Your phone now knows how far you lean: RiderRank's biggest update is here
We hadn't updated the app on Google Play since version 1.0.163. The new version 1.0.224 packs in more than 60 versions of work, tested mile after mile on open roads, roundabouts and tunnels, with the phone in every place a rider might carry it.
We hadn't updated the app on Google Play since version 1.0.163. That doesn't mean we were standing still: the new version 1.0.224 packs in more than 60 versions of work, tested mile after mile on open roads, roundabouts and tunnels, with the phone in every place a rider might carry it. Here's what changes the next time you go for a ride.
Lean angle you can finally trust
We rebuilt from scratch how RiderRank works out how far you lean. It now combines GPS with your phone's sensors, and you'll notice the difference from the very first bend:
- On a straight it reads 0°. No more phantom degrees on the motorway.
- A peak only counts if GPS confirms you were actually turning that way. A pothole or a knock to the phone won't hand you 50° of lean anymore.
- If the phone takes a knock, the reading recovers on its own on the next straight.
- The gauge goes up to ±68°, for those who know how to use their tyres.
Your max lean is no longer just a nice-looking number: it's what you really did.
Real-world G-forces, braking and vibration
Let's be honest: the old version could show things like 7 g under braking. Not even a MotoGP bike does that. Now:
- Acceleration and braking come from your GPS speed, with a realistic cap.
- Lateral G is calculated from your real lean angle.
- Vibration measures how the bike moves while riding, not one-off bumps.
One important thing: lean angle, G-forces and vibration do not count towards the rankings. They're your data, for you to enjoy and compare. RiderRank will never ask you to ride faster or lean harder to climb the table.
Calibrate with the engine running
Before, if you started recording with the engine on, calibration failed and the route ended up with no lean data. Not anymore: it now calibrates with the engine idling.
When you start recording you'll see a message asking you not to move the phone while it calibrates. It takes 2 or 3 seconds. Keep it still and you're good to go.
Phone on the mount or in your pocket? The app knows
RiderRank can tell whether your phone is fixed to the bike or on your body. It uses vibration, the proximity sensor and the light sensor.
- On a mount, portrait or landscape, or lying flat in a tank bag: it measures everything.
- In a pocket or inside your jacket: it still records your route, but it won't publish lean, lateral G or vibration. No made-up numbers.
If you move the phone to a different position mid-ride, the app will let you know.
A recording screen built for the bike
- A brand-new landscape mode: three columns, bigger numbers and the full height of the screen put to use.
- The screen rotates with your phone, even while recording. If you want it fixed, lock rotation from your phone's quick settings.
- It adapts to your screen: with large text or on small phones, buttons no longer get cut off and figures no longer overlap.
- Finishing a route now asks for confirmation. An accidental tap with your gloves won't end your ride.
- The screen stays on, even while paused, and the notification shows on your lock screen.
- Simpler settings: we removed the options that only got in the way.
Tunnels, stops and distance
- Auto-pause no longer kicks in while you're riding through a tunnel.
- It pauses exactly when you told it to, not earlier, not later.
- Distance is more accurate. No phantom metres when GPS comes back, and nothing added while you're paused (the ferry doesn't count as part of your ride).
- An honest GPS indicator: it shows you at all times whether the signal is good, weak or lost.
Harder to break
- If your phone closes the app mid-ride, when you come back you can resume, finish or discard the route. No more duplicate routes.
- Your routes are safe: if something goes wrong opening the database, the app no longer wipes it.
- Every message appears in your language: English, Spanish or Catalan.
- The in-app website session renews itself. No more logging in again every other day.
5 tips for your next ride
- Keep your phone fixed: on a mount or in a tank bag.
- Keep it still for 2 or 3 seconds while it calibrates.
- Don't move it to a different position mid-ride.
- Remove battery restrictions for RiderRank. You'll find the option in the app's Settings.
- Give it a few seconds at the start: your max values appear as soon as the app confirms the phone is fixed to the bike.
Update now from Google Play, go for a ride and compare your route on riderrank.com. Spotted something odd? Let us know: every ride helps us fine-tune the next version. 🏍️