The iBike Dash CC fails to take advantage of iPhone OS

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sdcerreta
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:08 pm

The iBike Dash CC fails to take advantage of iPhone OS

Post by sdcerreta »

Is there an app upgrade Wish List posted anywhere?

Lately, I find myself using other apps when the iphone is strapped inside the DASH CC, like MotionX. I prefer this app when riding my mountain bike or when I am on designated bike paths. I also enjoy listening to music when I ride off-road or on designated bike paths. I bought a set of Motorola wireless headphones, because the DASH CC has no headphone port. Other cycling apps, like MotionX will announce audio updates at specific intervals. I find this to be very useful and it allows me to keep eyes on the trail and stay safe. I would really like to see this feature added to the DASH app. If possible, this feature upgrade should include a wide range of triggers like time intervals, distance intervals, etc. Plus, it should allow you to decide what you want to hear and how often, like HR, speed, distance, elevation, slope, wind speed, power, etc. announced every 1,2,5, 10 minutes or every 1, 2, 5, 10 miles etc. This can also be done for HR training zones, or interval training and laps.

It would also be nice to have a more interactive map. I would like to be able to mark waypoints on mountain bike trails, or a common meet up spot with other riders. These waypoints should stay fixed, even after you clear the ride data. It would also be nice to save routes and view them on the map in specified colors. It should also be able to recall saved map routes and view ride data on recalled routes. Again, MotionX is a good source for an example. I prefer to use MotionX over ibike anytime I am off-road or an unfamiliar road route. The problem with MotionX is they don't offer ANT+ cadence or ANT+ speed, or the many other advanced features unique to ibike. But, hey who am I kidding, I can't have those features either, unless I pony-up $700 for the DASH +Power.

In fact, I am fed up with DASH's lack of genius. The DASH is a case. An expensive one at that, for the most advanced compact mobile computer ever created, the iPhone. Yet, the DASH CC app is like the ibike Pro computer chip. That's like sticking a VW bug motor in a Ferrari. What a waste!

Lately, I have been riding in the dirt, and I tend to use the MotionX app for this application. So, today I decided to throw the DASH on a shelf loaded with other rejected bike parts that were 20 grams heavier than its predecessor. I went out and bought the Wahoo Fitness bike case. I was hoping to find better apps than the DASH so that I could use the Ant+ cadence and speed sensors. There are many great apps on the market right now, exploiting the capabilities of the Ferrari. I admit, ibike products offer more than most other apps for the serious cyclist, but the DASH CC still lags way behind in other areas, specifically map integration, and voice announcements.

Unfortunately, after one ride today, I discovered the Wahoo bike case sucks! The mount is flimsy and the phone moves around way too much for riding in the dirt. The screen is too reflective and you can't see the damn thing. I fould myself bending over much of the time to view the display. The biggest flaw with the Wahoo Activity Case is that the thin film screen is not flush with the iphone. There is a slight gap between the two. So you have to tap the display really hard to navigate. Half the taps resulted in no reaction from the iphone. This was extremely frustrating, and dangerous. I had to stop riding several times. I found the Wahoo case to be a worthless device, so I am returning it. That means the DASH (it is 40g lighter too :D) is coming back off the self. . .for now, but I am angry :evil: that 's why I joined this forum tonight.

I have been an ibike owner for 6+ years, including the 1st and 2nd gen devices. I currently own the DASH CC along with the i-Aero Gen III. I am more of a casual and recreational rider nowadays and do not care so much about the data exporting for training purposes. I am more interested in the functionality of the maps, finding trails, and recalling rides on the iphone. I have not used the iAero in over a year. The iphone is an awesome device and the ibike DASH fails to tap into all its potential. Most people that have owned ibike computers in the past probably love the DASH. However, I bet that some newcomers that pick the DASH CC off a shelf in the Apple store will be disappointed after trying other cycling apps. They may in fact be like me, using a $200 case as a phonebooth and launching other, better apps while out on a ride.

