Hello,
Long time rider, first time poster.
I've just picked up a second-hand Levo Turbo and am raring to go. I've been out of riding for a while and recently moved so am in an area don't know too well but am surrounded by countryside to explore. I am keen to pick up a Garmin but am unsure of the best app/mapping website to use to create rides on bridleways/green lanes/byways/cycle routes.
What maps apps are people using alongside their Garmin (or other navigation unit)? Are there some that are clearly better than others?
Looking to create new rides with a focus on just covering distance and seeing views (too old for serious speed or air!).
Cheers!
I use OS maps. Yes its paid for. But it is the best mapping system if your target is "bridleways/green lanes/byways/cycle routes". You'll then while out riding also have the route available on your phone on the OS app as a backup and with better mapping than displayed on your garmin.
I find the creating routes feature intuitive and fairly easy to use.
And its simple to then export that ride to your garmin via the (free) garmin connect app.
I don't rate the garmin connect app for the creation of routes.
Some people like the mapping features of strava (although I think practically you need the paid for "pro" version to make good use of it) for planning routes based on segments and heat maps as well as "stealing" routes that others have done. May be more useful if you are looking for trails that are not rights-of-way but are tolerated/accepted.
Komoot. Used it for years for MTB, gravel, hiking and motorbiking. No problems. I run it on a phone.
OS Maps for me. Plan the route in that, send it to my watch via Connect. But I also use a combination of Komoot, Strava, Trailforks and this place for actually figuring out where to go...
I use Outdooractive with a lifetime OS subscription for the whole UK that they were selling cheaply several years ago, and probably the main reason I haven't explored other options for a while.
Plotting routes on an ipad with apple pencil is easy (quite good fun, actually), then the export to Garmin is a bit fiddly but fine once you've reminded yourself of the various steps (which are basically GPX > Outdooractive cloud > Laptop > connected Garmin in the correct folder/file location).
So I don't know how this compares to other products but it's what I use, it works.
Another option. I use Ridewithgps , just the free version. There are a variety of base maps, though not OS, and route plotting is simple. You can link your account to Garmin and automatically sync the routes to most Garmin devices. No need to go via Garmin Connect.
A disadvantage for me is that it's hard to differentiate footpaths from Bridleways (or even paths that are RoW with those that arent). So I tend to also check OS paper maps when planning (or free OS tools like Wheresthepath). An advantage over OS maps is that I can easily use Ridewithgps when in the Alps etc.
I dont have Strava Premium and have struggled to link Strava Routes with Garmin Courses via Connect. But I do use the Strava Global heatmap occasionally for inspiration.
And as said above, I would rather stick pins in my eyes than plot a route using Garmin Connect....
I've never used Komoot - I might be wrong, but dont you have to 'buy' specific geographic areas?
Yet anotherOS user. I used to have outdoor active but after the take over it didn’t seem as good. OS is the only app I actually pay for because it’s still way cheaper than buying a Garmin. Friends with Garmins faff with them a lot more than I faff with my phone!
Levo owner here too.
Garmin edge explore on a stem mount and synced with the Levo to show battery percentage power mode and to collect rider/bike power and HRM from my Epix.
The garmin has mapping from https://www.openfietsmap.nl/
I use komoot to transfer and find routes and often import them into the OS maps app for a better understanding of the route. On a ride ill often use backcountrynavigator as it displays OS maps for "quick checks" in a clearer way than even the official OS app does.
Generally if I’m going to a new area and looking for a route to follow, I search Strava segments for something in the area that looks good (usually a interesting segment name and the steepest -elevation %), then search the “This Year” and/or “following” leaderboard, and download a route from there, otherwise I use Plotaroute to create routes, using Strava heatmaps and Trailforks as a guide.
Thanks everyone. Feels like OS is the way to go.
Also have an iPad with pencil so looking forward to trying that.
Cheers!
Phone with OS maps on when off road. But you do need to plan your own routes carefully. It shows everything you need.
Cyclestreets when on road / easy gravel routes. It's pretty good at plotting routes too.
Komoot: I find it dominated by visitors to an area (therefore know nothing of the best or even safe routes) or AI/auto route generated by Komoot (therefore informed by the uninformed visitors and crapness). It's tried to send me on some lethal routes, refused to believe you can cycle roads on Orkney islands, and suggested unrideable routes at times. Just. Say. No.
Komoot. Used it for years for MTB, gravel, hiking and motorbiking. No problems. I run it on a phone.
