New Accessory+App Transforms iPhone Into Bicycle Computer

Like we mentioned a few weeks ago, we’re pretty excited about the potential for the iPhone morphing into all kinds of contraptions through hooking up with a little extra hardware. New Potato is one of the lead outfits in this area, and they’ve just introduced a kit that turns the iPhone into a bike super-computer. Rad.

The $99 kit contains a rather large cadence/speed sensor, ruggedized rubber iPhone mount, mounting hardware and a dongle that the iPhone uses to communicate with the sensor; combine the kit with the free LiveRider app, and presto — a cycling computer with all the standard functions (speed along with max and average, time, distance, cadence, pace) and more advanced functions like competing against a chase bike, ride map and speed graph.

Being the bike geeks we are here at the Cult, we’ve already started playing around with a test unit and we’ll have a full report up soon. Can’t wait? LiveRider is available from retailer J&R or directly from New Potato.

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About the author

When he was eight, Eli Milchman came home from frolicking in the Veld one day and was given an Atari 400. Since then, his fascination with technology has made him an intrepid early adopter of whatever charming new contraption crosses his path — which explains why he's Cult of Mac's technology editor. He calls San Francisco home, where he works as a journalist and photographer. Eli has contributed to the pages of Wired.com and BIKE Magazine, among others. Hang with him on Twitter.

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Posted in Hardware, iPhone, iPhone Apps, News |

Erin’s Dad
This would quadruple the value of my late ’80s Trek 820. Don’t need a computer to know I’m slow – - the kids on the Big Wheels blowing by me was my first clue.
http://WWW.LIFEDRIVEDOC.COM LDD
There is only one bad problem with this App? Unless you have a charger for the iphone, you are limited to only a few miles of data before the phone’s battery dies.
A solution for all of these add-on apps must include a charger that works either by solar or by the sheer power of pedaling.
nina harley
wow they sure know how to squeeze blood out of turnips.
please let me know when the iphone can mimic the Toto-chloebig.
Darcy McGee
LDD hits one of the nails on the head: battery life will be a major issue here.
shock and awe, will you look at that?
Aren’t you a little old to be saying things like ‘Rad’?
http://www.gettafreebie.co.uk gettafreebie
If the battery life becomes problematic .. surely it’s only a matter of time before we see the iPhone/iPod Dynamo charger.
Peter
Neat as far as it goes but doesn’t it need to support a heart rate and power monitor?
Niel
Nice idea, but I’d still be worried about how shocks are absorbed. I know there are no moving parts in the iPhone, but how will it survive normal vibration or being bounced through a pothole?
Eli Milchman
@Shock: I’m a mountain biker — “rad” will remain in my vocabulary forever. Anyway, who’re you calling “old”?
@Niel: Dunno. I’d probably be more worried about shock to my iPhone from running rather than from riding around on my bike. I remember my old 3G hard-drive equipped ~~iPhone~~ iPod skipping frequently when I tried running with it, but I never had any problem riding with it — even on dirt. Riding a bike causes less vibration than you might think — unless you’re riding a rigid mountain bike offroad, or an old CAAD 3 Cannondale anywhere.
Paul
I’ve been waiting for something like this. Looks good for a start. It would be nice if the mount was water proof in case you get caught in the rain, kinda like the Dahon Biologic. Happens to me every-once in a while when commuting. I use map my ride a lot but it doesn’t do cadence or some other things because it only uses GPS.
http://twitter.com/TwitSage_velo TwitSage_velo
As I mentioned in the comments for this article, http://www.cultofmac.com/cyclemeter-app-turns-iphone-into-pretty-cycle-computer-review/51482
“There is an iPhone app with cadence, HR, and the ability to add an ANT+ power meter: http://www.enkisports.com/ But the extra hardware makes the cost >$200.”
Eli Milchman
@TwitSage: Thanks for the tip — wasn’t aware of the Enki unit until you mentioned it.
Micki
Can you also use your iPhone and Bluetooth to talk while riding. i often do this for safety reasons as I go early in the morning and talk to a friend while riding. Thanks.