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i have read through some other threads but I’m not sure they’ve answered my question.
When getting lost a bit on my road bike this weekend (trying to follow some Sustrans sign posted routes) I resorted to using my iPhone to workout where I was / where I’d gone wrong / how to find my way back onto the correct route.
This worked ok to a point - but it was annoying having to stop and get my phone out of my bag and then workout where I was. I’ve ordered a mount to clip the iPhone onto the handlebars and thinking I’d like some kind of app to program in sustrans routes / any other route I come up with into.
This is just for road use and I don’t have the desire to spend out on a dedicated bike gps / nav thing - been watching a few on eBay but they keep going for more than I’d want to pay.
Note this is just for road use - I won’t be mounting my iPhone to the front of my mtb for crash reasons!
What apps are people using?
Google/Apple maps are actually pretty good for cycle routing IMO. You need a cell signal or WiFi to do the actual routing though. Used this in the past when a bit lost as although I have nav on my Garmin it's actually a lot quicker sometimes just to bang your destination into Google Maps!
I sometimes use Viewranger as a backup to my Garmin as the phone screen is bigger/nicer to use. You can download OpenCycleMap to use as a basemap or (for a fee) OS Maps.
If you just want to follow a pre-plotted route, pretty sure the app of any route tracking service e.g. Strava, RideWithGPS, etc will let you do that
for an iPhone, Here we Go worked well for me. Full mapping available offline
Maps.me is pretty good. Lets you download offline maps for the while country. It can do cycle routing.
Viewranger is really good, you can use Open Cycle Map or download OS maps for either small squares at a time or larger areas.
Beware maps.me. They use Google locations to drive their mapping and directions and are often wrong. I’ve been trying to get them/Google to correct my location for 2 years!!!
I might try viewranger first for offline mapping then and see how that goes. Thanks for all the suggestions - plenty for me to try!
Maps.me is based on OpenStreetMap. Nothing to do with Google. If it is incorrect, you can fix it yourself. It seems to be updated fairly regularly
GB Outdoors GPS works a treat for me, doing exactly what you describe. About £20 a year for access to every ordinance survey map in the UK, useful for things other than cycling.
Cheers Phil
create routes with https://www.gpsies.com
Can read with above, but I find Great Britain Topo Maps better for viewing. That might be android only though...
Just saw your reply CraigW. The underlying Maps.me mapping is (or was) driven from Google. This has been confirmed by Maps.me in writing several times. I haven’t been in touch with them for a few months now so will contact them again in case they’ve switched. Google still don’t give a sh1t!
I though Google Maps could be downloaded offline so long as you sign in?
I just use viewranger now. Paid £22 a year for downloaded OS maps of UK which I thought was good value
What I don’t like about google and most other web based is that ‘tracks’ can look like a tarmac road which can lead you up the garden path on a road bike. At least on OS maps a road is a road and a track a track