E-Bike Computer?

Cybersnow

Active Member
Region
USA
My Zen e-bike provides a lot of information but I want to ensure I am getting a decent workout whenever I ride. I am looking for a bike computer that will monitor cadence and heart rate. Mapping is provided by my iPhone and GPS. It seems I cant get this data without spending a lot of money and getting a lot of redundant data. Any idea?
 
You can link various sensors to RideWithGPS and assign a display field to their output. I added a cheap IGSport Bluetooth cadence sensor to my crank this way. Might be able to add a stand-alone heart-rate monitor while you're at it.

Don't recall if RideWithGPS supports ANT+, but the mapping and GPS recording parts are more than adequate for my casual needs.
 
On HR and HRV if one wants accuracy, it requires a chest strap (Polar for example) or at least a forearm strap. Both types usually can be mated to some bike computers I believe. Your standard wrist monitors (Garmin, FitBit, etc) are garbage - not accurate, as they're optical sensors.

Here is a long Attia podcast with Jamieson on HRV. They discus the various measuring devices at about the 10 minute mark.
 
Just checked the bike, it has a USB outlet under the display. According to Apple OS10.5 I can now pair my watch to a bluetooth device in the outdoor cycle mode and display the data on my iPhone. Will now buy a bluetooth cadence sensor, short cable and a iPhone mount for the bike and try that.
 
i strongly recommend the "cadence" cycling app for iPhone (and i'm sure the android version is excellent.) rideWithGPS is better for routing and nav but cadence has the best displays for keeping tabs on heart rate, speed, cadence, elevation, etc etc. super customizable, tons of graphics options, very easy on the battery particularly with a modern (OLED) phone and black background.

get yourself a chest strap heart rate monitor (most all have bluetooth and ANT+, you want bluetooth for sure) and then you'll have speed, heart rate, distance etc on your iPhone. quad lock is the most robust way to attach the phone to your bars. get a cheap bluetooth cadence sensor and you can have cadence too, which isn't all that useful IMO but good to have. if you really want to know how hard you're working, you'll need a power meter of some sort, which is probably over the top for your application. which zen bike do you have?

if you'd rather have a standalone device, lots of good options out there but most of the garmins (530, 830), or the wahoo bolt v2 are more than capable of what you're looking for. beware that while most all ebikes support bluetooth for communication of metrics to their own head units or apps, they do NOT typically support the standard bluetooth protocols that a cycling computer or phone app uses. so you'd need to use ANT+. no idea if zen supports that, but most of the big ebike motor/controller manufacturers do.
 
Just ordered the Wahoo HR monitor and added it to the kit. (Kit is now wahoo HR sensor, Wahoo cadence sensor, quadlock device for iPhone and short power cord for iPhone). Now will have the option of using the watch data or phone data. I will come back after it all arrives and tell how it worked. Initial investment is $180.
 
nice. if you decide you want more data and if your bike has standard cranks, it’s possible to get cadence and one-sided power for about $250 in a 5 minute crank swap.
 
i strongly recommend the "cadence" cycling app for iPhone (and i'm sure the android version is excellent.) rideWithGPS is better for routing and nav but cadence has the best displays for keeping tabs on heart rate, speed, cadence, elevation, etc etc. super customizable, tons of graphics options, very easy on the battery particularly with a modern (OLED) phone and black background.

get yourself a chest strap heart rate monitor (most all have bluetooth and ANT+, you want bluetooth for sure) and then you'll have speed, heart rate, distance etc on your iPhone. quad lock is the most robust way to attach the phone to your bars. get a cheap bluetooth cadence sensor and you can have cadence too, which isn't all that useful IMO but good to have. if you really want to know how hard you're working, you'll need a power meter of some sort, which is probably over the top for your application. which zen bike do you have?

if you'd rather have a standalone device, lots of good options out there but most of the garmins (530, 830), or the wahoo bolt v2 are more than capable of what you're looking for. beware that while most all ebikes support bluetooth for communication of metrics to their own head units or apps, they do NOT typically support the standard bluetooth protocols that a cycling computer or phone app uses. so you'd need to use ANT+. no idea if zen supports that, but most of the big ebike motor/controller manufacturers do.
Which app is the cadence app on apple store?
 
As you think about riding apps for your iPhone, note that if I set RideWithGPS to screen always on, it can drain my Samsung Note20 in well under 20 miles. The 1.2A USB port on my bike battery can just keep up with this app drain, but it never actually charges the phone.

RideWithGPS is a phone battery hog ONLY with this screen setting. Quite happy with it overall, but I don't monitor heart rate.
 
Thanks, I now have 3 options to try. I have the health app on the watch tied to the phone, RidewithGPS and Cadence. I did buy a bluetooth HR and Cadence monitor, so one of those should work. Meanwhile I an waiting for the rear sprocket and a day spent getting it installed. Have a great Sunday Night! 🤠
 
I was happy that Apple finally got the watch to auto-detect rides. but in reality, you still had to click start to ride and in the winter with a coat on nope. but then I found it really drained the battery too. the Garmin is easy and fast. turn in on and it will auto start and stop and one button click and tap the ride is saved and uploaded then you can even let it turn off itself or do it with another button press. its practical and easy and will go most of a week on one charge.
 
Which app is the cadence app on apple store?

it’s called “bike & run tracker - cadence”


on an iphone 13 mini, the battery lasts about 8 hours with 1/4 screen off, 1/2 on stats, and 1/4 on maps, using other apps, etc. i’ve done 100 miles without topping up, but for a ride like that i’d usually throw a little extra battery in my pack just in case. always use white on black, although it sounds like you’ve got power so no big deal either way.
 
I recommended buying a proper bike GPS computer, such as a Wahoo ELEMNT or Garmin EDGE (no experience with Hammerhead Karoo 2) because the batteries in such computers hold for many hours, these devices are water resistant, take a small footprint on the bars, and are very difficult to get damaged in case of any crash.

I had my Wahoo ELEMNT Roam on for 9 hours and 20 minutes on a long racing day, and I still had 45% of the remaining battery charge in the device.
 
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