Biking with the band

[planty]

I notice a few reviews and blog posts (mostly historical rather than very recent) that mention the use of using the Run app for tracking cycling. I presume therefore the Bike app on my UK band is a recently added feature for the band?

Are there any cyclists that use the Bike app on the band, if so what's the health app like compared to say endomondo for analysing your rides the band tracks?

 

[anon(8555314)]

The Bike tile was added in the big update in Jan or Feb--before then most people would have been using the run tile for biking. I'm not a hard core bike rider, but do ride up to 40 km or so for exercise and ride to work a few times a week with a 20 min ride. For a very hard core competition athlete, it likely doesn't replace something like PowerTap or similar with route data, HR sensors and bike sensors measuring watts applied to the cranks.

However, I think it compares very favorably with Endomundo as a great solution for someone who rides for exercise, but isn't a competition athlete. For my exercise rides I have been using my bike computer, Endomundo, and The Band Bike tile to compare. I think the elevation data is better with Endomundo, but I only get the HR with the Band. Getting updates on the Band is also useful. I usually have my Band on the inside of the wrist, but for biking I flip it out like a watch. I've been wearing a couple layers of jackets or long sleeve shirts for more of my rides, so that makes it a little hard to read the updates. Should work better as it warms up.

Some have criticized the accuracy of the Band's HR monitor, but here again, I think if you are a super serious competition athlete you will spend more money for a more accurate set up. If you want to know what your baseline is and how your recent work outs compare with a month ago, I think the Band is great for that.

 

[bockersjv]

Biking with the band worked a dream for me. I am using it alongside a Polar dedicated set up. The band showed the same heart rate as my polar chest strap throughout, no mad peaks or drop outs either. The distance measurement was similar too and that is comparing wheel measurement on my polar to GPS on the band. I also found the band very easy to read even in the brightest of daylight.

In fact the only downside was that it had to stay on the wrist!

 

[planty]

Excellent, sounds very promising. Now all we need is someone to write a nice Strava upload app :smile:

 

[pallentx]

Is there any solution for Strava?

 

[Noahma]

Is there any solution for Strava?

Excellent, sounds very promising. Now all we need is someone to write a nice Strava upload app :smile:

Go download "unband" there is a link somewhere in the forums here. You can download your GPX files from the band and then upload it to Strava, or Endomundo and have full information heart rate, speed, etc. Works great. I have to modify the GPX file before uploading to endomundo though. You will have to remove the first and last data point. which shows a latitude and longitude of 0, which leads to some pretty funny 38,000 mile trips for me lol.

 

[pallentx]

Great! Thanks!

 

[pallentx]

I was going to post a link to it, but I don't have enough posts. Search unband nachmore

 

[TwoClipz]

Unband is this what you wanted?

 

[Rene Braun]

Anyone knows how to find out what account is being used to link the band app to MapMyFitness?

Tryng to link the results to the nationalbikechallenge.org portal with no luck. Thanks

 

[sanjula01]

I want to order it in Sri Lanka!

 

[bockersjv]

Further biking experience. Did a 35mile ride with Band and Polar C600x. Heart rate information exactly the same to the bandt. Distant and speed slightly different but within 1% and that can be explained by the difference in measurement methods (Wheel sensor v's GPS). The Band GPS track was spot on, no drifting at all.

Battery life, GPS was on for 2hs 45mins and I started the ride with the Band at 100%. After ride plus 30mins the battery was at 30%. This does indicate a max GPS usage of just over 4hrs, which is a little disappointing.

But in general a very positive experience. For longer rides I may have to take a portable charge pack and cable and plug in at the tea stop.

 

[DrFix82]

I went for a bike ride with my band today, very accurate.
A little disappointed about vibration notifications: you can satup only over distance (i.e. vibrate every 1km wich is default), but not over time (i.e. vibrate every 5 minutes)... while running you cannot setup any notification at all...

 

[TwoClipz]

I know its not ideal, but you could set an alarm on the band for 5 mins or set up reoccurring alarm on you phone if you take it with you and your band will notify you.