Get help with BikeBack
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BikeBack pairs with your Bluetooth cycling rear-view radar and announces approaching vehicles through your iPhone speaker or Bluetooth headphones. When a car approaches from behind, you hear "car back, 45 meters." When it passes, you hear "all clear." No bike computer required.
Open BikeBack, tap the gear icon to open Settings, then tap "Pair a radar." Make sure your radar is turned on and within a meter of your phone. Once paired, BikeBack auto-reconnects on every future ride.
Watch the pairing walkthrough:
BikeBack supports Bluetooth Low Energy cycling radars that follow the standard rear-view radar profile. Older radars that use ANT+ only are not supported, since iOS does not support ANT+.
Yes. Bluetooth Low Energy supports multiple simultaneous connections. Your radar can stay paired to your head unit while BikeBack connects to it — both work at the same time.
No. BikeBack connects directly to your radar over Bluetooth. If you have a bike computer, keep using it — BikeBack adds voice alerts on top. If you don't have a head unit, BikeBack gives you audio-only radar awareness through your phone.
When a vehicle approaches from behind, BikeBack speaks "car back" followed by the distance in meters (e.g., "car back, 85 meters"). When all detected vehicles have passed, it announces "all clear" after a few seconds. You can also switch to tone-only alerts in Settings if you prefer beeps over voice.
The distance comes directly from your radar and is announced in 5-meter increments. The radar detects vehicles up to about 140 meters behind you. Distance accuracy depends on the radar — BikeBack reports what the radar sees.
You can choose between two sensitivity levels:
Yes. Each distinct vehicle detected by your radar triggers its own alert. If three cars approach in a group, you'll hear three announcements.
No. BikeBack is a backup alert layer, not a replacement for your mirror, head-checks, or bike computer display. Alerts may be missed, delayed, or fail silently. Always ride as if BikeBack isn't there.
Any Bluetooth headphones paired with your iPhone. AirPods, Shokz, bone conduction headsets, and helmet speakers all work. You can also just use the phone speaker.
Use headphones that don't block outside sound — you need to hear traffic. Good choices:
Avoid noise-canceling or sealed in-ear headphones while riding. Some US states restrict headphone use on bikes — check your local laws.
Yes. If no Bluetooth headphones are connected, alerts play through the phone speaker. Mount your phone on your handlebars or keep the volume up in your jersey pocket.
BikeBack uses a playback-only audio session that mixes with other apps. Music and podcasts should continue playing, and BikeBack alerts will play over them.
Yes. BikeBack maintains its Bluetooth connection and plays voice alerts even when the screen is locked or another app is in the foreground. Put your phone in your pocket and ride.
BikeBack uses Bluetooth Low Energy, which is very efficient. Battery drain is minimal compared to GPS-based cycling apps. The "Keep screen on" setting in BikeBack will increase drain — turn it off if your phone is in a pocket.
BikeBack reads your radar's battery percentage over Bluetooth and shows it on the main screen. Check it before you ride so you don't start with a dead radar.
BikeBack uses Bluetooth Low Energy to communicate with your cycling radar and to route audio through Bluetooth headphones. Without Bluetooth permission, the app cannot connect to your radar or use wireless headphones.
Check these things:
This means BikeBack lost the Bluetooth connection to your radar. It will auto-reconnect when you're back in range (typically within a few meters). If your radar is nearby and it still shows out of range, try closing and reopening BikeBack.
No. No accounts, no servers, no analytics, no tracking. BikeBack connects directly to your radar over Bluetooth. Nothing leaves your phone. See our Privacy Policy for full details.