This morning I joined thousands of cyclists who rode their bikes to work for National Bike to Work Day. And today, like every ride, I would periodically check out how I was doing on my Garmin bike computer. As I cycled through all the screens and data points that I had at my fingertips, it occurred to me how this one simple activity of riding to work is the perfect microcosm of the Internet of Things (IoT). We now have the technology and ability to create, track, analyze, store and share hundreds of data points, just in the act of riding a bicycle.
35 years ago, I got my first bike sensor. It was a rudimentary speedometer & odometer that calculated your speed based upon a dial that rotated against the tire. And let me tell you, on my Schwinn Stingray, it was wicked cool. In the mid-late 80s, we started calling them “bike computers” with 
magnetic sensors and digital readouts. Fast forward to today and the devices that exist to create and track large volumes of cycling performance data is staggering. A basic bike computer can track speed, distance, time (and time of day) average speed, maximum speed, trip distance, total distance and pedaling cadence. A more advanced computer (or even a smartphone) that integrates GPS technology can provide additional data points like elevation gain/loss, GPS coordinates, temperature and barometric pressure. Add an optional heart rate monitor and you know your pulse rate. A Go-Pro camera will let you capture every moment of your ride on video. Then there is the holy grail of cycling training: the power meter – a device integrated into either the pedal, crank or hub to measure the instantaneous, maximum and average power output in terms of wattage. Simply put, for training, there is no more effective measurement of effort and performance. You can’t hide from a power meter. If you’re working hard, the power meter knows. If you’re being lazy – you get the point.
The Internet of Things as defined by the Global Standards Initiative on Internet of Things is “a global infrastructure for the information society, enabling advanced services by interconnecting (physical and virtual) things based on existing and evolving interoperable information and communication technologies.” In simpler terms, someone realized a while back that all these connected devices are creating data and if we found a way to harness that data, we could learn something. And here is where the cycling story gets interesting.
Athletes use tools like Strava – a cloud-based forum where they can upload their data, track activities, compete against their friends and show off their cycling chops. Think of it as Facebook for cyclists – connect with fellow athletes, share your status and brag a little. But what if you are serious about your cycling and you really want to improve your performance? Well, there’s an app for that.
Hunter Allen, a former professional cyclist, author, founder of Peaks Coaching Group and co-developer of TrainingPeaks’ WKO+ software has found an innovative way to harness this cycling data and help athletes achieve their individual goals – whether it’s completing their first amateur race or achieving a personal best in an Ironman Triathlon. And he can do it without ever meeting with the athlete face-to-face. Using a cloud-based interface along with a customized analytics program, he develops tailored training programs that focus on the athlete’s specific goals. Baselines are established, workouts created and progress measured all from the data that is being generated from the sensors installed on the cyclist’s bicycle. He even has the data to allow his clients to compare their wattage output to that of the world’s best cyclists. Athletes around the world that would otherwise not have access to insights derived from data are now able to train with a world class trainer thanks to the IoT. Today, Peaks Coaching Group and their affiliates have over 1000 athletes uploading sensor data for analysis, insights and a shot at the podium.
Whether it’s a simple bike ride or the complex intelligence gathering for national security, we now have the tools to capture more data than ever before. There is only value in that data, when you can create actionable intelligence from it. The hyper connected world of IoT requires the ability to collect massive amounts of disparate data, manage it and derive value from it through advanced analytics. Cloud and Big Data technologies are driving the adoption of IoT. ViON understands these complexities and can help your organization on your IoT journey.
I hope you have the chance to get out and enjoy the beauty of a bike ride today. No power meter required – just have fun. And if you do get out for a ride, be safe and keep the rubber side down.