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IRL: Wahoo's Blue SC speed sensor for bikes
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Smartphones, tablets, smartphones, repeat. We tend to come back to the same sorts of gadgets here in "IRL," but this week we're shaking things up with a fitness device. Associate HD Editor Ben Drawbaugh is one of the few mountain biking enthusiasts on staff, which means he was one of the only people qualified to test out a bicycle computer, something we normally wouldn't review. After the break, find out if a $60 Bluetooth Low Energy sensor is worth the investment.
Wahoo Fitness BlueSC bike sensor ships for iPhone, fixie owners rejoice
Summer cycling is about to get a lot more... precise. The Wahoo Fitness BlueSC sensor we saw back in April is now shipping, giving iPhone 4S and new iPad owners a Bluetooth 4.0 tracker for a bike's pedal cadence, speed and long-term performance through a trio of sensors. As you take that victory ride down the Champs d'Élysées -- or more realistically, take that fixie bike down for a cappuccino -- data feeds either into Wahoo's own app or to alternatives from Cyclemeter and Strava Cycling. If Spandex is considered part of your daily routine, $60 is what it takes to get the BlueSC following your every pedal push.
Wahoo Fitness BlueSC cycling sensor preview
It wasn't all that long ago that Wahoo Fitness unveiled it's iPhone 4S friendly BlueHR heart monitor to let you track your workouts. Well, it turns out that Wahoo's been working on something new, and at a Bluetooth 4.0 event today in SF, we got a sneak peek at the company's next device, the BlueSC. It's a gadget aimed at would-be Alberto Contadors that wirelessly tracks the speed and pedaling cadence of cyclists via Wahoo's existing app. It's a three piece affair with a main hub that straps to your bike frame, one magnet that goes on your wheel, and a second that's placed on the pedal crank. The hub gets rotational info from each magnet as it swings past and then shoots your stats to your phone via Bluetooth, allowing you to track your performance as you chug up the Alpe d'Huez. (OK, maybe just around the neighborhood.) What you see above is a working prototype device, but Wahoo's being coy about further hardware details, pricing and availability -- though we can say that it's quite lightweight and can't weigh more than few grams. In the meantime, you can get a better look at your next training tool in the gallery below.
