Smarthalo review

Smarthalo​ review

The Smarthalo was introduced in 2015 on Kickstarter as an innovative bicycle navigation product. The Smarthalo was launched in 2017 and Coolblue asked me to write a review about this futuristic bicycle navigation system. For those who have not heard of the Smarthalo. The Smarthalo is a turn-by-turn navigation system, bicycle light and bicycle alarm in one. Good to know is that the navigation only works in combination with an app on your smartphone. After I received the Smarthalo, as usual at Coolblue within a day, I tested it for a few days during my daily bike rides.

For whom is the Smarthalo not meant?

Maybe a bit weird to start with, but then you know at least if you have to read this Smarthalo review even further. The Smarthalo is not suitable for people who:

● Do not want to be dependent on the link with a smartphone. Remember that you have to pick up the GPS signal via your smartphone and constantly have the app run in the background. If you have an older model smartphone or a smartphone whose battery is empty quickly, then this cycling navigation system is less suitable and you better opt for cycling navigation with your own GPS sensor . ● Want to see a map of the route to be driven on their navigation system.

The Smarthalo only indicates at each turn whether you have to take a left or right turn (turn-by-turn navigation). ● Do you have a bicycle with an adjustable steering wheel, the lever for adjusting is on top, then look carefully if the Smarthalo fits. At the first bike where I tested it the lever was too high, so the device could not be mounted upright. The second bike also had such a lever, but it was not very high. At the bottom of this article you can see two examples of this.

Who is the Smarthalo meant for?

The Smarthalo has been developed for people who want to have a unique navigation system on the bike with multiple possibilities. You need clear navigation and do not want to be distracted by routes on maps. In addition, you need to register your trips and you want insight the cyclist who likes to register his trips and wants to know more about the distance, average speed and calorie consumption.

Smarthalo functions ● Turn-by-turn navigation - The navigation works via the Smarthalo app on your smartphone. The app works with maps from Mapbox, these are free via the Smarthalo app and have world coverage. You can also easily see where you are at the moment in the app, but you will therefore have to remove your smartphone from your pocket. After you have entered your destination, this can be a street name or, for example, a restaurant, the Smarthalo indicates with a circle to the right or to the left which you can go. Conveniently, the Smarthalo with dashes counts down to the

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moment you actually have to take the exit. Cycle paths are also included in the route, so that you always have the fastest and safest route.

Compass navigation - For the adventurous there is compass navigation.

The Smarthalo does not indicate how you should cycle, but points to the direction where your destination is.

Bicycle lamp - The bicycle lamp is more of a visibility light than full bicycle lighting. The lamp certainly gives enough light to be able to see a bit on the road, but does not provide meters for far-reaching illumination of the road surface. Yet it is very useful to improve your visibility on the bike . In the app and on the Smarthalo you can switch the bicycle lights on / off. You can also choose that the bicycle light automatically turns on in the dark and whether it shines or blinks normally.

Bicycle alarm - Of course you still have to lock your bike, but with the Smarthalo you have extra security. As soon as someone moves you, without being connected to the Smarthalo via bluetooth, the alarm goes off. You can switch off the alarm by means of a tap code on the device. To be honest, I must confess that I have already forgotten my tapcode, so practice this a few times so that you remember it well. If you forget the code, you can of course switch off the alarm via the app. The Smarthalo can only be removed from your bike with the ​smarthalo key​ .

Fitness tracking - The app keeps track of how much you cycle and saves it, so you can look back later. Distance, average speed and calories are recorded. You can also set goals, such as cycling 100 kilometers in a week. Finally, the app shows you what you have saved on CO2 emissions by picking up the bike.

Notifications - The a​ ssistant​ function allows you to set a notification when you receive an SMS or receive a call.

Smarthalo review When you unpack, you notice that you have something innovative in your hands.

However, the Smarthalo had to just be recharged before I could use it. Once

charged, download the Smarthalo app for Android or iOs and follow the on-screen instructions. Linking was very easy and after going through a number of steps you can start to assemble the holder. In my case, this went slightly less well. The instructions in the app are easy to follow and there are parts included for different steering thicknesses, but there is no account taken of a steering wheel with the adjusting lever at the top. Of course that is not the case with 97% of the bikes, but keep this in mind. On my second bike, the assembly went without problems. (for examples, see bottom of this blog)

The bar indicates when you need to go left or right Note: ​Absolute minimum for a bicycle used even to a small extent, however, We should be b ​ ike gear review​ once every year because it’s good for everyone

Time to cycle around and test the navigation. In the app I enter a destination about 5 kilometers away. I store my smartphone in my pocket and start cycling.

From the beginning the Smarthalo indicates with a green circle when I have to take a turn. Nice to mention is that the navigation is the same route that I would normally take. Also the bike paths through the app know and on arrival at the destination the Smarthalo colors completely green. Both the operation of the app and the turn-by-turn navigation are very good and can also be easily understood by an online person.

I lock my bike and turn off my bluetooth, because I want to test the alarm. As soon as I touch the bike, the lights on top of the Smarthalo flash and a soft buzzer sounds. Hmmm, is this the alarm that should protect my bike from bicycle thieves? Yet once again movie. After about 10 seconds the device has moved a mega loud sound and the whole square looks at my bike and my attempts to turn off the alarm. This can be done via the tapcode and by linking your smartphone via bluetooth. The latter always takes a few seconds, so I had the full attention of the whole square for over half a minute. Alarm works fine and there is no bicycle thief who will try to disassemble the Smarthalo or take your bike with you. Would you rather not have an alarm? This can easily be switched off via the app.

In the dark I try the bicycle light. I switch it on via the app and the Smarthalo automatically detects whether it is light or dark outside. As I mentioned, it is more of a visibility light than a full-fledged bicycle lamp that illuminates the entire street.

All trips, with or without navigation, are registered with your smartphone if the Smarthalo is connected. You have a view of the cycled distances, average speed, calories consumed and the CO2 emissions that you have saved with your bike ride. Also handy is the function that warns you about text messages and bells. It is a pity that you can not immediately read the text message or can see who is calling, but the warning is nice, because how often do you miss a call because you do not hear your ringtone.

All in all, this is one of the better Turn by Turn bicycle navigation systems that I have tested. It looks flashy and the app is easy to operate and fast. The bicycle lamp and the alarm are nice extras that are missing on other bicycle navigation.