How to enable Web Bluetooth for Ride Cave

Ride Cave connects directly to your smart trainer, heart rate monitor, and power meter through your web browser using a technology called Web Bluetooth. This means no apps to download, no software to install, and no accounts to create. Just open the website and connect your devices.

Web Bluetooth is a browser API that allows websites to communicate with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices. When you click a connect button in Ride Cave, your browser shows a device picker where you select your trainer or sensor. The connection is secure and requires your explicit permission for each device.

Which browsers support Web Bluetooth?

Web Bluetooth is supported in Chrome and Microsoft Edge on desktop and Android devices. This includes Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS computers, as well as Android phones and tablets.

Safari does not support Web Bluetooth, so Ride Cave cannot connect to devices on iPhones, iPads, or Macs using Safari. If you are on a Mac, use Chrome or Edge instead of Safari. For iOS devices, some users have had success with specialized browsers like Bluefy that add Bluetooth support, though this is not officially tested.

Firefox also does not support Web Bluetooth. Firefox has philosophical concerns about the API's privacy model and has not implemented it.

Quick setup for most users

For most users on recent versions of Chrome or Edge, Web Bluetooth works out of the box. Here is what you need to do:

First, make sure Bluetooth is turned on in your computer's system settings. On Windows, go to Settings then Bluetooth and Devices. On macOS, check System Settings then Bluetooth. Your computer's Bluetooth must be active for the browser to access it.

Second, put your device into pairing or discoverable mode. For smart trainers, this usually means turning them on and waiting a few seconds. Most trainers broadcast continuously. Heart rate monitors typically start broadcasting when you put on the strap or press a button.

Third, open Ride Cave in Chrome or Edge and click a connect button. Your browser will show a popup listing available Bluetooth devices. Select your trainer or sensor and click Pair or Connect. That's it.

Enabling experimental features in Chrome

In older versions of Chrome, Web Bluetooth may be disabled by default. If clicking connect shows no device picker or you see an error about Bluetooth not being supported, you may need to enable experimental features.

Open a new tab and type chrome://flags in the address bar, then press Enter. This opens Chrome's experimental features page. In the search box at the top, type Experimental Web Platform features.

Find the flag called Experimental Web Platform features and change the dropdown from Default to Enabled. Click the Relaunch button that appears at the bottom of the page. Chrome will restart with the experimental features active.

After relaunching, return to Ride Cave and try connecting again. The device picker should now appear when you click a connect button.

Enabling experimental features in Microsoft Edge

Edge uses the same underlying browser engine as Chrome, so the process is similar. Open a new tab and type edge://flags in the address bar, then press Enter.

Search for Experimental Web Platform features in the search box. Change the dropdown from Default to Enabled, then click the Restart button at the bottom. Edge will restart with the experimental features enabled.

Important note: if you are using Edge in a work or school environment, your IT department may have disabled this feature through group policy. In that case, you would need to contact your IT administrator or use a personal device.

Troubleshooting connection issues

If your device does not appear in the browser's device picker, try these steps:

Make sure the device is powered on and in range. Bluetooth range is typically about 10 meters or 30 feet, but walls and other obstacles can reduce this. Move closer to your device if needed.

Check that the device is not already connected to another app or device. Many Bluetooth devices can only maintain one connection at a time. Close other fitness apps like Zwift, TrainerRoad, or manufacturer apps that might be holding the connection.

Try turning your device off and back on. This resets the Bluetooth radio and often resolves connection issues. For trainers, unplugging the power for 10 seconds and plugging it back in is equivalent to a full restart.

On Windows, check that Bluetooth is fully enabled in Device Manager. Sometimes Windows will show Bluetooth as on but the adapter is actually disabled. You can also try removing and re-adding the Bluetooth adapter in Device Manager.

On macOS, you can reset the Bluetooth module by holding Shift and Option while clicking the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar, then selecting Reset the Bluetooth module. This clears cached connections and can resolve stubborn issues.

Security and permissions

Web Bluetooth is designed with security in mind. Websites cannot scan for or connect to devices without your explicit permission. Each time you click connect, you must select a device from the browser's picker. The website cannot see any devices until you grant access.

Connections are also limited to secure contexts, meaning the website must use HTTPS. This prevents malicious sites from intercepting your Bluetooth traffic. Ride Cave uses HTTPS for all connections.

Your browser may ask for additional permissions the first time you use Web Bluetooth. On some systems, you may need to grant the browser access to Bluetooth in your operating system's privacy settings. On macOS, for example, you might see a prompt asking to allow Chrome to use Bluetooth.

Platform-specific notes

Windows: Works well on Windows 10 and 11. Ensure your Bluetooth adapter supports Bluetooth 4.0 or later for BLE compatibility. Most built-in laptop Bluetooth and recent USB adapters support this.

macOS: Works on macOS 10.15 Catalina and later with Chrome or Edge. Remember to use Chrome or Edge, not Safari.

Linux: Web Bluetooth works on most Linux distributions with Chrome. You may need to run Chrome with certain flags or configure BlueZ, the Linux Bluetooth stack. The experience can vary depending on your distribution and Bluetooth hardware.

Android: Chrome on Android supports Web Bluetooth and works well with most fitness devices. Ensure Location Services is enabled, as Android requires this for Bluetooth scanning.

ChromeOS: Chromebooks have excellent Web Bluetooth support since Chrome is the native browser. Connection typically works without any additional configuration.

Still having trouble?

If you have followed these steps and still cannot connect, please reach out through our support channels. Include your browser version, operating system, and the make and model of the device you are trying to connect. Screenshots of any error messages are also helpful for diagnosing the issue.