5 Best iPhone Apps for Cycling

What better time than now to up your biking experience with the trendiest iPhone cycling apps? I mean- who still uses those dedicated cycling computers to monitor their riding distance, time and speed when we are in the age of a whole range of smartphone cycling apps that are a heck more helpful and cheaper. The word out there is technology for fitness; so you only need one awesome cycling app on your iPhone and… eureka! You have an incredible mobile GPS tool with features like Twitter and Facebook integration and iPod support.

There are many cycling apps options you can have for your iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4 or 5, but who says you shouldn’t have the best? With an iPhone, you are the only thing standing between yourself and the next level of tech-assisted cycling. The following five are some of the best iPhone apps for cycling and not in any particular order.

Map My Ride (free)

MapMyRide is a terrific interactive map that, of all apps of its kind, has the best route creation tool. It’ll let you keep track of all your cycling data, including route traveled, distance, duration, speed and elevation, and you can add a dongle to enable it to track your heart-rate data too. Of course this dongle is a separate purchase. The full package is laden with features that rival most cycling apps; you’ll have access to exportable maps, superb route overview screens, easy route and map sharing, list and search events, as well as a calendar for workout scheduling. The basic features are available in the free version but to access the ground-breaking and more useful ones, subscribe to the premium version for only $6.49 monthly or $31.99 yearly.

Strava Cycling (free)

Now this is the app that truly seems to have thought of everything cycling apps should have. Perhaps the most striking thing about it is how it spurs you into a competitive frenzy even when you are riding alone; Strava allows you to race against your best record. You can also time yourself on a popular and competitive stretch of road or track, after which the app ranks you among other riders who’ve recorded the same stretch. It brings you all the necessary data and standard statistics for tracking your rides along with enabling you to socialize with fellow Strava users. Add a couple of other equipment and you’ll have your “suffer score” too, as it tracks your heart rate. Like other top apps, Strava has a free option and the premium version that you acquire for $6.49 per month or $64.99 per year.

Cycle Watch ($1.99)

For the budget-conscious, this app is exactly what you need. Featuring all the must-haves- You can calculate distance, time, speed and elevation- Cycle Watch is the best cheap GPS cycling app. There is also a map that displays cycling routes, as well as a feature that allows comparison of times to previous outings on a specific route. It costs you $1.99 to get it on your iPhone.

Runtastic Road Bike Pro ($4.99)

With $4.99, you can have Runtastic Road Bike Pro, which has most of the features other cycling apps have. These are such as a detailed route map, weather information and calculation of distance, time and average speed displayed in real time and on a customizable dashboard. What makes it so special and irresistible, though, is its integration with social media outlets, which means you can easily share your rides with your Facebook friends and Twitter followers. It is indeed an excellent alternative to a cycle computer, as it offers even a historic mapping function that lets you compare all your rides at a later date.

Cyclometer GPS ($4.99)

Cyclometer is the most accurate solution for your biking. The app is mountable on the bike front and requires no account sign-ups or subscription fees for you to track a ride and make calculations. With this app, you can do all else other cycling apps can do, besides using Google Maps to share your cycling route on Facebook and Twitter and using the audio feedback feature that tells you your progress. With Google Maps, Cyclometer allows switching between Map, Satellite and Hybrid forms. On top of all these, there are iPod integration and email alerts. You get a ton of tracking and reporting features for only $4.99.