in Cycle Meter to compare your performance.

The second big feature that is missing is announcements. Other applications can announce your performance at set intervals. Although, I must admit, I’ve never personally used this feature.

Competing with friends

This is something that I didn’t get a chance to explore as none of my friends are using Sports Tracker. If you want to connect with me then my user name is: andikam (i.e. I need some friends!)

Review: Time to replace the rest

I like Sports Tracker a lot. The application is full of useful features, well presented and easy to use. This is a combo many apps can’t pull off.

For me it stands out in three ways. First of all it’s free – which is excellent considering what you are getting here. Second, it has an excellent online area where you can view your rides without being pestered with adverts. Finally, the Explore tab is an excellent way to tap into what fellow sports fans are doing in your area.

Two things I’d like to see added are the voice announcements and the ability to follow previous routes you’ve completed.

Overall, great app and now my main choice when it comes to tracking my cycling.

Good points:

• Free
• Excellent design
• Easy to use
• Great online integration
• Plenty of different views to monitor your workout
• Can import and export workouts (online)
• Accuracy seems good from my testing

Bad points:

• Facebook integration had a few bugs
• Lacking a good way to follow a previous ride
• Lacking voice announcements
• Starting a ride has a few too many steps

Find your perfect London Bike Shop in just one quick tap!

"I was doing my 14 mile commute home the other day and this app really came into its own when a spoke broke on my front wheel. I quickly looked up the nearest bike shop. Found a good one that was open with a 5 star rating and on my route home. Gave them a quick ring with the number in the app and they said they can take a look at it right away. Problem solved in about 15 minutes and a great shop I plan to use in future" 
Ben Pearson, 29 (Feedback from an early beta tester)

London Bike shop will help you..

• Find your nearest bike shop and check if it’s open – 200+ London bike shops listed
• Sip on a hot coffee, grab a slice of cake and let someone else repair your bike – we’ve got London’s cycle cafe’s listed
• Let the bike repair come to you – London’s mobile bike repair men and women are listed
• Find a great new bike shops that can understand your needs and give you a personal service

How to find the perfect London bike shop..

1. Download a copy of the London Bike Shop App for your iPhone
2. Open up the app and you’ll see a list of bike shops based on your current location
3. Tap one to see when it’s open and what their number is
4. Choose the show on a map to locate them

Otherwise you can also look at the map of London to see the nearest bike shops or find a bike shop that is near your workplace.

The app costs just £1.19

With your help it can be better..

Opening times change, new bike shops open. The app will rely on London’s cyclists to help out by reporting any errors they spot so we can get them corrected. We’re busy adding pictures for all the bike shops too so if your a bike shop owner then please send us a pic!

What do you think..

I think this is a great app that London’s cyclists will find really useful. But I’m more interested to find out what you guys think. So download the app, have a play around with it and let me know your thoughts.

How to download..

click here to launch iTunes with a link to London Bike Shop app

Or.. Search the app store for: London Bike Shop

Bike Doctor

Bike Doctor for the Android looks after your bike by providing instructions to the 24 most common bike repairs. Using it helps you save money by avoiding expensive trips to the bike shop. Each repair comes with a colour picture and a short, clear description of what you need to do to get your bike fixed.

Find out more in this post: Bike repair on your Android

Cycling GPS trackers for the Android

SportsTracker

SportsTracker which is integrated with Facebook and Twitter allows you to track your cycling and monitor your performance. It shows you what speed you are moving at, a map, the distance you’ve covered and plenty of other similar stats. The free version holds a total of 5 tracks. The application can also be hooked up to a heart rate and cadence sensor to give you even more information. It generally comes well recommended from its users. This comes in a free and a paid version. The paid version costs £5.99.

My Tracks

My Tracks is a free Android application by Google allowing you to GPS track your cycling and export it to view on Google My Maps. It is pretty well refined and well trusted. Great for keeping track of your routes. It also has plenty of statistics such as speed, distance and elevation.

BreadCrumbz

BreadCrumbz is an app I came across by mistake and I’m so glad I did. It is a really innovative way of sharing routes with friends. You can add photos of way pointers and tag points of interest. You can then share the routes online and discover routes other people have added.

SportyPal

SportyPal similarly to all the other apps shows speed, distance, tempo, pace, altitude and calories burnt. It will graph your performance and also display your route on a map. The app provides voice feedback and also links in with the social networks. The app is free to download.

RunTastic

RunTastic links in with the online community to allow you to upload your training data. The app comes in both a lite version with adverts and a professional paid version. It allows you to track all the classic things and has a nice clean design that is easy to use.

AboveRoad

AboveRoad is a free app for the Android that tracks your GPS movements. It includes speed, distance, start, stop time and calories burnt. Unfortunately it doesn’t show the distance in miles for UK users.

RunKeeper

RunKeeper tracks all the classic things and is a fairly well designed app although could do with a little added functionality. It also links in with a good online community which is where this app becomes useful.

EveryTrail

EveryTrail allows you to capture your route on a map using the GPS and also includes functionality to add any pictures you take. It links in with their online community.

CardioTrainer

CardioTrainer is an excellent workout trainer. It integrates with your music player and has clever features such as an autopause when you are stopped at traffic lights. The premium version for $2.99 also has weight loss and race against yourself functionality. A great, refined cycling and running app for the Android.

Gear Calculator

FixedGears allows you to calculate gearing ratios. 

