Want to earn discounted cycling kit just by riding your bike? App partners with Garmin Connect to convert miles to virtual coins; The future of urban bike parking? You wouldn't even need a lock... + more

The rest of the tech team have been working hard at Rouleur Live this week so keep your eyes peeled for a special round-up of the best stuff we spotted there. Don't fret though, there's plenty elsewhere for Tech of the Week.

We've got an app that might be able to turn your winter miles into your next upgrade, new heatmaps from Strava, an update on an old Tech of the Week favourite, an incredibly popular Kickstarter lights campaign, new glasses from Koo and an eye-catching bike parking solution which may soon be coming to UK cities. 

Let's dive straight in...

Want to earn discounted cycling kit by riding your bike? App partners with Garmin Connect to convert miles to virtual coins

We've heard about similar tech to this before, in fact we did a Tech of the Week on another company called Muuvr and its rewards platform last year. Imatra offers a similar app and has this week signed a partnership with Garmin Connect, Bike Biz reported, the platform which converts miles cycled into a 100 per cent green and human-generated digital currency joining forces with Garmin's own Connect app.

But what is Imatra? It plans to launch in the UK having already gone live in 31 countries. For every 25km ridden you get 1 Imatra Coin, which can be worth between €0.5 and €4 depending on what you spend it on. On Imatra's marketplace there are more than 100 brands already, including Rapha, SRAM, DT Swiss, Pinarello, BMC, POC, Muc-Off, 3T and more. In short... ride more miles... get more coins to spend with the brands.

Imatra founder and CEO Manolo Bianchini said: "We have worked hard to make tracking kilometres a regular habit for the users of the app. Now it's even easier thanks to the integration with Garmin. We see this as a significant milestone for everyone who will benefit from this collaboration, both now and in the future – we are very excited about this partnership."

Users can link the Imatra app to Garmin Connect meaning you can connect the app to your Garmin device and upload rides to the platform, where the conversion to Imatra Coins takes place.

Read more on Imatra's website...

Strava expands mapping tools with night and weekly heatmaps

Strava has released two new heatmaps — 'Night' and 'Weekly' — to help subscribers make more informed route-planning decisions now the seasons are changing and the nights drawing in.

The ride-sharing app explains they work much like the other heatmaps available to subscribers, with the night heatmap "showing heat from activities recorded from sunset to sunrise, helping athletes easily find the most popular areas for outdoor activities during this timeframe". The weekly one does the same but showing heat from all activities over a seven-day period, Strava adding that this can help inform athletes about trail or road popularity as the seasons change, meaning you've got a heads up about routes that might be closed or less desirable to use during the dark, wet, muddy months (no, we're not talking about summer in the UK...)

"Now we've made it easier for our community members to build routes with confidence, regardless of the season or time of day," said Matt Salazar, Strava's chief product officer. "We are continually improving our mapping technology to make human powered movement easier for all skill levels."

An update from the CEO of the company making £200 compression socks worn by Ineos Grenadiers and British Cycling

You might remember these from a Tech of the Week last month? It's UK-based custom compression manufacturer Isobar's £198 recovery socks and £168 calf sleeves. Since we first brought these to your attention we've heard more from Isobar CEO Clive Gunther, who went deeper on the benefits of the product: "The truth is that many athletes using off-the-shelf compression wear are unaware of the actual recovery and performance benefits of effective compression therapy.

"To address the issues of sizing and fit, we've developed the world's first AI-powered body-sizing app specifically for compression wear. A simple 40-second smartphone video captures a precise, anatomically accurate 3D model of the limb, composed of over 250,000 data points. This ensures that customers can confidently order their custom compression wear, which is typically ready within 48 hours."

Isobar adds that its products' benefits include: preventing swelling, blood pooling and heavy legs when travelling, improving blood oxygenation and increasing blood flow by 60 per cent to "boost muscle energy and stamina". As well as accelerating the removal of waste products like lactic acid, reducing muscle soreness.

Find out more on Isobar's website...

The future of urban bike parking? You wouldn't even need a lock...

This week we also heard from the founders of UK-based start-up Bikedok Ltd who have a vision for changing how people park bicycles on city streets. Russell Ingham and Chris Jardine have designed and tested a "highly secure" on-street bicycle parking solution that promises to do away with the need for carrying heavy expensive locks, rather offering a bicycle parking system that "has been designed around convenience and security" and "will be awarded powered cycle diamond rating by Sold Secure".

Bikedok is app-driven with live mapping and would be subscription-based or pay as you go. The concept would essentially offer users a secure parking system, similar to a hire bike service's docking station.

"Research has proven one of the biggest barriers to active travel in many cities is security. It doesn't take long whilst researching secure cycle parking in cities to realise there is a huge demand for secure parking. A simple walk around the many parking sites around the country also shows the problem. Bikes missing wheels, wheels left locked to stands, cut locks and so on a so forth," Bikedok told us.

"We believe there is a place and a demand for our product on the streets in many cities where reducing cars and increasing active travel has become a priority. It is our vision that this convenient, secure, unique solution will change the way our cities manage on street bicycle security."

The founders say they've received "nothing but positive feedback from councils" and the plan has "sparked excitement with various city cycling campaigns" too. Bikedok "hopes to start rollout of its product in spring/summer 2025. 

Check it out here...

Kickstarter does lights for cyclists... again

If you've had even the most cursory glance at Kickstarter's cycling product crowdfunding campaigns then you'll know designers LOVE to create cycling kit/tech/accessories with lights integrated. And there's a new player...

SideLights is a handlebar-integrated lighting system that offers 360-degree visibility and has "already generated great enthusiasm". To be fair, it's hard to argue with that last point — after all, SideLights hit its £8,869 funding goal within an hour and has been backed by more than 427 interested riders, meaning it now has almost £55,000 in pledges with 12 days still remaining.

They fit into the end of the bars and are waterproof and "theft-resistant". They are the creation of Arthur Claessens, a "BMX enthusiast and commuter cyclist" whose sister Zoé won a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Kickstarter rewards section suggests you can pledge £115 to get one set (at 22 per cent off retail price), although all the usual disclaimers about Kickstarter campaigns apply.

Read all the product information on Kickstarter.

Koo launches new Hype glasses featuring "maximum ventilation"

Premium Italian eyewear brand Koo has a new range out, the cycling-specific Hype "featuring maximum ventilation for peak performance". This comes in the form of ventilation ports on either side of the frame, as well as one in the centre of the glasses to "deliver consistent airflow to prevent fogging". The Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe riders wore them at Il Lombardia in the autumn and we'll have to get a pair in for test to see if indeed the Hype hype is real...

In case you missed it:

• Cycling clothing brand Assos takes legal action against UK fashion giant Asos

• First ride: The new (old) roads in Zwift’s latest map update

• Cool things for chilly temperatures - five wintery items currently in for review from Scribe, TrainingPeaks, Abbey Bike Tools, Moon and JetBlack

• What makes a great kids bike? Beginner-friendly balance bikes to junior road bikes explained, plus a selection of our favourites

• "Post-Covid bike market remains very challenging, particularly for standalone stores": Long-running bike shop "no longer commercially viable", closes after 35 years in business

• Polartec Power Shield – the ultimate cycling fabrics for winter rides

• Lauf files patent for freehub that offers thousands of engagement points

• Dangerholm's Italian motorsport-inspired Scott Spark gets 3D-printed titanium handlebar

• Win a year's supply of mountain bike and gravel tyres with Kenda!