Since it was taken over by bending spoons i think komoot is £5 a week or £60 per year.
I have a Garmin 840. It does the job. If you just want to navigation an explore 2 might be better value. My Hammerhead Karoo 2 was nicer to use. But i lost 2 units too melted charger ports, so i lost faith. The navigation experience is actually better on my watch than my 840, other than the watch being on my wrist. This clearly makes no sense
i route plan mainly in os maps. Some times i get ideas from komoot, but i paid for maps pre take over. The heat map in strava paid for is excellent for seeing where people actually ride.
Worth looking at your local council as they often have the official maps of the local bridleways and more that are free and I tend to use them a lot for planning a route. Half a map on Komoot (tried OS but didn't work as well for me) and half a screen of council map and plot route.
Great way to explore! My local council even have some MTB routes on the website (!) that are not that bad and a good start to expand from if you download their GPX into whatever editor you choose.
Head unit wise I use a Garmin 830 on a long out front mount to clear my light mount in winter.
James
Combination of OS, ride with GPS and a coros Dura
My requirements are same as yours - exploring for views and giggles - I use OutdoorActive (Pro membership level) for the mapping/route creation - this then syncs "by magic" straight into my Garmin Edge Explore 2 where I can select the route/course when ready to ride.
I use a Garmin 830, which is OK-ish download maps from Komoot (which is also no better than OK, IMO) If I'm going somewhere new I also carry OS either on phone or physical
The thing I hate about the Garmin more than anything else [that it may or may do to piss me off at any given moment] is the fact that it uses "Make A U-Turn" as both a valid direction indication and also it's notice that you've made a mistake and gone off course. There have been a couple of occasion where I've said very bad things indeed about both the developer and whoever passed that off as OK, as clearly they don't actually use the device to navigate with.
Feels better to have got that off my chest.
The thing I hate about the Garmin more than anything else [that it may or may do to piss me off at any given moment] is the fact that it uses "Make A U-Turn" as both a valid direction indication and also it's notice that you've made a mistake and gone off course. There have been a couple of occasion where I've said very bad things indeed about both the developer and whoever passed that off as OK, as clearly they don't actually use the device to navigate with.
That is a truly terrible bit of user interface - it's particularly bad on Alpine climbs with lots of hairpins because it gets to the bend and tells you to make a U-turn but it also gets confused with where you are on steep gradients (think the kind of stacked curves on something like Stelvio) where it can't tell if you're travelling the right way so the thing is constantly telling you to make a U-turn. Stupid bit of design!
Anyway, back the OP, I just use a Garmin Edge Explore 2 (with the supplied basemaps) and plot routes in Strava. Very rarely have any issues with that.
When Komoot launched, they were sponsoring all sorts of route guides in magazines and online, trying to get their name out there and I have never found such a stupid navigation system. Thankfully, after an initial raft of sign-ups and clubs etc trying to use it, everyone seems to have gone back to something that works. Komoot is another terrible bit of design and user interface - most of its stuff now seems to be AI-generated.
Map my ride is quite good, and we've used it for bike packing routes. On the bike I have an Edge Explore - never let me down, other than battery life isn't the longest, so I have a small battery bank to keep it charged. The Explore 2 has a much better battery.
I use a Garmin 530 and plotaroute.com
They all use the same underlying OpenMap data apart from OS of course, but that's only UK. I like plotaroute.com and pay the £20 subscription because they have the best route adjustment and editing tools I have found.
VeloPlanner on my iPhone has come in very handy for me on a bikepacking trip. The free version allows you import your GPX route then you can turn on all the things you want to see along it, like grocery stores, camp sites, booking.com places, shelters, water points etc.
To create a new route in the middle of the day say, I use MapOut which has excellent offline downloadable map tiles, then share it to Garmin Connect and resync my 530 to get the route to appear on it.
and I have never found such a stupid navigation system.
You either let Komoot do it all for you, or you spend 'some' time guiding it extremely carefully with 'quite a lot' of way points to stop it making decisions (often very stupid ones) about where it thinks you should go. It can be an exercise in frustration fo'shure.
I bought lifetime mapping for Komoot when I started using it years ago. I think it was about £25. I wouldn't want to pay a monthly or yearly subscription for anything like that.
I quite like Calimoto for motorbike routing, but no way am I paying a subscription for it. It's Copilot for the motorbike and car, again bought the maps years ago.
