I've never traveled to another city on my bike. But if you were to do that, how would you find your way?

If you use google maps, is it a pain to have to look at the directions every once in a while to make sure you're on the right path?

Hmmm,
A good old fashioned road map always works, is lightweight and requires now power, sat links, cellular towers, etc..... Laminate it or waterproof it, use a grease pencil to mark on it. Have always worked for me.

Of course you could use GPS, or print out route maps before you go.

Then again, you could just take off in the general direction, and use a form of 'dead reckoning', reading the signs and talking to folks along the way.

Happy Travels,

Joe

If it's a city surrounding where you live then you should be able to find your way without looking at maps, I would hope...

I'm thinking you meant to put this in the commuting forum, or touring.

A GPS is a good way to do this; it finds the route and tells you when to turn. Though on a long ride battery life can be an issue.

Barring that, carry maps. They get harder and harder to find, but they are the best thing.

I'm with Joe. I phone ahead to the county seat of each county through which I'll pass, to the chamber of commerce or county welcome center, etc. I request a county road map and any other literature they's like to send for a bike tourer who will be passing through. Amazing what you receive.

How far apart are these two cities? Which/where are they?

Anyhow, I prefer paper. It works from sunrise to sundown without batteries.

Google maps has a feature where you can get directions and choose whether traveling by auto, bike or foot. That is where I would start. Also, check the bikely.com website. They post routes provided by cyclists, so they are generally on roads that are safer and more suitable for cycling.

I was trying to figure out a route from Raleigh, NC (where I live), to the coast in the spring sticking to back roads. I used Google maps in bicycling view to find a good route and then transferred the turns to a cue sheet.

Moved from C&V to Commuting.

Got an apt on Sect 8, in the nearest town 12 miles away,
[in main city wait list was several Years]
so I rode the rural road between the 2 , an Hour each way..

already knew the way.. Route was quiet at Dinner time on the road home.

GPS all the way. Backup.... cue sheet and cue sheet holder.

I don't like using GPS, myself, because I don't learn the layout of new areas very well with the device.

The alternative method: use Google maps to see the route to your destination and the details of the area around your destination. Then, as best you can, draw the route freehand on a regular piece of paper from memory, without looking at the Google map. Include landmarks, important cross roads, rough distances, etc. Then compare the drawing to the original. Then repeat until you can produce the route map from memory without error.

Even on complicated trips you should be able to this with only two or three drawings at most. It doesn't take very long to do.

You will remember the route this way. You will also have a very good sense of where you are all along the way, and, if you take a wrong turn, you will be able to figure out how to right yourself. Better still, the next time you take a trip to somewhere near the destination, you'll be able to navigate in that area from a mental map. With most trips, you shouldn't even have to take a paper map with you.

I do it this way with car, motorcycle, and bicycle. I much prefer it to using GPS.

GPS has one big advantage, in that you can use it find businesses or destinations of a certain kind in a strange area. Even if you have a GPS with you, in case you need to look for unexpected places along the way, you can always leave it off until you need it.

Any chance you have an Android phone? For rides through unfamiliar urban areas, I sometimes use the Google Navigation app. The same app that you'd use in a car, and listen to the spoken directions. What I do is plug in headphones, put the phone in a pocket, and ride. With headphones you can hear the GPS directions perfectly clearly, and you can still hear street sounds around you. It's a great way to have a little voice in your ear helping you navigate, without having to stop to look at a map. Do it this way once, and you'll learn the route pretty quickly. It'll even recalculate the route if you take a wrong turn.

I'm sure there's a similar app for iPhone..

I don't have a smart phone or an android. I'll carry a GPS with me just in case. My primary concern is that I don't know the trails I'm looking for. With driving it's easy; just memorize the exit and a couple of turns and you're there. With the bike route, there's a whole list of trails and roads being linked together, and I think it would be really easy to miss a turn and lose yourself. But if it's not a concern to you guys, then I think I can handle it.

You may wish to do some research on randonneuring. Depending on whether or not you know exactly where you want to go, you might be able to make yourself a cue sheet and stick it on top of a handlebar bag. Of course, it would always be a good idea to bring a map, no matter what other methods you may wish to employ.

What I do is look at Google maps, choose a route I am comfortable with, and then print it. I could use the GPS on the phone, but I find it easier to whip out a piece of paper while riding. I take the rural roads to the cities because there is hardly any traffic on them, but the routes are not as direct nor as straight as hiways. I make mental notes of what roads will be coming up for each mile to make sure I'm on the right path.

If you are confused, check with the sun. carry a compass to help you along...

our bike paths are really well labeled ...



but, if that doesn't work ... most people use a handlebar bag with map exposed map holder ...

https://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Handle.../dp/B0013CXFN8

to be honest, i never see GPS and most non-long distance tourers (less than 1000km) find them overkill