Google have released their free Google Fit app that’s designed to track your activity level and help you attain fitness targets. The most relevant news for cyclists is that it connects to other devices and apps, including Strava, so you can get all of your fitness data in one place.
The Google Fit app is available for Android only, so if you use an iPhone you’re out of luck, although Apple have a Health app that gives you a dashboard of your health and fitness data.
Google Fit automatically tracks your walking, cycling and running. You don’t need to turn it on and off manually every time you exercise, you just carry your phone and leave the Fit app running, and once you’ve finished you’ll get data based on what you’ve done.
The app allows you to track steps, heart rate and calories burnt, and lets you set goals and review your exercise history. It also proves performance-based recommendations for activity goals.
The Fit app will work with other fitness apps. So, for example, if you’re a Strava user you’ll be able to plug that into the Fit app and see your cycling data here alongside other exercise data, although partner apps haven’t yet started working.
As well as Strava, you’ll be able to see data from Withings, Runtastic, Runkeeper and Noom Coach all in one place within weeks, with other partner apps to follow.
To use Google Fit you’ll need a smartphone or tablet with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or higher. That covers most Android users. The app is compatible with all Android Wear devices as well.
Google Fit is available to download now from Google Play.
You can access Google Fit on the web too.
Mat has worked for loads of bike magazines over 20+ years, and been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. He's been road.cc technical editor for eight years, 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 past winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer.