If you ever come to a show that we are exhibiting at you may just meet Tim Morel, a good friend of Stolen Goat (and mine) and one of life’s true gents. He also happens to be a QA Manager, keen cyclist and owner of an iPhone so when he heard we were stocking the ICEdot Crash Sensor he had a whole heap of questions:
- Does it work?
- Does it allow you to still use GPS apps while using it?
- Do you have to pay the subscription?
- Can one ICEdot sensor be used on multiple helmets?
- How sensitive is it?
So I sent him one to test for himself. Here is his mini ICEdot Crash Sensor Review…
First impressions
The ICEdot packaging looks great and the small cylindrical design looks and feels quality. Inside, the product is well protected with minimum waste. One slight niggle here is that there were almost no instructions. However, there was enough to get running.
The box contains
- the sensor,
- the sensor cage,
- a short USB cable,
- cable ties,
- a small sheet of 4 stickers with an ID on
- and the instructions.
Not wanting to incorrectly install the sensor I quickly googled it and sure enough found the user manual.
The sensor requires an initial four hour charge and the only design flaw I have found is that there is no indication that the sensor is actually charging however I later discovered that you can see the amount of charge through the app.
The sensor cage is easy to fit as it simply cable ties to your helmet and mine fits quite neatly in the back. Spare cages are available so you can use the sensor across multiple helmets.
The App
You download the free app from the app store and activate the profile. The profile contains your personal information and the numbers of those folks that will be messaged if the sensor is activated (ps. This needs to be in +447XXXX format).
The numbers on the ICE stickers relate to your profile so if someone sends a text to the listed number details that you set up will be returned to them. This means you can put the stickers anywhere – so one is now on my running shoes.
Once set up the app connects to the sensor and for me that was immediately detected and connected no problems. When an impact is detected (me banging the ICEdot on the table) the phone vibrates and beeps and displays a countdown that can be cancelled by sliding on the screen…if not the countdown continues to zero before contacting the ICE Sensor HQ (or whatever they call it) and the messages being sent.
Having tested the message it is very clear and indicates that an incident involving me has occurred and provides a link to the location which opens in google maps or a browser if that is not installed. This piece of kit a great idea and very slick.
Does it work?
YES… I have tested both the text messaging and the crash detection (simulated crash) and both resulted in the correct text message and information being sent
Does it still allow you to use another GPS app while being protected?
Yes I tested using the strava and Garmin apps and both operated whilst being protected and the alarm registers and can be cancelled and the text message did get sent correctly – be aware though that your Garmin/Strava app will keep running so if you have fallen off then it will ruin your average pace ;-)
Do you have to pay a subscription?
Yes after the first free year it costs $10 (£6) per year so that shouldn’t break the bank.
How sensitive is it?
Well that’s a tough one to answer but it is easy enough to set off by holding it in your hand and snapping your wrist. I have not had any false positives which I am impressed with.
Can one ICEdot sensor be used on multiple helmets?
Yes! You can buy separate cages so the Sensor can easily be popped in and out of various helmets
Conclusion
Not the cheapest gadget you will ever buy for the bike, but truly a smart idea that has been well executed.
There are not many things that you buy that you hope never to use (I guess life insurance, burglar alarm, stain remover, OK maybe there are more than I thought…..) but for those worried about a loved one who goes cycling solo I think that this is a great investment.
Availability
Available to buy from Stolen Goat with free shipping and 90 day returns:
Buy An ICEdot Crash Sensor