Updated – Specialized ANGi Replaces ICEdot Crash Sensor

We had a chance to ride with the ANGi sensor on the S-Works Evade II helmet, so we thought it would be good to update this article to the more recent developments for the ANGi sensor and Ride app.

Way back in 2013, we reviewed the ICEdot Crash Sensor and have continued to use it for the last 5 years and counting. At one time, it came installed on POC helmets. But, back in 2017, Specialized bought ICEdot, and has been in the works creating their own version of the sensor and platform.

At the end of 2018, Specialized sent an email to ICEdot users letting them know that the yellow ICEdot sensors they are currently using will no longer be supported as of March 31st, 2019. Instead, they can order, free of charge, the new Specialized ANGi sensor and a free one-year subscription to the new Ride Premium app.

The new ANGi (Angular and G-Force Indicator) is similar in many ways to the previous ICEdot sensor. They are both small sensors that attach to your helmet and has an accelerometer that it uses to detect impacts. Both use Bluetooth to connect to your phone and a dedicated app, that alerts emergency contacts in the event of an incident. If either system detects an incident, your phone will show an alert for a predetermined amount of time before the emergency contacts you added to the app are alerted.

The differences though are an added gyroscope sensor, a 2032 coin battery with 6 months of battery life instead of a rechargeable battery, and a different form factor. Instead of mounting into a bracket that is zip-tied to your helmet, the ANGi sensor is more permanently mounted to your helmet through a thick, double-sided tape.

The Ride app currently manages things for ANGi and in the future, could include connectivity for the brand’s power meters and e-bikes. Currently, though, you can create group rides with other Ride users, manage your profile, and record rides that can be uploaded to Strava. More recently, Specialized has worked with Wahoo to integrate the ANGi sensor with their cycling computers so that if you do have a false alarm, you can disable the alert right through your Wahoo computer.

I’ve already received my replacement sensor and have had a chance to try it out. I tucked it under the rear extension on a Lazer Bullet test helmet. I also received a Specialized S-Works Evade II with an ANGi sensor installed. You can read that review here. Functionally, I can’t say it is really any different from the ICEdot, which is good, because I really liked the ICEdot. I just wish it was portable from helmet to helmet like the ICEdot.

The ICEdot sensor mounted into a cradle that was zip-tied to your helmet. This allowed you to purchase additional mounts and you could move the sensor from one helmet to another. If you have a road helmet, aero road helmet, TT helmet, MTB helmet and commuter helmet, you could use one sensor with all of those helmets. With the ANGi sensor mounting directly to your helmet, you no longer have this flexibility. While the ICEdot sensor was selling for $99, the ANGi is $50 each, so if you have more than 2 helmets you want to use it with, ANGi will be more expensive. Alternatively, though, the annual ICEdot membership was $10, and the Ride membership went from $29.99 a year to free.

Specialized says that the ANGi sensor is made to be used with their new helmets that have a specific mounting point for the sensor. It doesn’t mean that it won’t work on other helmets, but they designed and tested it to work specifically with ANGi Ready helmets. If you have a Specialized helmet that does not have the ANGi mounting point, check their site as they have many replacement cradles available for purchase that have a mounting point. There is also a universal mount available for non-Specialized helmets.

There aren’t a lot of alternatives out there. As far as helmet-mounted sensors, ANGi is it. Garmin on the other hand, does have their Incident Detection feature on some of their cycling computers. It uses accelerometers to detect possible crashes. There are also some ride recording apps that allow you to send alerts to your contacts if you are stopped for too long without stopping the app. Personally, the helmet mounted option is still my preference.

Specialized had a great opportunity to improve the ICEdot sensor. In many ways, I really feel that they did, though I hope I never have to use the new technology. On the other hand, the permanent mounting method does a real disservice to ICEdot and other potential users.

Many Specialized helmets are now available with the ANGi sensor mounted from the factory. If you have a different helmet of choice, you can still add some additional safety to your ride with the ANGi sensor.

http://www.specialized.com