Cycling (custom) route planner with TBT instructions....does it exist?

[PaulSB]

Just drag the route where you want it to go on the websites mentioned. The TBT are a paid feature on Ridewithgps.

Ah, yes. I'd forgotten this. I've been a paid up user for years as I don't believe in something for nothing.

 

[HarryTheDog]

Strava is TBT, on my Garmin 1030 . I often use it with my screen on power and speed etc not the map. It beeps a little tune and the distance to turn etc pops up, could be just a 1030 Garmin thing but I dont know.

 

[scragend]

It's already been mentioned but I've used Komoot in the past for turn by turn directions. I plot my route myself on the PC and then save it in Komoot so that it is accessible from the app.

I wasn't completely sold on it. I found that the directions came a bit too late so that "turn right in XX yards" sometimes came when I was actually directly opposite the turn. I also found that the spoken directions were a bit OTT. Interestingly on my old phone they were delivered in an English accent, on my new one American. I checked and the region/voice settings etc. in both phones were exactly the same. Never got to the bottom of that one.

The other thing I found was that, although Komoot can wake your phone screen to show you an upcoming direction, then turn the screen off again, when I had a password set on the phone it just opened the lock screen with a notification that just said "Komoot Recording 0:27" or whatever, not the actual direction. If I removed the password the screen woke to show the map and actual turn.

I still use Komoot a lot for planning routes, but not for navigation on the bike. I want to like it, but I didn't really get on with it for the reasons above.

I have a Beeline now. But that's another story...

 

[sasquath]

RidewithGPS will do that as well as komoot. You can use them with just a smartphone but they're better with a bike computer like a wahoo or Garmin.

Also much cheaper sigma Rox4.0 works with komoot and turn by turn directions.

 

[cougie uk]

I just use Garmin connect and plot routes on my laptop and send them onto the Garmin. Easy peasy.

 

[scragend]

I just use Garmin connect and plot routes on my laptop and send them onto the Garmin. Easy peasy.

Only if you have a Garmin ;-)

 

[Sloth]

Thanks guys but I don’t have a Garmin and I’m looking for a phone based app, even if it has to be plotted on a laptop?

 

[Alex321]

Yes, I want turn by turn. As I explained I am riding in a maze of back roads and country lanes and often get lost or end up going ion the w0rng direction, adding considerable miles onto a ride on occasion.
It's what I want.

None of the apps you suggest seem to have TBT directions or if they do then they don't have custom route options where I can literally use points to plot a turn by turn route and save it?

Ride with GPS certainly does.

I use it, then transfer the routes to my Wahoo bike computer - but could use them on a phone.

There is a subscription version, but the frree one seems fine to me.

 

[Alex321]

Just drag the route where you want it to go on the websites mentioned. The TBT are a paid feature on Ridewithgps.

Are they?

I haven't paid, but I'm getting them.

Or is that just my Wahoo adding them? I don't think so, because on the PC, I can see the cuesheet with a list of all turns, so I'm pretty sure that is what gets exported when I use "Send to device".

And "send to device" gives you four options in the free version - iPhone, Android, Garmin Edge, or Wahoo.

 

[chriswoody]

Here's a quick screen grab of some of the various membership plan benefits from Ride with Gps, it can be seen as @Ming the Merciless pointed out earlier, that turn by turn on mobile phones is only available to paid members.

The full list of benefits is here:

https://ridewithgps.com/help/compare-plans/

As a paid up member, I can confirm that I do have the ability to create my own routes and then have my phone give me turn by turn directions on the phone, just as the OP was looking for.

 

[Alex321]

Ah, Ok. You get turn-by-turn on bike specific devices, but not on phones with the free version.

I must admit, part of the reason I bought the Wahoo was that I couldn't find a free app for the phone that gave enough contrast on the map screen to be able to see at a quick glance - and I don't want to be doing more than that when riding.

 

[freiston]

Like others before me have said, Osmand (free version) will do this but I haven't tried plotting a route thus on the hoof, on the phone. I have used it to plot me a "byeway" route whilst out and about (when plans have changed) and it has been very good at routing along the little lanes. I understand that a phone-calculated route can be manipulated by adding waypoints. I don't plot my routes on the phone but on the PC - it's far easier than on the phone and I can check roads and junctions on Google Earth Streetview to help make decisions about the route.

I upload them to the phone as a gpx file and then load them into Osmand. You can instruct Osmand to use a loaded gpx "track" for navigation and it will give turn by turn directions both on-screen (with a line-route on the map and a turn indicator top-left of screen) and verbally if you so wish (but the verbal instructions can give too much direction imho - e.g. "turn slightly right" for an almost imperceptible bend). See the screenshot below (taken in simulation mode hence the speed):

 

[freiston]

Ah, Ok. You get turn-by-turn on bike specific devices, but not on phones with the free version.

I must admit, part of the reason I bought the Wahoo was that I couldn't find a free app for the phone that gave enough contrast on the map screen to be able to see at a quick glance - and I don't want to be doing more than that when riding.

I often use Osmand in night mode which gives me a dark background and brighter roads (and my route line in the turquoise colour as per my screenshot above). This gives excellent contrast for a quick glance and I reckon it reduces battery consumption too.

 

[PaulSB]

Thanks guys but I don’t have a Garmin and I’m looking for a phone based app, even if it has to be plotted on a laptop?

RWGPS and Komoot do this. I'm sorry to labour the point but how many times and people have to say this for you to believe us?

 

[Alex321]

RWGPS and Komoot do this. I'm sorry to labour the point but how many times and people have to say this for you to believe us?

It doesn't matter how many times people say it if they are wrong.

As has been pointed out, the free version of RWGPS does NOT do this for users with phones. He hasn't got a garmin or wahoo. I was one of those who previously said it does, but I was wrong.