There are already a number of devices that allow cyclists to do things such as tracking their rides. Most of those products, however, must be paired with an accompanying smartphone that's taken along for the ride. By contrast, WI-MM's GPS- and Wi-Fi-equipped BP100 works all on its own, and stays on the bike full-time.
The waterproof BP100 mounts on the frame's water bottle cage bosses, while still allowing a cage to be mounted on top of it. One charge of its battery should be good for about 10 hours of use.
Although it can communicate with a phone via Bluetooth for added functionality, it also has its own Verizon cellular modem. Among other things, this allows it to access online maps of the local area, upon which it can plot the routes ridden by the cyclist. Those ride maps are augmented with analytics including the riding speed at any one location, calories burned, and total distance travelled.
All the data can be accessed using an accompanying free app, or a web portal. Because the data is uploaded in real time, people such as managers of bicycle-sharing services can also continuously track the current locations of all their bikes.
Additionally, if the bike is stolen, the device will transmit its present location to the user's phone – of course, the thief might just remove the BP100 when stealing the bike. Another one of its antitheft measures is an audible alarm that's triggered by a built-in motion detector if the bicycle is moved while left unattended. That motion detector also automatically turns the BP100 on when a ride starts, and turns it off when it's over.
Finally, if a sudden accident-like movement is detected during a ride, the device can automatically send out emergency notifications to people preselected by the user. In that way, it's not unlike ICEdot's Crash Sensor.
The BP100 is available now in black or grey, for US$199. The cellular charge is $4.99 per month.
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