Cycling app of the week: Best Bike Split

What is it?

Best Bike Split is owned by Training Peaks, and rather than the focus being on analysis, this app focuses on prediction using advanced mathematical calculations. Best Bike Split allows athletes and coaches to take advantage of advanced mathematical modelling to predict what power a cyclist needs to reach a goal time. You can create targets for training purposes too, which is useful for trying out a power plan before attempting to execute it for your race. 

First, you sign up on the desktop website and log your basic details, then input your bike model and stats such as functional threshold power. You then load in courses (these can be pre-existing GPX files) and Best Bike Split calculates what time you can expect to complete your course in based off your target power output. More advanced metrics such as weather predictions, yaw angle distribution, a gradient chart and TSS score are calculated with the premium version. Finally, you download the Best Bike Split app on the Garmin Connect iQ store , and the course will load into your device. You can also load courses into TrainerRoad or Zwift, and there's an app for the the Wahoo Elemnt computer.  

The idea for Best Bike Split was conceived during the 2013 Tour de France, when founder Ryan Cooper was inspired to predict the times of several top contenders for the Stage 11 time trial. His model was within 3 seconds of Alberto Contador’s finish time, 9 seconds of Chris Froome’s and 11 seconds of Tony Martin’s. Soon after, he created Best Bike Split with the aim of helping riders of all abilities to predict, train and plan for race day.

Cycling app of the week: Bike Gear Calculator

Cycling app of the week: myWindsock

​

What makes it unique?

The accuracy and wealth of information available on Best Bike Split really means you can get more out of your GPS device in real-time used in conjunction with the Connect iQ app. With weather analysis, predictions and real-time data available all in one place, it's a one-stop shop for number-obsessed cyclists. 

A prediction chart of a course I loaded into Best Bike Split based off my personal info, generated in the free version

How can it help me?

The wealth of information Best Bike Split can give you might seem overwhelming and convoluted for some, but if you obsess over times and want that extra bit of motivation and knowledge to smash your next TT or just train faster with more efficiency this could be the thing for you. The 'Cheat Sheet', for example, breaks courses down into sections and gives you specific power targets for them, which stops you from going too hard or easing off too much where it might not be intuitive how much you need to push to keep to your overall target power plan. 

Where can I get it?

Best bike split is available as a Connect iQ app for Garmin devices, syncs with the Wahoo Elemnt computer in premium mode and and you can also use the full web version. You can buy the premium version for $19 a month or $119 per year, and this gives you access to a whole host of extra features, including Wahoo ELEMNT Integration, unlimited bike profiles, file downloads and race plans, the goal race time model, TSS scores and an advanced weather feature. You can find out more about it on the Best Bike Split website.