How do you share your live location while cycling?
To share your live location while cycling, start a share on your phone before you clip in, send the link to a Guardian, and mount or pocket the phone so it stays put over bumps. Holler's private link opens in any browser with no app or account, and shows your route line and latest position. At cycling speeds you cover a lot of ground between updates, so tell your Guardian the roads you'll use and set a return time for the whole ride.
How to share a ride
01Send the route before the link
A dot moving at 18 mph through unfamiliar roads is hard to read. Tell your Guardian your loop, any café stop and your rough finish time, or send a screenshot of the planned route. Then the live map makes sense the moment they open it.
02Start sharing while you're stopped
Open Holler, start the share and send the link before you roll out. Check that your first position appears. Never set up a share while riding; one-handed phone use on a bike is how crashes start.
03Decide between bar mount and pocket
A bar mount keeps the screen visible, which suits browser sharing because the Holler page needs to stay open in front for updates to continue. It also uses more battery. A jersey pocket saves battery but may pause browser updates if the screen locks. Test your setup on a short ride first.
04Set a return time for the full ride
Add time for a flat, a headwind or a long coffee stop. If you haven't checked in five minutes after the return time, Holler's server sends your Guardians an overdue alert, even if your phone is broken or has no signal. Extend it from the road if the ride runs long.
05Consider crash detection (beta)
Holler's opt-in crash detection watches for a possible hard fall followed by stillness, then starts an "Are you OK?" countdown and alerts Guardians if you don't respond. It can miss real crashes and can false-alarm on rough roads, and in a browser it only works while the page is open and the screen is on.
06End the share at your door
Stop the share when you're home so your location isn't shared longer than the ride. Your Guardian sees the share has ended, which tells them you're back.
Related questions
Can I share from my bike computer instead?
Many bike computers offer live tracking through a paired phone, which is fine for following a ride. The Garmin LiveTrack guide shows how that works. Holler adds a return time, SOS and alerts to your Guardians, and some riders run both.
How much battery will a long ride use?
It depends on the screen, signal and phone age. A mounted screen is usually the biggest drain. Start at full charge, dim the screen and carry a small battery pack on rides over a few hours. The page on how much battery live location sharing uses goes deeper.
What should my Guardian do if my dot stops on a road?
Wait a few minutes, since you could be at a light, fixing a flat or in a dead zone. The live page shows how long ago your location updated. If an alert arrives or the return time passes, they should call you, then call 911 with your last known location if you don't answer.
Does my Guardian need an app?
No. They open the link in any browser on a phone or computer. They can turn on browser push for alerts. The solo cycling safety guide covers the rest of a solo setup.
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