MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
[url= http://www.cyclestreets.net/ ]Cycle Streets[/url] and [url= http://www.openstreetmap.org/ ]OpenStreetMap/OpenCycleMap[/url] have got hold of a list of UK bike shops from the Association of Cycle Traders.
We're trying to make sure that each one appears correctly on the OpenStreetMap so that things like OpenCycleMap, CycleStreets and the [url= http://www.cyclestreets.net/mobile/ ]forthcoming CycleStreets iPhone app[/url] can show bike shops accurate on their cycle maps.
[u][b]How you can help[/b][/u]
Go to http://shaunmcdonald.dev.openstreetmap.org/bike-shop-locator/
Click the "Map" link and check out the mapping of bike shops in your local area.
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If they have already been suitably mapped then please fill in the details, otherwise please add them. (Instructions are given - it's not hard and can all be done in your internet browser).
If you need any help just reply here or email me (address in profile).
[b]Background[/b]
For those that don't know: OpenStreetMap is a community-mapping project. It is essentially the map equivalent of Wikipedia - a user-generated map that anyone can edit and is free for anyone to use (CC-by-SA license). Founded in 2004 it now has around 300,000 members worldwide.
(I'm "GrahamS" on there too if anyone wants to find me)
Jesus, that's a complicated and slow website. My LBS is on there, then when I click its name, it's not on the map any more.
Then I have to create an account?
Yeah, I'm afraid it is really aimed at folk that are already OpenStreetMap contributors.
We're used to people knocking up shonky websites and scripts just to get one particular aspect of the map correct. 🙂
It's also been posted on BikeBiz too so it might be getting hammered.
Basically the main map (as above) shows where the list from the Association of Cycle Traders says a shop [i]should[/i] be.
When you click through on the [i]"Is this bike shop on OpenStreetMap? <shop name>"[/i] it shows you the map for that area so you can check if the shop has already been mapped - so if you didn't see your shop there then it hasn't been mapped by us yet.
To map it you can join OpenStreetMap and then add the shop as per the instructions (basically double-click then add a tag "shop" with the value "bicycle".
There's a slightly better explanation of the effort here:
http://www.cyclestreets.net/blog/2010/09/10/get-all-uk-bike-shops-in-osm/
Whilst the effort sounds laudable, what's the point when you can just enter "bicycle shop near <postcode>" into Google Maps and get all the same information?
Certainly Google lists out all the ones near me accurately, along with opening times, reviews and links to their websites.
The locations on Google Maps are not very accurate IME, with quite a few shops on the wrong side of the road or some distance away from where they actually are. Plus searching does find some things that are not actually bike shops.
Also, with Google there is no way to download the data in bulk to do interesting things with. Whereas with OSM you can download all bike shops in the UK, then load them as POI onto a GPS for example.
Yep, what Craig said.
Cycle Streets and OpenCycleMap (and other local cycle projects) render proper cycle maps of areas with all the Sustrans and local cycle routes highlighted and routing provided to take you down quiet roads or ones with cycle lanes.
The also want to cover important points of interest for cyclists, namely bike shops, bike parking/storage and pubs!
edit: working better now 😉