Apple Releases BikeGearsFree

With all the iPhone 5 news last week, a few Apple announcements and releases got buried. The iPod touch and iPod nano announcements got not quite as much press as the new phone. But one thing that slipped into iTunes (a new iTunes) without much notice was BikeGearsFree. The app lets you calculate cadence and miles per hour based on the size of your chainring and sprocket. Continue reading Apple Releases BikeGearsFree

Bluetooth Sets Standards for Sports and Fitness Device Market

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) this week finalized standards for sports and fitness equipment using Bluetooth wireless technology sensors. The guidelines are for Bluetooth v4.0, which is a low energy technology. These guidelines are geared toward sensors using Bluetooth that measure spead and cadence for running and cycling activity. The new standard dictates specification for applications that can include running cadence, stride length, total distance or cycling speed, distance and pedal cadence. Continue reading Bluetooth Sets Standards for Sports and Fitness Device Market

Sportiiiis 4iiii Drops Price

Heads-up display system Sportiiiis, from 4iiii Innovations, just got more affordable. The company just adjusted the price of its visual display system to $149 for a basic model. The heads-up display attaches to any pair of glasses, and sunglasses, to provide visual context to data such as heart rate, pace and cadence while running or cycling. If there’s a signal, the heads-up display will show you readings so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road ahead.

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Polar Offers Limited Edition Tour de France Training Computer

The Tour de France is still just over two months away, but yellow products are popping up with cycling tie-ins. Polar is offering a limited edition Polar RCX5 Tour de France training computer. Continue reading Polar Offers Limited Edition Tour de France Training Computer

Garmin Enters ANT+ Community with Garmin Fit App, Adapter

Garmin excels in the sports and fitness category with devices that track distance, speed, heart rate and other measures of a workout. Now it’s come to market with an ANT+ adapter for the iPhone, and companion app on iPhone and Android devices. We hope the Android adapter will soon follow so we can track our workouts on our device of choice.

The Garmin Fit app lets users track metrics such as speed, pace, distance, time, calories, heart rate and cadence. Some of these metrics require connectivity to devices beyond the phone. Cadence and heart rate, for instance, require a pod on the bike and chest strap, respectively. These are measured with companion Garmin devices, and sent wirelessly via the ANT+ adapter to the iPhone. Continue reading Garmin Enters ANT+ Community with Garmin Fit App, Adapter

Sportiiiis Gives Visual Feedback to Workout Stats

One of the drawbacks of adding a heart rate monitor, cycling computer and other devices to your workout is that you have to take your focus from the road ahead. With a heart rate monitor, you have to look at the watch for heart rate, calories and time. A separate cycling computer requires you to look at the screen by your handlebars to find out your speed, cadence and other measures.

(Video after the jump)

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Case Turns iPhone Into iBike Cycling Computer

The iBike Dash CC (Cycling Computer) is a case and app combo that turns your iPhone or iPod Touch into a cycling computer. The iBike is a top-loading case that fully encloses your iPhone and mounts it to your handlebars. The phone then displays a number of readings such as maps, speed, heart rate and other data.

Five colored heart rate zones tell you how hard you’re pushing it. You can use the meter to tell you when you’re at 50 percent to 100 percent of your max and when you’re in a fat-burning zone if that’s your goal.

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