Xert EBC (iOS) — Quick Start Guide – Knowledgebase

Xert EBC is Xert's free iOS app that turns your iPhone into a full-featured cycling head unit. It records your rides, plays structured workouts with full Smart Workout support, shows live Xert metrics like MPA, and syncs everything to your Xert account when you're done.

This guide walks you through installing the app, pairing your sensors, and recording your first ride.

What You'll Need

An iPhone running iOS 15.6 or later
Bluetooth enabled on your iPhone
A Xert account — create one at xertonline.com if you haven't already
A power meter (required — EBC needs power data to record a ride)
Optional: smart trainer (for automatic workout control), heart rate monitor, cadence sensor

Note: iOS does not support ANT+ sensors. Xert EBC for iOS connects to sensors via Bluetooth only.

A Note on iOS Differences

Xert EBC is available on both iOS and Android. A few features are currently Android-only:

Magic Buckets — actively in development for iOS
Outdoor structured workouts — actively in development for iOS

If you need either of these features today, the Android version supports them. On iOS, you can record any ride and follow structured workouts indoors.

Step 1 — Install and Log In

Download Xert EBC from the App Store.
Open the app and log in with your Xert username and password.
Grant the permissions the app requests.

iOS will prompt for these permissions:

Motion and Fitness Activity — used to measure altitude and gradient on outdoor rides
Bluetooth — used to find and connect to your fitness sensors

When you first open the Ride tab, you'll also be prompted for:

Location — used to record GPS for outdoor rides and upload to Xert/Strava. For best performance, select Allow While Using App.

If you deny any permission, you can re-grant it later in iOS Settings > Apps > Xert EBC.

Step 2 — Pair Your Sensors

Before your first ride, connect the sensors you'll use.

Open Settings > Sensors (or tap the sensors icon from the Train or Ride tab before a ride).
EBC will scan for nearby Bluetooth sensors. Select each one you want to use.
Confirm each sensor is showing a blue icon — this means data is being received.

[Screenshot placeholder: Sensor pairing screen with paired devices]

We recommend checking your sensor configuration before every ride — especially when switching between indoor and outdoor riding. EBC for iOS does not currently auto-switch sensors based on ride type, so a sensor that worked yesterday may need to be reselected today.

Having trouble pairing? Make sure your sensor isn't already connected to another app — most Bluetooth sensors can only connect to one app at a time. Some trainers (notably newer Wahoo and Elite models) support multiple Bluetooth connections, which lets you use EBC alongside another app.

Step 3 — Choose Your Ride Type

Xert EBC for iOS has two main tabs at the bottom:

Train — for indoor structured workouts (with smart trainer control)
Ride — for free rides, indoor or outdoor

Tap the tab that matches what you're doing.

[Screenshot placeholder: Train and Ride tab navigation]

Step 4 — Choose What to Do

Option A: Follow a Structured Workout (Train tab)

In the Train tab, tap the workout selector to choose a workout.

If you sent a workout from the Xert web app's Today page or Workouts page, it will appear at the top of the list marked as Workout Ready.
If you didn't, you'll see your top XATA-recommended workouts at the top, followed by the full workout library.
You can search by name or filter by library, duration, focus type, or difficulty.

EBC will automatically control your smart trainer during the workout — you don't need to manually set modes.

Option B: Free Ride (Ride tab)

In the Ride tab, just press start — no workout required. You'll get live Xert metrics (MPA, Focus, XSS, and more) throughout the ride. The Ride tab works for both indoor and outdoor rides.

Step 5 — Verify Sensors and Start

Before tapping Start, verify your sensors:

Each sensor you plan to use should show a blue icon, indicating data is being received
For indoor rides, the recommended speed source is Speed from Power
For outdoor rides, the recommended speed source is Speed from GPS

When you're ready, tap Start. EBC begins recording immediately.

During the ride, EBC shows your key metrics across customizable data screens. You can swipe between screens and tap any metric to see a detailed full-screen view.

Step 6 — Finish and Save

When you're done:

Stop the activity from the recording screen.
Tap Save on the summary screen to upload your ride to Xert.

[Screenshot placeholder: Ride summary / save screen]

Your ride will sync to your Xert account automatically. If you've configured Strava integration, it can also forward your ride to Strava with a workout report.

Related article: How to Show Xert Breakthrough & Workout Reports on Strava

Troubleshooting Your First Ride

Sensors won't connect

Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your iPhone
Make sure the sensor isn't already paired with another app (like Zwift or a cycling computer)
Move closer to the sensor, or power cycle your trainer if it's a smart trainer
Wake up the sensor by pedaling or tapping it
If a sensor connected on a previous ride but doesn't appear today, re-scan and re-select it from the sensor list

Permissions prompts keep appearing or were denied

If you denied any of the permissions EBC requested, the app may be unable to record fully. Go to iOS Settings > Apps > Xert EBC and verify:

Motion and Fitness is enabled
Bluetooth is enabled
Location is set to While Using the App (or Always, if you prefer)

My ride didn't upload to Xert

Check your internet connection
Confirm the ride was saved (not discarded) — it should appear in your Xert dashboard
Try restarting your iPhone and opening EBC again

My trainer isn't responding

Confirm your trainer is paired as a controllable trainer in Settings > Sensors — not just as a power source
Make sure no other app is currently controlling your trainer
Restart Bluetooth on your iPhone

What to Try Next

Sending Workouts with Xert — send workouts from the web app to EBC
How to Analyze an Activity Using MPA — review your completed rides
Trainer Modes in Xert's Workout Players — pick the right trainer mode for your workout

Need Help?

If you run into issues that aren't covered here, contact support@xertonline.com with:

Your iPhone model and iOS version
Your EBC app version (shown in Settings > About)
A brief description of what's happening