MTB Safety Apps: Your Smartphone, The New Guardian Angel?
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Twill you come for a ride?
No, I am not available. No, I don’t want that.
And you will go there anyway, won't you? Because the desire to sit on a mountain bike is very strong, strong. You naturally want to free your brain, train your muscles, feel how the chain links move from one gear to another after a little flick of a switch.
Regardless of the cost.
And you go alone.
Obviously, as with any outdoor sport, you educate your loved ones about your destination and the estimated length of the walk.
But today, with the advent of smartphones, we can move to the next level: use your phone to increase security, use your smartphone as a real guardian angel so as not to be knocked out of action in the event of a problem.
How? "Or" What? Thanks to three features:
- Real-time monitoring (real-time tracking)
- Crash detection
- Communications
Real-time monitoring
This includes sending your location on a regular basis (from your phone's GPS) to a server (thanks to your phone's internet connection). The server can then display your location on a map that has a link to access it. This allows others to know exactly where you are, potentially determining what you have been doing and what you need to do to get back to the meeting point. In the event of an accident, this allows you to immediately find a place where you can recover.
The downside of this system is that it depends on the availability of your operator's network. To fix this, some app editors (like uepaa) use a mesh system with other nearby phones, but that means they are using the same app as well.
Crash detection
In this case, the smartphone's accelerometer and GPS navigator are used. If there is no motion detection for more than X minutes, the phone generates an alarm that must be acknowledged by the user. If the latter does nothing, then the system detects that something has happened and starts the programmed actions (for example, a pre-configured warning of relatives).
Communications
In all cases, the system must be able to exchange data, whether via the Internet for real-time monitoring (requires a mobile data type connection) or via SMS to notify relatives or the rescue center. It is clear that without means of communication (that is, without a telecommunication network) the system loses interest. An exception is a network of users with the same application (eg uepaa), the device can work!
An overview of ATV safety apps available for Android and Apple smartphones.
The application has a new feature that allows you to determine the geographic location in real time from the basemap. Location sharing allows a loved one or a group of friends to keep track of your location while cycling.
How does it work?
To do this, you need to carry out very quick manipulations to set up and put this solution into action. You will need to create a discussion or discussion group to activate split positions.
- Select one or more contacts to create a "New Group" for discussion and click "Next".
- Name the group, for example Continue Walking Through the City.
- Click the cross to open the menu and select Localization.
- Share your location live so your contacts can follow you.
Advantages:
- Quite simple and intuitive to use
- Widespread use
Disadvantages:
- Recipients must have a smartphone app to see the location.
- Lack of detection of accidents and, therefore, notification in the event of an emergency.
View Ranger
With the BuddyBeacon ViewRanger system, you can share your location in real time with other people, as well as see their location on your screen. People not using ViewRanger can view BuddyBeacon online by clicking on a link provided by a friend. Thus, they can follow their friend's trip live. This live tracking can also be shared on Facebook. To respect everyone's privacy, BuddyBeacon is accessed using a PIN that the user sends to his friends or contacts.
To share your location, you must be registered to use BuddyBeacon. Once registered, you can turn on your beacon and set it up with a 4-digit PIN. This should be a code that you can share with anyone who wants to see your location. You can also customize the refresh rate. You can and easily link your tweets and photos to the BuddyBeacon feature by activating the service in your My.ViewRanger.com profile. Just share the BuddyBeacon link with your friends, and then they will be able to track not only your location, but also your actions in real time.
To see the location of other people on a mobile phone screen:
- Using the BuddyBeacon menu options:
- Enter your friend's username and PIN.
- Click "find now"
On your desktop: To view a friend's location, go to www.viewranger.com/buddybeacon.
- Enter their username and PIN, then click Find.
- You will see a map showing the location of the buddy.
- Hover over a location to see the date and time.
Advantages:
- A fairly complete application with many functions.
- Recipients do not need to install an app to view the location.
Disadvantages:
- A bit tricky to use.
- Lack of detection of accidents and, therefore, emergency notification.
openrunner
OPENRUNNER MOBILE has two interesting functions: real-time monitoring and emergency call.
In both cases, you must intervene in the application to share your position. This feature cannot be automated at this time (there is no information to indicate whether it will be automated over time).
How to use it?
Go to Settings, then Real Time Monitoring to:
- Define the interval for sending the position (5, 7, 10, 15, 20 or 30 minutes).
