Voice Navigation app?

liammews10

Hi guys,

I have been doing rides locally and I am really enjoying my riding at the moment, doing around 150 miles a week.

I want to start exploring bit further afield and discovering new areas and stuff but I am always cautious of dangerous roads that surround the area I live.

I plan my routes with Strava but the mobile app offers no audio navigation which is really frustrating as this would complete the app for me.

I have a GPS head unit but it doesn't have any navigation features. Is there an app that you can plan routes or ideally upload GPX files to that will allow me to ride and receive turn by turn audio navigation?

Thanks in advance.

Joshgav

Google maps can do voice directions. There must be a way to get it to plot a detailed route but I'm not sure how as I've not had to do it.

darkhairedlord

Voice navigation, just why?

Ascot17

I was experimenting with this last year and managed to get a working solution (Android phone) as follows:

1) Create a map on the computer using Strava (which seems best for multiple waypoints, create a new waypoint for each junction).

2) Export the map to Locus Maps (free Android app)

3) Use the navigation function in Locus maps for the turn-by-turn directions

I did have some trouble forcing the directions to the Bluetooth headset rather than the phone speaker. I solved this with another free app called Soundabout.

Good luck!

orlok

darkhairedlord wrote:

Voice navigation, just why?

Why not.?

redvee

Get an Edge 820 which has audio alerts via Garmin connect on your mobile. It can tell you average speed, HRM etc and also turn by turn directions, for clarity it is best with an earpiece though it is possible to hear the phone when in your back pocket.

StillGoing

If you're insistent on using a phone to navigate, depending on what phone you have, Cyclemeter will do audio navigation for you. In fact, if it is something you only intend to use occasionally, I'd recommend it over the Garmin 820. When I had an 820 (useless piece of crap (IMO of course)), it became a pain in the backside hearing alerts for turns all the time, or having to mess around with the settings to turn it on or off depending on whether I wanted route guidance or not. Bear in mind that an app will drain your phones battery.

orlok

Joshgav wrote:

Google maps can do voice directions. There must be a way to get it to plot a detailed route but I'm not sure how as I've not had to do it.

It's not so difficult. First you must make your route and save it like a KML or GPX file. On your computer and in Google Maps you had to choose My Place, then Cards or Maps, then Make my Maps/Cards and then you have the possibility to Import files. When you have done this you can opening Maps on your Android phone, then choose My Place and then Cards or maps. You will see the saved file and can use this to navigate with voice command witch works just fine with an earphone.

darkhairedlord

So 4hrs of faffing about getting all the apps to talk to each other and half an hour to load up the route. Just stop and check the route, takes about 10secs out of your ride.

fat daddy

darkhairedlord wrote:

So 4hrs of faffing about getting all the apps to talk to each other and half an hour to load up the route. Just stop and check the route, takes about 10secs out of your ride.

wow are you like 74 or something and cant figure out which way round the mouse goes ? :?

I just tried this to see how much of a faff it was

3 mins to draw a 23mile route in ridewithgps .. although this time is arbitory as you might already have the route, or got it from someone else, or spend 30 mins doing it in the evening with a glass of wine and discussing which way to go with the Wife.

hit export ... could time how quick it it was to download as it was instantaneous
open google maps - 11 seconds including typing google maps
click places, click maps click creat map click import
drag gpx file into window upload about 2 seconds
open google maps on phone, go to maps tap on my map - 10-15 seconds

low and behold it works ... ok I will never use it, I like the gps unit on my bike, but as simplicity goes,

orlok

You see it's very simple. I allready used voice navigation with Google maps several years ago to try my first smartphone out but suddenly it was not possible anymore in Google maps. I never used voice navigation again but I can imagine that's handsome riding in an unknown country. Only you need a good backpack of batterylife.

darkhairedlord

If you really want someone nagging you to bear left in 200 metres, bear left in 100 metres, bear left, go straight ahead for 2 miles etc, good for you. I prefer some peace and quiet on the bike or I might as well buy a tandem.

Matthewfalle

It's simples, innit.

Plot route
Write down route on piece of appear
Give piece of paper and dictaphone to wife.
Get her to ride the route first so timings for turns etc are all at the right time
Put dictaphone in pocket with one ear piece
Press play, follow dictaphone.

Jobs a badger. Spotty dog.

perfectmark

I use Google maps to do it. And voice navigation can be better than the visual directions on your handlebars, as you can just enjoy your surroundings, without having to keep looking down at your phone/GPS.

You need a Google Account for this to work, but you just need to load up google maps on your computer (make sure to log into your Google account), then plan your route. Next select the option to email the route to yourself (there is also an option to send directly to your phone, but I have never got it to work relieably). Open the email on your phone and then click on the link, as long as you have Google maps on your phone, it will then open it up and display the route (including all the way points you put in there).