Following the launch of the new iPhone 5 and the average person’s ever increasing dependence on their smartphone, there has never been a better time to combine your mobile device with your cycling.

There’s something very powerful in your pocket that you probably aren’t using to its full potential. Smartphones such as the iPhone and Android-based handsets offer a range of applications to turn your humble phone into a powerful cycling aid. They can help you track your training, get you fitter and even fix your bike. Here’s how…

Bike Doctor 2

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Cost: £2.99/$4.99

The bike doctor app features 29 of the most common repairs. From fixing punctures to stopping gears from skipping, the app will take you through it step by step. It’s a useful guide to have in your pocket at all times ready for emergencies. The app also contains a safety check to make sure everything is running smoothly before a ride. www.bikedoctorapp.com

Download Bike Doctor 2 for iPhone | Android

Bike Hub

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Cost: Free

Bike Hub promises to get you from A to B via the best route for cycling. This app lets you decide between a quiet route, a fast route or a balance of the two. The Bike Hub app stands out with its really useful listing of local bike shops, so you can always locate one nearby. The best part is, it’s free to download. www.bikehub.co.uk

Download Bike Hub for iPhone

BioLogic BikeBrain

Compatibility: iPhone

Cost: Free (£1.49 / $1.99 upgrade )

This free app turns your iPhone into a cycle computer, with GPS mapping, speed, distance and altitude as well as a programmable training mode. Upgrade for just £1.49 and you can upload your routes to Facebook and Twitter, and save unlimited rides to your phone. You could even splash out on a bar mount for your iPhone so it’s easy to use when you’re on the go. Overall, this app is cheap, very simple to use, and pretty useful too. www.thinkbiologic.com/products/bikebrain

Download BioLogic BikeBrain for iPhone

Calorie Tracker – Livestrong

Compatibility: iPhone & Android

Cost: £1.99 / $2.99 (Free Lite version also available)

This app helps you track your exercise, weight and calorie consumption, and is perfect for anyone training to be a better rider. To measure calories the app allows you to search a huge food database provided by The Daily Plate, so you don’t have to guess the calories in a meal. It also integrates with the online service to create more data about your training. www.livestrong.com/calorie-counter-mobile

Download Calorie Tracker – Livestrong for iPhone | Android

Sports Tracker

Compatibility: iPhone + Android + Nokia

Cost: Free

Sports Tracker is a great way to convert your phone or device into a GPS sports computer. Users can track and analyse their performance as well as engage in the entertaining social elements of the app, such as being able to share workout data and photos with friends. www.sports-tracker.com

Download Sports Tracker for iPhone | Android | Nokia

Cyclemeter

Compatibility: iPhone

Cost: £2.99/ $4.99

Cyclemeter is a great solution for tracking your cycling that utilises the iPhone GPS. As you set off on your ride, hit the start button and you’ll be able to see statistics such as speed, distance and elevation, plus you can view your route on Google Maps once you’ve finished the ride. All your rides are stored in a calendar and can be exported to your PC. www.abvio.com/cyclemeter/

Download Cyclemeter for iPhone

Cychosis

Compatibility: iPhone

Cost: £2.49 / $3.99

If you prefer to stick with your bike computer, then the Cychosis journal is the app for you. At the end of each ride tap in all the data you want to log, such as average speed and cadence. You can then see charts of your distances, speeds and times, can program it with goals, and all the data can also be exported to a spreadsheet to be viewed on a computer. www.cychosis.com

Download Cychosis for iPhone

Endomondo

Compatibility: iPhone & Android

Cost: Free (Pro version £2.99/$4.99 – iPhone or £3.99/$4.99 for Android)

Endomondo is available for almost any GPS-enabled smartphone. It tracks time, average speed and distance covered and allows you to review your ride on Google Maps. The app comes with an audio coach, which can update you by voice with your ride statistics. There were a few early bugs but it is being constantly updated and improved. www.endomondo.com

Download Endomondo Pro for iPhone | Android

Google Maps

Compatibility: iPhone (through a web browser) + Android

Cost: Free

This is a generally useful app and one that comes preloaded onto Android handsets. Users can utilise this app for a wide range of services, whether it’s locating the nearest retaurant, scoping the distance of a journey or just gaining a better sense of where you are. The cycling specific element of this app is great too, with voice guided turn-by-turn GPS navigation now available. maps.google.com

Download Google Maps for Android or view in your browser

EveryTrail

Compatibility: iPhone + Android

Cost: Free (pro version £2.39)

Using GPS and the Everytrail app you can see your route, as well as your current position, on a Google Map or satellite view. This clever app integrates with the website to load your saved rides, and allows you to download Open Street Maps to your phone, which conserves battery life. The free version is restricted to a maximum of three rides. www.everytrail.com

Download EverTrail for iPhone | Android

LiveRider

Compatibility: iPhone

Cost: Free (£63.75/$99 for wheel sensor and iPhone mount)

Download the App and mount the sensor to your rear wheel, and you’re good to go. The sensor provides more advanced and accurate data than apps that rely purely on GPS, so you can keep track of measurements such as cadence and an estimate of power output. It also lets you measure performance against previous best rides. www.newpotatotech.com/LiveRider/liverider.html

Download LiveRider for iPhone

RunKeeper

Compatibility: iPhone & Android

Cost: Free

If you ask someone to recommend you a great tracking application they’ll probably mention RunKeeper, partly because it’s easy to use, and it’s free to download. It doesn’t quite match the features of Cyclemeter but it excels when combined with software on the website, which syncs with the app to make all your rides viewable online. www.runkeeper.com

Download RunKeeper for iPhone | Android

Rendezvous

Compatibility: iPhone

Cost: Free

Rapha has introduced Rendezvous, an app to help organise group rides. You start by setting up a ride and inviting people to join; you can then post messages between ride attendees to finalise details. On the date of the ride you can track the location of your group members. The initial version is a little buggy but will no doubt be improved. www.rapha.cc/rapha-rendezvous

Download Rendezvous for iPhone

Strava

Compatibility: iPhone & Android

Cost: Free (premium version $6/£3.99 per month)

Strava allows you to track your rides via your iPhone, Android or GPS device to analyse your performance and pitch it against friends and competitors. Strava aims to make fitness a social experience, providing motivation even if you are going solo. www.strava.com.

Download Strava for iPhone | Android

Go to our Interactive Adventure Map to find out the best places in your area to test these apps out!

Thanks to BikeRadar for this fantastic and well put together list.