Route planning in addition to Google.

[Corsa of Course]

Not sure if everyone knows about this website https://bikeclimbs.com/climb/united-kingdom. I use if when plotting longer routes to understand more about what I might be letting myself in for.

I take my hat off to the research that was carried out to make this website work.

 

[Rapparee87]

I use as a rule of thumb - If it goes up there's pain. If it goes down there's pleasure.

 

[Gtpulse]

I use OS Maps to plan routes as often they are a combination of roads/bridleways/tracks which Google isn’t great at joining together. There’s a great function on it where you can slide the elevation scale along to find out where the hills are, it won’t show in the screen shot but gives you the elevation in feet at the location. It’s been the deciding factor in which direction to attack some of the loops I plan. I prefer to get climbing done first if possible. I’m new to using tech for cycling so still learning. I send it to a garmin for on the route which scares me with alerts for climbs coming up!

Also use https://cafes.cyclingmaps.net/ to plot any breaks in, hats off to the person who started and maintains it!

 

[Corsa of Course]

Google maps will show you the topography but not the gradient. As I am quite low powered and my gears are 52-40 and 11-28 I have to be careful of anything too steep.

 

[jim haseltine]

I've been using ridewithgps.com for some years now. It's got a couple of issues that I've found, firstly it tends to err on the low side where gradients are concerned and secondly it makes some weird assumptions as to the route that should be taken between way points. The second can be avoided by changing the activity mode and setting it to avoid using cycling infrastructure - that's if you prefer to go directly from A to B over a 20 mile trek along cycle paths via C, D and E to get to the same place. As far as the hills are concerned, I work on anything it rates at more than 5% is going to take some work and that 10% is more likely to be closer to 15 and at my age and weight will require a good rest when I've reached the top.

 

[Corsa of Course]

I like your style Jim we are definitely working on similar wavelengths.

 

[chickendrumsticks]

I like your style Jim we are definitely working on similar wavelengths.

"Good rest" is right. Not that there's much call for it here in my county, once famously described as very flat.

 

[vcballbat]

I love using the Sustrans routes when planning rides as much as possible and can use the routes to link up with the Ridgeway and South Downs Way. They use both on and off road cycle paths and Canal towpaths, the on road sections are very quiet so really safe car free cycling. Normally very well signed though can lose the signs in built-up areas near towns as the street furniture gets replaced with new road works etc so Google maps is a handy backup

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/national-cycle-network/

 

[zerogravitas]

I've been using ridewithgps.com for some years now. It's got a couple of issues that I've found, firstly it tends to err on the low side where gradients are concerned and secondly it makes some weird assumptions as to the route that should be taken between way points. The second can be avoided by changing the activity mode and setting it to avoid using cycling infrastructure - that's if you prefer to go directly from A to B over a 20 mile trek along cycle paths via C, D and E to get to the same place. As far as the hills are concerned, I work on anything it rates at more than 5% is going to take some work and that 10% is more likely to be closer to 15 and at my age and weight will require a good rest when I've reached the top.

RidewithGPS is excellent, I rate their route builder over Strava for ease of use. Even the phone app works well for making long routes. The heat map feature on Strava is good for seeing where others like to go. I find them particularly useful hiking when its less obvious where a path should be taking me!

 

[minor_LEGEND]

I/we tend to plan routes on Strava. Usually double check anything spurious or unclassified on Google earth to make sure it will work. If I want to speed up the process, Komoot is good for looking at a map area & suggesting existing routes which worked great for us in the Alps this summer, alerting us to a road not suitable for bikes due to being too busy.
Route planning is almost a hobby in itself. An MTB is versatile but a road bike is limited when the tarmac turns to rough stuff, so the route has to be dependable.