Favorite cycling app ?

syke · 28 Jun 2015 at 22:06

ironhorse said:
I use Strava, but has anyone tries Zwift when on the turbo - online gaming meets turbo trainer, great to release the boredom of indoor cycling and quite competitive

Having very rarely (once or twice) used my trainer since purchase (admittedly purely because it was 30% of the RRP back when I got it) I set it up in the garage today and had a go on Zwift. Very good, and as you said pretty competitive. Gave it two laps today and was definitely a hell of a workout compared to my usual 20km!

Atomfix · 29 Jun 2015 at 08:48

I found out about Strava from this forum. Thought I'd give it a blast this morning using my phone.

Strava Activity Link

tedmaul · 29 Jun 2015 at 09:15

Anyone tried Strava?

I'll see if i can upload this thread to it, otherwise i'm not sure if it's actually happening...

Atomfix · 29 Jun 2015 at 09:45

tedmaul said:
Anyone tried Strava?

I'll see if i can upload this thread to it, otherwise i'm not sure if it's actually happening...

I've used it for the first time this morning on my morning commute. It's probably one of the best apps you can get. You can join biking clubs from your local area also.

lordrobs · 29 Jun 2015 at 13:15

I've stuck with Strava for some time now. Prior to that I was an Endomondo user and before that MapMyRide.

Phil W · 5 Jul 2015 at 21:57

Strava bur I also have endomondo and mapmyride installed.

Lot of BS associated with Strava segments though.

Roady · 7 Jul 2015 at 13:50

Strava.

Garmin Connect on mobile to sync my 810 rides to Strava. Wirelessly and automagically.

RidewithGPS for plotting routes and saving to 810, their app is rubbish (and requires paid membership to use most features).

I used IPBike on Iphone4 and Samsung Galaxy S5 to connect to my ANT+ devices and sync rides to Strava (this was before Strava supported ANT+ and before I got my Garmin...)

slipd · 26 Jul 2015 at 18:20

I'm a big user of all the Runtastic offerings for the various parts of my fitness but I feel like I've been living under a rock! This Strava, is it free by any chance? I'm just downloading it now for my Android...

Roady · 5 Aug 2015 at 16:00

Totally free, there are premium features you need to pay a premium subscription for, but the website and apps are free for the usual & basic things

randomshenans · 5 Aug 2015 at 20:04

I use a little known one called strava.

https://www.strava.com/athletes/4168815

Jono · 18 Aug 2015 at 22:19

I have a Garmin 510, it doesn't have maps on it because I'm a pauper.
My phone is an S3 and it's entirely w**k.
I know I can create routes on RideWithGPS and somehow plonk them onto my Garmin, but does anyone know if it can give me rudimentary directions when following said route/course, like turn left in xx feet?

My Saturday ride went completely awry because I have no sense of direction when I am le tired, so I ended up sticking to the main road I had wanted to avoid all the way back to my finish.
It wasn't so bad, but it's not something I'd like to do again.
t
I quite like the route creation thing on RWGPS, but Strava has one too?

Is it worth upgrading either to "better than free" for the above?

FrenchTart · 18 Aug 2015 at 22:22

You don't need to upgrade to try out Strava route creator so give it a go

I personally prefer it to RWGPS though I know others that feel the opposite.

RWGPS with the most basic level of upgrade will give you turn by turn audio directions on your phone (so you can just use a set of bluetooth headphones). My friend uses this and has navigated successfully on 100+ mile rides with it.

With Strava you'll be limited to map directions (which I personally prefer, using my Garmin 810) so you'll either need a phone mount or you'll need to export to .tcx and then use it with the dotted line navigation. Vonhelmet has a 500/510 so he'll know a lot more about that side of things than I do.

Jono · 19 Aug 2015 at 08:25

Cool, ta matey!

I always wish I'd bought the 810 over the 510 and just waited a bit longer to buy something.
Battery life on my phone with GPS running just seems to absolutely kill it... I should probably buy a new phone. But I don't want one.

I'll give Strava a go, too : with .tcx

FrenchTart · 19 Aug 2015 at 08:46

What phone is it? Most modern phones should be able to deal with it running to be honest, unless you're out for hours and hours.

wez130 · 19 Aug 2015 at 09:19

I'd look at getting one of those bike phone chargers to charge your phone whilst riding. Don't think i can link but there's a dynamo one that charges a lithium battery up that connects to most smart phones and it's about £30 on rainforest site.

I don't know how good they are, but we're creating all this energy riding, why not make some use out of it

FrenchTart · 19 Aug 2015 at 09:29

The only issue with that is that you'll need to get a decent hub wheel too.

For longer rides I just take a portable usb battery with me personally.

Roady · 19 Aug 2015 at 11:10

Portable USB/battery chargers are the way forwards but I would only worry about that if you were using your phone for it.

As you're using a 510 you shouldn't need to!

Free UK maps for garmin: talkytoaster

I've an 810 and the turn by turn is awkward at best but perfectly usable. I tend to use the map myself rather than the turn by turn when navigating difficult/complicated routes. The delay in navigation/turn prompts I find harder than looking at a map. I'm guessing this is similar 'Breadcrumb' style (like on the 510). But I'm also old skool and like maps

One of the big things for me is having 'direction' on my Garmin, even if the map goes screwy and there's no street signs I'll know I need to head 'South' to head the right direction! I've even thought about fitting a compass to my bars!