Confused - Are you looking for software that automatically provides you a route for an extended bike ride with best conditions and bike appropriate paths? If so, i doubt that exists.

Or are you simply looking for a software package that allow you to build the route once you ve planned it out and done the research. there are 1000 of these.

Also - what is your intent once you map it? Do you want to print out paper directions or push it to an existing device..... Garmin, Wahoo, iphone etc....

More info would help.

 

apologize, I want to plan a rout at home with something that I can look for dirt, wide shoulders, rail trail, lower traffic.... want safe vs shortest. sent to my Wahoo Roam v2

I will just search for something, was hoping to narrow that search.... 99% of my computer/rout planner searchers lead to to paid adds not people that actually use it or most often its more about training/racing

 

Research is prob best done using google earth and mapping
You can see roads and paths then map them
Google map has a biking layer.

For just mapping:
Strava allows you to do the mapping part - Not sure about the free version
Garmin Connect does as well - i belive even if you dont have a garmin device. you can still export gpx files.

 

That doesn't exist as an app. Local knowledge is what you're after - LBS, FB groups, tourist offices, etc. Hit up one of the local subforums here maybe?

 

I use the free version of Ride With GPS to create a route on a desktop computer, save the GPX file, then open it in the Elemnt app on my phone so it appears on my Bolt.

 

thank you... that was one I was looking for but could not remember the name... think read a post about it some time over the winter.

Looks like Komoot and/or Ride with GPS along with google earth (street view) will do what I need, really surprised Komoot isn't aware of rail trail.... I will be going from NJ through PA to Ohio and figured it would be easy to connect trail to trail with road between (thinking I just maybe I need to spend more time with it is all).

 

Re. Komoot, I find it's really good. Have you tried selecting the different types of riding to see how it adjusts the route for you? I just tested and road or gravel appears to ignore rail trails, but touring or MTB includes them. Also if you know there's a rail trail and Komoot isn't including it on the proposed route you can either click on it and select "include on route", or click on the planned route near the rail trail and drag it over.

Also if you know there's a route between two points that Komoot isn't offering you then you can drop waypoints at either end, click the segment between the two and uncheck 'follow ways' this will then straight line you between the two points. Sometimes the mapping data that Komoot uses will indicate that bikes aren't allowed, or that two sections of road/trail etc... aren't linked when you know they are.

 

Thank you, I set activity to to hiking and the rail trails and tow paths are routed. Seem like I am set just need to learn/practice with Komoot.

 

Ride with GPS can show you bike trails (they have different map types), as well as tell when you are creating a route on a gravel road as opposed to asphalt. To ascertain the appropriateness of a road in terms of good shoulder, etc... you end up using Google street and satellite view to look at the road. Stuff like single track for mt. biking is best viewed on Trail Forks. RWGPS is mediocre at single track routing, IMO.

 

Ride with GPS shows up asphalt, gravel and trails. But for the first two, it’s not always correct. The RWGPS routes (not maps) that I have show solid red lines for asphalt, red with white dashes for gravel and green for trails.
Check here for gravel roads and routes:

Gravel Road Maps and Biking Routes - Gravelmap

Gravelmap is a tool for finding and sharing local gravel roads for biking, gravel grinding, exploration and more.

gravelmap.com

 

this is the sort of thing I always use RWGPS for (free web-based but have been tempted to pay for the extra features).

no map resource is going to be 100% accurate, so local intel is important. so is the ability to check between multiple sources. the strava heatmap is handy for this, too.

years ago I did an 80+mi route around the city where I lived. Someone in the group organizing the ride built the GPS route in MapMyRide, but it wasn't done particularly well. The route sent people backwards through roundabouts and did all sorts of dumb stuff. Mostly things that wouldn't be actual routing problems when on the ride itself, but they're the sorts of things that bother me because the GPS would get grumpy pretty often.

I took that route and put it into RWGPS. I fixed all the stupid little things and I also built turn notifications into the file. If your GPS lacks routable maps in its own memory (which automatically calculate turn notifications), you can get turn notifications on your screen if they're programmed into the file from the beginning.

One spot on the ride technically was illegal, too. There was a railroad track that put major routing limitations because it had so few crossings. There was a parking lot right next to it in one spot and a road just on the other side. We crossed the tracks there instead of adding several miles (and dangerous roads) onto our route. Rely too heavily on someone else's (including computer-based) routing and you'll miss out on options that may not be mapped. Studying satellite imagery and street views can definitely help.

 

RideWithGPS is the easiest in my opinion to make yourself a map easily, you'll probably want multiple screens to reference google earth or whatever satellite view you are into concurrently. I had the paid version when I was building out a lot of routes when I first moved to my new city and just wanted to "point and shoot" when I left the front door.

Strava premium will also allow you to map in a similar fashion, I get a little more frustrated using it when trying to switch between dirt and pavement it will often re-route MILES of work to it's preferred path; this could be user error but I can't figure out a good way around it. The upside of mapping with Strava is the ability to switch on the "heatmaps" and see the real useage of bike/user traffic on certain streets. That feature has provided me great side streets that I otherwise would not have found without local group ride intel.

Both will push straight into your Wahoo/Garmin

 

often re-route MILES of work to it's preferred path

You can switch to 'manual mode' to avoid this, it's still clunky though.

 

For finding bike friendly streets and some bike trails, Google maps is pretty good. Input your starting and endpoints and set the transportation mode to 'bicycle' and Google maps will generate a route, which can be downloaded as a KML file.

I've been making my own routes for a long time. There is no one 'app' that collects all the relevant information for planning a multi surface route. What Harold says in post #12 is spot on.

Open Street Maps - the bicycling version (Open Street Cycling) is another good resource-it may have bike trails that Google Maps doesn't.

I've gone the total DIY route. I use a Geographic Infromation System (GIS) System to compile data various resources from multiple sources and plan my route from that data.

 

Open Street Maps - the bicycling version (Open Street Cycling) is another good resource

Per the name, anybody can register to update Open Street Maps which a lot of the route planning tools/apps use as a source system. If you know a rail trail exists you can check and make sure it’s properly designated in Open Street Maps and if not make the update…

 

thank you all, some great options and I have a month to learn a bit more about the options here. I get to ride much more often than my wife an extra 20 miles from a detour or a some steep hills I can just suck it and and get it done... I kinda like the pain and the feeling of accomplishment when its over. Trying to plan a rout with as little suffering as possible is why I am looking for rail trail/tow path to connect the rout. longer miles but it would be flat/easy sections.... like taking a break but still rolling along.

 

Disclaimer: I haven't used RWGPS in a few years so can't comment if it is better.

For route planning and especially trying to find "safe"roads, I use the Strava Global Heatmap. If I look at my intended route on the heat map and see that no one rides it, then I know it is not safe or practical.

I know this method works in my region because roads I wouldn't ride for safety have no "heat." And side roads I consider "safe" are heavily ridden.

I live in eastern Massachusetts. Good luck.

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