Time to get out on the road!
Having trouble motivating yourself to get out – even in the new sunny weather? Got a new bike for Christmas that’s just been sitting collecting dust in your shed or hallway? Then the folks at Runtastic might just be the answer, especially if you’re up for a bit of biking.
The company has today announced the release of two new apps, alongside some new kit to accompany it in the shape of the Runtastic Bike Case, and the Runtastic Speed & Cadence Sensor. Launching for the first time on Android, and with new features on iOS, the Runtastic Road Bike and Mountain Bike apps are aiming to transform your smartphone into the best cycling computers on the market.
Both apps keep track of several key performance metrics such as the calories burned, distance travelled, speed, elevation gain/loss, rate of climb, and pace. The apps are highly customisable, allowing users to configure personalised dashboards, detailed live mapping of each ride, and even cheering features if you’re in need of some extra encouragement.
There’s also a new Route Search feature is also being launched soon in order to help users find or create new routes, whether from other users or the company themselves, which can then be saved into to app’s memory and set up later.
We’ve had a play with both apps, and despite not being big biking fans ourselves, they were both very impressive. The sheer range of options and data available is excellent, and when we took them out on a ride around Hampstead village and up on the Heath they worked perfectly.
As far as the hardware goes, the Bike Case and Speed & Cadence Sensor are both set up to work in conjunction with the new apps in order to provide users with a comprehensive set of tools to monitor their cycling activities.
The apps automatically upload statistics from each completed workout to your own personal profiles on Runtastic.com. Users can also choose to share progress via e-mail or by posting to the usual social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Both apps are now available in the App Store (Road Bike and Mountain Bike) and Google Play (Road Bike and Mountain Bike). And if this has whetted your appetite, Runtastic hardware is available for purchase in select retail outlets and in the company’s online shop.
Tech Runner 