koolerb

I just got an IPhone 5; going to get a Lifeproof bar mount. Any suggestions for good cycling/mapping apps?

Epicus07

I'm a big fan of Strava for ride data and competing against myself and other riders.

iBud

Check out Wahoo Fitness; they have a combined cadence/speed sensor and a separate heart rate strap that communicate with the iPhone 5 via low-power Bluetooth (read: easy on your battery). In fact, Wahoo Fitness is set up just for iOS devices. They are currently working on a Bike Case for the iPhone 5 similar to that for the previous iPhones. They have to get their device approved by Apple, as the dock connector is different for the iPhone 5. I'm not sure when their iPhone 5 Bike Case will be coming out, but the ability to use their free iPhone app with their low-powered Bluetooth devices is starting to make me want to throw out the Cateye Strada Double Wireless kit I bought only a couple of months ago to replace it with Wahoo Fitness stuff. If you wanted to add in a power meter, you would have to buy the iPhone 30-pin to 8-pin adapter and then buy either the Garmin or Wahoo Fitness Ant+ key (it plugs into the 30-pin dock connector slot on your iDevice).

I also second Strava. It's free to join and they already have an iPhone app. Simply start up the app, go to the new ride page, then push the start button. It's really that simple. Once you're done, push the end ride button (it looks like a checkered flag) and your results are automatically synced with the Stava website (assuming you have an Internet connection, which you will with an iPhone).

EDIT: I just came across another handlebar mount, the Quad Lock Bike Mount Kit. It's a bit more expensive, but much smaller, and judging by their videos, pretty good. You may want to consider that one before completing the purchase on the Lifeproof model.

koolerb

That is a pretty cool mounting system. It costs more but looks like you get a case and waterproof cover along with the mount so not a bad deal.

TrojanHorse

My suggestion would be to get a decent wireless cycling computer with cadence (cateye makes a bunch) and use your phone to monitor your ride from your jersey pocket. iPhone 5s don't have the best battery life out there so you don't want to be turning the screen on all the time. You also don't want it flying off the mount (ouch! $700!) and last- it's nice to have your phone battery available if you need your phone in an emergency. This obviously is slanted at people who ride longer and farther from home, so it may not apply to you.

I'll third strava.

Lazy Dog

I ride consistently with my iPhone 5 as my only cycling computer. I use Wahoo Fitness to monitor my cadence, heart rate, mileage and speed during the ride. Afterwards, you can export your workout directly from the Wahoo Fitness app to Strava. My battery life has not been an issue on any ride over the last 5 months. I rode in a half century last weekend and had my Wahoo app running the entire ride (3+ hours) and finished the ride with 60% of my charge still available. I guess if you're riding a double century battery life might be an issue, but for most of us earthlings, the iPhone 5 battery life is a non-issue.

ColtJ

Another using Strava but it stays in the jersey pocket. I record cadence, speed and heart rate using a Garmin watch.

vfrjo

Strada in the pocket for me too. Sigma for cadence, speed, and what have you. $25 for everything I need at this point.

koolerb

I just signed up for Strava. How do I ride a segment. Just ride to where I think the start is, then to the finish? I didn't see any instructions in the Q&A.

SpeshulEd 

Strava is the go-to app, it does everything and does it well. However, if you plan on long rides, you may want to look into a dedicated computer. If you don't need to look at the data constantly, the iphone still might be alright.

I am also using the wahoo fitness blue sc (speed/cadence sensor) - now I use wahoo fitness and export the data to strava. Easy!

koolerb

Ive been riding with no computer so for now this should be good. Down the road, who knows.

TrojanHorse

Just ride it... Strava will figure out if you rode a segment or not. The nice thing about segments is that you can cherry pick a few near you (or create some) and monitor your progress.

SpeshulEd 

Yep, this is what I do...just ride. When I get home I check out all the segments I went through. Then next time I go out, I try to go back to some of the fun ones and ride a little harder, so I can go from dead last to 20th from last. Woo!

Also, its very sad when you make a segment and Strava analyzes it and then gives the KOM to someone else immediately. On the upside it is nice to come home and realize you got a PR on every segment you hit.

Menel

Take the lifeproof bar mount money and put toward a Garmin.

Save your phone battery for when when you have that 3rd flat, sidewall rupture, broken derailleur hanger, on the side of the road with road rash, etc. etc.

OldsCOOL

Strava rocks!

koolerb

Just did my first Strava ride; oh my god I'm f-ing slow. I looked at the segments right away when I got back and I'm in the bottom 5 percent on every one. I didn't think I'd be at top, but thought at least the middle. I have some serious work to do. Thank for the info everyone.

Dudelsack 

The great thing about Strava is that it allows you to be humiliated by total strangers, and at your leisure.

Most segments in my area are uphill, which is great because I ride a 32 lb. recumbent. And I'm really old, and need a joint replacement, and I'm on oxygen and and........

Dunbar

You need to know where the segments are before you can expect to place well. Once you learn where they start/end you need to do a hard interval type effort. Around here it's pretty obvious the many at the top of the leaderboard had plenty of wind assist.

SpeshulEd 

Turn on Strava while driving your car, win every segment you come across!

Vlaam4ever

Strava mobile app works great, if you put it in your pocket. If you want live screen for speed, cadance, etc get a dedicated computer.

Gran Fondo

The main thing I don't like about Strava is the fact that it does not have a configurable "dash", and it doesn't provide a speedometer. I really like the Runtastic Roadbike app, but it's nowhere near the competitive nature of Strava. So I do like others... I use a Garmin Edge and run Strava on the iPhone in the jersey pocket. But Topeak makes on of the best iPhone mounts (IMO): https://www.topeak.com/products/bags/ridecase

koolerb

I'm thinking a lot of these guys logging these freaking incredible speeds on the segments are probably just going out and riding the segments for best time. I hit five today on a 27 mile ride, but was pacing myself the first two thirds, and a little beat on the last third. I'm going to go out tomorrow and do a shorter ride, and just concentrate on three segments. I bet I can move up 20 or 30 places.

koolerb

Yeah, me too. Those oxygen bottles are bear to haul up the 25 degree inclines here.

road2you

so with strava vs. wahoo on iphone5
you guys are saying wahoo uses less battery life then strava?

...so in my case where i just turn strava on and put my phone away, should i be using wahoo instead then just sync my info into strava, leaving me with more battery life after y rides area done?

Lazy Dog

I don't think Wahoo uses less battery than the Strava app. I use Wahoo because it syncs up with my wahoo Bluetooth speed/cadence sensor and it also gives me a live readout of speed, cadence, time and heart rate.