CompleteStreets

For the past few years I've relied on the app Maplets for downloading offline bike maps. Basically digital versions of cities' printed bike maps. This has worked great for figuring out the safest and lowest stress routes. Much better than Google maps.

It appears that Maplets is no longer available for Android phones. I've heard through the grapevine that they are facing legal hurdles related to map copyrights. Anyways, does anyone know of any similar apps?

canklecat

OsmAnd (OpenStreetMap Automated Navigation Directions). Probably better for Android than iOS.

I have Osm on my iPhone 4s. It's buggy and slow on my phone. Usually need to restart it two or three times. But almost everyone else likes it so I'm assuming it's just not suited to the older iOS and phones. When I can access the maps it's pretty useful for finding bike routes. But no turn-by-turn navigation with iOS, although it is included with Android. I'd actually consider buying an inexpensive compatible Android device just for use with Osm.

Nowadays I use Google maps offline. Works fine on my iPhone 4s. I just refer to it when I'm lost. I haven't tried voice navigation with any iPhone cycling apps. Usually I just bumble around until I figure out where I am.

Rowan

maps.me

canklecat

Thanks, installing that one now.

wipekitty

+1

I've reliably found myself using this several times.

kcblair

Thank you. Just downloaded. his is just too Kool. Did a test, and it routes me around , known steep hills. Will use this on my future camp trip. KB.

CompleteStreets

maps.me does look pretty useful. However, I'd also like to be able to download city bike maps which show bike lanes, Neighborhood Greenways (aka Bike Blvds), trails, etc. Most cities have printed versions of bicycle specific maps, and I'd like to obtain these same maps for offline use on my phone.

daviddavieboy

I have used citymaps2go in the past. What I like about it are the travel guides and searchable points of interest. I will try this maps.me as well. Map my ride used to be able to store off line maps, has anyone tried this lately?

dieselrover

I use GaiaGPS for both Android and iOS. It's a bit more expensive than some others, but it's a great overall solution if you do more than just biking. Gravel, road cycling, hiking and canoeing for me. It supports OpenCycleMap overlay plus many others.

-s

memebag

Google supports downloading maps for off-line use and includes bike route info. What made Maplets better?

CompleteStreets

The problem I run into with Google is that it does not include Neighborhood Greenways (aka Bike Blvds) on its maps. Certain cities, such as Portland and Vancouver, have great N'hood Greenway systems with hardly any cars.

Here's a screen shot from the Portland City Bike Map zoomed in (ignore the red markups). Streets like Tillamook and Ankeny are some of the most popular routes for cyclists, but they don't show up as bike streets on Google Maps. I'm not looking for anything fancy, just the bike map that the city prints out every year.

Maplets is also great for downloading things like subway and bus maps.

memebag

All of the bike trails in Houston are on Google Maps. It's weird that they wouldn't be on Google Maps in Portland.

CompleteStreets

Imo Google maps is not great at providing low-stress routes in urban areas. I've tried using Google maps in cities such as Portland, Vancouver, Chicago, New York, Washington DC, etc. In almost all cases Google maps routes bikes to busy streets even when good quiet Neighborhood Greenways are running parallel, sometimes just as direct.

Anyways, if anyone knows an app for downloading the type of bike maps I'm looking for, it would be much appreciated.

canklecat

Still no luck with useful turn by turn voice navigation with maps.me or any app I've tried. They all default to car-centric navigation, even when I choose the bike route option.

It appears the only way to get useful turn by turn voice navigation is to plot the route carefully in advance.

But if I'm in the middle of a ride and need to divert to another destination, I can't simply plug in a new destination, choose the bicycling option, and get remotely safe or useful navigation. Every app I've tried diverts to highways, busy boulevards and longer roundabout trips.

CompleteStreets

This is why I just want a static bike map, the equivalent of a printed quality bike map. Maplets was great for this. No navigation, just a map like people had been using for centuries.

shine2000

navmii is data free when you download your state info and you can use as gps but you cant search the exact street address offline only the street,but i like it.