Do you use any of the bike route mapping tools that are out there? These nifty programs can track your rides in real time, using an app on your smart phone so you can do a post-ride evaluation to see your time, distance, average speed, actual path taken, etc.
They are also really handy when used as a planning tool prior to any actual riding, where you map out potential routes and then save them for later or generate maps and cue sheets for yourself and others.
MapMyRide.com had been my favorite for a long time, but lately they've run into the ditch. Paid users, myself included, have experienced major problems generating PDFs of maps, which of course is a main reason for subscribing to the site. Support has been non-existent and the site's community forums have been full of complaining user posts and reports of membership cancellations. It's even gotten to the point that one frustrated user posted a link to the Colorado Attorney General's Office so that others could make official record of their complaints with the state.
"They ruined a great mapping product, they seem uninterested in really fixing it, and their customer support is laughable," said a user who goes by the name of Melman. "I haven't added a ride to MapMyRide in months. I use ridewithgps now. I continue to watch the posts and questions here to see when MapMyRide finally turns out the lights. "
This post isn't just to kick at MapMyRide.com, but it is significant how much the product has declined. The good news is that there are several good options. One I've discovered recently is ride with GPS, which I used to create this route here, marking landmarks and other attractions along the way.
Any favorite programs that you use to either track or create your ride routes? Comment below.
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Gracious! And I thought it was just me (or, rather, my computer) that was having an issue with MapMyRun/Ride. I have not been able to print out a map since summer! I hope they’ll take the public calling out to heart and fix their issues; but, I still find them a good tool for mapping ahead of time (esp. if I’m working toward a certain mileage) and then just writing down the bare bones of directions to get me there. I’ve only gotten lost once doing this — LOL! I do not have any fancy GPS tools or the such, so MMR is all I have to work with right now.
I use Strava
I couldn’t even get it to work, or bookmark an existing route. Anything I tried didn’t replace a search I did 3 years ago in Montreal. I guess I will switch to another program altogether. all I’m trying to do is map the Katy Trail, which should exist in 400 different forms already – how frustrating!!!!