February 14Feb 14 There appears to be a plethora of apps for cycling, what are you using for planning routes? Obviously Google maps would be one but are there apps which offer much more?
February 14Feb 14 There appears to be a plethora of apps for cycling, what are you using for planning routes? Obviously Google maps would be one but are there apps which offer much more? Google is as good as anything. It's free and always up to date. It's all I've ever used. If you want to track your rides, get a smart watch. There are some quite good ones on Aliexpress for about £20 that'll log everything about your ride, including heartbeat. The one below has very good reviews that look genuine and is exceptial value at £22. If you don't have a smart watch, you should give one of these serious consideration. These Chinese watches have improved massively from the fake ones they used to sell a few years back, where the heatbeat was a random number generator linked to how fast you were moving. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010598448729.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.43.647b4f6bzxzhiE&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3Apc_back_same_best%7Cx_object_id%3A1005010598448729%7C_p_origin_prod%3A&algo_pvid=d428c3ce-4e42-4058-bcd3-3de07df8c49d&algo_exp_id=d428c3ce-4e42-4058-bcd3-3de07df8c49d&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%22455%22%2C%22fromPage%22%3A%22search%22%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21GBP%2148.70%2118.39%21%21%21444.35%21167.78%21%40211b815c17710720307532092eb299%2112000052937297529%21sea%21UK%210%21ABX%211%210%21n_tag%3A-29910%3Bd%3A54175d57%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895%3BpisId%3A5000000200748930#nav-specification I haven't tried that one, but I have tried the health ones, which seem to be pretty good and legit. They do more tests than you can get done in the hospital. I also have had the Huawei GT2, 3, 4 and the Watch 4, which all do cycle tracking and heartbeat at prices from £100 to £400. You can get the GT2 pretty cheap on Ebay for about £50 used or £100 new if you don't want to risk the T-Rex. It's pretty good to be able to do phone calls on your watch when your phone is in the other room or left in your coat pocket. The calls are clearer than on your expensive phone. This is the health one I'm testing at the moment: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008887016952.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.60.4a4186a29tDJJI&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3Apc_back_same_best%7Cx_object_id%3A1005008887016952%7C_p_origin_prod%3A&algo_pvid=79518e7a-afdf-4c65-a415-cd6d729e4660&algo_exp_id=79518e7a-afdf-4c65-a415-cd6d729e4660&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%221559%22%2C%22fromPage%22%3A%22search%22%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21GBP%2164.34%2129.94%21%21%21587.03%21273.16%21%40211b680e17710730952052867e1d51%2112000047086982523%21sea%21UK%21137056759%21X%211%210%21n_tag%3A-29919%3Bd%3A54175d57%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895%3BpisId%3A5000000201128559 Edited February 14Feb 14 by saneagle
February 14Feb 14 Komoot is what I use, it has cycling specific maps with all the routes (also hiking when selected) available, as well as pre-planned routes and also multi-day tours. You only get one region for free but if you like what you see a one off lifetime purchase of much bigger areas is offered for a reasonable price. It is available as a desktop program and Apple and Android apps which also have a superb navigation option. https://www.komoot.com/discover Edited February 14Feb 14 by JoeCrow
February 14Feb 14 I use Google Maps, when I have signal. In a deadspot I use Sygic which has offline maps, not ideal because it has no bicycle mode and leads me to motorways. Neither are perfect - I have yet to find an app which will reroute automatically to avoid canal paths and large fast multilane roundabouts. Google Maps can reroute on a PC, allows dragging of route to avoid stuff, doesn't work the same way on a mobile phone unfortunately. On a PC the mouse cursor drags the planned route, on a phone a finger drags the map. Edited February 14Feb 14 by guerney
February 14Feb 14 I use Google Maps, when I have signal. In a deadspot I use Sygic which has offline maps, not ideal because it has no bicycle mode and leads me to motorways. Komoot navigation uses GPS, no internet connection required, you can also set the type of bike route you want to ride, road, gravel, mountain and bikepacking (trekking) are available that way it won't send you up a mountain trail on your road bike. It's good, I highly recommend it.
