Best iPhone Apps for Cycling Make a Cheap GPS or Bike Computer

There are over 250,000 mobile applications currently available for Apple’s iPhone and cycling and fitness apps are no exception. Many of the early applications introduced when the iPhone first came onto the market have now been upgraded. This article looks at some of the best apps around for cycling geeks.

Mobile Applications for the iPhone

These mobile applications for the iPhone turn your mobile into a GPS and/or act as cycle training partners by tracking performance, distance and other parameters.

• Runkeeper – offers GPS technology to track your fitness activity, giving you comparable results to an expensive GPS and easy tracking of all cycle routes taken; it’s ideal for those who like to keep track of what they do online. This app is free but there’s a paid version if you want to eliminate annoying adverts.
• Cychosis – a cycling journal to record performance/training priced at $1.99. There is no route tracking via GPS as you simply enter ride your details into the application but no GPS means the phone’s battery does not run down quickly.
• B.iCycle – a computer for road and mountain biking, slightly more expensive at £5.99 but for your money there is an easy to read, clear screen plus auto-pause detection to preserve battery life. This cycling app was chosen as one of Apple’s top 10 applications for 2009.
• Trails – a great GPS app costing just £2.39 that can import and export bike routes to be shared with others if desired. It has the option to use phone functionality like music without interrupting the mapping, something that is not available on all other GPS-type apps.
• Bike Computer – this is a great free app that is basically a simple bike computer with GPS tracking that is easy to use. It may not have all the functionality of some of the other apps above but it’s free!

iPhone Accessories for Cycling

While gadget-loving cyclists may relish using their iPhone instead of carrying two or even three other devices around, there are some key iPhone accessories worth buying if you are going to use your precious phone for lots of cycling:

• Bike Doctor – this is a must-have for seeing exactly how to carry out basic repairs and the soon-to-be-released version 2 will offer emergency repair advice, all for $2.99.
• Brakelights – a fun but useful iPhone cycling app to turn your phone into a red brakelight to warn motorists and other cyclists; just point the iPhone backwards.

The other essential item is a robust bike mount to protect your iPhone and stop it falling off the bike; consider these options:

• Waterproof bike mount from iBikeConsole, fully weatherproof and with an option to swivel the phone 360 degrees and use the touch screen while on the move.
• Dahon Biologic iPhone mount – fully waterproof and held within a strong plastic case, this bike mount keeps the iPhone safe by clipping firmly to the handlebar. A little pricey at around $53 from Amazon, but possibly worth it to keep your phone safe.

If you don’t want to attach your iPhone to the bike’s handlebar, consider putting it in a waterproof sports armband holder; there are plenty of options available under the iPhone armband category on Amazon or direct from the Apple iPhone store.

Cycle and Fitness Bike Apps

When considering which cycle and fitness bike apps to choose, remember that one of the big issues with some of these apps is that you can’t always listen to music or even use the actual phone when using the application if you want to keep tracking your route or cycling time. So these clever apps won’t necessarily replace a GPS or bike computer.

But for the geeky gadget freak who loves cycling, many of these apps are plain fun. Choose one of the apps above which preserves battery life and allows the flexibility to switch between the application and using the phone for other actions without losing any tracking data.

Bike Apps for the iPhone

With more and more outdoor and fitness applications coming onto the market all the time, it can be hard to keep up with the latest bike apps for your iPhone. So check out the suggestions above to find the current best iPhone apps for cycling to suit your requirements.

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• Most Useful Free iPhone Apps for Travel and Outdoor Adventures
• Nokia Bicycle Mobile Phone Charger makes Cycling even Greener
• Cool Cycling Gifts for Christmas, Latest Gadgets