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TECH NEWS

3T release Eye miniature display

New device shows data from smartphone app and any ANT+ sensors you are using

3T has launched a miniature display called Eye that puts real-time data from a smartphone training app and ANT+ power, heart rate and cadence devices onto your handlebars.

Essentially, the idea is that the 3T Eye harnesses the power of the smartphone in your pocket and displays it on the bars, along with the data from other ANT+ devices that you might have.

“Until now, monitoring [a smartphone’s GPS functionality, a heart rate monitor and/or power meter] has meant using two devices, an ANT+ monitor on the bars and a smartphone,” says 3T. “Most riders usually put the smartphone in the jersey pocket because it’s a high-value device that they’re reluctant to expose to weather and accidents by mounting on the bars.”

“3T Eye solves the problem by combining both devices into one lightweight, low-cost monitor screen that can be safely fitted to the bars, in the rider’s line of sight.”

The 3T Eye gets GPS positional data from your smartphone via Bluetooth 4.0. It fits to a Barfly 2.0 mount, and 3T also offer a faceplate adaptor for using it with an ARX II stem.

As well as allowing you to keep your smartphone safe in your pocket, the 3T Eye means you can keep your phone’s display powered down to extend its battery life.

The brain of the system is the free 3T Cycling app that lives on your smartphone and allows you to get the most out of the 3T Eye. It lets you replay power and GPS data and access cloud services.

The app gives you access to social media and training sites like Facebook, Twitter, Strava and Training Peaks.

The iOS version is available at the Apple Store now and an Android version is coming to the Google Play Store soon.

If you like, you can simply use the 3T Eye as a standard computer headunit, displaying data from any ANT+ devices you are using.

If you prefer, you can use it in Smart Bridge Mode. This means it will read data from an ANT+ device – a Garmin heart rate monitor, for example – and send it to your smartphone via Bluetooth.

The third and final mode is Smartphone Mode. This is when it works as a mirror display for a smartphone running the 3T Cycling app.

A limited number of 3T Eyes will be arriving at www.i-ride.co.uk in the next week or so. They’ll be priced at £99.99.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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15 comments

Avatar
fatbastard | 8 years ago
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What is wrong with a Roswheel top tube bag with screen? Simples!  35

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ronin | 8 years ago
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Oh Garmin, when are you gonna make a proper replacement for the edge 500? It's 2015 already. I need a better screen, glosnas...that's mailnly it.

But, if you fit a smartphone in there too, and a camera well, you'll be the king of the hill again...or wait until Samsung gets into the game.

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P3t3 | 8 years ago
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Anybody know if bluetooth 4.0 is backwards compatable?

I want to get and HRM to work with my galaxy S2 but I'm not prepared to spend £50 to find out it won't work because my phone only supports bluetooth 3.0...

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tedder replied to P3t3 | 8 years ago
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it isn't backwards-compatible in a way that you can benefit from. Generally speaking you need a phone that handles BT4 and you also need a new version of Android (I think something in the 4.4 line handles it, but it might be 4.4.2; your best bet is 5.x).

BT4 is super-low-power compared to previous BT implementations, so it lets things like HRMs and Speed/Cadence sensors actually possible.

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P3t3 replied to tedder | 8 years ago
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Thanks

So i need either a new phone or a gps all for the mere curiosity of seeing my heart rate. I might wait a while I think.

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KiwiMike | 8 years ago
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I'd buy this if it could get Left / Right / Straight on prompts from nav apps like Strava routes or Viewranger. I'd have purchased a RFLKT if it could do that.

Sigh.

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tedder replied to KiwiMike | 8 years ago
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fukawitribe | 8 years ago
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I thought until now, monitoring GPS functionality, a heart rate monitor and/or power meter (and a bunch of other stuff) has typically meant using one device - an ANT+ monitor on the bars.

I'm all for dual band / dual device stuff being added personally, but this isn't some massive step forward in the reduction of device numbers... *

* especially as it's replacing two devices with two devices..
..and it ain't much cheaper than a decent GPS-enabled ANT+ bike computer

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armb | 8 years ago
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Reminds me that having chosen to get a waterproof ANT+ enabled phone, I really ought to get the ANT+ sensors to actually use more than GPS on it. Also fix my broken handlebar mount.

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tedder | 8 years ago
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see also: Wahoo RFLKT+.

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allanj | 8 years ago
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Seems like a pretty good idea to me (and others have similar devices), but why not use the mapping on the phone too?

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Moonraker Mike | 8 years ago
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"Most riders usually put the smartphone in the jersey pocket because it’s a high-value device that they’re reluctant to expose to weather and accidents by mounting on the bars.”

My smartphone sits in a Topeak waterproof case on my stem. Surely if I fall off it's safer there than in my back pocket? Am I missing something?

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kwi replied to Moonraker Mike | 8 years ago
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Quote:

"Most riders usually put the smartphone in the jersey pocket because it’s a high-value device that they’re reluctant to expose to weather and accidents by mounting on the bars.”

Mine was directly in between my spine and the road in my last accident, fortunately 2 gels cushioned the blow, but it was rather sticky afterwards.

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DaveE128 replied to kwi | 8 years ago
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kwi wrote:
Quote:

"Most riders usually put the smartphone in the jersey pocket because it’s a high-value device that they’re reluctant to expose to weather and accidents by mounting on the bars.”

Mine was directly in between my spine and the road in my last accident, fortunately 2 gels cushioned the blow, but it was rather sticky afterwards.

I put gels or spare tube in the middle pocket for this exact reason, and the phone or other hard objects on one side. Figured that any damage phone inflicts there is likely to be less permanent.

I think this unit is a good addition to the market (nice to see some competition with the RFLKT+) but agree that some kind of directions feature would make it much more attractive.

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paulrbarnard | 8 years ago
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"Until now, monitoring [a smartphone’s GPS functionality, a heart rate monitor and/or power meter] has meant using two devices, an ANT+ monitor on the bars and a smartphone,”

Obviously never seen the Wahoo RFLKT+ then...

Good to see another device with these capabilities though as it really is a good way to have your cycling data where it needs to be. I love my RFLKT.

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