Best Software for Planning Rides

I've recently discovered that very near my house in upstate SC (Mauldin) are
some nice country roads that offer great early am riding (maybe later, too,
but I have to get to these places). With a map book and driving around,
I've found a couple of routes that will take me on 30 and 40+ mile rides.
That got me to thinking that some of these mapping / route / trip planning
software program might be useful for planning a route, initially.
Naturally, I'd drive the route once to see what it presents in terms of
hills, scenery, safety, etc.

What I'd like is software app that will provide me street maps, then let me
select a route -- the actual streets -- and then give me the miles on each
segment and the total miles for that route. Then I'd like to be able to
make tweaks to it to adjust the miles. A nice printout of the entire route
with miles on each segment would be nice too, go give to people who may ride
with me. Obviously, I'd like to store these so I can pick among them
depending on time available, who's riding with me, etc.

Does anyone know if one of the available software programs would meet my
needs? Thanks.

"Roger Zoul" wrote in
:
What I'd like is software app that will provide me street maps, then let
me select a route -- the actual streets -- and then give me the miles on
each segment and the total miles for that route.

There are a bunch of programs that let you plan car driving routes. I
haven't found one that's real good for cycling, though. Some common
problems:

1. They only support car routes. You cannot generate a route that
includes bike paths, dirt roads, cut-throughs, etc. Only a few of the
programs allow you to draw your own roads.

2. Most of the programs do not show you where are the hills, high traffic
areas, water stops, etc. that are of interest to cyclists.

3. Most programs have an automatic routing feature, but it usually puts
you on freeways that are off-limits to bikes.

4. One program that comes close to being useful to bicyclists is DeLorme
TopoUSA. Unfortunately, the roads database is very out-of-date. Also, the
cumulative elevation feature is very inaccurate.

"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...
I've recently discovered that very near my house in upstate SC (Mauldin)
are
some nice country roads that offer great early am riding (maybe later,
too,
but I have to get to these places). With a map book and driving around,
I've found a couple of routes that will take me on 30 and 40+ mile rides.
That got me to thinking that some of these mapping / route / trip planning
software program might be useful for planning a route, initially.
Naturally, I'd drive the route once to see what it presents in terms of
hills, scenery, safety, etc.

What I'd like is software app that will provide me street maps, then let
me
select a route -- the actual streets -- and then give me the miles on each
segment and the total miles for that route. Then I'd like to be able to
make tweaks to it to adjust the miles. A nice printout of the entire
route
with miles on each segment would be nice too, go give to people who may
ride
with me. Obviously, I'd like to store these so I can pick among them
depending on time available, who's riding with me, etc.

Does anyone know if one of the available software programs would meet my
needs? Thanks.


I use DeLorme Street Atlas and Microsoft Streets and Trips all the time to
plan bike rides. They have different limitations, but if you realize
they're intended for drivers and accept that, you can make either of them
work for you. My versions are quite old on both. DeLorme allows a variety
of printing options so that, when you get a route planned out, it's easier
to print yourself a map. Streets & Trips has an easier route measuring
feature, but it's severely limited in terms of being able to print. One of
your 40 mile trips might take four pages to print out.

You should hook up with either the Greenville Spinners or the Freewheelers
of Spartanburg to learn routes in your area. Those are both big clubs with
lots of organized rides and events.

Upstate, SC has the finest cycling on the planet ... bar none (excepting for
the many lousy tar and gravel roads and all the bubbas in pickups).

Bob C.
Calhoun Falls, SC (and formerly from Anderson)

I picked up a copy of microsoft steets & trips for about $15 (after rebate).
It seems to have a fairly up to date road list, lets me force a route by
dropping
intermediate points in, and draws/prints pretty good looking maps.

Also, it includes pocket maps to let you download/view your maps on a
pocket PC, and will show your position on it if you have a GPS.

I first tried a Rand McNally one that had a more CDs in it's database, but
found it really inaccurate and didn't like the maps it made. I returned it
and
got the S&T instead.

-Kent-


"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...
I've recently discovered that very near my house in upstate SC (Mauldin)
are
some nice country roads that offer great early am riding (maybe later,
too,
but I have to get to these places). With a map book and driving around,
I've found a couple of routes that will take me on 30 and 40+ mile rides.
That got me to thinking that some of these mapping / route / trip planning
software program might be useful for planning a route, initially.
Naturally, I'd drive the route once to see what it presents in terms of
hills, scenery, safety, etc.

