As an employee of Singletracks.com, there is no such thing as just “going for a mountain bike ride” anymore. I’m not complaining–working for Singletracks is pretty much the coolest job on the planet, and has taken me places that I never dreamed it would. But since “work” is always in the back of my mind whenever I’m out riding my mountain bike, I need to make sure that I gather quality data from each ride. This includes photos, of course, but especially GPS data for our Trail Map Database.
I rarely use my GPS unit anymore–partly because it has been on the fritz, and partly because I hate carrying a different gadget for everything. Carrying an iPhone is just so much easier, and so I was on the lookout for the perfect GPS app to log my forays into the wilderness. I’ve tried just about everything on the market, from MapMyRide to Strava to AllSport LE… and many more. Finally, after a couple of email nudges from one of the Runtastic marketing people, I gave the Mountain Bike PRO Cycling Computer App (powered by Runtastic) a try… and I’ve fallen in love!
I’ve logged over a thousand miles of mountain biking with this app, and here are my thoughts after many months of use:
Features
When I was looking for a GPS app, there were a few very simple qualifications that it had to meet:
- It had to be able to export the data easily and give me access to the entire data file.
- It had to show my progress on screen.
- It had to record a high number of data points for maximum accuracy.
Data
Before I started using Runtastic’s Mountain Bike PRO app, I used MapMyRide pretty religiously. MapMyRide was great… except that (at that time, at least) when I exported the data to their website and tried to download it to my computer for use elsewhere, the time and elevation data were stripped from the file, which made it impossible to use with another program like Strava or even to use as a map on Singletracks. Also, the accuracy left much to be desired.
I also experimented with Strava’s app, and while the data export was very reliable and the accuracy was respectable (although not as good as Runtastic’s), the big deal breaker is that you cannot see your progress on-screen. If you’re out in the woods and want to use the unit to get yourself un-lost, it’s useless.
Runtastic satisfied these three criteria and many more.
It’s easy to export the data from the app to Runtastic’s website, and then download it to your computer with all of the information intact for use wherever you wish. Also, if you are out of cell range when you finish your ride, the Runtastic app will save your data and allow you to upload it later with no fear of losing all your precious work.
Maps
On-screen tracking is, frankly, superb! This is the first iPhone GPS app that I have seen that makes use of the OpenCycle maps, although we now utilize the OpenCycle maps in our paid Singletracks app as well. And you have options: switch easily between the OpenCycle map, OpenStreets, Google Maps, and satellite imagery. The OpenCycle maps in particular have proved to be extremely useful because they have singletrack trails all around the world already embedded in the background tiles! While riding out in California this summer, I used these maps to navigate countless trails and trail systems that I had never ridden before, and many of which I didn’t even have a paper version of the map. Thanks to the excellent OpenCycle maps, I was able to just hit the trail and map out a loop and ride to my heart’s content.
Of course, OpenCycle doesn’t have every mountain bike trail map in their database, and the areas where they do have good coverage often look like a massive spider web, leaving you helplessly wondering which is the best route for the sweetest singletrack, and which sections of trail are overgrown or no longer exist. As a result, the GPS map overlays (overlaid on an OpenCycle background) in the paid Singletracks App are uber useful.
Mountain Bike PRO also offers the opportunity to download a section of your map of choice for offline use when you are out in the woods away from a good cell phone signal. If you know what area you are going to be riding ahead of time, use your WiFi (3G works too, but beware the data suck) to pan and zoom and download whatever portion of the map you desire.
Additional Features
I was looking for an app with the basic features that I viewed as necessary, but Mountain Bike PRO offers every bell and whistle you could desire: elapsed time, distance, current altitude, altitude gained over the course of the ride, calories burned, direction (compass), temperature, weather, speed, average speed, max speed, total elevation lost, pace, average pace, sensors, heart rate, cadence, time, audible updates on many of these statistics, customizable HUD (to show which stats you want to see), easy access to your music, and much, much more. While this might sound overwhelming, the customizable HUD shows you only the data you’re interested in, and you can disable many of these features as well. The HUD can always be hidden to fill the screen with the map for ease of navigation.