- Enter the contacts to which the position will be sent.
Still in Settings, then SOS for:
- Enter the contacts to whom the emergency alert will be sent.
To start tracking in real time, go to the "map"
- "Keep my active."
- Activate Live Tracking, then Start.
- To share online, select Live, then Facebook or Mail.
- To share via SMS, you need to select the link and copy it into the message. To send an emergency notification, select "SOS", then "send my location by SMS or email."
Advantages:
- Recipients don't need to install the app.
Disadvantages:
- No automatic alarm detection, manual sending of SOS alerts.
- Not very intuitive, we get lost in different menus.
- Distribution of positions by SMS in manual mode.
Glympse
With this application, you share your location with anyone in real time for a trip of a certain duration. Recipients receive a link to view your location and estimated time of arrival in real time, for as long as they like. Recipients do not need to use the Glympse app. All you have to do is send the so-called Glympse via SMS, mail, Facebook or Twitter, and recipients can view it from any device connected to the Internet. Even in a simple internet browser. When your Glympse timer expires, your location will no longer be visible.
Management :
Go to the menu
- Go to private groups and fill in your contacts.
- Then select share location.
Advantages:
- Ease of use.
- Recipients don't need to install the app.
Disadvantages:
- Only location sharing, no warning or alarm detection.
NeverAlone (free version)
This free version allows you to send SMS notifications to 1 registered contact in case of no motion detection. It also allows you to send your position to the same contact. The latter receives an SMS message with a link to the location. You can set the waiting time before sending an alert (from 10 to 60 minutes).
The premium version (€ 3,49 / month) lets you send alerts to multiple contacts, track in real time and share your routes (not tested here). In this free version, sending alerts is not reliable enough. Sometimes the alert was not sent to the specified contact.
Management :
You must first create an account to use the app. Then go to "settings", then activate "SMS alarm". You can activate "Live Tracking", but it is not active in the free version.
Scroll to start / stop, then press START at the beginning of the route.
Go to Send Location to send your location via SMS. The contact will receive a link to view it on the map.
Advantages:
- Ease of use.
- Sets the waiting time before sending an emergency alert.
- Sound alert before sending alert.
Disadvantages:
- Unreliable, sometimes no alert sent.
- If a warning is sent, you must wait 24 hours to use the function again (specific free version).
Road ID
This completely free application allows you to send alerts in case of an emergency (via SMS) to 5 registered contacts in case of no motion detection (stationary alert). As soon as you stop for more than 5 minutes (there is no way to set the duration), the alarm will sound for 1 minute before sending the alert to your contacts. This is to prevent unwanted submissions. You can also send a message at the start of the route (eCrumb tracking) that will let your contacts know that you are going on a hike of the duration you can specify. Your contacts can see your location by clicking the link in the text message. Another message can also be sent at the end of the hike to keep your contacts informed that you have returned home safely. After launching the application, all you need to do is enter your contact numbers and choose to send a notification of the type: eCrumb Tracking and / or stationary notification.
How to use it?
On the home screen:
- Enter the duration of the walk.
- Enter the message you want to send when you leave (for example, I'm going to go mountain biking).
- Enter the phone number of your contacts.
- Select the eCrumb Tracking and / or Stationnary Alert notification type.
- Click "Next", the previously entered information will be displayed on a new screen.
- Click “Start eCrumb” to start monitoring.
Advantages:
- Very easy to use.
- Reliability of emergency notification.
- Sends a time limit for output.
Disadvantages:
- It is not possible to change the 5mm waiting time before sending an alarm.
- An emergency send can only be initiated by your contacts.
Conclusion
For a purely security-focused application, Uepaa! in the premium version, it stands out for the ability to automatically detect accidents and the ability to notify relatives and emergency services thanks to its telephone exchange. The ability to connect in an area not covered by a telecommunications network is a real plus. Thus, the few tens of euros per year required for the premium version will be well invested.
To compromise security in free mode, Road id it is the most complete and reliable application.
For a clean separation of positions, Glympse super simple and hardly consumes any battery. The application can be used without any problems in the background of a smartphone.
Openrunner, Viewranger, and others have the virtue of providing emergency or live tracking functionality integrated into their app, which is primarily intended for navigation or recording performances. This is a real plus if you want to work with one universal application.
