ted_major

I'm not sure this is the right forum, but my question is at least tangentially related to electronics, as you can't run software without hardware, so here goes...

I've been using the Road ID app for a couple of years now so that my wife can see where I am when I'm out riding . The free app has been just fine for me, but they're about to switch to a new app that costs $3/month, so I'd like to consider my options.

Please note that I'm not averse to paying for apps. They have to make money to stick around, and if I'm not paying, someone else is who probably doesn't have my best interests at heart. However, if I'm going to pay, I'd like to get the bestoption.

My use case is I ride on country roads, for a couple of hours a couple of times a month in the winter, and for several hours a few times a week in the summer. Except for a couple of organized rides a year, I ride solo, usually early in the morning. She feels better knowing she can find me if she needs to, and I feel better knowing someone can find me if I'm lying unconscious on the side of the road.

So what's out there? Is there a better app to allow my wife to check my location, or should I just pony up for the Road ID subscription?

Iride01 

Android phone? Google maps has a location feature that one can share their location with other contacts. Your contacts only have to have a browser and the link. But if they too have the google map app it's easier. It's not always the most accurate or up to the minute at showing your location perfectly. But it works and it's free. Pretty much only shows your position and your phones battery charge. I guess that's so others you share your location with can call you and tell you to put it on the charger. <grin>

Most of the Garmin Edges have a live tracking feature that that shows much more useful information about your ride to those you share it with. You have to have a smartphone and garmin's phone app. It burp's occasionally but for the most part it works.

If you buy a S-works helmet with Angi, you can also use Specialized's Ride App with your phone to share your location and also give notices to selected contacts if you have a crash. The location tracking isn't as good as Garmin's, but it's better IMO than Google maps.

Tourist in MSN

There are kid tracking apps, I think some are free. I have not used any so I can't recommend one. Let us know if you find a free one that works well.

ted_major

Oops. Should have specified: iPhone.

Iride01 

Actually GoogleMaps has an iPhone version of the app. My sisters also have iPhones and I share my location with them through it when I'm traveling to visit them. Then they know better when I'm going to arrive. They also can share their location with me from their iPhone using the googlemaps App. By default it only shares location for an hour or maybe 2 hours. But that can be changed to longer periods, days, months or even until you specifically stop sharing location with them.

But its me 

I run a Garmin Edge with Live Tracking function, but my wife usually stalks me with the Life360 app, which has free live 24 hour tracking. The newer Garmin have incident detection (it sends a text to a preset list of contacts), which works rather quickly, as I can attest from a minor spill on an ice patch last year. I was more irritated that it took some effort to cancel the alert. All of the Garmin features require the connect app to be running on your phone. Also, you can share your location from within iOS, so messages app can see location. Not sure of the setting for that latter, however. In my case, lots of redundant options gives my wife confidence she can collect the life insurance payout from my corpse.

billridesbikes

On iPhone go to the ‘Find my’ app and under ‘Me’ choose share location and then under ‘people’ send a share notice to your wife.

gpburdell

Well that's easy peasy then. Use the FindMy function to share your location with your wife.

See here for more info: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210514

adamrice 

Yeah, Find My is the canonical answer for iPhone users. My wife checks in on me when I'm on long rides this way.

There are other apps that can do some version of this as well.

- Ride with GPS can share your location live.
- Cyclemeter can e-mail or text periodic status updates, but doesn't have live tracking AFAIK.
- Strava has "beacon" for sharing your location live.

scubaman

Another option is Specialized's Angi crash sensor:

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/angi

This can be attached to most helmets - I put them on road and MTB POC helmets. The associated app is free to use (given that one bought the sensor). I think it provides real-time tracking, and for sure it provides location if it detects a crash, as long as one's cell phone has a signal.

scubaman

And here is an alternative to Road ID:

https://www.crashtag.me/

I don’t know the terms for using their app; nor its functionality, beyond that one can store various types of personal info.

bluehills3149

WhatsApp also has a share location feature so others can see you on a map. Hit the paper-clip option in a chat and select "location".

M Rose

I just use an APRS beacon and wife goes to APRS.FI and enters my call sign…