Bottom Line
What sort of GPS capabilities do you want your phone to have? If you name it, the Mountain Bike PRO app by Runtastic probably has it! The only feature that it does not have is the ability to load a GPX track and follow a preexisting track. But with the new topo maps feature in the paid Singletracks app, which you probably own already, that’s taken care of!
The PRO version of the app costs $5.99, and there is a free version available with the basic features as well. But in my opinion, this app is well-worth the 6 bucks, especially if you compare it to the cost of a stand-alone GPS unit.
Frankly, the Mountain Bike PRO app is so clean, so useful, and so feature-rich that it would take an utterly amazing app to convince me to switch!
Click here to download the Mountain Bike PRO Cycling Computer App Powered by Runtastic.
57 Comments
Nov 14, 2012
Nov 14, 2012
Apr 23, 2013
Nov 14, 2012
I'll keep my phone in my camelbak during my rides, only pulling it out to reference the map if I feel I'm lost. I'll typically have a printed version for quicker and easier reference, the phone acts as a good backup. I'm not sure how if I'd be able to keep things rubber side down if I had full access to data while biking. Still, this looks like an excellent app for people looking to pair down the quantity of devices they haul with them on their rides. Thanks for posting the review!
Nov 14, 2012
Personally, I just toss the phone in my pack and reference it if I have a navigation question. I do have an iphone bar mount that I need to test out, so that may change...
May 9, 2013
May 10, 2013
Here's a tutorial you might be interested in: http://help.singletracks.com/support/solutions/articles/66933-how-to-upload-gps-data-to-singletracks-com
May 26, 2013
May 28, 2013
May 29, 2013
May 29, 2013
A good portion of our 10 mile singletrack is visible with GoogleEarth, so it's easy to see tracking error. 5% trail loss probably isn't critical for trail documentation, but Runtastic is selling a fitness training app where time and distance accuracy is a concern.
Nov 14, 2012
Nov 14, 2012
Nov 14, 2012
The iPhone has lots of hidden/little known ways of doing stuff...I'm still discovering things lol.
Nov 14, 2012
Nov 17, 2012
Runtastic store seems to not allow shipping to the US.
Amazon reviews of the Wahoo and Polar straps don’t seem too encouraging though many negatives are folks trying to use the strap with the wrong phone..
I have been using the app and really like it and would like to add HR data.. any feedback would be much appreciated.
Thanks and Happy Trails!!
May 29, 2013
May 29, 2013
May 29, 2013
Nov 14, 2012
Nov 14, 2012
For Android, MyTracks is a good choice, as is Trimble Outdoors Navigator.
Nov 14, 2012
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Nov 16, 2012
Well, I will look for it, and let's see,
Nov 14, 2012
But remember, it ain't wilderness if you have a Cell signal.
Where I live our cell coverage ends about 10 miles from town so GPS it is to record tracks for singletracks.com. Gonna check this app out though, the offline feature looks sweet.
Nov 14, 2012
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May 30, 2013
May 30, 2013
Nov 14, 2012
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Nov 14, 2012
You could just bring along a spare battery ... oh wait, that's an Android thing. :D
Nov 14, 2012
I've debated adding a small solar cell to the back of my camelbak to help offset the battery drain. Or maybe one of those USB battery packs for some added juice.
Nov 14, 2012
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Nov 14, 2012
Holux M-1200 is a bit older, and not as widely available. You may be able to find it on eBay.
Nov 14, 2012
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Nov 14, 2012
http://goo.gl/MwxrY
Nov 14, 2012
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Nov 14, 2012
Question from a dumbphone user:
The $5.99 is a one time fee, right?
Nov 14, 2012
Well, I'm not sure what happens if you get another smartphone. You may be able to port the apps over through some process (memory cards, direct transfer, not sure, really) but I'm not entirely sure as I'm still running my HTC Incredible.
Nov 14, 2012
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Aug 15, 2019
If you are/were like me you need to convert 3 or 4 years of runtastic json data to gpx to transfer to a new app (Ride with GPS, Strava etc.)
Then you will need this website. It is in German but it worked on my windows laptop. Use google translate if you want to read everything, just paste the website in to google translate...
https://www.mielke.de/blog/Runtastic-Backup-JSON-to-GPX-Converter--509/
Export from Runtastic the data zip file and then this website will convert that to a GPX zip file.
Nov 14, 2012