Problems while operating BikeTrip:

The app does not work / does not record anything.

• GPS localisation permitted? => Settings of the iPhone/Privacy/Location Services: “On” for BikeTrip?
• Recording stopped? – Tap on the icon at bottom left to see the the main menu – select “Stop recording / Resume recording” 1-2 times alternating.
• Proximity sensor activated (BikeTrip Settings) und front camera covered? (Switch off proximity sensor or keep front camera clear).
• Do a reset of the GPS chip  – see below, next question.
• Select “Accuracy of gps signal” in one of the smaller display boxes below. Go outside, wait for 1 – 2 minutes – what is shown?
• Do other GPS apps work? (e.g. “FreeGPS”)
• Send an email to “info@biketripapp.com” to find the solution.

No recording of data, accuracy of gps signal remains constantly red coloured. My navigation app is still working however.

Occasionally problems may occur because of a hanging gps chip. This also affects other apps. Navigation apps may continue working, as the location system of the iPhone can also get position data from WiFi stations near by.
To quickly reset the gps chip you can switch on the airplane mode in the general settings of your device and switch it off again after 30 seconds.
If this doesn’t help, switch off your iPhone, wait for one minute (really one minute!) and switch it on again.

When trying to export data of a stored trip by email the “Export by email” button does not respond to touch.

To send emails you have to set up an email account on your iPhone. Apple provides support how to do this, just google for “email iphone problems”.

The emails sent by BikeTrip come in without the trip data attachment files.

This not systematically occuring error has not been solved yet and may be a problem of some email providers. There have not been problems with the iCloud email account so far, so please use this email address.

Not all bends are recognized/counted

or

When going through turns in quick succession, the measured lean angle is not correct. There seem to be deviations of up to 10 degrees.

The GPS chip of the iPhone updates its position data once per second. To allow a reliable determination of the lean angle, at least 2-3 measurements are required. That means that a constant leaning has to be maintained for that period to achieve a sufficient accuracy of the calculated results. Short leanings in quickly changing turns cannot be reliably determined.

More exact measurements can be achieved by using an external GPS sensor, e.g. the Dual XGPS 150 can send the required data 5 times per second.

Frequently asked questions regarding BikeTrip:

Do measurements of lean angle or direction of travel require the iPhone to be mounted in a certain position ?

No. All displayed data are calculated from GPS output (see: Technical Details) The position of the iPhone is therefore irrelevant. You do not even need a motorbike to test all functions, when operating in a car you can select the display of lateral acceleration instead of lean angle.

Are the measured lean angles of all turns recorded for later analysis?

Yes. All turns are numbered and can be analyzed in a continuous table showing maximum lean angle, speed, angle of the bend and distance travelled. The turns can be evaluated and sorted by number or by maximum lean angle. The data can be exported by email or to Dropbox (GPX Format) and for every bend presented in Google Earth for example.

Is an external power supply required for the use of BikeTrip?

The frequently used GPS chip consumes a lot of power. The iPhone 4 runs on battery for several hours; older models will run out of power much faster when BikeTrip is used. Therefore the use of an external power supply is recommended.

Can I carry the iPhone in my pocket or tank bag for recording of trip-data?

Yes, at least the iPhone 4 and newer models can receive GPS data in the pocket well enough that the recording of trip data is possible. However, in closed containers high energy consumption can lead to excessive heat development und cause the iPhone to temporarily suspend its function (small bag, high outside temperature).

Can I store a certain trip position while traveling?

Yes, you can, it’s not even necessary to touch the device. With the proximity sensor switched on (Settings of BikeTrip) you just need to approach your hand to the screen and a “waypoint” with a successive number is stored (the screen will turn dark shortly). This waypoint can be renamed later.

Can data be recorded in the background, i.e. while another app is running on the iPhone?

Yes. With version 3.0 an unlimited operation of BikeTrip is also possible in background mode – e.g. in parallel to a navigation app. The GPS chip consumes a high amount of power when constantly in use. This could lead to an undesirably rapid discharge of battery that may go unnoticed, thus a regular acoustic warning can be switched on in the settings of BikeTrip (recommended!)

How can trip data be exported ?

Trip data can be exported as an email attachment or to Dropbox in GPX format. This format was developed to interchange data between GPS devices and software packages. It can be easily converted to any other GPS format. For conversion and administration of track- and waypoints the free open-source tool “RouteConverter” ( www.routeconverter.de) is recommended.

Can data only be displayed in portrait orientation?

No, with version 4.0 data can also be displayed in landscape mode.

Is there any advertising or unnoticed reading of information from my iPhone done by the app?

No.

Why does the display of leaning angle respond quite slowly?

The leaning angle is subsequently computed from motion data, there is a delay of 1-2 seconds in realtime display therefore. When the direction of travel changes quickly, this may be somewhat confusing. However, this does not influence the determined maximum leaning angle as long as the leaning is maintained for a minimum of 2-3 seconds.

Why is leaning calculated from GPS data and not directly measured using an inclination sensor as for example in level apps?

Because of vibration shocks and the centrifugal force in a turn the direct measurement of leaning is not easy. Conversely the “neutral” leaning computed from GPS motion data is quite reliable with a speed above 30 km/h (20 mph). For details see Technical Details

Is there an Android version of BikeTrip?

Sorry but no. BikeTrip is a one man hobby project born from an idea for own use. As I do programming only for Apple iPhones, unfortunately there won’t be a version of BikeTrip for Android.