Open-Sourcing Gran Fondo

A Leap to Libre Fitness and Freedom

Mar. 6, 2025 - Willem L. Middelkoop

Gran Fondo, the app that tracks runs and rides, is going open-source. I’m removing its subscription model and make it libre. This isn’t about short-term revenue—it’s about building something enduring, private, and free for all. Here’s why I’m taking this plunge and what’s next.

I’ve decided to open-source Gran Fondo, my iOS app for tracking runs and rides. What started as a subscription-based tool will be shedding its paywall. Gran Fondo began as a personal project, launched in May 2024 on iOS, designed to track workouts with privacy at its core—no cloud, no data harvesting, just your smartphone doing the work. Subscriptions kept it afloat, but they also locked it behind a wall. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on tech’s bigger purpose, as I wrote about durable smartphones and better laptops. Those posts argue for devices that empower users, not corporations. Software should follow suit—Gran Fondo is no exception.

Gran Fondo v1 in action: smoothly tracks rides with Bluetooth support for power, cadence, and heart rate—primed to show open-source can rival pro tools

So, I’m making Gran Fondo libre. The code—now native Swift for iPhone—will be evolving into a multi-platform core using web tech, like my Snake 97 app with 40 million downloads. It’ll be free, open for anyone to contribute, spanning iOS, Android, and even future libre platforms like Sailfish OS or Ubuntu Touch. No ads, no trackers—just a sponsor board, akin to sports club signs, to sustain it. This leap is tricky—Bluetooth quirks and background power demands differ across devices—but it’s worth it for a privacy-first, human-centric tool. I’m putting in my own cash and time, plus seeking a public innovation fund and sponsors to launch this, betting on collaboration over profit. It’s a risk, but I feel it’s right.

Conclusion

This is me taking the first steps into something I truly believe in—a better, freer future for tech. Gran Fondo Libre’s my stake in that ground, and I’m hoping to find allies and friends along the way. Together, we can build something that lasts.