App: A bike map and guide for Chicagoland

Consider this: You like to use the Chicago Bike Map but you don't always carry it with you. You want to be reminded of where the bike lanes and trail access points are. But you do carry your smartphone with you, all the time. 

In April 2012 I launched my first-ever app, the Chicago Bike Guide. It works similarly to the "Chicago Bike Map" (the City's printed one) in that it shows the presence of on-street bike lanes, multi-use trails, and train stations. It works like Google Maps, though, where you can pinch and zoom to interact with the map. 

Divvy, train stations, directions, The Chainlink, Twitter, points of interest, it's all right here. 

Available for Android and iOS. 

Routing on the Chicago Bike Guide

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Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on January 7, 2013 at 8:05am

I've got an Android now. Someone off-list had one. I'll work with that before I see if I might need another one. Thank you for all of the offers, especially "JM" who I was going to contact really soon. I am readying v0.6 for iOS to be submitted Tuesday (tomorrow) - I thought it was going to be a map and bug maintenance update, but I was able to throw in some new features as well. More details on the blog.

After issuing this update, I will crack down on getting an Android version out the door. By the way, initially, the Android version will only be sold in the Amazon App Store - read why here. If you want it then, you will have to download the Amazon App Store app from Google Play and then follow its instructions on how to allow it to install apps.

This is your last chance to get suggested points of interest into the app. If you've suggested something before and they are not in, that means it's not the right time. I have some ideas for how to incorporate some of the suggestions in a new feature, but that's long term. You can see current POIs on this page. Bike shops are not listed as I have a different strategy for what to do (as you might guess, it involves attempting to sell them a spot). 

Permalink Reply by JMinHP on January 7, 2013 at 8:09am

Glad you got one to work with.

Steven Vance said:

I've got an Android now. Someone off-list had one. I'll work with that before I see if I might need another one. Thank you for all of the offers, especially "JM" who I was going to contact really soon. I am readying v0.6 for iOS to be submitted Tuesday (tomorrow) - I thought it was going to be a map and bug maintenance update, but I was able to throw in some new features as well. More details on the blog.

After issuing this update, I will crack down on getting an Android version out the door. By the way, initially, the Android version will only be sold in the Amazon App Store - read why here. If you want it then, you will have to download the Amazon App Store app from Google Play and then follow its instructions on how to allow it to install apps.

This is your last chance to get suggested points of interest into the app. If you've suggested something before and they are not in, that means it's not the right time. I have some ideas for how to incorporate some of the suggestions in a new feature, but that's long term. You can see current POIs on this page. Bike shops are not listed as I have a different strategy for what to do (as you might guess, it involves attempting to sell them a spot). 

Permalink Reply by william on January 7, 2013 at 8:12am
can you upload the .apk somewhere for those that know how to install unknown sources but have no interest in using the amazon store? a simple public dropbox link would be easy enough.

also, why the 50mb+ size? thats massive.
Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on January 7, 2013 at 8:42am

I would need a way to charge for this and protect the app from being pirated. 

The app is ~85 MB because the entire map is stored in the device. It used to be 150+ MB until I figured out how to compress the map tile images. The app's prominent feature is that it's "offline": a large majority of features work without an active data connection. 

william said:

can you upload the .apk somewhere for those that know how to install unknown sources but have no interest in using the amazon store? a simple public dropbox link would be easy enough.

also, why the 50mb+ size? thats massive.
Permalink Reply by william on January 7, 2013 at 9:36am
10 4
looking forward to the android version.
Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on January 13, 2013 at 6:43pm

New feature to be included: geotagged photos based on where you're located.

With this new feature, and some basic weather notifications, I am delaying the publication of version 0.6. The map tiles have been updated but I am now working out the bugs of the photos and weather features, as well as finalizing the points of interest. 

In the future, I will be considering ways to not have to issue "app store" updates but be able to update certain parts of the app from the web (while still maintaining the "offline" aspect that was the basis for developing the app originally). 

Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on February 4, 2013 at 10:01am

So, Android update: I had to give back the Android device I had. Still not ready to get another one to test. I got a new computer so some processes can happen a little faster. 

The app is on sale for 50% off right now until I issue the next version. Read the blog for some new features. I've tested routing, but it's not going to be ready for primetime. 

Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on April 12, 2013 at 10:23am

Version 0.6 is out. It has the following changes:

  • Routing: Get a visual indicator on which path to take to your destination. In beta.
  • Updated map: Now retina compatible; includes the latest bike lanes; adds streets with sharrows and identifies the Boulevards' service drives as "slow streets"; new icons. 
  • Flickr integration: See #bikeCHI photos that were taken near you.
  • Enhanced Twitter integration: shows photos in the tweet.
  • Blogs: Read updates from Lawyer Jim Freeman (an app sponsor), and the official app blog.
  • Discussion threads from The Chainlink
  • Upcoming events from The Chainlink
  • Find Fuel: Lists highly rated taquerias to keep your Miles Per Burrito up. 
  • Updated points of interest, which now includes Amtrak, Greyhound, and Megabus stations.
  • Map displays bike rental locations and contact information
  • Enhancements to Theft Prevention and DIY Repair Stand pages
  • Two-day, simple weather forecast

Download or buy now.

I have some bad news for Android users: I have no timeline for an Android version. I would welcome any assistance from Android app developers (who want to donate their time or get some token payment). I have been spending time on developing features over developing the Android version. It's likely just a hump I need to get over as the codebase is 99% the same. 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 12, 2013 at 10:51am

While I don't really need this app for my Android (Gmaps works pretty well and I don't have an issue with bandwidth for the rest of that stuff) the one thing that looks REALLY cool that I wish I could get is a decent mobile interface to The Chainlink.  

It's been ages since the mobile versions of this site were deactivated and I really miss them.   

That one feature of this iApp makes me iWant to go iBuy another iPhone again (iAlmost) -but then...iNot. 

Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on April 12, 2013 at 11:30am

The app has evolved beyond a Map to become a Guide. It helps you see what's going on in the bicycling community in Chicago. Check out these screenshots to see the new features in action.

James BlackHeron said:

While I don't really need this app for my Android (Gmaps works pretty well and I don't have an issue with bandwidth for the rest of that stuff) the one thing that looks REALLY cool that I wish I could get is a decent mobile interface to The Chainlink.  

It's been ages since the mobile versions of this site were deactivated and I really miss them.   

That one feature of this iApp makes me iWant to go iBuy another iPhone again (iAlmost) -but then...iNot. 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 12, 2013 at 1:11pm

I agree that this app has a TON of great functions within it and I can see why you didn't want to do the buttload of work it would take to get all of that stuff ported over to Android.  Android is also funny with their store I heard and many iPhone developers have not wanted to port their stuff over because of differences in the way they do things.

But I still say the killer function of this app, beyond the offline bike maps, is the mobile gateways to this site.   I get very frustrated with the way this website is rendered onto my Nexus 4.  The device is powerful enough but it is super wasteful and everything is so tiny and wide-screen that I need to do a ton of zooming in and out to do anything, especially when trying to click on anything specific. 

Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on April 12, 2013 at 1:30pm

The way that Ning sets up the RSS feeds, it truncates them. My app shows the truncated RSS feed for discussions. I'm not even sure if it's showing the discussions with the most recently added replies, or the discussions that were most recently added (I think it's the former, but the Ning RSS feeds are not very good). 

When you tap on a discussion thread in my app, you are immediately taken to Safari. So the mobile view isn't there because Ning just doesn't make the raw data available. 


James BlackHeron said:

But I still say the killer function of this app, beyond the offline bike maps, is the mobile gateways to this site.   I get very frustrated with the way this website is rendered onto my Nexus 4.  The device is powerful enough but it is super wasteful and everything is so tiny and wide-screen that I need to do a ton of zooming in and out to do anything, especially when trying to click on anything specific. 

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