As technology advances, there are more and more electronic gadgets that take up space on a bike's handlebars – and they all need to have their batteries charged at separate times. Refactor Fitness' RF-1 is designed to simplify things, as it combines a GPS cycling computer, dual headlights and an HD camera in one device.
Powered by Android 7.1 (and compatible with iOS apps), the RF-1 computer features a 1.2Ghz quad core processor with 2GB RAM, a glove-friendly 3.0-inch sunlight-visible multitouch LCD color screen, and it can be linked with third-party sensors via ANT+, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE.
It does all the usual things you'd expect a GPS cycling computer to do, such as tracking your rides, showing your position on a map, giving navigational cues, storing/accessing files both onboard and via the cloud, and providing real-time performance data – it's reportedly even able to accurately estimate your power output, by combining gradient readings from its accelerometer and altimeter with air density readings from its barometer.
The two LED headlights have a combined output of 120 lumens, and the camera shoots video at a maximum resolution of 1080p/30fps, recording six to eight hours of it on 32GB of onboard storage (or 30 hours if shooting at 720p). That camera also has a dash-cam mode, in which it continuously records and overwrites the most recent 20 minutes of the ride, so you'll have a record of any interesting and/or nasty things that happen.
The whole unit is IP67 waterproof (meaning it can be immersed in water up to 1 meter/3.3 ft deep for half an hour), and reportedly runs for over 12 hours on one charge of its 3,000-mAh hour battery – although that figure drops to a still-respectable eight to nine hours if both the GPS and lights are being used.
Should you be interested, the RF-1 is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. A pledge of US$289 will get you one, when and if it reaches production. The planned retail price is $429.
Hopefully it will do better than the similar Vudu7 V, which was in preproduction last year but now appears to be out of the running.
Sources: Refactor Fitness, Kickstarter
