Log Ride Data with Your Phone's Sensors

Why this happens

Modern phones carry the same kinds of sensors used in vehicle test equipment: satellite positioning, accelerometers, gyroscopes and barometers. A sensor-logging app records them many times a second, giving you real data on how you ride. Comparing logs with your battery use helps you understand what affects range, without touching the vehicle's electrics.

What you need

Step by step

1. 1

   Choose and set up a logging app

   Install a sensor-logging app that can record GPS location and speed, accelerometer and, if your phone has one, barometer data, and export them as CSV. Set a sensible sample rate; a few samples a second is enough for ride analysis and keeps files small. Grant location permission only while the app is in use, and turn off sharing features you do not need.

2. 2

   Mount the phone securely

   Fit a sturdy mount that holds the phone firmly without rattling, in a position that does not block your view, lights or controls. A fixed position matters: if the phone moves, accelerometer data becomes noisy. Note the orientation, for example screen facing you and top pointing forward, so you know which axis is forward, sideways and vertical.

   Tip: Avoid mounting directly on the motor or hub where vibration is strongest.

3. 3

   Start logging before you ride

   Start the recording while stationary, wait until the GPS shows a good fix, and write down the battery charge shown on your vehicle. Then put the phone in its mount and ride. Do not touch the phone while moving. If you need to stop or change anything, pull over safely and switch the vehicle off first.

4. 4

   Ride a repeatable route

   Use the same route for comparison rides, ideally one with a mix of flat roads, a hill and some stops. Ride normally. At the end, stop, note the battery charge again and then stop the recording. Repeat on different days or with one change at a time, such as tyre pressure or riding mode, so you can compare like with like.

5. 5

   Export and clean the data

   Export the log as CSV and open it in a spreadsheet. Delete rows from before you set off and after you stopped. Check the columns: time, latitude, longitude, speed, altitude and acceleration axes. Convert speed to km/h if it is in metres per second by multiplying by 3.6. Save a copy of the raw file before you edit anything.

6. 6

   Analyse speed and acceleration

   Plot speed against time to see how much of the ride is spent accelerating, cruising and stopping. Plot forward acceleration to see how hard you pull away and brake. Calculate distance and average speed. Many hard accelerations and hard stops usually mean more energy used; smoother logs often match better range on the same route.

7. 7

   Compare with battery use

   Add a row for each ride with distance, average speed, elevation gain, air temperature and battery charge used. Over several rides, look for patterns: which changes made the biggest difference on your route and vehicle. Keep the spreadsheet as a long-term log. Delete old location files you no longer need, because they reveal where you live and travel.

How to tell it worked

You have clean CSV logs of several rides, charts of speed and acceleration, and a table that links your riding and conditions to battery use on your own route.

Questions