Can anyone recommend a route finder for me, please?

[Wally]

Looking for a kind of Google maps for cycling. Thanks. Tried Map my Ride, but that only seems to let me work out the mileage of a ride I've already finished, unless I'm doing it wrong. Just want a best route from A to B.

 

[marinyork]

Just use bikehike.co.uk to measure stuff. Unfortunately it doesn't let you save them on the site anymore but you can download them.

 

[wilko]

Looking for a kind of Google maps for cycling. Thanks. Tried Map my Ride, but that only seems to let me work out the mileage of a ride I've already finished, unless I'm doing it wrong. Just want a best route from A to B.

I tend to use this http://gb.mapometer.com/en/ and find it easy enough. You just need to enter your post code in the box, top left, for your local area, you can then zoom in, grab and move the map to plot your route. If you are just riding on roads, rather than off road then I find it easier to use the "auto follow roads" feature by clicking the box. You can then plot your route, see how many miles it is and save the ones you want for later reference.

 

[PpPete]

bikeroutetoaster.com is good because it allows you the option of routing using OSM data on cyclepaths. The Google routing on bikehike (my other favorite) is limited to roads only.

 

[tinyboy]

i use microsoft auto route its  works well for me mate email me your address will send a copy of it no prbs

 

[Crankarm]

A good old fashioned map?

 

[HLaB]

There's lot of them out there, bikely, mapmyride, bikeroutetoaster, ridewithGPS.com, bikehike, etc

Also if you want a web site which plots the route for you there's cyclestreets.

Good Luck :-)

 

[Wally]

A good old fashioned map?

Which one?

 

[Crankarm]

Which one?

I use a combination of a large AA road Atlas (£1.99 in The Book Shop) and Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 maps. I then scan the page(s) of the Atlas I need, recompose/crop/resize in Photoshop to cut out uncessary areas, then print out the desired area of the route on an A4 sheet in colour. I then plot my route in pencil on this. I use pencil so I can rub the arrows of my route out if I want to re-use the sheet for another later or make a change en route. Routes I like I keep the sheet as a numbered route map which I can return to.

If I'm riding in an unfamiliar area where I need more detail I take the OS Maps along just in case for back up. Some times I have to refer to them, but as I have plotted my route on my printed out sheets from the Atlas anyway I don't often refer to them. I make a note of big hills, up and down, prominent land marks or any other relevant features impacting on the ride. I place my plotted map route in clear plastic bag either in my bar bag or back jersey pocket. The OS maps If I take them go in my panniers or in a plastic bag (so they don't get soaked with sweat) in the back pockets of my jersey.

HTH.

 

[MacB]

I find the Phillips road atlas pretty good, it comes sort of ring bound so you can easily tear pages out to take with you. I use this in combination with Google maps selecting the walking option for directions. I'll generally do myself a route sheet via Google, putting in an extra destination for each junction. I then put this in a spreadsheet and have the distance for each one plus an accumulative value. Works pretty well unless I type right instead of left, which I did once.

While riding I just have a little sheet with distances, type of junction, ie roundabout, T, crossroads, etc and road name or brief descriptor. I use my cycle computer and know roughly when the next change will be coming. For example, I may stay on a road for 8 miles, so I know I've got half an hour to daydream. If things go wrong then I've got the large scale map pages to refer to.

GPS is tempting but there's a lot of funtionality in it that I don't need and I really don't want another gadget to charge or find batteries for. I do like the idea of the large scale maps available online or via CDROM. Then you can sort your route, print it off and do a summary for easy reference.

 

[Wally]

Thanks all.