[brentrides]

Hi all,

A friend of mine built a running route planning app as a side project just for fun called Trail Router. Tons of people responded asking for a cycling version.

We need more input from road cyclists regarding what you look for when planning a new route. Any and all info you can provide is appreciated. Please let me know!

If you want updates and prototype demos drop your email here https://svpercycling.com

PS: I hope this doesn’t violate any advertising/self-promotion terms. This isn’t for profit, it’s just a fun side project that people in the cycling community asked us to make.

Topic

[Ride On]

Great comments below.
Great comments below.

Would also like an indication of the speed of the route based on the average speed of cyclists using that route then give my estimated speed based on my average speed as compared to the general average. If you follow that.

[Simon E]

HoarseMann wrote:

peted76 wrote:

Ian’s nailed it with the ‘local knowledge’ comment.

These days local knowledge = crowd sourced data.

I use a combination of prior knowledge, OS maps* and occasionally make a note of the routes people I know have used from their strava rides, such as the riders in our club’s strava group. I don’t use a GPS so I make mental notes and/or paper maps.

* I like Bing maps with the Ordnance Survey overlay and may print a screenshot if I’m going somewhere a little unfamiliar; I also use the Directions tool in Google maps to calculate distances and Street view if I want to be able to recognise where to turn at a junction or fork in the road (particularly useful on narrow rural lanes).

However, this is generally for local rides and other places I have visited before and know fairly well. I’ve not really had to investigate unfamiliar territory or roads. I probably should do that now and again.

[andystow]

I tend to use cycle.travel in

I tend to use cycle.travel in the USA. Google Maps wants to put me on main roads. What I really want is maximum gravel roads and minimum busy roads.

[Jem PT]

Another vote for Komoot. I

Another vote for Komoot. I find it great for cycling in London – it plots a direct yet quiet route. E.g. last week I had to get from Waterloo to Stamford Hill and then back (for work) and it took me on a delightfully quiet route with very little traffic. 

[Shades]

Quieter roads (generally

Quieter roads (generally avoid A roads and dual carriageway) so look for National Cycle Network and use Cycle.travel website that specifically looks for quieter routes; Komoot (sync with the computer) and CycleStreets are useful as well..  Happy to take a longer route to avoid an unnecessary climb/descent (on a longer ride to save some energy).  Try and avoid larger towns, if possible, as lights, traffic etc slows you down.  Setting Komoot with Cycle Touring often identifies good cycle path shortcuts in towns.  A bit of Google streetview is often useful, especially to check out a bit of the route that may have busy/hazardous traffic.  Most importantly; the cafe/lunch stop!

[matthewn5]

Exactly, the paper maps are

Exactly, the paper maps are really useful… especially the regional maps, East Anglia, South East England, and so on:

https://www.stanfords.co.uk/South-East-England-AA-Road-Map_9780749579036

 

[Dnnnnnn]

If you’ve the OS ‘Landranger’

If you’ve the OS ‘Landranger’ maps for London then you could piece together some pleasingly direct but quiet routes outta town, mostly via quiet streets. The paper maps (nos 176 and 177) are probably better for this unless you’ve a very large screen.

I’m in Zone 2 (SE) and have some handy routes which can get me to the countryside in 30-40 minutes of pleasant city riding.

I also use trains – good to have options – although I tend to get to the edge of the Oyster zone, do a loop, and then train back!

I do use Google too – it’s a quick way to generate rough distances and can be useful for having a look at odd stretches which may or may not be open/suitable for cycling, e.g. are tracks tarmac/gated/overgrown, or does a bit of A-road look worth trying if it’s a convenient link.

For creating a GPX route to follow, mapmyride.com is a decent, free option – although it’s worth checking with OS and Google maps if it wants to take routes that might not actually be tarmacked road. I then upload the GPX to OSMAnd (free downloadable maps) and – of course – record it on Strava…

[HoarseMann]

peted76 wrote:

Ian’s nailed it with the ‘local knowledge’ comment.

These days local knowledge = crowd sourced data.

A Waze type app that allowed you to quickly log road defects, traffic levels, close passes, etc. would be interesting.

[Anonymous]

Yes I ride on the road for a

Yes I ride on the road for a number of reasons (e.g. I like to ride quickly, lack of quality paths, poor surfacing, etc).

Regarding “new” bits, it depends on the ride, but I’ll tend to find a new 20 mile “loop” or detour on one of my regular rides and try it as an alternative – I tend to do around 50-60 mile rides at the weekend so it’s around a third of the ride.

Another tip is to look at sportive routes that might take place in your area and see if they cross anywhere near you, you can use bits of those routes too.

[brentrides]

Great! Thanks for the

Great! Thanks for the clarification ?

[matthewn5]

Yes – I live in central

Yes – I live in central London and if I’ve set off early in the morning on quiet roads it’s pretty grim to have to cycle back into London in afternoon traffic! I do ride some loops or out-and-back routes but usually pick a cycleway to re-enter London later in the day – if one is available. And yes, I like the feeling of ‘getting somewhere’ at the end of a ride, rather than just turning up at the front door.

[brentrides]

Thanks for the info!

Thanks for the info!

Does that mean you prefer to ride on the road vs. cyclepaths?

Generally, what percentage of the route would be the old route vs. the new bit you add on?

[brentrides]

Why do you late loops? Do you

Why do you late loops? Do you just like the feeling of traveling further away from home?

[brentrides]

What’s the one thing your

What’s the one thing your like best about Plotaroute? And one thing you like the least?

[Anonymous]

I tend to just have a quite
I tend to just have a quite look on Google maps, which has images of pretty much every road – as others say, I also tend to steer clear of “A” roads and also very minor roads, which can bring challenges of their own in term of surfacing and viability.

I also like to tack on “new” bits of route to my existing rides to vary them up a bit, rather than do a whole new route from scratch, that way I can just return to default if I don’t like the new one.

[Author]

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