jatree

I've used many apps on Android to track my rides and share routes with friends. What I haven't been able to find is a way to share our live location during an all-day Century which I am currently planning. Does anyone have experience doing this?

Ideally - our location would update every 20 minutes or so and show our current location on a map. Alternatively a snapshot of the map could automatically be posted to twitter or facebook. The important part is automation and the ability to work for 10-12 hours.

Anyone have experience doing this?

I've been thinking about a good way to do it on Android that minimizes battery use. While I don't have the knowledge to do this myself, perhaps someone else on the board does or knows of an existing project.Any ideas? I would appreciate the help!

chaadster

Garmin offers Livetrack: https://www8.garmin.com/livetrack/

Most phone tracking apps, e.g. GPS Phone Tracker Lite, offer GPS options that only update periodically to save battery life: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ker.lite&hl=en

Looigi

I use the Glympse app. It only goes for a max of 4hrs at a time so need to reset it for longer rides.

https://www.glympse.com/

pdlamb

While I personally don't see the need for updates like you suggest, you could borrow an idea from some randonneurs and send a tweet at every rest stop.

LuckySailor

I was just reading about this feature on the Garmin 810 last night. The 810 syncs to your iPhone or Android, and then is able to send up to the minute live updates to whoever is on the internet checking your progress. Pretty cool. Exactly what I wanted to have for my family for my next tour!

LuckySailor

here's the link to what I was reading

www.dcrainmaker.com/.../garmin-edge-810-in-depth-review.html

This will actually bring you to his page. Click on Garmin, then scroll down to the in depth review of the 810

metalheart44

I also use Glympse and it does the live updates that you are looking for without tweets, toots, zoots or other such communications. As Looigi said, it is limited to four hours, but you can just send a second Glympse after the first expires and you are golden.....

jatree

Livetrack seems like a really good way to accomplish this.

Glympse sounds cool but aside from swapping out or using a huge battery for continuous power (an option I guess), I think it would run into the same battery limitations of the other app-based ideas on a 10-12 hour ride.

jatree

Thanks! That does sound pretty cool. I looked into the 810 and 510 and Livetrack does seem like the idea way to accomplish this. At the same time, it's an expensive device at $500.00 and since this is a charity ride I am looking for a place to rent it for the day or weekend. Hiring a device is quite common in Europe but I have yet to find a place that rents in the US and my local bike shops haven't been able to accommodate. Anyone know of a place?

10 Wheels

This one works good:

https://abvio.com/cyclemeter/?fb_acti...map=%255B%255D

jatree

That seems like a nice app but I am looking for an Android solution that will work for 10-12 hours. I doubt it lasts that long with iphone, or does it?

brianmcg123

You could join Strava for a month. They have live tracking updates for premium members.

jatree

On the subject of smartphone apps, here is another good one I just came across in the forums - LocaToWeb. Super simple, no registration needed.

LuckySailor

I am unclear as to how Cyclemeter is used for live tracking. Can I get some instruction here please? I may want to go this route rather than picking up the 810. Thanks

Buzzatronic

Be warned that if your century ride is popular, the Garmin Livetrack system may be overloaded in your area. This happened to me on the Seattle to Portland ride, got to the start line at 6am and after 20x tries, the Garmin connect app simply would not work. It kept giving server errors. I had to ride the first day without my girlfriend knowing where I was which was a bummer. Day 2 it worked again.

memebag

Google Plus Location Sharing (https://support.google.com/plus/answer/2998354?hl=en) seems like the obvious choice. Am I missing something?

yankhor

endomondo in it's free version has this live feature (or had, before premium, idk).

strava has this feature on premium.

rankar

do you happen to be a ham (amateur radio) operator? if you are, then you can use the APRS protocol which will then update a number of livemaps on the internet already such as www.aprs.fi for example. most populated areas have APRS repeaters which will pick up your beacon and relay it to the internet for updating (i would verify it first before though). then all you would do is carry a radio like a Kenwood handheld with built in GPS and APRS which sends a beacon at intervals you select.

bbbean 

Garmin Livetrack is what you want. I use it (Garmin 510) for my solo rides, and my wife simply pulls up a screen at home that gives her an update every minute or so on my location and speed. Uses very little cell batery, since it's just sending the equivalent of a text message. The Garmin does all the GPS work.

Buzzatronic

We warned the Garmin iOS app is TERRIBLE right now. It will constantly crash on you (which will kill live tracking). I started a thread about this on Garmin's site in July ... still no fix.

bbbean 

Works for me on a daily basis and has since August or so.

Buzzatronic

What version are you running?

bbbean 

Most recent version - not sure where to find version #. I keep all my apps and OS at the latest versions.

JohnJ80

Settings->Twitter Settings

Cyclemeter can be set to tweet out at certain intervals (mileage and/or time) and for certain events (start timer, stop timer, stopped speed, splits, etc...). You also have the option to include a link to map in the tweet. Cyclemeter's twitter capability also works two ways - you can set it up to have tweets back to you read to you with the chosen voice and you can select for only certain followers tweets to be read.

What I've done is set up a special twitter account for just my cycling and so my wife can track me and I can let others track me and remove them as I wish.

Works great. Also works great if you are following a friend or family member in a marathon. Have them set up to tweet very half mile or so.

i used to use Garmin GPS's but have since switched to using Cyclemeter on my iphone instead. I have to carry my phone anyhow so it's just one less thing. I mount it to my stem with a Quadlock case that works with a battery case. With that, I can easily go hours. Cyclemeter will also talk to a display head (RFLKT from Wahoo fitness) and then you can leave your phone tucked away and probably go 10 hours or so since it's the display that sucks the battery down.

You can also use it with the display off and using the earphones. If you slow click the control on the cord, Cyclemeter will read you your data that you have set up in a preset announcement format.

FWIW, it seems to me that the battery drops about 20-30% per hour of riding using the internal battery on an iPhone 5 with the display running the whole time.

I'm very happy with the iPhone/Cyclemeter combination. I think it makes a great bike computer.

J.

truebiker

Hi!
Some nice real time location apps to use on your ride (Both iOS and Android)
Glympse: www.glympse.com
Pros: Nice tracking app, fast and easy to share location.
Cons: Trips only available for a certain amount of time.
Mapapal: www.mapapal.com
Pros: Replay your trips later. Simple to share trips and view in real time.
Cons: To few settings for advanced users.
Runkeeper: www.runkeeper.com
Pros: Nice design and intuitive interface.
Cons: Costs money to share your real time location