Cycle Hire Scheme on Android

The various cycle hire schemes throughout the world are well catered for on the Android. In London there are applications such as London Cycle Hire Live which costs 50p and Cycle Hire Widget which is available from the Android Market for free.

Please feel free to leave any app recommendations for cyclists you have in the comments.

See also:

• Bike apps for the iPhone
• iPhone bike mounts
• Bike Doctor bike repair application
• Using GPS coordinates for cycling

Bike maintenance on the iPhone

Bike Doctor

When you are out cycling the chances are you don’t carry big heavy bike maintenance books with you just in case something goes wrong. Technology or more specifically the iPhone comes to the rescue. The Bike Doctor App has 20 repairs that you can easily follow step-by-step. The repairs are written in such a way that even a complete bike maintenance beginner can understand them. There are big plans for this App with version  2 promising more emergency style repairs and bike safety check functionality.

Bike Doctor Website

London Bike Rides

If on the lookout for great places to cycle in London then the London Bike Rides iPhone app will appeal. It contains 30 routes through the capital and out into the surrounding area. From easy 6 mile routes that help you discover new parts of London to longer 25-30 mile routes that road cyclists look for. It’s a great little app for London cyclists.

Bike route tracking on the iPhone

The below comparison table gives an overview of the functionality of the route tracking apps:

The limitation you need to be aware of with most of these apps is that they will rapidly run down the battery and are heavily dependent on GPS signal quality.

EveryTrail

The EveryTrail app comes in both free and paid flavours. I paid for the full version which meant I could track an unlimited number of trips. In the free version you are limited to three. The best use of the Everytrail bike app is for following cycling routes as you can import any rides listed on the EveryTrail website. You can also track your route and tag any pictures along the way. One of the most useful functions is the ability to download offline Open Cycle Maps which is great for saving battery or for using the app abroad when you don’t have access to a 3G network.

Trails

Trails allows you to record, import and export your bike routes. Of all the apps I reviewed this is the one that does this best. When importing routes you simply search on popular croute tracking sites or you import a GPX file. When exporting, you can either export to EveryTrail or to an email address. This makes it perfect for sharing with others.

When tracking your cycling the iPhone screen is locked so that no buttons are pressed by mistake. Also, battery life is conserved as the map is not being constantly loaded unless you ask it to. There is also functionality to edit waypoints and listen to music/receive call whenever. Trails is very well designed and is the bike app I use most often. There is also a lite version available with more limited functionality.

Cycle Meter

This is my new favourite bike app for tracking my cycling and it’s the same for lots of people out there as it consistently performs highly in the iPhone app store (plenty of 5 star ratings). Cycle Meter for the iPhone by Abvio is a complete solution that works very simply. When you are at the beginning of your bike ride you tap the start button, the timer begins and you get a load of stats such as Ride Time, Distance, Speed and Average. At the end all your rides are stored on your iPhone and can be viewed again.

MotionX

There are two versions of MotionX available -  I took a look at the lite version. Tracking your bike route is simple. You simply tap the start button and set off then tap the stop button to stop. Thankfully there is a lock button on the bottom left that stops you tapping buttons when the iPhone is in your pocket. Similarly to the Trails app there is a variety of map formats to choose from. In MotionX you can also control your iPod at the same time from within the app.

iMapMyRide

iMapMyRide is an okay app, the problem lies with iMapMyRide.com. It is so full of adverts it is impossible to use. The GPS signal quality was also a little variable. It is a useful bike app for anyone that uses iMapMyRide.com frequently.

Cychosis

Cychosis works in a different way to the rest of the iPhone bike applications.  You manually enter your ride details into the application. Therefore you need a separate bike computer. The app then keeps a history of all your rides. This works well for those that don’t want their route tracked by GPS which can be a heavy burden on battery life.

More iPhone bike apps!

Bike GPS

Drivers have their Tom Tom and the UK’s cyclists have their Bike Hub. Great bike app for the iPhone where you pick your starting point and destination and follow a bike friendly route. Oh, and it’s completely free!

London Bike Shop

London Bike Shop shows you the nearest bike shop if you are in London. It also includes listings of bike cafe’s and mobile bike repair services.

The Bike Computer

Having a bicycle computer is one of the most fun (And geeky!) gadgets you can have on a bike. I’m always spending way too long looking at my bike computer trying to break my speed record.

The problem with porting this great gadget over to the iPhone is that the GPS function can work with varying success which can obviously skew your results heavily. None the less, this is a great little free app to have and I recommend it to all cyclists.

Bicycle Gear Calculator

Great application to have on your iPhone though you can just as easily use Sheldon Brown’s Tool. It allows you to calculate gear ratio and gain ratio. It costs $4.99 (£2.99).

Brake Lights

Hook it up to the back of your bag and you get a bicycle brake light for $1 (£0.59). Novel idea but it is probably ten times more useful to buy an actual bike light!

Using your iPhone for cycling: Taking it to the next level!

The applications listed here are just skimming the surface of all of the capabilities of the iPhone. If you wish to get the most out of it then I recommend taking a look at the iPhone Cyclist eBook.

Related to bike apps for the iPhone:

1. 3 new cycling iPhone apps
2. Mount your iPhone to your bike
3. Review of Bicio GoRide iPhone bike mount
4. Using GPS coordinates for cycling (including on iPhone)