Biking: There’s an App for That

In today’s world of ubiquitous smart phones and mobile computing, we’ve almost arrived at a point where it’s not real until there’s an app for it. In fact, we’re almost certain that some programmer somewhere is working on an app to determine if a tree falling in the woods makes a sound when no one’s there to hear it. Smart phones are ingrained into so many aspects of our lives, and outdoor activity is no difference. We’re strapping them to our arms and using them to listen to music, track our mileage, measure the calories we burn and 100 other things. We’ve rounded up a list of apps specific to the cyclist that you may find useful.

For Troubleshooting
Bike Doctor bills itself as “your personal pocket bike mechanic.” If you run into trouble on the go, simply open the app and tap the part of your bike that’s causing you problems to find detailed instructions on how to fix it. You can also preempt problems by reading the handy guides to things like avoiding common maintenance errors and preventing tire punctures. Available for Apple and Android devices. $4.99

With 64 repair tutorials and 85 troubleshooting problems/solutions, Bike Repair will help you keep moving. You can also use it to track the maintenance history of your own bike and get alerts on when you’re due for service. Need a new part? Bike Repair will compare prices across 13 online retailers for you. Available for Apple and Android devices. $3.99

For Tracking Your Ride
We have a friend who says your ride doesn’t count as “real” unless someone you know sees you. Well, in case you don’t cross paths with any familiar faces, BikeBrain will track all the proof you need for the folks back home. The GPS-enabled app logs speed, distance, altitude, elapsed time and much more data – and the customizable interface will only display the stats that are important to you. It also allows you to take photos and video in app and share them to social media, which all but guarantees that someone you know will give you a thumbs up for riding. Apple only. Free

If just showing off to your friends isn’t enough, Cyclemeter allows you to compete against them. In addition to tracking all the GPS data you could ever need, it allows you to import other people’s routes and workouts to try to beat their time – or try to best yourself on one of your own previously tracked workouts. You can also export detailed workout data into spreadsheets. Plus, it’s ad-free. Apple only. $4.99

But how will Android users know where they’re going or brag to their friends? Glad you asked. Strava offers both running and cycling apps that track workouts and allow social sharing. Free

For Choosing Your Ride
When you’re in the market for new wheels, it’s important to not only choose a type that fits your lifestyle (road? mountain? hybrid? hipster fixed gear?), but also to choose a size that fits your body. If you haven’t already learned everything you could possibly ever need to know from our previous post, try downloading Size My Bike. Using six different body measurements, this app will calculate the size and geometry of your ideal bike. You can even specialize, optimizing your road bike fit for comfort or performance, or specify the dimensions or your mountain bike according to the demands of cross-country or all mountain riding. Available for Apple or Android. $4.99

These last two is strictly for the hardcore (non-motorized) gear heads. Cycle Calculator is an Android app that allows bike builders, customizers and serious cyclists to calculate things like gear ratio, gear speed and skid patches. You can try out different gear combinations and estimate the speed and power they’ll produce, saving you valuable time and money when customizing your ride. For iPhone users, Bike Gears provides the same kind of capabilities. Cycling Calculator: $0.99, Bike Gears: $1.99 (or Bike Gears Lite available for free)