iGPSPORT product testing From Orbea Factory Team XC

Date: 28th November 2022,

Written by: Pierre Lebreton, coach and team manager for Orbea Factory Team XC Received: HR40 Heart Rate Monitor

SPD 70 Speed Sensor

CAD70 Cadence Sensor

BSC100 S Bike Computer

IGS630 Bike Computer

Testers: Luca Martin, Pierre Lebreton (all the other riders were moving and abroad, and it's not been possible to make them test yet). The testing is a good surprise, and I think both Luca and me we discovered a brand that we could recommend around us! You can miss some small refinements of data or functions that you can find with some (way more expensive) competitors, but as a professional coach using many different data, I think you can train very seriously with this equipment. The phone app is nice and functional, and in addition for them as pro athletes it's important to transfer the activity from the IGPSPORT bike computers to TrainingPeaks (which they also do with any other device). To monitor their recovery, the riders would maybe still need to use a third-party device that is not directly a competitor product, like for example a "Whoop" wristband (to benefit for HR variability and global activity tracking).

On the safety side, one thing that would miss for me on both computers or at least on the IGS630 would be for the GPS live tracking (for coach or family) to be launched automatically when you start any workout, or even better to be offered on the screen to launch it or no (which would be better than on Garmin, where everything is automatically shared).

This feedback below is maybe a bit messy, but if I can summarize it this way: IGPSPORT products that we've been testing are fulfilling our main technical needs, they are comfortable to use and we would recommend them, but we also have ideas for development and are happy to give feedbacks and build a strong partnership with visibility, promotion but also development together if IGPSPORTS requires it!

The riders and their coaches are, however, already equipped with computers and devices they are accustomed to, and it would make sense to study a possibility of a financial part in the partnership to make everyone move to IGPSPORTS more easily (some even have offers for partnerships with competitors with money involved).

HR40 Heart Rate Monitor:

The belt is souple and comfortable, easy to adjust and install. The transmitter device is classic size, it can feel just a bit hard to clip and unclip but holds well and that's the most important. The box only displays ANT+ transmitting norm, but the transmitter also works in Bluetooth, which is a noticeable asset. If I were a customer, I would probably choose to buy another heart rate sensor

Because I would think that the HR40 only transmitting in Ant+, while it also works in Bluetooth. (It's well written on the website though, that the device is BLE). No signal loss experienced, easy to pair (also tested with other apps, computer with Zwift, other devices like Garmin Fenix, etc…).

SPD 70 Speed Sensor + CAD70 Cadence Sensor: Both are super small and light, super easy to install. The rubber collars of different sizes are convenient. Easy to pair with both bike computers (also tested with other apps, computers, laptop with Zwift…).

BSC100S Bike Computer: I was interested in testing this one also, the goal would be to have the lightest possible device able to record a race with real altimeter, and the BSC100S is light. The Garmin 130 is lighter for this use, but I don't see other alternative (the screen is smaller, but the riders are not checking their screen during MTB XCO races, or not much). The screen is less configurable than the IGS630 for users of power meter, but it can also be easier for a beginner, and I understand it's not the goal of this device. The buttons are feeling good when new, everything reacts instantaneously. Only two buttons make the configuration and use less intuitive, you must read the manual and learn how to make it work. Is more or less compatible with Garmin supports.

IGS630 Bike Computer: Its light for a device with so many functions and with a big screen. Looks good and feels solid. Good autonomy. Screen protection is nice to have in the box, and it's easy to install and seems to be of a goodquality. Widely configurable pages for good display during training (intervals with power, cadence, and heart rate…). Everything reacts fast, the buttons are working well and they are enough to make the use of the device almost completely intuitive (if you are using already sport devices and other computers, you can configure it and make it work without reading the manual. Thus, I would say that the use of the FE-C function (=drive a indoor trainer with power in ERG mode) would deserve some more info in the manual (see further). Globally it's really comfortable to use this bike computer. Ride with the computer in MTB and road:

Easy and comfortable. The screen is good, as for the buttons. Luca found some issue with the automatic adjustment of the screen brightness, but it's easy to set it as maximum as the battery life is good. Pairing with FSA/Power2max power meters is easy.

GPS, create and follow a track:

I tested with a track I designed for an MTB course on the phone with the IGPSPORT app. Everything worked fine and smooth from creating the track to transfer it on the device (biggest difference I notice with Garmin is that you don't have the "popular" cycling routes displayed). The GPS directions while using on the bike are not as powerfull and versatile as for some other (more expensive) devices, for example if you lose the track by missing a turn, it can't recalculate a new itinerary, but it warns you that you are not on the track anymore*and you just have to make a u-turn until you join back the right track, or check yourself on the map how to cut and join again. The most important is that what the computer does with following a track, from creating it to using it on the bike, it did it well during my test. It's simple and works well. I would easily recommend this computer also for someone who wants a device to follow a track on a map, if I could imagine one thing that could be improved as a priority, this would maybe to have a little bit more contrast in the design of the maps (luckily the screen is good, and you see pretty well though).

(*: with, by the way, a wrong translation in French that doesn't means clearly that : if you didn't see on the map that you are not anymore on the track you designed, then you don't know what the message from the device means. Sorry I don't remember the message itself in French version)

Train with a pre-designed workout:

(here tested together with the FE-C function on an indoor trainer) : transfered a ERG power workout from TrainingPeaks : easy and fast (thus not "automatic" like it could be with a Garmin, unless I missed this possibility). Works well with the indoor trainer (here an Elite Direto XR), nice display of the workout, and nice summary of the workout at the end.

As a sidenote, it could be good to write in the user manual that you can jump to the next interval during the use of a planned workout by pressing the "lap" button. I found it by searching myself many possibilities, stopping the workout many times and launching it again. It either frustrating for a customer, or in most cases he will simply consider that the computer doesn't offer this function and thus wouldn't use the FE-C function at all.

IGPSPORT APP : used on Android (PL)

On Android, good surprise with the app. Less functions and data than Garmin, Polar, Training Peaks, etc… but it's better than Garmin for example for the device configuration. Was easy to connect and configure both computers through the app. Some little translation issues with French.