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Do you commute into work on two wheels? Whether you’re a fair-weather cyclist or someone who rides their bike into the office come rain or shine, there are many useful cycling apps that you can download on your smartphone or other device to improve your journey.

Before we take a look at what some of these apps are, it’s important to protect your gadget with insurance. Gadget insurance from Gadget Cover can protect against things like accidental damage, liquid damage, theft, and loss for an extra fee.

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Now, let’s take a look at some of the best cycling apps.

 

Strava

There’s no doubt that Strava is one of the best apps out there for cyclists (and runners, in fact). It lets you record every trip, map cycling routes into work via GPS and track your progress over time. It’s an especially great app if you enjoy pushing yourself to the limits on your commute; you can take on challenges and compete with other users, sharing your results and stats with friends and followers.

The basic version of the app is free, but the ‘Summit’ version comes with three ‘packs’. The ‘safety pack’ could be useful if you’re constantly mixing up your commuting route, as you can share your live location with your designated safety contacts.

 

First Aid For Cyclists – St John Ambulance

This app was developed by St John Ambulance and is based on the most common injuries cyclists sustain on UK roads. It’s your chance to get clued up on first aid, with the app based on St John Ambulance’s First Aid Manual and advice from a team of medical experts.

You can work through different types of injury, where you’ll find step-by-step guides on what you need to do. Whether it’s you who’s been injured or a fellow cyclist, knowing basic first aid could stop a bad situation from becoming much worse. It could even be a life-saver.

 

Bike Repair – Atomic Software

If you ride to work regularly, chances are there will come a time when you need to carry out some kerbside bike maintenance. For instance, if you get a flat tyre! In these cases, it can be really useful to have a repair guide handy.

Rather than carry a bulky book in your backpack, you can download Atomic Software’s Bike Repair app. It features 58 highly detailed photo repair guides, as well as 95 bicycle tips and tricks – which include common ‘aches and pains’ while you’re on your bike.

The great thing about this app is that you can collect all the relevant information on your bike’s parts, record a history of the maintenance you’ve carried out and even add reminders on certain tasks that you need to do on your bike.

 

FIll That Hole – CTC

Potholes are a bugbear among cyclists as well as drivers. This app from cycling charity CTC lets you report potholes from across the UK – simply photo the hazard, map the location with GPS and then Fill That Hole will contact the highway authority to see that it’s fixed. It’s free to download and simple to use, putting cyclists and drivers back in control of the streets.

Met Office Weather

If you’ve been riding to work for some time, no doubt the weather has caught you out a few times!

To cut the risk of that happening again, download the Met Office Weather app. It’s a sound choice for knowing what the weather conditions will be like for your twice-daily commute over the next few days.

The app relies on GPS to provide accurate weather information specific to your location. It tells you the conditions, the temperature and also what temperature it feels like, as well as wind speed – so you know when to wear your waterproofs or an extra layer!

 

National Rail Enquiries

Do you take your bike on a train as part of your commute? If you do, then you’ll want to download this app on your smartphone or other device. While it’s handy for planning and booking journeys, the top feature for cyclists is its live updates. It lets you track your train’s departure and arrival time, locate it in real time and set alerts just in case there are any disruptions.

The app also contains handy information on bike policies for different train operators. Something that could prove extremely useful if you have a standard bike rather than a folding one.

 

Bikemap – Cycling Map and GPS

This is a great map app designed specifically for cyclists. It comes jam-packed with features you’re bound to find useful, including voice navigation, offline routes, ride tracking functions, a variety of map styles (including basic, 3D and night mode on the premium version) and route optimisation for road and mountain bikes.

With Bikemap, you can view important points of interest on your route, including bike rentals (just in case), repair shops, charging stations if you ride an e-bike and parking areas. Next to the navigation are details like your current speed, distance and duration.

Bike Fit calculator: size my bike – Balo Studio

The right size bike is key to comfortable riding and also helps to prevent many of the avoidable injuries caused by a poor-fitting frame. All you need to do is enter your measurements on the Bike Fit calculator app and it will work out what size frame you need. It’s more specific than that though, with recommendations on saddle height, handlebar width, horizontal and vertical tubes and power length.

 

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Remember, if you’re using your gadget for these cycling apps, you want to make sure it’s protected on the road with cover.

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