"Grade the trail" app(s) ???
08-20-21, 03:51 PM
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"Grade the trail" app(s) ???
For those of us who like to travel to different cities and states to ride new (to us) bike trails, there are an abundance of apps and web sites to find info on. However, what's sorely lacking is any kind of grading system for these trails that you know nothing about. Am primarily talking about paved trails here. What condition are they in? Are they new/newer or are they a POS? Nothing quite like packing your bags and making a trip to a trail, only to find out it is in dire need of a major repairs. I have made calls to area bike shops or trail association folks, and got mixed results. The bike shop employee might ride mountain bike trails and doesn't know or care too much about paved trails. The trail association person likely has one thing on their mind - convince you to come and use their trail. That person may walk that trail, but they don't ride a bike on it.
I like the Google maps feature that shows a solid green line where trails exist. I think the brown line indicates a mountain bike trail, and not sure what an alternating green and brown line indicates. Google maps may be a good place to start where different colors (other than green) indicate what condition the trail is in. It would be a given that an older trail might have different colors on it. Of course, questions would arise as to who gets to determine the grade for a given segment? Who would remember to update the colors once repairs have been done? Perhaps there is an easier way to maintain this info somewhere other than Google maps. Personally, I would pay good money to have access to trail conditions. Here in central Iowa, there is a trail segment that is so bad that nobody around here rides it. I pity the poor soul who travels here with a bike and plans to ride that trail.
Thoughts???
I like the Google maps feature that shows a solid green line where trails exist. I think the brown line indicates a mountain bike trail, and not sure what an alternating green and brown line indicates. Google maps may be a good place to start where different colors (other than green) indicate what condition the trail is in. It would be a given that an older trail might have different colors on it. Of course, questions would arise as to who gets to determine the grade for a given segment? Who would remember to update the colors once repairs have been done? Perhaps there is an easier way to maintain this info somewhere other than Google maps. Personally, I would pay good money to have access to trail conditions. Here in central Iowa, there is a trail segment that is so bad that nobody around here rides it. I pity the poor soul who travels here with a bike and plans to ride that trail.
Thoughts???
08-20-21, 04:20 PM
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You can often find reviews using the trail link app.
08-21-21, 07:26 AM
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If you know anything about making apps, maybe this is something you could develop? But I wouldn't focus just on paved trails alone, gravel trails often have changing conditions, like being soft after rain, washouts, potholes, etc.
