Map reading advice

ware

Has anyone got any tips for using maps on long routes? I plan to cycle to newcastle from watford next month and im a bit worried about reading the maps whilst riding. I ve got my route on A4 photo copies which will go into some of the map holders I've seen but not sure as to when i move on the next page of the route how to turn the page without stopping every time to do so. Any advice or map holders that you can recommend would be much appreciated.

Cheers

xilios

ware wrote:

Has anyone got any tips for using maps on long routes? I plan to cycle to newcastle from watford next month and im a bit worried about reading the maps whilst riding. I ve got my route on A4 photo copies which will go into some of the map holders I've seen but not sure as to when i move on the next page of the route how to turn the page without stopping every time to do so. Any advice or map holders that you can recommend would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Check out our page by the tips link. It's just the way we plan our tours, might be some tips that could help you out.
cheers

amaferanga

You could buy a laminater and laminate your pages. Makes them much easier to turn and the maps stay dry. You can then mount them in something like this:

http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/Product/0/ ... ptrap.html

zenzinnia

You could try shrinking your copy so you don't have to turn over so often. I use Bikely.com to plot my route and then 'Print Scrn' (this puts a copy of the screen on the pastboard so you can paste it somewhere) bits of the route at about 1:50,000ish , paste it into publisher (you could ues powerpoint or even word I guess), put a load of them together so I have my whole route and then reduce it to about 60% so I have the detail if I need it but would need to stop and peer closely. I then also get bigger versions of town centres where it's easy to get lost. These all get printed out on plane paper and stuffed in my map case. I find I can reasonably easlily change from one to another whilst going along.

andymiller

Why not just stop? Surely that's the safest option. Unless your maps are 1:25k that would only involve a brief stop every few miles.

alfablue

I would be stopping, too risky otherwise and it's not worth it, all you need to do is ride into the kerb and you could be off.

I use a Klick-Fix mini map holder (they also make a bigger one)



It fits stem or bars, is simple to fit and release, its sturdy, holds the maps firmly. Its fine if the map is folded larger than the holder.