February 14Feb 14 Komoot navigation uses GPS, no internet connection required, you can also set the type of bike route you want to ride, road, gravel mountain and bikepacking (trekking) are available that way it won't send you up a mountain trail on your road bike. It's good, I highly recommend it. I did try Komoot and liked it, but I travel and lot and the map regions they supply are too small. Was too expensive with all the extra maps.
February 14Feb 14 Komoot navigation uses GPS, no internet connection required, you can also set the type of bike route you want to ride, road, gravel, mountain and bikepacking (trekking) are available that way it won't send you up a mountain trail on your road bike. It's good, I highly recommend it. You can download the Google maps before you start, so you don't need an internet connection, that's the same as your Kamoot has downloaded the maps onto whatever device you have. I think OP has a bike that's suitable for most trails, so he doesn't have to worry whether they're suitable for a road bike.
February 14Feb 14 I did try Komoot and liked it, but I travel and lot and the map regions they supply are too small. Was too expensive with all the extra maps. Yes, the region bundles are small and expensive at Euro 8,99 each but you can get the whole world for Euro 29,99 (I would guess around 26 quid) which in comparison is a very good deal.
February 14Feb 14 Author Think I will give Kamoot a go, tempted by the ordnance survey app which I just looked at and can get two months trial, also be useful for my other hobby of RC gliders. Might be able to find a local slope I can transport a small glider to the slope on the bike. Will let you know how I get on, can't wait to pick bike up. Edit 2 weeks not months
February 14Feb 14 Author Just downloaded Kamoot and the very first picture was of Talland Bay my favourite beach on the south coast of Cornwall, if I can make it there on my E Bike will be one happy Bear! One I took earlier!
February 14Feb 14 One I took earlier! today! ................................................... I`ll get me coat ........
February 14Feb 14 Author Google is as good as anything. It's free and always up to date. It's all I've ever used. If you want to track your rides, get a smart watch. There are some quite good ones on Aliexpress for about £20 that'll log everything about your ride, including heartbeat. The one below has very good reviews that look genuine and is exceptial value at £22. If you don't have a smart watch, you should give one of these serious consideration. These Chinese watches have improved massively from the fake ones they used to sell a few years back, where the heatbeat was a random number generator linked to how fast you were moving. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010598448729.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.43.647b4f6bzxzhiE&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3Apc_back_same_best%7Cx_object_id%3A1005010598448729%7C_p_origin_prod%3A&algo_pvid=d428c3ce-4e42-4058-bcd3-3de07df8c49d&algo_exp_id=d428c3ce-4e42-4058-bcd3-3de07df8c49d&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%22455%22%2C%22fromPage%22%3A%22search%22%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21GBP%2148.70%2118.39%21%21%21444.35%21167.78%21%40211b815c17710720307532092eb299%2112000052937297529%21sea%21UK%210%21ABX%211%210%21n_tag%3A-29910%3Bd%3A54175d57%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895%3BpisId%3A5000000200748930#nav-specification I haven't tried that one, but I have tried the health ones, which seem to be pretty good and legit. They do more tests than you can get done in the hospital. I also have had the Huawei GT2, 3, 4 and the Watch 4, which all do cycle tracking and heartbeat at prices from £100 to £400. You can get the GT2 pretty cheap on Ebay for about £50 used or £100 new if you don't want to risk the T-Rex. It's pretty good to be able to do phone calls on your watch when your phone is in the other room or left in your coat pocket. The calls are clearer than on your expensive phone. This is the health one I'm testing at the moment: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008887016952.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.60.4a4186a29tDJJI&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3Apc_back_same_best%7Cx_object_id%3A1005008887016952%7C_p_origin_prod%3A&algo_pvid=79518e7a-afdf-4c65-a415-cd6d729e4660&algo_exp_id=79518e7a-afdf-4c65-a415-cd6d729e4660&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%221559%22%2C%22fromPage%22%3A%22search%22%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21GBP%2164.34%2129.94%21%21%21587.03%21273.16%21%40211b680e17710730952052867e1d51%2112000047086982523%21sea%21UK%21137056759%21X%211%210%21n_tag%3A-29919%3Bd%3A54175d57%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895%3BpisId%3A5000000201128559 Smart watch now on my list of wants! Make sure I spend money on getting bike right, Idoubt the gasket done on motor with ony 280 miles on it.
February 14Feb 14 I think OP has a bike that's suitable for most trails, so he doesn't have to worry whether they're suitable for a road bike. In which case he may not want to ride predominantly on asphalt but I doubt Google Maps would offer any alternate more picturesque, rugged but maybe longer routes that might be available. You can download the Google maps before you start, so you don't need an internet connection, Google Maps uses an internet connection to obtain the GPS location. Without the internet connection it's turn by turn navigation will not work! Komoot turn by turn voice navigation does not require an internet connection.
February 14Feb 14 Google Maps uses an internet connection to obtain the GPS location. Without the internet connection it's turn by turn navigation will not work! Komoot turn by turn voice navigation does not require an internet connection. No it doesn't. The phone gets your GPS location directly and uses the coordinates to plot your position on the downloaded Google maps, just the same as your Kamoot does. The internet thing is moot now. 15 years ago, when I started ebiking, there were some remote areas without internet connection, so we always downloaded the maps first. I can't remember the last time I couldn't get it, and I use it a lot in my car as well as on both my motorbike and ebike. Maybe there are some very remote places that still have problems, but most of us will never experience them. The only time I've ever heard it mentioned is in arguments about what's best - Google or Garmin and stuff like that.
February 14Feb 14 there were some remote areas without internet connection ... Maybe there are some very remote places that still have problems, but most of us will never experience them. Try big chunks of the middle of Winchester. Glenelg is pretty bad too (with more excuse maybe)
February 14Feb 14 Author No it doesn't. The phone gets your GPS location directly and uses the coordinates to plot your position on the downloaded Google maps, just the same as your Kamoot does. The internet thing is moot now. 15 years ago, when I started ebiking, there were some remote areas without internet connection, so we always downloaded the maps first. I can't remember the last time I couldn't get it, and I use it a lot in my car as well as on both my motorbike and ebike. Maybe there are some very remote places that still have problems, but most of us will never experience them. The only time I've ever heard it mentioned is in arguments about what's best - Google or Garmin and stuff like that. Interesting, I use Tidal for music on the trip in the car to Looe from home you cannot use internet, same with my favourite beach on the north coast, no phone signal at all, its heaven no one can get in touch with me on either of my fav beaches!
February 14Feb 14 Interesting, I use Tidal for music on the trip in the car to Looe from home you cannot use internet, same with my favourite beach on the north coast, no phone signal at all, its heaven no one can get in touch with me on either of my fav beaches! The GPS in your phone is a standard GPS, which is the same module as fitted in many devices apart from phones. It works completely independently from the phone. It reads your position from satellites. You can't get an accurate position from the internet nor phone signal. The only thing Google navigation needs the internet for is put the nearest map into your phone, and it adds more parts of the map as you traverse it. The navigation takes your position from the satellites and references the coordinates of your position onto the map. You can download the maps from Google before you start, then the navigation works exactly the same except that it doesn't need the internet to get the maps. Try it. Start Google navigation to see that you're standing on the road outside your house. Switch off your wifi and mobile data, so that the phone can't see the internet, then walk up your street, and you'll see your new positions on the map following exactly the path you take. Eventually, you'll run off the map because it can't download the next page, but it will still show your correct position relative to your house.
