In the words of BeeLine founders Tom Putnam and Mark Jenner, their company is on 'a mission to put cyclists back in control of their journeys, rather than following prescribed, over-engineered directions given by the traditional GPS devices.'
To do that they have launched a new navigational device, which is controlled by a smartphone GPS but connects to a head unit on the handlebars, and while offering instructions to keep the rider on course, the exact decision making is left up to them. 'This allows riders to take charge of their ride, discover new places and see familiar places in a new light.'
After launching the idea on Kickstarter, Putnam and Jenner managed to fund their project, and the BeeLine system is now available to buy. The app is available on both iOS and Android, while the head unit is USB-rechargeable and allows up to four weeks of regular use. The user selects a destination, and as many waypoints as they'd like, before setting off on their semi-guided route.
'Mark and I wanted a navigation system we could rely on, one that is built on the idea that cycling is fun, but can also be used as a tool to explore the surroundings,' says Putnam. 'After months of refining the device to ensure it is both flawlessly engineered and beautifully designed, we are immensely proud to launch BeeLine. We know our passionate backers are eager to start using their BeeLines, and we hope their availability encourages more people to embrace exploration that BeeLine enables – be it on their daily commute or weekend rides.'
£99, beeline.co