Ride With GPS
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,690
Bikes: Giant Propel, Cannondale SuperX, Univega Alpina Ultima
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 672 Post(s)
Liked 417 Times
in
249 Posts
Ride With GPS
I'm a big fan of tracking and gadgets, so I use my Garmin and log all my rides on Strava and Map My Ride, and have lately been playing with Ride with GPS.
While the differences between Strava and Map My Ride make each of them suitable for specific uses (Strava for competition and social riding, Map My Ride to give my wife live tracking when I'm riding solo), I haven't yet found anything that Ride With GPS does that one or both the other apps don't do as well or better. I've read people brag on Ride With GPS's mapping abilities, but in the current version, all threee apps seem to have essentially the same tools (with the same strengths and weaknesses)
So - Ride With GPS fans, what am I missing out on? Are there features I'm missing out on?
On a semi-related note - is there a mapping service that can distinguish between gravel and paved roads? I get tired of having to zoom in to sattelite views to plan rides that won't put me riding my road bike on gravel in rural areas.
BB
While the differences between Strava and Map My Ride make each of them suitable for specific uses (Strava for competition and social riding, Map My Ride to give my wife live tracking when I'm riding solo), I haven't yet found anything that Ride With GPS does that one or both the other apps don't do as well or better. I've read people brag on Ride With GPS's mapping abilities, but in the current version, all threee apps seem to have essentially the same tools (with the same strengths and weaknesses)
So - Ride With GPS fans, what am I missing out on? Are there features I'm missing out on?
On a semi-related note - is there a mapping service that can distinguish between gravel and paved roads? I get tired of having to zoom in to sattelite views to plan rides that won't put me riding my road bike on gravel in rural areas.
BB
__________________
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Northern California
Posts: 10,879
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 104 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
I use RideWithGPS for planning new rides. It is very fast and lightweight and you can share your maps with friends that do not have accounts. I gave up on MapMyRide because the web site was so sluggish and they started restricting important features to people with paying accounts.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 8,951
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
12 Posts
I use RideWithGPS for planning new rides. It is very fast and lightweight and you can share your maps with friends that do not have accounts. I gave up on MapMyRide because the web site was so sluggish and they started restricting important features to people with paying accounts.
In the past, I've done this on my android phone using a USB OTG adapter to connect a mouse to facilitate laying out the routs and to transfer files to/from my Garmin. A few months ago they screwed up the site so it no longer displays properly on the phone. They've said they are going to fix it, but haven't yet.
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,690
Bikes: Giant Propel, Cannondale SuperX, Univega Alpina Ultima
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 672 Post(s)
Liked 417 Times
in
249 Posts
FWIW, I have paid accounts on RWGPS, MMR, and Strava. In my opinion, the mapping features are so close to identical on each of them that mapping isn't a reason to prefer one over the other.
BB
BB
__________________
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
#5
Senior Member
I started with Mapmyride, then went to RWGPS because it was a better platform at the time. They have seemed to leapfrog each other over time, but I stick with RWGPS because the UI is familiar. I use Strava to record rides and it has the best social networking features, but its planning function is, surprisingly, very week, as to be unusable.
All of these access public databases put up by local agencies, like city and county road and highway departments. The road data for the US is managed by the U.S. Census bureau. That is were the problem lies. The data is mostly pretty good, but there are glitches, and MMR, and RWGPS really have no control over that.
All of these access public databases put up by local agencies, like city and county road and highway departments. The road data for the US is managed by the U.S. Census bureau. That is were the problem lies. The data is mostly pretty good, but there are glitches, and MMR, and RWGPS really have no control over that.
Last edited by CommuteCommando; 12-18-13 at 02:23 PM.
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,690
Bikes: Giant Propel, Cannondale SuperX, Univega Alpina Ultima
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 672 Post(s)
Liked 417 Times
in
249 Posts
I started with Mapmyride, then went to RWGPS because it was a better platform at the time. They have seemed to leapfrog each other over time, but I stick with RWGPS because the UI is familiar. I use Strava to record rides and it has the best social networking features, but its planning function is, surprisingly, very week, as to be unusable.
BB
__________________
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC, duh Bronx.
Posts: 3,578
Bikes: Salsa Ti Warbird- 2014/ November RAIL52s
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 67 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I really like the mapping with MapMyRide... when drawing routes it autoplots much more accurately to bike paths and such with minimal manual fuss. Strava is awful in this regard...
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 8,951
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
12 Posts
FWIW: I used to use MMR, but about a year ago or so they started generating gpx files with way to many trackpoints that took way too long to load or would crash on my Garmin. I could still use their files by running them through TCX converter and limiting the trackpoints to something reasonable, like 2000 or less. Except for that, MMR is good.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 198
Bikes: BH RC1, Bianchi Volpe, Orbea Avant
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I just tried Strava's route feature for the first time. I really like their UI. I think the UI is better than MapMyRide, however Strava is not nearly as good at auto-routing. In many places I would click a bike path and it would take me down the road rather than the path. Another feature I like with MapMyRide is I can create a route then use my iPhone on the ride to see where I am on that route. It doesn't look like Strava has that feature yet. Does RideWithGPS? I hope Strave improves the routing. I will say, one annoyance MapMyRide on the iPhone is if I delete a route from the web site it doesn't delete from my phone.