February 14Feb 14 You can download the maps from Google before you start, then the navigation works exactly the same except that it doesn't need the internet to get the maps. Really? How to Geek says otherwise:- https://www.howtogeek.com/how-to-use-google-maps-without-an-internet-connection/ What It's Like Using Google Maps Offline Using Google Maps offline feels familiar, but it isn't quite the full experience. It focuses on navigation, getting you from A to B. And while it does this well, you do miss out on many of the extras the app has to offer. Offline maps are primarily designed for driving, so you don't get walking or cycling directions, or schedules for public transport. You also don't get any of the features that rely on an internet connection. This means no live traffic information. There's no re-routing to avoid jams, and the estimated travel time might be less accurate because it won't be able to take into account any problems on the roads.[/Quote] Edited February 14Feb 14 by JoeCrow
February 15Feb 15 Really? How to Geek says otherwise:- https://www.howtogeek.com/how-to-use-google-maps-without-an-internet-connection/ The article says what [mention=3847]saneagle[/mention] said : the navigation works the same ?
February 15Feb 15 The article says what [mention=3847]saneagle[/mention] said : the navigation works the same ? Possibly [mention=3847]saneagle[/mention] posted quite a lot! The problem is that showing your position on an offline map is very different to turn by turn voice navigation and as per the How to Geek article "Offline maps are primarily designed for driving, so you don't get walking or cycling directions, " [/Quote] Which means turn by turn cycling voice navigation won't work with Google Maps without an internet connection.
February 15Feb 15 Possibly [mention=3847]saneagle[/mention] posted quite a lot! The problem is that showing your position on an offline map is very different to turn by turn voice navigation and as per the How to Geek article Which means turn by turn cycling voice navigation won't work with Google Maps without an internet connection. I've been using Google navigation in all my vehicles for donkey's years. I never had any problems. It works better than Tomtom or any other system, since it uses live data, though that's not such an advantage for bicycles. Each system has advantages and disadvantages, If you have niche requirements, you need to choose the system that has the functions that you specifically need. Google will be fine for 95% of cyclists and it's free.
February 15Feb 15 Possibly [mention=3847]saneagle[/mention] posted quite a lot! The problem is that showing your position on an offline map is very different to turn by turn voice navigation and as per the How to Geek article Which means turn by turn cycling voice navigation won't work with Google Maps without an internet connection. "You can still get turn-by-turn directions as if you were online, even in rural areas or foreign cities"
February 15Feb 15 Try turning off data connection, clearing Google Map's memory, and navigating with no map data. If you're in a new area with poor reception and the maps haven't cached automatically, or have been downloaded prior (there is a manual download option while you have data connection, until you clear app memory), you've only got GPS (satellite) and A-GPS (known positions of cellphone towers relative to satellites) data, but no maps to show your position on. GPS signals are weak, blocked by space weather, weather, architecture, and GPS jammers in some vehicles. I bought Sygic one Black Friday for a few quid, with 2GB of offline maps of the UK and EU downloaded and stored on my phone. I have been forced to fall back on Sygic a lot, most recently when I was a passenger in a car somewhere new, and neither my Android or my friend's iPhone were able to load maps of Google Maps. I have maps of the entire world on a Dell Axim X5 with a phased array satellite antenna, works anywhere, but it's a bit long in the tooth, bulky, slow, and the battery is no longer available to replace. I also have world maps on two HTC Windows phones, with bluetooth GPS receivers, again old and slow. I'll watch out for a 50% Black Friday Komoot discount, but it still doesn't feature re-routing to avoid features automatically, such as canal paths and fast large multilane roundabouts. Edited February 15Feb 15 by guerney
February 15Feb 15 "You can still get turn-by-turn directions as if you were online, even in rural areas or foreign cities" Naughty, naughty you missed part of that quote out, namely in full "But other than that, it's pretty smooth. Your little location dot on the map updates in real time because it uses GPS rather than data. You can still get turn-by-turn directions as if you were online, even in rural areas or foreign cities." The "other than that" refers to the "so you don't get walking and cycling directions" etc. in the preceding paragraph, although for driving it is OK!
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.