The iPhone comes in handy on a long bike ride. You could record video of your trip, use GPS to find your way and track things like mileage and calories burned.
The rider just has to choose which function to use. A startup called Bycle has an answer to the question why not all of them?
Its mount lets a cycling iPhone user run the GPS and video recording features at the same time. The companion app also pulls in other data from the ride, but its best feature may be the prism lens that puts the iPhone screen along the same plane with the handlebars, pointing the camera lens into a forward-viewing prism.
The company is seeking funding on Kickstarter to increase production and are offering the Bycle mount at a starting price of $45. For $70, the buyer can get one that includes a 3000 mAh battery for keeping the phone charged.
Serious cyclists spend money beyond what they pay for their bikes. In the United States alone, cycling is a $2.6 billion industry. According to the National Bicycle Dealers Association, parts and accessories amounted to more than 35 percent of the average dealer’s revenue in 2015, showing cyclists will spend extra money to improve their riding experience.
The Bycle mount aims to free the rider of a few accessories, such as a GoPro camera, and separate electronic data devices, like a GPS or lap timer.
Photo: Bycle
The case is waterproof and shock resistant and its companion app records fitness data, route mapping and even lets you share your routes with other rides. It also will let you edit your video, but that activity is best left for after your ride.
“I believe (it’s) a leap forward with the bicycle accessory market,” co-founder Gustavo Grossmann said in a written statement. “People needed to enhance their phone’s capabilities, instead of buying different gadgets to do what most smartphones already do.”
Photo: Bycle
The mounts and app are available only for users of the iPhone 6, 6s and 6 Plus and 6s Plus. If goes well with Kickstarter, the Bycle should begin shipping in September in time for those colorful fall rides. The company is also working on mounts and apps for other smartphone brands.
