Anyone have thoughts on Google Maps for bikes?

I have never tried it. I have the G3 Android from T-Mobile. I use the free app, "CardioTrainer". It uses my phone's GPS system to track my progress and gives me saved results about where I have traveled, distance, rate, avg speed, and calories burned.

When I want to map my next ride, I use www.mapmyride.com. Pretty easy to use and free if you don;t mind writing your directions yourself.

I have an iPhone and I use SprintGPS and Spokes NYC, which is nifty as it includes bike shops and even bike racks. Just wondering b/c Google Bike Maps is unavailable for iPhone users for some reason.

Deafwolf said:

I have never tried it. I have the G3 Android from T-Mobile. I use the free app, "CardioTrainer". It uses my phone's GPS system to track my progress and gives me saved results about where I have traveled, distance, rate, avg speed, and calories burned.

When I want to map my next ride, I use www.mapmyride.com. Pretty easy to use and free if you don;t mind writing your directions yourself.

I was using TrailGuru on my Droid prior to getting a Garmin 500. Worked pretty well.

lbeehner said:

I have an iPhone but am borrowing a friend's Android and want to use Google Maps' new bike app for a road trip. Any advice? Likes or dislikes?

Thanks!

I LOVE Android - I've had them since they came out [G1, MotoCliq, and now the T-Mo myTouch Slide]. I also use the CardioTrainer, but the very FIRST app I used was a running application called "BuddyRunner" -- BuddyRunner.com -- I use it now because I'm a VERY new rider who needs the extra support to keep going. BuddyRunner lets you keep track of your work outs with much more detail. I hadn't used it in a year because the app wasn't avail on the "new" phone I got last November. I've gotten used to CardioTrainer, but I think I can use both at the same time, so I'll probably use again later this week.

eternityjuggalo's Dashboard
There's my old name -- the tracks there are the first time on a bike since I was 16 [10 years ago] and when I weighed about 235lbs - at 5'4" WITH a 30lb kid on the back of my bike... so yes. I was slow. BUT, what you can see if you Click on both of the rides for August 11th and then the top/left corner you can chose pace or speed.

What I found most helpful was being able to LITERALLY see improvement going up hills -- because I was always seemingly putting out a lot of effort I couldn't tell that I was getting better... which makes giving up really easy. But being able to see via GPS even the small differences has been added motivation. As such, I'm far more capable of maintaining 17-18mph on flats then the barely 8 mph I started at.

I'll just use that app now while practicing hills.

It's average at best for rides here in the San Diego area. It frequently directs me up a dirt path unrideable for road bikes, without mentioning this in the directions -- so I have to backtrack and figure out an alternate route. I find the walking directions are actually much better for road riding in this area.

I am looking for recommendations for a 26" tire for road riding, paved paths and the packed dirt paths next to them. I was thinking about the Kenda K831 or Ritchey SpeedMax Delta.

Anyone have thoughts on these tires or other recommendations. Will an inverted tread design give me sufficient traction on the hard packed dirt or I am better off sticking with a knobby design but that has a connected center tread?

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