Evening folks!

Looking for some suggestions on a good bike route tracking app to use. I know of Strava and Komodo, but I’m aware they were bought out and therefore I don’t trust their data privacy. Any suggestions?

I use my Garmin Enduro to track my biking sessions, but look for something on my phone to for both a map during rides and being able to share routes. I saw there is TrailLink, which is great for finding trails but does not track. Tried OrganicMaps but it gets me lost as it keeps showing abandoned railroads that look like trails 🤣. The Aventon app is nice but it drains the battery super fast.

Thanks in advance!

    • MaudelixOPEnglish
      2·
      3 days ago

      Thank you! Looks it like it uses the same maps source as Organic Maps. I like I can use it without having to pay. Will need to try tomorrow when I go out.

      • viking@infosec.pubEnglish
        1·
        3 days ago

        Yep it’s based on openstreetmaps, which btw you can also edit yourself - I’ve added some backroads/dirt roads that are not accessible by car but work nicely by bike just so that the app would recognize them and route me through.

      • walden@sub.wetshaving.socialEnglish
        1·
        3 days ago

        OrganicMaps (shout out to CoMaps, the OM alternative) and many others use OpenStreetMaps.

        This might not be what you want to hear, but you can edit the maps, and the next time OrganicMaps updates, it’ll include your changes.

        • MaudelixOPEnglish
          2·
          3 days ago

          I might have too, I wonder if there is an option of turning off “abandoned railroads”. They just look almost the same as trails. I haven’t looked deep into it.

          • walden@sub.wetshaving.socialEnglish
            1·
            3 days ago

            Are there still train tracks there? There’s an option on OpenStreetMaps (which to repeat, is where these apps get their data from) for “Disused Railway”. Maybe labeling them correctly would stop them from blending in with other types of trails.

            OrganicMaps (and CoMaps) aren’t designed around “routes”, but instead can be used for navigation without a preplanned route. So that’s not really what you’re looking for.

            You can use one of many services to create your own pre-planned route. I have a Garmin bike computer that I can load a route into and it’ll give me basic directions (designed for a small screen). I’m sure something like that must exist for a phone, but I’m not sure. The bike computer also records my GPS track so I can look at it later. I have a program called Endurain running on my server (I’m a nerd) which is like Strava but with fewer features.

            Even the Garmin app can create routes, but their maps are outdated in my area so YMMV.

    • crank0271English
      1·
      3 days ago

      This is a good suggestion. I had used it a few years ago but didn’t love its navigation at that time in New York City. It’s possible that it’s improved, but for NYC routing in particular I wound up getting the lifetime plan for Bikemap. Slick interface, good integration into Apple Health, and based in Austria so probably has a similarly not-horrible privacy stance.

      • viking@infosec.pubEnglish
        2·
        3 days ago

        I’ve only used it in Europe, and mostly for countryside tours, but yeah I can see how giant urban centers such as NYC might overwhelm the app.

      • MaudelixOPEnglish
        2·
        3 days ago

        Worth the $50 a year? The interface looks beautiful, will need to try the trial once it cools down a bit so I can go for a ride. Thanks for the suggestion.

        • crank0271English
          1·
          3 days ago

          I suppose it depends how and how much you use it. I would rather pay $100 for software I know I’ll use for years than pay $5/month in perpetuity, especially if I can support a smaller software developer.

          My justification was that in the city I was paying something like $150/year for an unlimited pass and saving by cancelling a $120/month unlimited Metrocard. And as I mentioned, it was by far the best bike directions available at the time. Shortly after, Apple released bike navigation on Apple Maps, but I still preferred Bikemap for its routing. I’m still annoyed from missing out on AllTrails when they offered a lifetime license…

          It appears Bikemap doesn’t always have the lifetime license available anymore, but they offered it last summer. Maybe they’ll bring it back again? (Apologies for the Facebook link.)

  • EtnapheleEnglish
    3·
    4 days ago

    I use MapOut to plan cycling and hiking routes and sometimes to track. Usually I use WorkOutdoors on my Apple Watch though. They are both pay once apps by single developers, I like them a lot.

    • MaudelixOPEnglish
      2·
      3 days ago

      WorkOutdoors looks sweet, if I had an Apple Watch I would absolutely grab it.