Absolute Cycling

Absolute Cycling launches cycling computer “The One

A new brand is entering the GPS computer battlefield. Say hello to The One from Absolute Cycling. This new bike computer seeks to “redefine the cycling experience“. Absolute Cycling’s designers wanted to “eliminate common frustrations cyclists face with traditional bike computers, such as clunky interfaces, unreliable data, and poor integration with cycling dynamics.” So how have they gone about that?

The One from Absolute Cycling, Danish design and Dutch manufacturing
The One from Absolute Cycling, Danish design and Dutch manufacturing

Actual performance data, not an estimate

According to Absolute Cycling, The One uses what they call Sensor Fusion to provide cyclists with accurate and up-to-date data. Sensor Fusion is made up of a number of algorithms that are constantly checking multiple internal sensors. So instead of instead of extrapolating riding direction and incline from just one or two datasets (e.g. GPS and barometer), The One is looking at multiple inputs.

Two of these algorithms are AAT (Absolute Altitude Technology) and APT (Absolute Positioning Technology). AAT is said to provide “near-instantaneous incline data, accurate to a fraction of a degree.” Meanwhile APT is designed to provide reliable navigation in environments with weak or no GPS signal, such as tunnels, dense forests and urban high-rise buildings. Sensor Fusion is so good that Absolute Cycling say it is accurate to “within 2 meters, even without satellite connection.”

For me that last one is very interesting as an occasional ride-leader. Losing your way when leading a group in an area you don’t know can be frustrating. Having a unit that can maintain lock when riding through central Paris, or thick woods at the bottom of a valley, would make life much easier!

Simplicity at its core

The One has been designed for simple operation, something that we all appreciate in our tech. The One does this by taking functions such as rerouting, pausing and starting and performing them automatically. How many times have you started a ride and forgotten to press go? Or finished your ride and left your GPS running for the drive home?

Absolute Cycling decided on three large buttons rather than a touch-screen
Absolute Cycling decided on three large buttons rather than a touch-screen

No touch-screen!

Interacting with The One is via three buttons, no touch-screen here. That last may surprise many riders who are used to accessing their tech via touch-screens. Personally I find touch-screens a bit hit and miss, especially when wearing gloves and in wet weather. While Absolute Cycling have designed The One around those buttons, there is also an app. This will allow you to access screen settings, route planning and ride analysis.

A clear bright screen should make it easy to peruse while out on a ride

Those are the kind of things that you aren’t often looking at mid-ride, so shunting them off to the app makes sense. After all, I’m sure most of us do these things off the bike, post-ride with our feet up! Absolute Cycling says this “reduces the burden of operation“, allowing us to keep our eyes on the road or trail.

The One uses its own Absolute Cycling app to do the non-essential 'stuff'
The One uses its own Absolute Cycling app to do the non-essential ‘stuff’

Stylish design

The One’s 54x114x21mm aluminium exterior has been designed by Danish design firm Valeur Designers. While the exterior design is Danish, it is made in the Netherlands. Absolute Cycling claim that The One is “repairable and built to last” and is built with with recyclable materials, while ensuring “minimal environmental impact.” As a consumer, these are features that we should always look for in our tech. I don’t have any details yet on how repairable The One is, but this sounds good. If a product fails, I’d prefer it could be repaired rather than just replaced,

Will a charging dock mean you won’t lose your cable?

It weighs in at 116 grammes and has a 3.1″, 300PPI, 24 bit, anti-glare display. It has 32 GB of storage and an IP56 waterproof rating. The battery is a rechargeable 2300 mAh Li Ion and has a claimed 12-20 hour run time. Unusually The One has its own dedicated charging dock. That should mean I won’t be hunting around for yet another brand-specific cable in my drawer of a thousand cables!

Absolute Cycling, The One story

The One’s development started back in 2016 with the invention of APT. Two years later and they had developed the custom electronics needed. In February 2019 Maarten Tjallingii tested a concept unit in one of the hardest MTB stage races, the Cape Epic. October 2020 saw the first fully working aluminium prototype. 2024 and the first units were shipped to the original Crowdfunders, with The One going on sale later in the year.

The One is now available from the Absolute Cycling website or selected stockists for €599 or £520. We’ll have more on The One soon. If you are looking for brands other than Garmin and Wahoo, try TwoNav or Sigma.

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