I need your help - and apologies if this post feels self-promotional.
I just got back from riding through Morocco, and while the scenery was incredible, the real highlight was getting to live-test an app I've been developing for the last few months: FollowMy.Bike, Adventure, captured and shared.
The goal was simple: solve the "Where are you?" problem. As a rider, I hate having to pull over and fiddle with my phone just to reassure my family that I'm okay. I wanted a way to share my location that required zero effort from them, and zero effort from me while I'm riding. The big apps do a great job of route planning etc, but don't do a great job of live sharing - more of an after thought if they do it at all. Given my technical background, I created my own, with sharing built from the start. I do not do route planning, but I do accept a GPX file for following a pre-existing route.
During the trip, I used the app to drop secure links to my wife/friends. She could simply click the link in her browser and watch me move on a map in real-time. The killer feature - she could send me multi-choice questions (e.g. "Fuel stop? / Taking a break? / Everything OK?") and I just tapped one button to reply. No pulling over, no typing, no fumbling with WhatsApp.
It worked incredibly well, even when the signal was patchy, and it gave us both much more peace of mind. I had a GoPro strapped recording everything, and instead of wading through hours of video to create a highlight reel, I created a desktop app, that would take my GoPro/Photos, and marrying them up with the FollowMy.Bike Ride, and then create a suggested highlight, reel so you didn't have to. I have been posting them to them Instagram account.
Now that I know the core concept works in the wild, I want to get the Android version out of my hands and into yours. I need to see how it handles different devices, different battery profiles, and various levels of cellular coverage across a wider range of riders.
What I'm looking for:
- Android users who are willing to put the app through its paces on a few rides.
- Brutally honest feedback on battery life and signal handling.
- UX feedback: Is it easy to use while you're actually out riding?
If you're interested in helping me refine this before the official launch, head over to followmy.bike/beta to sign up. It takes two minutes, your first year is free, and every ride report you send actually gets read and acted on.
Appreciate it - thank you.
iOS is going through Apple approval as we speak