With selling the iDash in Apple stores I can see this device far exceeding the sales of all other ibike platforms. However, ibike DASH customers are different! We are not roadies or die-hard fitness buffs that need a superior training device with interfaces to relay ride data to a coach. We do not want a $700 power meter. We want a damn headphone jack so we can ride to the beat of our favorite tunes. Ibike should keep these features to please their loyalists. But the new DASH customers are occasional riders who want to tap into the iphone's amazing OS in a new way. The DASH costs so much more than the Wahoo case, it is proprietary, and it lacks essential features like those stated above. Ibike should offer a midgrade package for $300 that gives everything but Power, like adding slope, tilt, elevation and wind to the DASH CC model. I think the Apple enthusiast will bite to gain those extra features, but they have no use for Power. Ibike should also open up the platform to 3rd party apps to integrate with the DASH. If this is a no, then ibike should remove the VW bug motor and unleash the power of the Ferrari.

The DASH CC is a well built case, but the app could be so much better :!: My recommendation to others would be to invest in the ibike Phone booth for $60 with a stem mount and use MotionX or any other 15+ cycling apps on the market today. What you give up is HR and cadence. A measurements I do enjoy to have. These other apps will provide GPS based speed, distance, elevation, slope and time, intervals, laps, etc. Plus features DASH CC does not have, like voice announcements, integrated maps with waypoints, uploading map routes, saving/recalling map routes, adding photos to the ride, compass, and many others. ibike can do so much more. . . I dare you to try :!:
Velocomp
Velocomp CEO
Posts: 7888
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:43 am

Re: The iBike Dash CC fails to take advantage of iPhone OS

Post by Velocomp »

These are good comments. If you've just joined the forum, you'll find that we listen carefully to our customers.

We think the iDash is a good product, but we know it can be better, and feedback like yours helps us know which features to push. Stay tuned...

You will never find a headphone jack in any iDash product. Two reasons: 1) the seals leak (check out the VeloNews review of Wahoo); 2) they enable unsafe riding. Headphone wires dangling around a spinning bike wheel is a formula for disaster. Besides, Bluetooth wireless works great.

The WF is $149 and has a speed/cadence sensor. The iDash CC is $149 (Apple) and has a speed sensor. Their case is $59 and ours is $49. You say the Wahoo product "sucks" but that the CC is much more expensive. I don't get it.

GPS-based app have problems all their own (accuracy and reliability), issues that the CC overcomes superbly. And they don't have the cadence/HR data you like. So, push us to be better, but be even-handed in your criticisms.

And, have you checked out the newly-announced iBike POWERHOUSE? At $269 it is almost exactly what you are wishing for.
John Hamann
sdcerreta
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:08 pm

Re: The iBike Dash CC fails to take advantage of iPhone OS

Post by sdcerreta »

The WF is $149 and has a speed/cadence sensor. The iDash CC is $149 (Apple) and has a speed sensor. Their case is $59 and ours is $49. You say the Wahoo product "sucks" but that the CC is much more expensive. I don't get it.

Hi John, thanks for the reply,
I reported this information from recall. The WF without any sensors is $119, which is what I purchased, as I already have them. I verified my receipts and I, in fact bought the DASH CC from the local Apple store for $199.95 about 8 months ago. It did come with a speed sensor, I was mistaken about that. I am also glad to see that the price has come down since that time.

I think $149 is more competitive compared to the $199 that I paid. However, I would still like to see an intermediate kit that allows for all operations minus Power for around $300 with a speed sensor. You mention the Powerhouse, that sounds exciting. Is it available yet? I cannot seem to find any information about it on the website or in your store.
JPCH
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2010 3:35 pm

Re: The iBike Dash CC fails to take advantage of iPhone OS

Post by JPCH »

I'm an IBike Dash+Power user and I also think the iBike apps realeased don't exploit the potential of the platform (iPhone + iBooth).

There are probably some ways of opening the game in a win/win mode through an adequate SDK.
With an SDK allowing third party apps to exploit your HW properly, I'm convinced your overall market would grow.

What it means practically is the you would continue to sell 3 HW ( enclosure naked / ANT+ / Full sensors).
Third party apps would exploit properyly the HW via your SDK, without the need for you to disclose your secret algos ...
You would still have your own apps on the appstore for normal usage.
Some code of these apps could even be provided to third parties to show how to use the SDK.

With this approach an app like MotionX (really a great app) could exploit the iBike's power ...
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