THE THREE BEST GPS LAP TIMERS FOR RACING SPORTS

If you’re looking for a conclusive GPS lap timer for Motocross, Car Racing, Downhill MTB or any other then this article is worth a read. As Litpro is already being used by some professional Motocross riders especially in the US, Crossbox launched their new product in April 2020 and it is gaining a lot of traction in the racing sports world. What is the best choice for you? And which alternatives does the market offer right now? Knowledge is power; let’s cast some light on the pros and cons of the top tools.

The Austrian brand Crossbox launched their own GPS-hardware CBX20, together with a new smartphone app in April 2020. The CBX20 is currently the only hardware that can record acceleration values, connect to a heart-rate sensor (like the Polar H10) and that is 100% waterproof. The acceleration data is necessary to know where you start braking and start accelerating in a corner, also, it is required for precise race-start and jump analytics. They offer a powerful smartphone app for iOS as well as for Android devices, which is available in English, German, French and Italian. The conclusive analyzing opportunities and the high-quality hardware makes this tool the #1 choice for professional as well as for amateur racing sports athletes.

Litpro had their own hardware on the market until November 2019, which was quite popular in the AMA Supercross series. For some reason they stopped selling it and switched to the Dual XGPS160. Litpros App is a useful app as well, but the greatest noticeable difference in the whole system is the hardware XGPS160 only records GPS data and no acceleration data, and it is not linkable with a heart rate chest strap. The XGPS160 has a lower price but many users reported the device to be defective after a couple of months. Additionally, the device isn’t waterproof. Litpros app only works online, which means that you have to be in the internet during analyzing your laps. They offer a free basic app with basic statistics, but keep in mind that a GPS lap timer offers powerful features and if you choose to buy one, you will not be happy with the basic features only. And for that, you need to buy the Litpro premium features for $99/year.

Price: MSRP $ 269,- (incl. tax) comes with:

• Dual XGPS160
• Lifelong basic app features (basic session summary)
• 1 Year Premium app features (fastest lines on a map, lap playback, race start analysis, Lap99 – the sum of the best sections, track leaderboards) The Litpro Premium app costs $99,- per year.

Pros of Litpro

• Free basic app available (basic times only, no rider lines visible)
• Good Features: Lap and section times, lap playbacks, race-start analytics, Lap99 (theoretical – best lap), track leaderboards, fastest lines
• Relatively low initial price

Cons of Litpro

• No Android app available
• High price for premium features (99$ per year; keep in mind that you really need the premium features, the basic app will not make you happy if you want to use the tool for serious training analysis)
• No accurate acceleration/brake and race-start analytics (Hardware has no acceleration sensor implemented)
• Hardware can’t be linked with a heart rate chest strap
• No jump analytics
• User needs to have a valid internet connection to analyze laps
• App is only available in English

The AIM Solo 2 is a GPS-based lap timer from the brand Memotec. It might be the right choice for you if you want to see lap times directly on your dashboard. A considerable disadvantage is the fact that it doesn’t come with a smartphone app, so it is not possible to analyze riding paths and the user is not able to determine where on the track he is losing time. This is why AIM Solo can’t keep up with modern tools such as Crossbox and Litpro.
Price: MSRP € 416,- includes:

• AIM Solo 2 Hardware

Pros of AIM Solo 2

• Device displays the laps / sections for the rider in real time
• No subscription required

Cons of AIM Solo 2

• No smartphone app available
• No detailed analytics except lap times and section times
• No track leaderboards
• High Price for the value