#10
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,387
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,687 Times
in
2,510 Posts
Strava's autorouting defaults to using the route ridden by others. There is a slider that makes it less dependant on that. RWGPS also has problems with bike paths, but I think they inherit that from google
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,690
Bikes: Giant Propel, Cannondale SuperX, Univega Alpina Ultima
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 672 Post(s)
Liked 417 Times
in
249 Posts
Did you go into the map settings and turn on the "use bike paths" option?
__________________
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
#12
Si Senior
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Naperville, Illinois
Posts: 2,669
Bikes: Too Numerous (not)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 23 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times
in
8 Posts
The biggie for me with RWGPS is sharing the routes for free to a larger group. If that's just as easy with the others I would consider trying them.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 13,443
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4225 Post(s)
Liked 2,945 Times
in
1,804 Posts
So, as someone who is new to an area and new to riding with a GPS device, is there one service (preferably the free version) that anyone would recommend to me to help me get out and explore the area finding good routes to ride (ie not dropping me on highways)?
__________________
Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),1990 Concorde Aquila(hit by car while riding), others in build queue "when I get the time"
Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 8,951
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
12 Posts
On all the major cycling mapping sites you can search for routes done by other riders per locale, distance, etc... Also, the LBSs will have rides or recommended routes. I'd suggest doing a few of those to get the lay of the land and then start exploring on your own. Lay out your own routes and go ride them. That's basically what I do.
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,690
Bikes: Giant Propel, Cannondale SuperX, Univega Alpina Ultima
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 672 Post(s)
Liked 417 Times
in
249 Posts
They will all let you export to various formats, and they all have groups and clubs that will allow you to share routes and rides.
__________________
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
#16
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,690
Bikes: Giant Propel, Cannondale SuperX, Univega Alpina Ultima
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 672 Post(s)
Liked 417 Times
in
249 Posts
Best bet is to check out each of them and see which one is most popular in your area.
__________________
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 198
Bikes: BH RC1, Bianchi Volpe, Orbea Avant
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I did set it to use bike paths and also tried it with "Use Popular" turned off, though in this case the path I was trying to route is very popular. Map My Ride routes on this path correctly. I'm still going to fiddle with it a bit more. I definitely feel the Strava user interface is better. From a UI perspective I think Strava > Map My Ride > RWGPS.
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 198
Bikes: BH RC1, Bianchi Volpe, Orbea Avant
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Mapping with Strava
Here is an example where I cannot get Strava to route onto the bike path. This is a location in Seattle. I am able to easily route onto this bike path using MapMyRide. If they can fix this issue on Strava and provide a means for viewing the route on an iPhone while also showing your current location then I would switch over from MayMyRide.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 8,951
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
12 Posts
Yes. I find STRAVA routing to be funky. I just tried your route in Strava and couldn't get it to work either, but on RWGPS it routed onto and followed the bike path without issue.
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 198
Bikes: BH RC1, Bianchi Volpe, Orbea Avant
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks for testing the route. I'm glad it's not just me. I too can get it to work on RWGPS. For now it's RWGPS or MMR for me. Strava's routing is in beta now so hopefully it improves.
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 297
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Here is an example where I cannot get Strava to route onto the bike path. This is a location in Seattle. I am able to easily route onto this bike path using MapMyRide. If they can fix this issue on Strava and provide a means for viewing the route on an iPhone while also showing your current location then I would switch over from MayMyRide.
#22
Senior Member
Keep in mind that satellite and street view imagery may be out of date.
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 198
Bikes: BH RC1, Bianchi Volpe, Orbea Avant
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
To address the original post, what I typically do if I want to travel a new route is first get a sense of where I want to go, then, similar to what CommuteCommando said, I use several tools to plan a route:
- Use google maps with the bicycle overlay to identify bike paths, lanes, or suggested routes. Or, I'll do this in MapMyRide since it has the bicycle overlay.
- Once I narrow down a few options I will sometimes use Google satellite view and street view in areas that could be troublesome to determine if I'm comfortable with a particular section of the route.
- Once I have it mapped out in MapMyRide I save the route. Then on my ride I open the route on my iPhone and it shows the map, my route, and where I am. It doesn't provide turn by turn, but it gets the job done.
#24
Senior Member
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 8,951
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
12 Posts
I'm over 60, riding for over 40 years, and though not reliant on it, I find it very advantageous. I can lay out a new route and go out and hammer without slowing/stopping to deal with navigation. It also depends on where I ride. Living out West, routes were simple. A quick look at that map or route sheet beforehand and I was good to go. In the Northeast, routes can get very complicated with all the twisty short little roads. For example, the second ride I did here has 27 turns and different roads in 25 miles. It certainly would be less problematic for a native familiar with the area but as a newcomer I could spend more time navigating than pedaling.
Last edited by Looigi; 12-20-13 at 12:33 PM.