On Wednesday, July 2, South Korea-based technology conglomerate Samsung Electronics Co., LTD., announced its new partnership with Trek Bicycle Corporation of Waterloo, Wisconsin. The two brands are teaming up together in hopes of improving the cycling experience for riders of all skill levels. Samsung will use its Galaxy S5, Gear Portfolio, and Galaxy note to track the overall performance of health of cyclists. When attached to Trek bicycles, these Samsung products help monitor speed and cadence, allowing riders to be more aware of their condition and output while on their bike. During races and training, these devices also allow for hands-free communication with other teammates about routes, strategy, and fatigue levels.
Samsung has already started testing its devices on Trek’s professional team, Trek Factory Racing. The team, which began riding in the Tour de France on July 5, is now officially sponsored by Samsung. Their opinions and suggestions about the Samsung experience will be used to assist in the development of f
uture products.
Cnet.com quoted Younghee Lee, Samsung’s Global Marketing, IT & Mobile Communications executive vice president, in saying:
“Fitness and wellness are important parts of people’s lives, and Samsung is continuously focused on integrating meaningful features into our smart mobile devices. Through our collaboration with Trek, we will be able to better understand the needs of cyclists to enhance their interaction with mobile devices and enable athletes and fans to stay connected and active in their daily lives.”
Samsung’s partnership with Trek reinforces the notion that people want to be interacting with their gadgets, even while they are exercising. Using technology to help improve fitness is not a new concept. Products like Fitbit and the Nike + FuelBand, which help track activity, daily step count, weight loss, and sleep patterns, have become overwhelmingly popular in recent months. Samsung-Trek-hybrid products allow cyclists to monitor their speed and skill levels while on their bike. Although cyclists may be able to gauge these things by hand or with software built into stationary training bikes, there is something extremely enticing about a phone or app that can record the data for you.
According to cnet.com, Samsung plans to examine the results and effectiveness of its bike-friendly mobile products and integrate certain features into future mobile devices. Their article reads:
“Samsung and Trek hinted at their partnership during CES in January. At the consumer electronics show, the companies showed off two prototype bicycles tricked out with tech gadgets. One bike had a Galaxy Gear handlebar mount and sensors on the rear of the bike that were able to wirelessly record users’ speed, distance, cadence, location, and other data. The other bike had a hub on the front wheel that could charge a Galaxy Note 3, mounted to the handlebars, whenever the cyclist was pedaling.”
For more information on Samsung’s partnership with Trek, visit trekfactoryracing.com.
Photo Courtesy of Nan Palmero and Creative Commons
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