Suunto Moves to Strava

Suunto-StravaGPS smartwatch maker Suunto launched its online data-crunch website Movescount a while back, but now it is moving to a deal with Strava. This will allow users to track runs, rides, swims and hikes and track heart rate and cadence via the Suunto watches and will add the social fitness ability to provide motivation and camaraderie.

Movescount Strava Website

Unbundled Trainer Accessories

Kinetic-inRideIndoor trainer maker Kinetic announced a new pricing structure for its inRide Watt Meter and Bluetooth Smart Heart Rate Strap. While previously sold together each is now available as two separately packaged products. While bundled together for $229, consumers can now purchases the inRide Watt Meter for $159, while the Kinetic Bluetooth Smart Heart Rate Strap has a suggested retail of $70.

“We’re listening to cyclists,” explained David Simpson, Kinetic’s marekting manager. “Quite a few already have heart rate straps, offering the inRide pod separately saves them money and eliminates the redundancy of purchasing a second one. As for customers who only want a heart rate strap, ours is a great option that is compatible with inRide and over 50 different fitness Apps.”

Introduced in 2012 the Kinetic inRide is compatible with all Kinetic fluid trainers, while the inRide app offers five different data screens, allowing riders to focus on wattage or heart rate with features such as time-in-zone measurement, programmable rider data, calorie burn, and ride history. The Kinetic Bluetooth 4.0 Heart Rate Strap wirelessly pairs with the free Kinetic inRide App, as well as any of over 50 popular fitness Apps, including Strava and MapMyRide, to measure heart rate.

Kinetic Trainers Official Website

CES: Scosche Shows it Has Rhythm (Smart)

Scosche-RHYTHM-SMART-+Scosche unveiled its RHYTHM SMART + wearable at CES this week, an Innovations Award Honoree. This armband heart monitor optically measures blood flow and movement to calculate heart rate and calories burned more accurately than conventional heart rate monitors. It is a dual wireless band that operates on both Bluetooth Smart and ANT+, and allows it to be used with smartphones, sport watches and other supported exercise equipment from up to 100 feet. It is compatible with popular fitness apps including RunKeeper, Map My Fitness, Strava and all other apps that support Bluetooth Smart heart rate monitors.

In addition the onboard memory allows users to workout via a freeRUN mode without the need to carry another device.

Scosche Official Website

Wahoo Gets in Cadence

Wahoo-FitnessWahoo Fitness has introduced its RPM Cadence Sensor, which is just seven grams and attaches to the bicycle crank with a 3M adhesive or a sleeve. It can connect wirelessly to an IOS device via Bluetooth 4.0. Cadence can be displayed on any compatible cycling app, including Strava, Wahoo Fitness and MapMyRide. LED lights flash when sensor is connected to the iOS app.

The sensor does not need to be charged and will run on one coin cell battery for up to two years.

Wahoo Fitness Official Website

http://www.wahoofitness.com/

CES Preview: The Echo Gets Awarded Again

EchoThe Magellan Echo made its debut this year at the Outdoor Retailer 2013 show and received two Best-in-Shows wards. Now it has been named a 2014 CES Innovations Award Honoree. This is the first smartwatch dedicated to running by connecting smartphone fitness apps to the wrist.

It utilizes Bluetooth Smart to wirelessly connect with a handset and provides control of apps, with support from Strava, MapMyFitness, iSmoothRun and Wahoo Fitness. The rugged watch is water-resistant and can go the distance. We look forward to taking a closer look at the Echo at next month’s 2014 International CES. Video after the jump

CES Innovations Award: Magellan Echo

EchoIt is November and while that means Thanksgiving with Christmas just around the corner, it is also the time when we start to hear about the International CES Innovations 2014 Design and Engineering Awards. For the upcoming show, the Honoree in the Wearable Technologies category includes the Magellan Echo, the first smartwatch dedicated to running by connecting smartphone fitness apps to the wrist. It utilizes Bluetooth Smart to wirelessly connect with a smartphone and provides users control over their favorite fitness app and displays running metrics where it can be easily seen.

