Iphone Tracking Apps?
 

I ride by myself alot and there are reasons -- health related-- that it would be helpful if my spouse could track where I am while riding. The Garmin 510/810 has this feature, but since I have an Iphone and a Garmin 500, it seems to make more sense to use the iphone? Any recommendations for an iphone tracking app?

I use mapmyride and quite like it. You create your account on the online system, then get the app for your iphone.

http://www.mapmyride.com

Runkeeper Elite is what I use. Will cost you $18 a year though for the Elite status which is what gives you live tracking.

Also check out Bikemeter

+1 on MapMyRide

If she has an iPhone with a separate iTunes account, it is as simple as using Apple's Find My Friends app. If both of your phones are under the same account or she doesn't have an iPhone, then the Find My Phone app from Apple works. Also, you could try Glimpse, also free.

Some additional information .... we both have iphones (same account), but we live on a hillside that blocks the cell signal, so our phones do not work at our house. For my spouse to find where I am while riding, the tracking would have to be web based. Looks as if mapmyride is a good option...

Using icloud.com, she can track you with the Find iPhone feature. The nice part about this one is that it requires absolutely nothing from you. No need to hit "start" or run anything on the phone. Glympse (I spelled it wrong the first time) also sends a link that can be used on a computer or any other device. No app required according to them. I have never used mapmyride's tracking feature (didn't know it had one) but assume it is much the same. The down side to the two of these is that, I believe (not 100% sure), it will run your GPS the entire/most time you are out which could hurt battery life, whereas Find My iPhone will have no impact. That could be important if you are out for a long time. No cell phone is probably worse that not knowing where you are.

One last thing, and I am sure you already know this, but I always tell my wife which route I plan to take that day and generally stick to it. I even leave a course map up on the computer if its one she does not know. There are many places I ride without cell service, so if she were to ever lose track of me and not hear from me, at least she would know where I was supposed to be.

Thanks cashmonee, installed Glympse and did a test at home -- worked -- so will try it on the ride tomorrow. Just have to put "Send a Glympse" on the pre-ride checklist!

On the Mac, you can sign into iCloud and use Find My iPhone from there. I think you can do this on a PC too.

Yep ... use the "find my iphone" thingy too. My wife likes Glympse because she can open the map while I am riding and just leave the web page open and check it when she wishes. Both have a place...

I've used the iphone Find Friends app plenty of times with only a WiFi connection. If she has WiFi at home, I don't see why she wouldn't be able to see you if you have a cell or WiFi connection where you are.

Also, if you have AT&T, the "Microcell" works great in a house with no cell coverage. I have one and it only cost me $30 after negotiating with AT&T. I think the original cost of the thing was $200, but I got it for $100 because I'd been a customer for a while, plus they gave me something like $25 off of my bill for three months as an incentive, and that meant the final cost of the Microcell was around $30 with no new contract. It works great, I always have full bars at home. I think other providers have similar things.

We tried the Microcell and it did not work at our house ... wish it would ...

Comments ... today I went out for a ride and told my wife the plan, did an inital Glympse notification and she was following my route as she did other tasks/chores. Met some friends on the route and we chose a different route that entailed some roads. About 15 mins into the road portion of the ride, my wife called my cell and asked if I was riding on the road (the route as planned was on the bike trail). I was glad she called and checked in since the route was different than planned. She thought Im might be in trouble and someone was transporting me somewhere ( not likely at 19pmh). Anyway, the Glympse works fine, although a deficit is that it does not show the whole track of a ride. Still, well worth having if you need some tracking ....

Motion-X GPS app for iPhone. It is not specific to biking, but works well, supports recording tracks and storing them. Also supports saving maps on the phone for "offline" mode if you go places without cell coverage. I use it all the time for hiking and biking.