Smartphone Apps for Urban Cyclists

Five smartphone apps for the urban cyclist.

BIKE REPAIR bikerepairapp.com

Platform: iPhone, Android

Cost: $3.99

Bike Repair provides knowledge at your fingertips to help you with most repairs. In this easy-to-navigate guide, over 70 problems are explained in 15 different categories covering the most common bike part ailments. The menu directs you to 55 simple to follow, step-by-step guides all written in plain English with clearly labeled photos and links to helpful videos. The majority of repairs described require no specialty tools, making this app accessible to the beginner cyclist tackling home bike repairs for the first time.

BIKEBRAIN thinkbiologic.com

Platform: iPhone

Cost: Free

BikeBrain unleashes the cycling computer in your iPhone. The app allows you to track ride details with GPS mapping and plan your routes by measuring distance, altitude, elapsed time and plenty of additional data parameters. Onetouch links allow you to share photos and videos to social media or geotag a photo of your favorite restaurant along the way. Make the most of your BikeBrain by creating a profile and sharing with the online community. Rides are auto-saved by your phone with Google Maps at the ready for instant mapping. GPS optimization tames the GPS battery appetite for better battery life. Bluetooth now available.

SPOTCYLE spotcycle.net

Platform: iPhone, Blackberry, Android

Cost: Free

Spotcycle shows you the nearest bike share stations and includes bike and dock availability to help you plan your trip. A handy timer and alarm helps keep track of your rental time. The app is equipped with Google Places to help you fi nd nearby local businesses. Take advantage of the Spotcycle online community to find top rated and top viewed bike routes, or use GPS to map out, customize, save and share your bike routes on social media. Spotcycle is available in 24 cities, 21 in North America.

THE WEATHER CHANNEL weather.com

Platform: iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone

Cost: Free

Of the countless weather apps available, The Weather Channel is one of the most downloaded for good reason. Pinpointing your location at launch, the app provides hourly and up to 10-day forecasts. Users can track weather changes with interactive radar maps or simply check out the current temperature at a glance. For commuters, the daily forecast includes “feels like” temperature, humidity and UV index. The latest version features customizable weather backgrounds to reflect local weather conditions and links to videos and Twitter.

RIDE THE CITY ridethecity.com

Platform: iPhone, Android

Cost: $1.99

This nifty navigational tool helps users get around and locate key cycling services. Bike shops, rentals and bike shares services, where available, are listed with hours of operation and contact information. Routes are classified as “safer,” “safe” and “most direct” based on known cycling infrastructure and user feedback. Travel routes are displayed with distance, estimated time and elevation gain. As an added bonus, current and forecasted weather are also displayed. Currently available in 39 cities. by default you can facetime from apple watch which can help you to talk while riding you cycle.