A Well Thought Out Design
Plenty of cyclists carry their phones on long bike rides. Cyclemeter puts the phone’s GPS functionality to work with a full-featured cycle-computer, mapping display, and training log. The app also works with a Bluetooth-linked wireless heart rate monitor. The only downside of using an app like Cyclemeter instead of a dedicated, handlebar-mounted cycle computer is the lack of real-time feedback. We do not recommend mounting a smartphone on the handlebar due to concerns about water, vibration, and dirt damage. We reviewed a number of other fitness and cycling apps, but we can safely say that the Cyclemeter is the most comprehensive and full-featured that we’ve encountered, at least when it comes to cycling. We also appreciate the developer’s approach: Why require the user to connect to and use a web-browser-based mapping and training log utility when you can put everything on your phone?
Features and On-the-Road Testing
Cyclemeter provides you with many ways to capture and manage your data. Before using the app, you should enter setup data such as age, weight, and gender. These details help the app determine accurate calorie burn stats. You can also specify different bikes, and how you want the app to present its maps, set voice prompts, and determine what appears on data graphs. To begin tracking a ride, touch the app’s Stopwatch icon and you’ll see a customizable screen with the route name, activity, and fields for ride time, speed, distance, average speed, remaining miles (according to a selected route), and fastest speed. This display would also be useful as a source of real-time data if the phone is mounted on the handlebar. A Map icon shows your route in progress. It also displays your completed route when you’re finished with a ride or race. You may select street, hybrid, or satellite views. The History icon gives you easy access to the stats for past rides. Under the history tab, you may also access accumulated training log data by days, weeks, months, and years. History also gives you quick access to route data summaries.
Cyclemeter Voice Prompts, Sensors, and Accessories
One feature that sets Cyclemeter apart is a commitment to voice prompts as a key rider feedback tool. Cyclemeter’s developer, Abvio, states you can monitor your progress with up to 25 configurable announcements, including distance, time, speed, elevation, and more. Announcements may be heard at time or distance intervals, or on-demand with your earphone remote. Another nice touch is that Cyclemeter lets you sync real-time ride updates to your Twitter, Facebook, or email accounts. You may even set the app to read your replies while you’re riding or racing. Cyclemeter also freely allows you to import and export GPS files in the GPX or KML formats. And you can download training logs into an Excel spreadsheet. Many cyclists like to train or race while keeping tabs on their heart rate. Cyclemeter accommodates this with a real-time heart rate display, heart rate logging, and the ability to set heart rate zones with sound prompts. Cyclemeter works with the Blue HR wireless heart rate monitor by Wahoo Fitness and links via Bluetooth. Wahoo Fitness also offers a Blue SC Speed and Cadence sensor for tracking and logging pedaling cadence.
