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Strava
Use: tracking rides, mileage, elevation gain
Cost: free
One of Strava’s coolest features has to be its segments—portions of routes that have been designated as a mini-race. You don’t have to do anything to compete, just ride through a route with a segment and Strava will track how fast you go through it and rank you against other riders.
Strava will also track your runs, walks, hikes and more if you decide to take a break from riding or just like cross-training.
Strava is free unless you opt to use Summit, the paid portion the app that comes at an annual or monthly cost depending on what billing option you choose.
Wahoo Fitness
Use: tracking fitness stats; using with a Wahoo trainer
Cost: free
Wahoo is synonymous with cycling—besides their Kickr trainers, Wahoo offers bike computers and sensors to help you track your rides and endurance. You can pair the Wahoo app with compatible devices or use it to keep training during bad weather when riding outdoors isn’t a possibility.
The Wahoo app features audio alerts that will notify you of distance traveled–with a ping for every mile traveled—or if you move into a new heart rate zone. You won’t be able to follow friends or compete in segments, but if you want a no-frills way to to track your cycling fitness, the Wahoo app is an excellent choice.
Wahoo also offers the ELEMNT app which pairs with the ELEMNT bike computer—not to be confused with the regular Wahoo app.
Trailforks
Use: community-sourced trail discovery
Cost: free
Other trail-finding apps exist, but we’ve found that Trailforks is the easiest to maneuver with an intuitive, user-friendly interface.
You just have to hover over a section on a map and the most popular trails will appear along with what skill level is best for each trail. Trailforks lets you see feedback from other riders including photos, video, and trail statuses.
Trailforks works so well because it uses the community to keep the most up-to-date information available for anyone using the app. Plus, users are able to earn ‘trust points’ for providing good intel—while those who provide bad info get down-voted (like on Reddit—so there’s an extra incentive to provide accurate feedback).
Trailforks is pretty comprehensive, allowing users to download an unlimited amount of state and country trails to use offline, checkout event calendars for races on trails close to them, and donate to orgs that keep trails up and running. Sign us up!
Komoot
Use: planning your daily bike commute and other rides
Cost: free
Komoot offers in-app purchases for upgraded features, but offers a free baseline version that pretty kickass. The app gets you from A to B via the fastest possible route.
With Komoot, you can also organize group rides and see what traffic is like so you don’t get stuck on your way in to work. You can also choose points along your route—hello, morning coffee stop—and Komoot will figure out what the fastest way to get you to your destination while factoring in your stops, fitness levels, and the bike-friendliness of the provided path.
Other things Komoot handles so you don’t have to worry about them? An elevation profile, what kind of surfaces you’ll be riding on, obstructions, and the app even provides an ETA based on your level of riding—if you’re a slower rider, it’ll add time and if you typically ride fast, it’ll adjust the ride duration for that, too.
TrainingPeaks
Use: anything and everything related to your ride training
Cost: free
TrainingPeaks is the ultimate cycling app for optimizing your training regime.
This app turns your phone into a state-of-the-art analysis tool that comes in handy when you forget your cycling computer at home (or, when you don’t feel like packing it on the go).
TrainingPeaks makes file-sharing simple–something that coaches love because it helps them easily communicate stats with clients.
The Performance Management Chart features a ‘Training Stress Score’ that allows coaches and riders to see where they’re having trouble and, in turn, helps them adjust their training plans for optimal performance.
Road iD
Use: staying safe while you hit the road; monitoring friends and family while they’re outdoors
Cost: free
Road iD lets you personalize your home screen so that your important medical details are visible in the event you’re unable to communicate. The personalized screen has space for up to 3 “In case of emergency” contacts plus your allergies, blood type, and more. The app is created by the same company who created the Road iD bracelet.
The app also features the ability to drop ‘eCrumbs’ which lets loved ones track your activity. If you stop moving, Road iD will send a ‘Stationary Alert’ notification to designated contacts, too. With Road iD, you can run, ride, or even just walk your dog with added peace of mind that someone is watching over you in the event that anything happens.
Migo
Use: a local bike share finder
Cost: free
Migo helps you find out where bike shares are in your local area so you can say goodbye to aimlessly wandering around trying to find a bike to ride.
Migo acts as an information hub for all bike shares so that you don’t have to bother with looking through individual bike share apps one by one. Once you’ve found what you need, Migo will direct you to the corresponding app.
This app also lets you know if there are no bikes available in your area and suggests alternate modes of transportation such as buses and ride shares. We’re here for this kind of comprehensive and easy-to-use tech.
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