You may have heard this term " connected cycling " before without really knowing what it is.
If it is now common to talk about connected objects in this new millennium, and to guess what it is for a good number of items, such as a connected light bulb or a connected alarm, it is more difficult to understand the term cycling, associated with the word connected.
That's what we're going to see.
Connected cycling, what are we talking about?
Just ask Google what it is to realize that there are a multitude of connected objects for cycling.
You'll find watches, power meters, helmets, glasses, home trainer, GPS beacons, pedals, heart rate sensors, rear radars, GPS computers and I don't know what else.
That's a lot for one discipline.
This comes from the fact that cycling is not a sporting or leisure activity like any other.
Cycling is practiced indoors and outdoors.
It is for some a physical activity, for others a means of locomotion.
It is practiced alone, or with others.
It is a sport of endurance but also mechanical.
We see that it is not easy to describe cycling.
This may be where the difficulty in understanding the meaning of connected cycling comes from.
To help us, let's try to group the connected objects mentioned above into different categories.
The different categories of connected cycling.
1. Performance analysis.
When we think of connected cycling, we first think of devices (watches, GPS counters, heart rate and power sensors, etc.) that will provide us with all the useful data to practice this sport. And data, there is a lot.
Distance
Speed
Average speed
positive and negative elevation
Slope
Duration
Cardiac frequency
Powerful
etc...
Thanks to all this data, the cyclist will be able to follow the evolution of his physical form.
To know, when he is driving, the slope of the road, or the speed at which he is driving.
This gives a quantified perception of performance which stimulates the cyclist by seeing his progress.
2. Security.
Cycling is one of those sports where safety is crucial.
Not only because you can go fast and fall off the bike, but also because a cyclist shares the road with vehicles that are much faster.
And a car or a truck is much heavier than a bicycle and takes up much more space on the road.
This is why we see more and more connected objects on the subject of security arriving on the market. Here is a sample.
Helmets with fall detectors that send a message to alert the emergency services.
Airbag vests that trigger when you fall off your bike.
Rear lights with radar. They inform of the arrival of a vehicle behind the cyclist.
Rear lights with a camera that films the cars. If the cyclist is knocked down, he can lodge a complaint against the driver using the registration number.
This list, of course, is not exhaustive. This is a fairly new area and it is still expensive. But in the future, there is no doubt that there will be more and more accessories ensuring the protection of cyclists.
3. Navigation.
It is not only in the car that you need to be guided. By bike too.
This is why we find on GPS counters or smartphones navigation systems as on cars.
But route calculation is specific to cycling.
We will not find the same kinds of information (positive elevation, maximum altitude…) and neither the same routes as for a motorist (cycle paths, paths, passage through narrow roads therefore little frequented by cars…).
You can also find ideas for routes on the net that you can integrate into the GPS counter or on your smartphone.
3D maps like on the Cyclope application on Android will allow the cyclist to visualize the surrounding relief to know what difficulty awaits him.
As you will have understood, navigation in cycling is very specific and brings a real plus to discovering new horizons.
4. Gamification.
This is a new and successful trend. The game in cycling is booming.
It is found especially with the exercise bike. Platforms like ZWIFT or EBOVE offer to immerse yourself in a virtual world while you pedal.
You can participate in virtual races with other runners while staying at home.
But they are not the only ones to offer challenges.
On smartphones, there will also be competitions between cyclists.
As on Cyclope, or each week, the riders will try to win a distinctive Tour de France jersey. Depending on their ranking, they will earn points for the World Cycling Championship which ends every month.
If we see that connected cycling concerns many areas, one wonders what this changes in the practice of cycling.
How does connected cycling change the practice of cycling?
In general, connected objects are transforming our uses in daily life.
Take, for example, smart TVs. In addition to the classic channels, you have new audiovisual media such as streaming.
When is it for cycling?
Connected cycling gives more depth to this sport. Let me explain.
Even if, for some, it is quite possible to do without these connected objects, it must be admitted that these devices offer a certain comfort.
Whether it's to follow your sporting activity, get your bearings or provide more security, connected objects make our lives easier.
It is fun and easy to track the progress of your sports performance using apps or GPS counters.
With navigation, we can discover new horizons by venturing on routes that we do not know. Some will think that this takes away part of the adventure, but not everyone can imagine leaving without having planned the trip by bike.
As far as safety is concerned, this is an important issue today with the increasing number of cyclists on the roads. Not to mention the increase in the speed of bicycles due to technological advances, whether for conventional bicycles or e-bike.
Gamification brings motivation to the cyclist. Cycling is not the easiest sport. It is sometimes hard to motivate yourself to play sports.
Gamification is there to stimulate this desire to ride your bike, whether indoors or outdoors.
If connected cycling brings a real plus to this sport, it is reasonable to wonder if this does not cause certain problems, particularly in terms of confidentiality.
Data security.
A connected object is by definition an object capable of communicating to transmit information.
And who says transmit, says connection to the internet network most of the time.
This is where we can see a problem.
Indeed, riding a bike reveals a lot of information about you.
First of all medical information.
Companies that develop applications, heart rate or power sensors can sell this medical information to interested parties such as insurance companies.
Your journeys can also inform about the nature of your daily trips.
Where do you work ?
What stores do you frequent?
The frequency of your trips?
Who are you going to see?
All this information is not trivial. Citizens are now demanding much more transparency and control over the use of data.
This is what has been implemented by the European Parliament with the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of natural persons with regard to data processing activities.
Applications are now obliged to declare what they do with saved data, and to indicate to customers the procedure for requesting the deletion of this data if the person wishes.
This is what can be seen on the Google Play page of all applications.
The "data safety" section indicates:
If this app collects data.
If the app shares data with third parties.
If the data is encrypted.
If we can request the deletion of the data.
Conclusion
It's not easy to define connected cycling.
Especially since the meaning of the term is expected to evolve over time with the arrival of new technologies and new categories may be.
But we can say that connected objects have a real positive impact on the practice of the discipline.
Although data control and protection remains a challenge today.
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