Decent but limited app
This app connects easily to your CarBack radar, showing its power and battery status and letting you turn the audio on or off as desired.
If you mount your iPhone on your handlebars, you get a nice live map showing detected cars relative to you. (It only supports portrait/vertical display, FYI.)
But except for mute/unmute, there is no control over the sounds or their volume. That really matters if you don’t have the visuals from a bike computer or a handlebar-mounted iPhone.
The alert tone is fairly audible when your phone is in a pocket or saddlebag, but the all-clear tone is not audible unless you are not moving— it takes very little road or wind noise to drown it out. The alert tone is more audible but can also get drowned out by strong road and wind noise.
Control over alert volume and choices over the tones themselves are needed so you can get the best audio based on your ride conditions and your own hearing (what you can hear changes as you get older!).
There is no Apple Watch support to make the radar status more accessible when you have no mounted phone or bike computer.
Because the CarBack hangs on to the Bluetooth connection with your phone even after you turn it off with its physical button, you can get surprise alerts that the CarBack is no longer detected long after you turned it off. This seems to be antitheft feature, such as for when you park your bike for a break during a ride, but you can also get alerted at home when you are done with your ride and are no longer in range. This feature needs more thought.
If you mount your iPhone on your handlebars, you get a nice live map showing detected cars relative to you. (It only supports portrait/vertical display, FYI.)
But except for mute/unmute, there is no control over the sounds or their volume. That really matters if you don’t have the visuals from a bike computer or a handlebar-mounted iPhone.
The alert tone is fairly audible when your phone is in a pocket or saddlebag, but the all-clear tone is not audible unless you are not moving— it takes very little road or wind noise to drown it out. The alert tone is more audible but can also get drowned out by strong road and wind noise.
Control over alert volume and choices over the tones themselves are needed so you can get the best audio based on your ride conditions and your own hearing (what you can hear changes as you get older!).
There is no Apple Watch support to make the radar status more accessible when you have no mounted phone or bike computer.
Because the CarBack hangs on to the Bluetooth connection with your phone even after you turn it off with its physical button, you can get surprise alerts that the CarBack is no longer detected long after you turned it off. This seems to be antitheft feature, such as for when you park your bike for a break during a ride, but you can also get alerted at home when you are done with your ride and are no longer in range. This feature needs more thought.
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Audio too limited when used without a computer
I appreciate that the developers did not lard up this single-device controller app. But in a few key areas it needs more sophistication if you don’t have a handlebar-mounted computer or phone. If you rely on its audio because you keep your phone in your pocket, this app won’t work as well as it should.
The detection ring is clear even with road noise and wind noise, so you’ll hear when cars are detected behind you. But the “all clear” soft doorbell chime is not audible while you are riding — and it’s only softly audible when you are not moving, such as when in a parking lot or picnic area.
The developers should consider a “all clear” tone that cuts through ambient road and wind noise like the alert ring does.
The iPhone volume control seems to have no effect on the app’s sound level. So, the ability to control the volume would also be helpful.
I like the fact that there is a control in the app to turn the sound off and on, so you can silent alerts when stopped for a break or when in heavy traffic where the alerts stop being so useful because you know there are tons of cars behind you. Too bad that sound on/off is hidden in a drawer that has to first be opened by tapping the app screen — why add this step?
I had a few reconnection issues when I moved far away from the CarBack, such as when getting lunch while the bike was parked outside. And there was no audio alert to let me know to check the app and perhaps reconnect. It didn’t happen consistently, though, so I don’t know if that’s an app issue or a Bluetooth hardware issue — just make sure the app is still connected when you pedal off, so you know you’ll actually get the notifications. Again, it seems the developers could be a bit more aware of how the app functions in a screen less usage scenario (I.e., when the phone your pocket or bike bag).
Setup is super easy, and the screen seems well designed the few times I pulled out my phone when riding to check it out. Better care around audio-only usage would make this app a strong winner.
The detection ring is clear even with road noise and wind noise, so you’ll hear when cars are detected behind you. But the “all clear” soft doorbell chime is not audible while you are riding — and it’s only softly audible when you are not moving, such as when in a parking lot or picnic area.
The developers should consider a “all clear” tone that cuts through ambient road and wind noise like the alert ring does.
The iPhone volume control seems to have no effect on the app’s sound level. So, the ability to control the volume would also be helpful.
I like the fact that there is a control in the app to turn the sound off and on, so you can silent alerts when stopped for a break or when in heavy traffic where the alerts stop being so useful because you know there are tons of cars behind you. Too bad that sound on/off is hidden in a drawer that has to first be opened by tapping the app screen — why add this step?
I had a few reconnection issues when I moved far away from the CarBack, such as when getting lunch while the bike was parked outside. And there was no audio alert to let me know to check the app and perhaps reconnect. It didn’t happen consistently, though, so I don’t know if that’s an app issue or a Bluetooth hardware issue — just make sure the app is still connected when you pedal off, so you know you’ll actually get the notifications. Again, it seems the developers could be a bit more aware of how the app functions in a screen less usage scenario (I.e., when the phone your pocket or bike bag).
Setup is super easy, and the screen seems well designed the few times I pulled out my phone when riding to check it out. Better care around audio-only usage would make this app a strong winner.
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Great app and device
App works perfectly, pairs up instantly with the radar/ light, helps keep me safe on the road. Highly recommend.
Response from developer
Thank you for your feedback! We are always open to improving our fun products with new and helpful features. If you need additional support contact us at ridersupport@trekbikes.com. Ride Bikes, Have Fun, Feel Good!