Outdooractive with a subscription and some earbuds. No need for clutter on the bars as it has voice guidance. You do need your phone accessible for when it decides you're off route. 'The route is 50 metres to the left'. No it isn't you muppet 😁.
It depends on what type of ride you want, but either way, I usually start with Strava heat maps to find out where the stuff that's definitely worth riding is (because you know it's frequently used)
Or as Jimmy says above, pinch a local fast rider's loop from a popular segment that's been done recently.
Note that there's often stuff that's worth riding that isn't on the heat maps at all, or it's feint compared to the main trails. This is the type of stuff I'd explore on maybe my second or third ride in an area.
Anything that's just purely map-based with no heat maps of what actually gets ridden, is likely to miss the best stuff. What's drawn on the map often doesn't relate to what's on the ground, so you could end up grinding up a beautiful technical single-track descent, only to then descend on a tarmac road
Gen 2 Levo and Garmin 1030 here and OpenMTB map downloads. Have a look for the garmin ebike app as it will give some more accurate data on the "ee-ness"of your bike: battery %, range etc etc. quite useful. Best thing about an ebike and exploring is you can dive off down trails and if they are dead ends, well, just turn around and wizz back again.
Komoot. Used it for years for MTB, gravel, hiking and motorbiking. No problems. I run it on a phone.
Since it was taken over by bending spoons i think komoot is £5 a week or £60 per year.
I have a Garmin 840. It does the job. If you just want to navigation an explore 2 might be better value. My Hammerhead Karoo 2 was nicer to use. But i lost 2 units too melted charger ports, so i lost faith. The navigation experience is actually better on my watch than my 840, other than the watch being on my wrist. This clearly makes no sense
i route plan mainly in os maps. Some times i get ideas from komoot, but i paid for maps pre take over. The heat map in strava paid for is excellent for seeing where people actually ride.
I prefer my Hammerhead Karoo 2 over the Garmins,also use komoot and use the strava heat map, the issue is that stuff gets overgrown / collapse so what looks like a good ride turns out to be unused and grim,you need the heatmaps to check that your not attempting something past it’s best before date .
Mapping wise I’m not sure there’s a single winner that stands out , I still seem to have to use a few apps komoot,strava,wikiloc and look at what local riders are doing on their strav as.
I use komoot for routes. Paid for lifetime usage a few years ago.
For navigation I have been using my Samsung watch 5 pro which can connect to komoot and vibrates when there's a turn. Works well but the battery isn't as good as it was so I'm finding it doesn't last the whole route.
Currently looking to purchase an igsport bcs200 gps unit. It only shows basic navigation but I dont need anything with maps. Its £32 on aliexpress.
My tuppence'orth: I have a Garmin edge 530 which can change modes to suit CX/MTB/Road depending on how I'm feeling that day.
For bridleway and road exploration and route planning, the browser-based (free tier) Garmin software has been simple enough and unemotional to use to plan my routes and I've not felt a need to use anything more.
For trail-centre type routes and 'cheeky trails' it's a bit more hassle to use as a planning tool as it seems to base the automated route finding on what is legal rather then what is possible (which seems fair enough!).
For when I go walking or when I feel that I may need a back-up for the navigation I have the OS Maps app on my phone - and as has been said above, this is a brilliant way of showing mapping.
Edge 840. Works well. Integrates with the rest of my Garmin world, including my Fenix watch. It can take a bit of setting up, removing some of the Alerts and configuring for different cycling niches (Road, Gravel, MTB, Tour, Indoor) if you're fussy about the data you see during each. Battery life is sufficient for any all-day ride and can be supplemented by its solar panel and/or an external battery pack.
For route planning I use either Garmin Connect, Komoot or OS Maps. The latter is much better since they introduced an undocumented/unshown OpenStreetMap layer and just has that familiar Ordnance Survey look that most folk understand when I need to share a route. However, it's often missing more recent tracks and, also, updates showing which tracks are now no longer usable.
I got into Komoot when whole-world mapping was available for £20 one-off. It is the quickest of the three to show any OSM updates I make (typically with 10 days). I tend to make my own decisions in Routing so rarely use any of its recommendations.
Connect is a bit more basic than either, though they've made some recent improvements. I have my Komoot Routes synced to Connect so it's really very simple getting them onto my Edge or Fenix. Once they're in Komoot, they are automatically sent to Connect and then they're sent to my devices at the next Sync (e.g. when I power on the Edge). No intervention required.