Magellan Echo drives integration with the world of sport and fitness apps, and has support from Strava, MapMyFitness, iSmoothRun and Wahoo Fitness. Echo features a ruggedized design, water-resistance to withstand adverse conditions and a replaceable battery that lasts 6-11 months.

Magellan Echo Official Website

Time to Cliiiimb

4iiii's-and-StravaStrava certainly lets users push themselves, but often times you can’t tell how you’re doing until the ride is over. But now the personal mapping and tracking system for runners and cyclists is working with 4iiii’s, which produces special glasses that can stream data directly to the lenses.

The new Cliiiimb app can now pull live segment data from Strava and relay it to the Sportiiiis heads up display. Just be sure to keep your eyes on the road! Video after the jump

Pain and Suffering

SufferfestNo pain, no gain. So if you want a serious workout on the training bike you need to do more than watch cartoons and the evening news. The Sufferfest provides downloadable cycling training videos that feature high-intensity workouts along with a soundtrack to get you and keep you in high gear. These are training videos for beginnings to the pros. And now Sufferfest is even compatible with Strava. Video after the jump

Wahoo Takes Strava Routes to Trainers

WahooWinter is on the way and for those who will hit the stationary bikes soon that means riding in place, but now Wahoo Fitness will offer riders the chance to duplicate Strava segments on the KICKR stationary trainers. The Strava segments are section of real roads that riders can compete on via the Strava website and app along with a GPS device.

The app controls resistance on the KICKR to match the grade of the climbs and descents in each Strava segment. The KICKR is a rear-wheel-off trainer with a large flywheel to simulate real world riding conditions. Power is even measured at the rear hub.

There are nearly three million segments worldwide so that should really let riders mix it up this winter.

Wahoo Apps Official Website

Build Your Ride

StravaSure you can map your ride, but Strava is now helping riders build their route. The Strava Route Builder allows users to leverage the data of the Strava community to discover and ride the most popular roads and paths across the world. This can allow riders to create routes in cities that they might not be familiar with, so this could include minimizing hills – to flatten your ride as needed.

It can also help rider determine how long the ride might take based on what other riders have done on the same streets, and the route can be exported to compatible GPS devices or as a printer-friendly cue sheet – both with turn-by-turn directions.

Strava Official Blog: Routes are Here!

MIO Oh My!

MIOWhat’s not to love about wearing a heart rate monitor strap across the chest? Or rather what’s to like about it? The MIO Alpha ditches the strap and instead can be worn like a watch, where it monitors blood perfusion in the wrist via an optic sensor and green LED light.

This technology was reportedly developed by the medical industry and now is offering a way to be a heart rate monitor that doesn’t require the annoying chest strap.

This very smart watch also features Bluetooth Smart 4.0 technology so it can sync with a smartphone. That’s some serious smarts, and it allows it to be used with MapMyRun, Strava and Wahoo.

MIO Official Website
[Via BikeRumor: MIO ALPHA DITCHES THE CHEST STRAP, BRINGS ADVANCEMENTS TO PERFORMANCE HEART RATE MONITORING]

Strava Gets Real

Strava-Real-Time-SegmentsWhen out and about it is important to keep it real, and Strava announced this week that it is doing just that with its Real-Time Segments, which provider runners and cyclists live performance updates during their segment effort. This adds another layer of motivation to Strava Premium, where athletes can see exactly where they stack up on a certain segment the instant they complete it.

These instant segment times can be sent right to the phone, so instead of waiting until the activity is finished, runners and cyclists can see the results as they happen. Continue reading Strava Gets Real

Weekend Reading List (06.08.2013): Helmet Wall, Strava Suit

Helmet Wall

Wall-of-Helmets

From GearPatrol: Hundreds of Bike Helmets on a Brick Wall (at Portland Art Museum)
A giant grid of bike helmets affixed to the brick exterior of the Portland Art Museum serves as signage for an upcoming exhibit. Nutcase donated 475 Helmets to the museum so its staff could build this one-of-a-kind sign. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (06.08.2013): Helmet Wall, Strava Suit