What I'd like is software app that will provide me street maps, then let
me
select a route -- the actual streets -- and then give me the miles on each
segment and the total miles for that route. Then I'd like to be able to
make tweaks to it to adjust the miles. A nice printout of the entire
route
with miles on each segment would be nice too, go give to people who may
ride
with me. Obviously, I'd like to store these so I can pick among them
depending on time available, who's riding with me, etc.

Does anyone know if one of the available software programs would meet my
needs? Thanks.

On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 15:07:19 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
wrote:
What I'd like is software app that will provide me street maps, then let me
select a route -- the actual streets -- and then give me the miles on each
segment and the total miles for that route. Then I'd like to be able to
make tweaks to it to adjust the miles. A nice printout of the entire route
with miles on each segment would be nice too, go give to people who may ride
with me. Obviously, I'd like to store these so I can pick among them
depending on time available, who's riding with me, etc.

With some creative techniques, Microsoft Streets & Trips works great
for this. You set the route preferences so that small roads are
faster and highways slow; and then, you insert stops wherever you
want the route to take a different road.

Does anyone know if one of the available software programs would meet my
needs? Thanks.

A recent discovery: The software on my new Garmin Ique 3600
(integrated PDA and GPS with mapping software) will route for
bicycles. There's a setting for it.
--
Rick Onanian

Roger Zoul wrote:

I've recently discovered that very near my house in upstate SC (Mauldin) are
some nice country roads that offer great early am riding (maybe later, too,
but I have to get to these places). With a map book and driving around,
I've found a couple of routes that will take me on 30 and 40+ mile rides.
That got me to thinking that some of these mapping / route / trip planning
software program might be useful for planning a route, initially.
Naturally, I'd drive the route once to see what it presents in terms of
hills, scenery, safety, etc.

What I'd like is software app that will provide me street maps, then let me
select a route -- the actual streets -- and then give me the miles on each
segment and the total miles for that route. Then I'd like to be able to
make tweaks to it to adjust the miles. A nice printout of the entire route
with miles on each segment would be nice too, go give to people who may ride
with me. Obviously, I'd like to store these so I can pick among them
depending on time available, who's riding with me, etc.

Does anyone know if one of the available software programs would meet my
needs? Thanks.




I use DeLorme Street Atlas (2003). This does a pretty good job for me.

The 2004 version is out now, and supposedly includes Canada as well as
the US. Price is about $50.

The routing function lets you set areas or types of roads to avoid. You
also can set average speeds for different road types. As you develop
routes, you can set locations that the route must pass, and can set
individual stop points along the way as well.

They have a pretty good database of businesses, parks, and other items
of interest so you can find the neares ice cream shop for your midpoint.

They support GPS, and you can download the route as represented by all
of the intersections onto your GPS. I have a handlebar mount for my
Garmin eTrex.

Also, you can create routable segments where you know that a bikeable
trail exists, and the program will route you through it.

Delorme recently released Topo USA 5.0. This would handle the climbing
aspect as well, but I haven't used it so I'm not sure if the routing is
as good.

Roger Zoul wrote:

I've recently discovered that very near my house in upstate SC (Mauldin) are
some nice country roads that offer great early am riding (maybe later, too,
but I have to get to these places). With a map book and driving around,
I've found a couple of routes that will take me on 30 and 40+ mile rides.
That got me to thinking that some of these mapping / route / trip planning
software program might be useful for planning a route, initially.
Naturally, I'd drive the route once to see what it presents in terms of
hills, scenery, safety, etc.

What I'd like is software app that will provide me street maps, then let me
select a route -- the actual streets -- and then give me the miles on each
segment and the total miles for that route. Then I'd like to be able to
make tweaks to it to adjust the miles. A nice printout of the entire route
with miles on each segment would be nice too, go give to people who may ride
with me. Obviously, I'd like to store these so I can pick among them
depending on time available, who's riding with me, etc.

Does anyone know if one of the available software programs would meet my
needs? Thanks.




I use DeLorme Street Atlas (2003). This does a pretty good job for me.

The 2004 version is out now, and supposedly includes Canada as well as
the US. Price is about $50.

