Apps, maps, websites and resources for planning your rides

We're working on an article about apps, websites, and resources for planning routes and rides. Do you have any favorites that should be added to our list? Thanks!!

Update: To be a little more specific, this could be an app like the Wisconsin parks app that gives you the state trails in Wisconsin. Or a website that has routes and rides on it. They tend to be state or region based tools. The U.S.-wide one I do use is the trip planning tool with Map My Ride. It's overwhelming how many routes and choices you have but it's pretty awesome for planning a ride and you can download turn-by-turn directions onto your Garmin if it has that functionality.

I'm not thinking of the tools you may use to record your ride e.g. bike computers like Garmin. Hope that helps!

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Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on August 9, 2016 at 4:47am

ha! :-) That's a great answer. Hopefully this exercise will bring more tools into the mix for people coming to Chainlink. I'll be expanding the resources section to include these tools. Thanks!! :-)

Permalink Reply by David Barish on August 9, 2016 at 5:03am

I have a Suunto watch so  I create routes in  http://www.movescount.com/?home.  If I want others  to see the route I will export it to Strava via http://labs.strava.com/gpx-to-route/#12/-122.44503/37.73651

The route imported to Strava can be seen as a cue sheet using the print command. For example https://www.strava.com/routes/5036037/cue_sheet. I like this feature of Strava allowing somebody to print out a cue sheet.  Of course, EBC uses the same site Serge uses, Ride with GPS, but I have not taken the time to figure out how to get my routes seen there.  I think its more lazy than rebel.

Permalink Reply by Tom Z on August 9, 2016 at 5:48pm

Google Maps is great!

I also use Ride with GPS to plan routes.

Permalink Reply by Tiberculosis on August 10, 2016 at 3:52am

I like http://www.singletracks.com/ for mountain bike trails. Last year we were going on a road trip and this was useful for finding trails near us. Site allows comments on trails, ranks difficult, miles and elevation. 

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on August 10, 2016 at 4:43am

Oooooh, thanks! I need to check this out. 

Permalink Reply by Tom Z on August 10, 2016 at 5:21am

Trail Link is another great resource for Rails-to-Trails.  You can see maps and read comments.

http://www.traillink.com/

Permalink Reply by Mike Schwab on August 11, 2016 at 4:28am

Strava Heat Map.  Shows where people actually ride with GPSs, so hopefully these are better routes.  You might find some routes that just don't show up on maps.

http://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#15/-87.62526/41.86219/blue/bike

Permalink Reply by Shawn A Conley on August 11, 2016 at 4:39am

ridewithgps.com is king, IMHO.  It's route mapping tool is far superior to mapmyride, strava, and garmin to me.  I use it to do routes, you can share those routes in a group (admittedly, the site is not as popular as others so fewer people may see it), you can upload them to your garmin so that you can follow them from your computer, it's forgiving if you make a mistake, you can plot POI, rest stops, bike shops, etc., along your route.  

Here is an example of a route that the Major Taylor Chicago club uses.  It's the short route from Gary, IN to Michigan City.  We use it for those who don't want to ride all the way from the city, but want to go out to Michigan City with us.  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/15467336

Permalink Reply by mike w. on August 11, 2016 at 4:48am

i'm liking this:

www.plotaroute.com

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on August 13, 2016 at 8:46am

Just going to leave this State and City bike maps from Ride Illinois link here:

http://rideillinois.org/maps/state-and-city-bike-maps/

Permalink Reply by Larry Mysz on August 13, 2016 at 10:01am

I use a mix of resources for planning trips, including state and county maps, USBR routes, Adventure Cycling routes, Google Maps, Strava Heat Map, and RideWithGPS .    The paper maps and Google Maps are good for an overview of roads and trails, as well as for locating services, like convenience stores, hotels or camp sites.  Strava Heat map (http://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#7/-88.90686/40.78054/blue/bike ) is good for finding routes the locals use in an area.  

Then, finally, I map out the daily routes and print cue sheets on RideWithGPS.

Permalink Reply by Tiberculosis on August 16, 2016 at 3:30am

HOT OFF THE PRESS...from one of the folks behind Axletree, Gravel Metric, North Central Cyclery

https://www.blackriver.cc/

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