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On a quest for the best biking application

Preparing for my June adventure, I'm tracking my cycling progress. So far I tried Endomondo, RunKeeper and had a look at Strava. They all have their ups and downs:

Endomondo doesn't provide a open data API and I never got the live broadcast working, but the UI is readable on a bike
RunKeeper UI is too tiny for cycling mount, but live broadcast works nicely and the data API is open
Strava doesn't seem to provide live updates, but rather tracking after the tour
Battery live sucks for all of them

A cycling screen (quite close to what Endomondo does) ideally could look like this:
A UI I would like to see for my cycling app

The big numbers are augmented with subtle hints on median performance using a bar display. Would be nice to see an app like that

Posted by Stephan H Wissel on 28 March 2014 | Comments (5) | categories: After hours Cycling

Comments

posted by Petter on Friday 28 March 2014 AD:
Your cycling screen mockup look nice ! Send your suggestion to Runkeeper and see what the say I'd choose Runkeeper simply because they have an open API..
posted by Cristian D'Aloisio on Friday 28 March 2014 AD:
Hi Stephan

do you still use Balsamiq sw for you drawings? Or something free?
posted by Mick Moignard on Friday 28 March 2014 AD:
from Daniel Moignard: Trying to use a phone app during a ride is not the way to go. He should buy a Garmin for getting all the data live, then upload to Strava once finished and use that as the post-processor. The picture he has drawn is exactly what a Garmin gives you { Link }
posted by Stephan H. Wissel on Monday 31 March 2014 AD:
@Petter: Sent to them, never got a reply
@Cristian: Balsamiq, still the best out there
@Mick: short of the subtle hints I suggested, Garmin comes close. But > SGD500 is also quite steep.
posted by Craig on Wednesday 02 April 2014 AD:
I second the Garmin recommendation. I've been cycling for a long time and have used all of them. A dedicated GPS is my preference for many reasons, but mostly battery life, GPS accuracy, and accessories.

Battery because the phone + GPS just sucks the battery (as you have seen). I carry my phone to make phone calls in emergencies and I have had too many instances where the phone battery is dead even after just a 2 hour ride. Add live announcements like RunKeeper (and now Strava) and that battery goes even faster.

Second is GPS accuracy - there is simply no better device than one with a dedicated antenna and preferable even a barometric altimeter. My Galaxy S3 is OK, but it loses lock really easy and is not really good under heavy tree cover (I do a lot of mountain biking). The iPhone is hands down the worst when it comes to altitude measurements.

Third, accessories. Things have changed a bit since I first got my device, but the Garmin devices work with anything that uses ANT+ - Power meter, HR, cadence, speed, etc. You can get dongles for the iPhone that allow it to receive ANT+ data from Wahoo Fitness, but that only works with iPhone. More and more accessories support BlueTooth LE, and most modern phones support it as well, but the app you use needs to support it and I don't think it there yet for all types of accessories.

Just my two cents...