The routing function lets you set areas or types of roads to avoid. You
also can set average speeds for different road types. As you develop
routes, you can set locations that the route must pass, and can set
individual stop points along the way as well.

They have a pretty good database of businesses, parks, and other items
of interest so you can find the neares ice cream shop for your midpoint.

They support GPS, and you can download the route as represented by all
of the intersections onto your GPS. I have a handlebar mount for my
Garmin eTrex.

Also, you can create routable segments where you know that a bikeable
trail exists, and the program will route you through it.

Delorme recently released Topo USA 5.0. This would handle the climbing
aspect as well, but I haven't used it so I'm not sure if the routing is
as good.

Roger Zoul wrote:

I've recently discovered that very near my house in upstate SC (Mauldin) are
some nice country roads that offer great early am riding (maybe later, too,
but I have to get to these places). With a map book and driving around,
I've found a couple of routes that will take me on 30 and 40+ mile rides.
That got me to thinking that some of these mapping / route / trip planning
software program might be useful for planning a route, initially.
Naturally, I'd drive the route once to see what it presents in terms of
hills, scenery, safety, etc.

What I'd like is software app that will provide me street maps, then let me
select a route -- the actual streets -- and then give me the miles on each
segment and the total miles for that route. Then I'd like to be able to
make tweaks to it to adjust the miles. A nice printout of the entire route
with miles on each segment would be nice too, go give to people who may ride
with me. Obviously, I'd like to store these so I can pick among them
depending on time available, who's riding with me, etc.

Does anyone know if one of the available software programs would meet my
needs? Thanks.




I use DeLorme Street Atlas (2003). This does a pretty good job for me.

The 2004 version is out now, and supposedly includes Canada as well as
the US. Price is about $50.

The routing function lets you set areas or types of roads to avoid. You
also can set average speeds for different road types. As you develop
routes, you can set locations that the route must pass, and can set
individual stop points along the way as well.

They have a pretty good database of businesses, parks, and other items
of interest so you can find the neares ice cream shop for your midpoint.

They support GPS, and you can download the route as represented by all
of the intersections onto your GPS. I have a handlebar mount for my
Garmin eTrex.

Also, you can create routable segments where you know that a bikeable
trail exists, and the program will route you through it.

Delorme recently released Topo USA 5.0. This would handle the climbing
aspect as well, but I haven't used it so I'm not sure if the routing is
as good.

In 4. be sure you are using the current version of Topo. Pick a short road
segment and carefully calculate the altitude gains and losses. Then let us
know how many years Topo roads are out of date and how many feet of extra
altitude gain it accummulates.

Ken wrote:

"Roger Zoul" wrote in
:
What I'd like is software app that will provide me street maps, then let
me select a route -- the actual streets -- and then give me the miles on
each segment and the total miles for that route.

There are a bunch of programs that let you plan car driving routes. I
haven't found one that's real good for cycling, though. Some common
problems:

1. They only support car routes. You cannot generate a route that
includes bike paths, dirt roads, cut-throughs, etc. Only a few of the
programs allow you to draw your own roads.

2. Most of the programs do not show you where are the hills, high traffic
areas, water stops, etc. that are of interest to cyclists.

3. Most programs have an automatic routing feature, but it usually puts
you on freeways that are off-limits to bikes.

4. One program that comes close to being useful to bicyclists is DeLorme
TopoUSA. Unfortunately, the roads database is very out-of-date. Also, the
cumulative elevation feature is very inaccurate.

pete salomone wrote in
:

In 4. be sure you are using the current version of Topo. Pick a short
road segment and carefully calculate the altitude gains and losses. Then
let us know how many years Topo roads are out of date and how many feet
of extra altitude gain it accummulates.

I am using DeLorme Topo USA 4.0, which I believe is the most recent version.
On some steep, windy roads, it reports double the actual elevation gain. These
are roads that are continuously uphill, but the program invents non-existant
intermediate decents.

Regarding out-of-date roads, some highways that were built over 30 years ago do
not appear in the program. Also, lots of bogus roads do appear (may have
existed 50 years ago, but now are long gone or are closed to the public).

If DeLorme fixed the above 2 problems, I would recommend the program to
everyone. As it is, the program is expensive and not very reliable.