MNX1024

Basically what my title says.

Specifically, I would like to know if there's anything similar to these products:
https://www.wahoofitness.com/Fisica/W...ike-Pack-1.asp
https://www.newpotatotech.com/LiveRider/liverider.html
for the Android front?

I might be getting a Nexus S and I would like to use that as my GPS and bike computer instead of my shelling out extra for a dedicated device.

P.S. just a side question that has nothing to do with the topic, just don't want to make an extra thread for it.
I have the following bike: https://jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/r...comp_spec.html I was wondering if my bike uses a dynamo hub?

adamrice 

If it does use or if it can use? It does not come equipped with one, and it would be obvious if it did, because dyno hubs are big and have wires hanging off of them. But it can use one. Dyno hubs are never included as standard equipment on major-brand racing bikes (the closest you would get would be a custom rando build), but there's nothing stopping you from using one.

I'm afraid I can't answer your first question.

MNX1024

Guess I should've phrase my question better. What I meant was, does my bike come with one. Was typing this thread when I was half asleep, lol. Anyway, you answered my question despite my bad phrasing. Thanks

Still awaiting for some detail on my original topic.

adclark

You might want to take a look at: https://netlowdown.com/blogs/?p=470

Google "Android bike" and you can find some apps.

jbman100

I have Bike Track by Rharham on my Android. It's free and I like it. I also have a Garmin 500.

https://www.androidzoom.com/android_a...rack_nsoi.html

MNX1024

Thanks for the info, but what I'm looking for are not apps, but mount/sensors for an android phone.

skchan2

looking for a mount also, but for a droid x...anything good?

garyfloyd

Just want to point out that many of the android phones have the ant+ chipset, but not all. I think software is that will use the ant+ is harder to find, but I don't have any android devices.

jskrenes

The problem with Android, and this is coming from a guy who sells phones for a living and prefers Android over Apple, is that since Android is a much more fragmented market, the life span of devices is much shorter, thus making the profitability of those accessory kits much lower. I have a topeak pouch that holds my Droid X and I use Runkeeper, which seems to record my tracks well enough for my liking. I also carry a few spare batteries when I do longer commutes.

Steve530

The only sensors for the Android that I have found that may be of interest are the bluetooth heart rate monitors. Endomondo and Sports Tracker both support the bluetooth HRM, but I've never used one, so I can't comment on how well they work.

adamrice 

Seriously? Can you name one?

sierrabob

Sony Ericsson Xperia 8, Xperia 10 mini, Xperia 10 mini pro. That's three! All with ANT+ support. It's part of the Texas Instrument WiLink chip which also has the Bluetooth connectivity. Many Android phones have this chip, but the feature has not been activated. It can be activated via firmware flash, as occurred recently with the Xperia 8 (an older Android model).

What phones have latent ANT+ capability? Does anyone really know? I think mine does, HTC/T-Mobile MyTouch 4G, but I'm not sure.

Note that for the iPhone to work with ANT+, you need a dongle. This wasn't covered in the video. Don't expect wide developer support for ANT+, a subsidiary of Garmin. You can use the Zephyr Bluetooth HRM and the Polar Wearlink Bluetooth HRM with your Android phone now. But you still can't pick up cycling cadence with Bluetooth sensing. Not sure about power.

Here's a link with a synopsis of this complicated issue: https://runningdigital.com/2010/10/30...-phones-today/

As far as mounting, nothing as slick as the iPhone is yet available--too many shapes and sizes. There is a stem mount bag+phone holder at Performance bikes, but you probably won't like it--it's neither watertight nor secure. My home grown solution works pretty well. I first wrap the phone three times in Saran wrap then fasten the case around it. The case has liberal amounts of industrial strength velcro which grip three points: a flashlight holder, a bike computer, and a stem mounted watch mount. This system mounts and unmounts quickly, is very secure, and watertight, but not waterproof.

Check out these images:

socalrider

why does it look like your phone has flown off you bike a few times??

sierrabob

Honestly, it really does stay in place, and has never been dislodged after a few hundred miles of road cycling. We're talking about the really strong version of velcro here. Anyway, I would imagine most smartphone users have phone insurance for their expensive gadgets.

garyfloyd

As stated devices with the Texas Instruments WiLink™ chip have ant+ built in. The HTC Legend has this capability since it was used in the tour de France just for this purpose.

sierrabob

Although the HTC Legend had the WiLink chip ANT+ capability activiated for TDF riders, data geek riders will have to wait; it probably requires a firmware flash similar to the recent upgrade by Sony to its Xperia 8 phone. If and when this occurs to all HTC WiLink phones, a new world will open up for both Bluetooth and ANT+ sensors and apps. For cycling, Bluetooth has only limited capability. It requires line of sight connectivity and will not work through the body, hence phones in a back pocket won't work with HRM chest straps. Bluetooth cadence sensors may never be available due to this restriction.

Therefore, ANT+ sensing appears to be the only viable option for cycling related sensors/apps. One free app that appears to do everything is MicroTracks, a plugin to Google My Tracks, that displays cadence, heart rate, speed, power, etc., from either Bluetooth or ANT+ sensors using a display simulated from the Sony LiveView device.



Here are some sensors that do the job with ANT+ sensing:







Eventually, our Android phones will become suitable Garmin 800 knockoffs.

WhyFi

I've been waiting on the new line-up of Xperia phones for this very reason (ANT+), but one thing that I'm curious about is battery life. Can anyone comment on this? The few times that I used my iPhone, the GPS tracking was sub-par and the battery life was horrendous. I know that ANT+ doesn't use a ton of juice, but I'm more concerned about battery drain from tracking and the display. Anyone getting 6+ hours on their device?

sierrabob

Yes, I worry about the battery life issue also. I rode 5 hrs 50 min today using a navigation program called OsmAnd. Since this app uses self contained maps, I rode about half the ride in airplane mode/full bright. Rode the last half with airplane mode off/screen half bright. Arrived with just over 10% battery left. I estimate about 4 hours max for a ride using ANT+ sensing and navigation. Additional batteries will be necessary, unfortunately, when we finally have all this data being processed by one Android device.

WhyFi

I'm interested to see how the LiveView piece works shakes out. They don't give any solid battery life numbers other than, "4 days with typical use," as if that means anything... I mean, 95% of the time, 4 hours would be fine, but who wants to lose data on their most epic rides? If this thing (LiveView) can the stretch battery life of the phone by taking over the display duties, I think that it's a winner - it would mean not having to shell out an additional $250+ for bike-specific device, and not having to mount a big, clunky phone to my bike.

sierrabob

I get your drift now. Although my ride today was with an HTC phone mounted to the stem, you want one of the Sony Xperia phones so that you can mount the LiveView device to your bike and run Google My Tracks and the MicroTracks apps with the phone carried in your back pocket (similar to what the HTC boys did in last year's TDF). I guess with the display turned off and in airplane mode with only ANT+ and GPS on, you might have better battery life than I estimated earlier. I say be an early adapter and go for the Xperia Arc!

WhyFi

^^^ I'm just waiting on them to be released!