Hai All,

I am Trying to develop a Bicycle map for a region. I would like to know the " Bicyclist view on a Bicycle map" with respect to
1.what contents the map should have?
2. What all information you expect out of a bicycle map?
3. How detail the map should be?
4. how the routes are to be classified ?(suitiblity for riding/Average Daily Traffic/pavement,width conditions etc
5. any other suggestions/comments..

your opinions and suggestions will be of great use while planning the content of the map.

Thank you,
lokesh

Show all the roads and trails along with suggested routes. You don't have to show traffic for every road or wtreet--just identify the super busy ones. Show location of bathrooms and drinking fountains. Send for copies of bicycle maps from other cities or regions to see how it's done.

Show spot heights so someone using the map to plan a trip can choose the flattest route..... good if you have a group with young kids/newbies/unfit/overweight people that struggle with hillclimbing.

You can get all your spot heights and contours & gradients from topo maps

Check out njbikemap.com for some ideas.

In order of preference:

1. Mark greenspace and parks: I choose my route primarily on scenery, I bike commute for my physical _and_ mental health. Also it is sometimes convienient to short cut through parks and open space.

2. Mark locations of LBS's: In my city its not a big deal there are only two. But some of you gots lots!

3. Give suggestions as to best crossing points over rivers and highways: The hardest part of planning my commute was finding the safest way across a gulch and a freeway. The first few rides were a series of experiments of the best combinations of crossing points. I had a very scary experience on a bridge that turned out to be both longer and narrower than it appeared in a car.

4. Mileage on the major trails and routes. or a table with distances between landmarks.

5. Phone numbers of cab companies somewhere on the back.

6. A copy of the local bicycle laws from the Motor Vehicle code. (small print)

7. Locations of Bars

Some great advice so far in this thread. A pretty good example of a bike map can be seen online at the Greater Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition website.

Nice objective- good luck with it!

1. Contents: roads (and names) and multi-use paths, through routes, connections, mass-transit routes
2. Information: service opportuities (human and mechanical), parks, biker friendly areas, preferred routes
3. Detail: point to point distance with starting and ending points clearly marked; elevations at each start/end point; wind tunnels;
4. Classification for routes: Sure- though I don't know how you would do this. Ummm- maybe qualified trail type or condition (good surface MUUP, bad surface 2 lane road, etc.) Remember, however, that "easy" to a pro rider will not probably seem easy to a novice, or even a novice/intermediate. We have some resort trails out here in Colorado that are marked "easy", and have 18" drops on them on hairpin corners. Not easy for anyonoe but a very experienced rider.
5. Other- refuge locations, areas that are not bike-friendly, qualities that make a trail particularly fun or enjoyable- Include the good with the bad.

To be frank, I'd organize it somewhat differently- contents and information seem like they might overlap too much. Could you explain in greater detail how you broke out your categories?

Some repeat suggestions by othres.


Show all roads in background with the bike routes highlighted.

Differentiate by colors all trails, roads with bike lanes, bikes on sidewalks, roads with shoulders, low traffic roads, and other bike roads that might require more skill or attention from the rider.

Also show roads that bikes are not permitted on, and maybe the roads too dangerous to bike and special hazzards.

Green halftone background for parks, greenspaces, schools, etc.

Landmarks: downtowns, shopping centers, libraries, hospitals, museums, beaches, water, scenic overlooks, etc. Maybe use a grey halftone for commercial areas and blue halftone for water.

Toilets and water available on route.

If you are selling advertising, bike shops, taxi, restaurants and stores.

Some way of indicating hills and steep grades. Maybe using < for a mild grade, <<<< for a steep one.

Local bike regulations in a side bar.

Emergency contact numbers for local police, rescue, hospitals.

Give official, and even unofficial names for the bike routes.

Location of mileage makers on major trails. Some mark for mileage on other routes. Perhaps a dot on the line indicating the trail.

Include the date that the map information was last verified. I hate maps that I can't find out how old the info is.



Will the map be on-line or paper?

Maryland has a nice free map that you can have mailed to you.

https://www.sha.state.md.us/SHAServic.../OPPE/maps.asp

It has a color code to indicate things like shoulder width and whether average daily traffic (ADT) is less than 2000 cars. The other side describes all the major MUP's.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Also
Considering a state as an example for the region, is it advantageous to have a single map with all bike trails and multiuse paths on it or having post card size sheets for every individual trails with riding directions printed??

lokesh

Buy a Rubel bike map and see all the things they have put on their bike maps, they are very nice. They seem to have everything you would need. They make the best bike maps I have seen.

When picthing you ad sales sphell to restraunts, target those with bike racks. I've been going rounds with an IHOP on a bike path that won't put out a bike rack.