GPS planning software

RossoCorso34
RossoCorso34 Posts: 204
edited June 2018 in Routes
What's the concensus around which is the best software for planning routes for road biking? It has to be able to export a gpx / tcx for me to use on the Garmin 520.

Everything I seem to touch is flawed. They all love to send you down towpaths or narrow footpaths.

Comments

  • phil485
    phil485 Posts: 364
    Ride with GPS for me set to driving mode on the whole. Change it to cycling when I know I want to use a footpath.
  • 02gf74
    02gf74 Posts: 1,168
    I use bikehike.co.uk to plan my routes - exports to .gpx
  • I have had it recommended that if you download the OS maps App and pay £20 per year you can basically have all the OS maps in the country downloaded onto your phone.

    If you then download and lay GPX on top then you are up and running. The main advantage being that the map actually moves as you ride, so you don't keep having to stop to scroll or try and do it one handed and break your neck. I've not tried it but a colleague of mine swears by it. Works on Iphone etc. A great piece of hard wear that holds your phone to your bar is the Quadlock, not that cheap at £50 odd quid but it does work well.

    Loads of GPX files online - MBR.co.uk has loads.

    Hope that helps..
  • milemuncher1
    milemuncher1 Posts: 1,472
    Ride with GPS or Strava, are the ones I use most. There is a problem with being sent down gravel paths / tracks, sometimes, if your not careful, but part of the fun is ironing ‘bugs’ out of the route.
  • meursault
    meursault Posts: 1,433
    http://www.gpxeditor.co.uk/

    Is pretty good. But you still need to check route manually.

    But I'm still waiting for road cycling specific application. No A Roads, no farm/gravel tracks. Not sure it's possible.
    Superstition sets the whole world in flames; philosophy quenches them.

    Voltaire
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    I just use the Garmin Connect Routes one. You can let it autoroute for you but that's a bit of a risk as you say - roads that are on a map but not necessarily there in real life.
    There's a popular route feature so that can help you with your decisions.
  • Ride with GPS is by far the best to use, also dynamic watch app allows you to send the routes to certain Garmin's without the need to plug into a PC.