Least expensive way to get SPM info while rowing

[G-dub]

If I only want to monitor SPM without having to press a button, what are my options. I have an iPhone. Don't need HR, Pace, Duration, per se - I have a GPS watch that does that. Are the apps any good?

[Citroen]

How about a fitbit strapped round your blade rather than round your wrist?

[G-dub]

Interesting idea, assuming you aren't P taking!. I would want to be able see the spm while rowing though. I'm not that familiar with what a Fitbit would show or how it would show it.

[jackarabit]

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ritmoti ... 92837?mt=8

Free app for IOS blab slabs. You want it free AND does something useful?

[G-dub]

Thanks Jack. Have you used it? I think I would need to buy the in app purchases to be able to see spm for more than 50 strokes per session. Worth it if it works well. Hoping to confirm that!

[Citroen]

Interesting idea, assuming you aren't P taking!. I would want to be able see the spm while rowing though. I'm not that familiar with what a Fitbit would show or how it would show it.

I'm not taking the P. I'm not sure how fitbit works (never used one) but it counts movement with an accelerometer so should give some sort of metric.

The other way would be a Raspberry Pi Zero W, with a LiPo battery and an I²C or SPI accelerometer running some python code to count strokes.

[jackarabit]

http://www.active-tools.com/index.php/p ... ate-meters

This one on the hdwre side. Looks like a cyclocomputer from the 90s. Hey, I'm like a bloodhound. I do lookup, not capture.

[Citroen]

http://www.active-tools.com/index.php/p ... ate-meters

This one on the hdwre side. Looks like a cyclocomputer from the 90s. Hey, I'm like a bloodhound. I do lookup, not capture.

Nice, but it probably fails the "least expensive" test.

[bisqeet]

didn't carl build something simple that countd strokes ?

[G-dub]

The Ritmo app is only $25.00, which seems to fit the bill. I am going to try the free version this morning and see how it does. Means brining my iPhone into the boat and figuring out where to put it so I can see it.

[gregsmith01748]

Give sweetzspot rowing a try. The app is free, they are trying to sell their oar and seat sensors, but I think it gives spm, hr and pace with no extra he and for free.

On android, you can use boatcoach for free I think.

[Edward4492]

I have major concerns about taking my iphone out in the boat, it's a seven, supposed to be water proof. But my whole professional life is in that damn phone; I ain't taking it in my racing shell. While I can sympathize with people trying to watch their money, there's a reason why the good stuff is expensive. It works! I have a speed coach and yes, I know it's $400. And It was some of the best money I ever spent. Even when I race, I can hit reset and ready. It logs my race and I can analyze exactly what happened in 100m splits. I use this thing every time I row and am able to set up and look at my interval sessions in detail. And of course the other huge advantage is it works in any boat, no wiring required. So if I jump in a quad, usually only the stroke seat has a device, I'll strap mine to a rigger and slide it under out of site and look at my session later on.
Sometimes you have to look at how much of an investment in time you're making and decide what makes sense. I row six days a week eight months a year, for me the investment works.

[gregsmith01748]

I row with a speedcoach GPS as well. However, I bring my iphone with me too. I row on a lonely stretch of river and at 6am, I am usually the only person there. All the scullers have an informal agreement with each other to carry phones in case of emergency.

However, I don't trust the waterproofing! I use a waterproof case, a hard mount, and a backup strap. I'd be lost without my phone!

[bisqeet]

i have a garmin vivoactive HR.

i'm quite happy with the gps function and the datacollected.

HR is a little eratic, but using a chest strap counters that.
~180€ at the moment.

its fairly lightweight - at least compared to the bigger fenix version.

as a plus it also has an indoor app for the c2 too

[G-dub]

Dean, are you saying the Garmin Vivoactive HR it gives you SPM too?

Edit: looked it up and it seems like it does