measuring milleage with online maps

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Is there a way to measure the distance of a route I have cycled? I don't have a phone/gps unit, just google maps.
 
Location
Salford
If you have Google Maps then I'll assume you have Internet access and a browser and you can try out:

http://gb.mapometer.com/

On there you can draw a route by clicking on a map - it follows roads by default or you can turn that off for some or all of a route.

When done - you'll get your distance.

It's free to use.
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
Plotaroute is an excellent app
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I know the question was about online maps, but I still suggest looking at Memory Map which you can run on a desktop PC, and/or a laptop, and/or a phone, and/or a tablet and/or a Memory Map compatible GPS. A single 1:50,000 scale Landranger type OS map (ideal for cycling) covers the UK (except for NI), at a current price of only £80 - HERE.
 

andym

Über Member
I know this is old tech, but if you just want to know the distance, a cycle computer will give you the most accurate figure (although you do need set the circumference of the tyre accurately).
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
a cycle computer will give you the most accurate figure
@andym How do you know that a cycle computer correctly calibrated with the wheel circumference (to the nearest mm?) will give a more accurate record of the distance than a GPS or a distance calculated from mapping software using, say, OSM? For running races the measuring device is rolled at a walking distance by hand and its calibration has to be checked at set and frequent intervals against a 'known' distance.
 

Tin Pot

Guru
Is there a way to measure the distance of a route I have cycled? I don't have a phone/gps unit, just google maps.
You can do it in google maps.

Put the start and finish, calculate route, then drag points from the line to where you actually went where different.
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
[QUOTE 4217348, member: 9609"]firstly my cycle computer is set by the wheel circumference and I only have an option of exact CMs (211,212,213,214 etc) so if the true circumference was 2135 mm and i use 214 then that is a quarter of a mile out every 100
then quoted tyre circumferences are not that accurate, my current tyres 700 28C have a quoted figure of 2136mm but I have just very carefully measured mine at 2127 (and my computer is set at 214)[/QUOTE]
I have exactly the same issue (cycle computer calibration by wheel circumference but only to the nearest cm). However my 622-28 tyres (Conti GP4Ss) are actually radius 339mm (ie when fitted on a 622-15 rim - the expected half of 622 plus 28). Multiplying by 2pi gives you 2130mm . . . I've (re)set my Cateye Velo2 to 213. This gives odometer results which closely tally with my GPS, over a 100+km ride (which by the way also tallies within 1/2 a per cent of the RidewithGPS route calculation).

Sheldon is worth reading. He says: "However, the actual rolling diameter will be about 1% smaller for a road tire," - I think this is because of the deflection of the tyre under normal load (about 5%? = 1.4mm) reduces the effective circumference by, in my (and your) case ~9mm).
 
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[QUOTE 4217348, member: 9609"]A number of issues with this, firstly my cycle computer is set by the wheel circumference and I only have an option of exact CMs (211,212,213,214 etc) so if the true circumference was 2135 mm and i use 214 then that is a quarter of a mile out every 100
then quoted tyre circumferences are not that accurate, my current tyres 700 28C have a quoted figure of 2136mm but I have just very carefully measured mine at 2127 (and my computer is set at 214) so I am getting an extra free 0.6 per 100 at the moment ^_^[/QUOTE]
That is still more accurate the GPS. GPS data is just a series of points. The software then applies an algorithm to estimate the distance travelled between those two points. The level of accuracy is lower than your estimate above. I just took the same GPX file and gave it to endomondo and strava. The calculated distance (each site uses a different algorithm, clearly) was 0.7 km over 50km ride, so more than double the error you estimated above.

That's assuming the original GPS was accurate. Garmin only claims an accuracy of 3-5 metres, so there's a lot room for error there.

or a distance calculated from mapping software using, say, OSM?
Again, any of these plotting software just estimates the course you will take. Your tyre has travelled the exact course, so will be more accurate than any of the methods suggested here.​
 
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