04 May, 2021

Unboxing a new SmartHalo 2? 5 features to try out right away


1. Fastest, flattest or safest route? Choose the best one for you!

Going somewhere? You may know the way or it may be a path less traveled for you. Either way, SmartHalo 2 not only helps you navigate but also gives you the power to choose between several types of routes according to what you’re in the mood for that day: faster, safer, flatter or… a balance of all three types?

How does it work?

Open the SmartHalo app and enter a destination in the search bar of the Navigation tab. When available, you will be shown several route options on the map and a duration estimate for each one:

  • The fastest: perfect for a speed demon, but sometimes not the safest for cyclists as cycling lanes aren’t always available on the most direct paths.
  • The flattest: if you don’t feel like breaking a sweat cycling uphill that day, this option is for you.
  • The safest: using cycling lanes or quieter streets as much as possible to get you to your destination stress-free. 
  • Recommended: combines all of the above to give you a balanced route.

Try experimenting with each route type to find your favourite! Even if you know your way around, give Navigation a shot; maybe you’ll discover cool new routes!

2. Swipe through your ride’s key info

The metrics carousel! A brand new feature for SmartHalo 2 which allows you to consult key metrics via swipes on the touch surface, while you ride.

In the middle of the Halo you’ll find the new PeekDisplay™, which gives access to a range of ride metrics. A quick swipe allows you to browse through seven metrics while keeping your focus on the road:

How does it work?

To view the Metrics Carousel, you need to be connected to your SmartHalo 2. As soon as the device detects movement, it’ll turn on PeekDisplay, revealing the Carousel. After a period of inactivity, the Carousel will go to sleep to save battery life. Simply shake your device to turn it back on. 

The team is very excited by this new feature and the range of possibilities that the Carousel offers. We have many ideas on how to upgrade it over time, like a customization option and adding new metrics our users would find useful. At SmartHalo, we’re all about continuous software improvement based on user feedback, so if you have a new metric in mind, let us know!

3. Try to steal your own bike

We’re not kidding. We are. But we’re not. 

One of the most beloved features of the first generation is back with SmartHalo 2: peace of mind knowing your bike is safe. 

This is why we designed the alarm feature, a staple of the SmartHalo line. Once you’ve installed the Anti-Theft Mount on your handlebars (see tutorial here), you can lock your SmartHalo 2 onto it and confidently go about your day knowing that it will be soundly protected.

How does it work?

SmartHalo 2 can sense vibrations and movement. Once you leave your bike, the alarm arms  automatically by default (you can change this behaviour in the app should you want to). 

As soon as it detects tampering, it’ll gently warn the presumed thief with a first round of warnings: light buzzing sound + red Halo + angry face on the PeekDisplay. Why gently first? Well, we don’t want the nice cyclist trying to lock their bike next to yours to get an earful right away. Should the meddling persist (like in the case of an actual theft attempt) a 100dB alarm will go off. And trust us, it is loud… we’re talking car alarm-level loud.

If the meddling stops, SmartHalo 2 will stop the alarm; no maddening, never-ending alarms like some cars have! 

There’s a couple of alarm customization options for you to discover as well. Learn more about them by visiting the Alarm section in our Help Center.

Go ahead, try it! Cut your bluetooth connection to simulate you leaving your bike. Then, shake your bike and hear it for yourself. We advise trying it on an open street and not a closed garage (trust us on that one). Thieves beware!

4. Link your fitness app

“If it’s not on Strava, it didn’t happen!”

With SmartHalo 2, you can automatically push your rides to Strava or Apple Health.

As soon as you start pedalling, SmartHalo 2 automatically tracks your cycling metrics; there’s no “start” button to push. At the end of your ride, you’ll be able consult your distance, time, speed, average speed and calories in the SmartHalo app’s Fitness tab.

Once your Strava or Apple Health accounts are linked, all metrics will be uploaded automatically to both platforms — no need to think about it, just ride!  

How does it work?

To learn how to connect your Strava account, head to this article  on our Help Center. For Apple Health, it’s all here

These two apps are the most used by the SmartHalo community so we were happy to include them. We encourage you to check them out if you don’t know them yet! If you use another fitness app and you’re wondering if we could work on an integration with SmartHalo, let us know

5. Take a night ride

In the spirit of an all-in-one cycling device, we made sure to include an automatic front light in the design of SmartHalo 2. That said, we knew from user feedback and our own use of the first generation that we needed to take it up a notch.

SmartHalo 2 sports a completely redesigned, all-powerful front light. It is now a whopping 5x brighter than the original version. 

How does it work?

The front light automatically turns on when the sun goes down. You can also turn it on manually by tapping twice on the Touch Surface. You can choose between two modes: normal (AKA steady) or blinking. Oh, and no need to worry about turning the light off; it’ll always turn off on its own when you’re done riding to preserve battery life.

Whether you’re on a poorly lit road in the countryside or riding down an avenue in a busy city at night, it’s important to see and be seen. With SmartHalo 2, you’ll light up your night rides like never before.

Curious about the SmartHalo collection?