Can anyone reccommend a good cycle app?

amoangelus

I've recently moved to the coast and it's just been calling to me for weeks now. I gave in and bought a new bike and trailer for my daughter to ride along in. I love it, we try to get out on it at least once a week and just take in the gorgeous route. We are currently averaging somewhere between 20 and 30 mile routes and I'd love some suggestions for good apps that can track my routes and fitness levels that don't cost the Earth. I downloaded Strava but that's over £40 a year and more than half the app is only available if you pay. Any alternate suggestions?

NorthCascades

Strava is by far the most common among cyclists. Most people use the free version. The stuff they charge for is mostly esoteric data that most average cyclists don't need.

sijomial

Strava is my choice but have you looked at Komoot to see if it gives you what you want?

Knowing which coast in which country might help with route suggestions.

amoangelus

@NorthCascades I probably don't need any of the locked features, it is just really hard to navigate the app and figure it out when every two seconds it's telling to buy it to unlock this that and the other. It just puts me off using it.

@sijomial Thank you for that suggestion. I'm in North Wales which is really bike friendly and has lots of routes literally signposted, but I've just downloaded that Komoot and it's offering me a flat version of one of the routes that I like but avoid going on much because of one specific hill that is very steep with blind bends on it with several warnings posted up. I'm going to have a better look through that app.

sijomial

Lovely scenery in North Wales, but hilly.

Komoot also sends a weekly suggestions email based on the rough area you ride in with routes or segments recommended by riders.

Another free resource is Sustrans (sustainable transport...).
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/?location=null&routetype=null&distance=null

I'd just be cautious about some of their route suggestions and the signposted National Cycle Network - they aren't always suitable for pure road bikes as I found out on a cycling holiday to Cornwall.
A lane I christened "Cow *kitten* Lane" was memorable for all the wrong reasons!

yirara

Do you have a fitness watch? Some of them, like Garmin allow you to plan routes on your computer or watch, and then follow it. You can also say: I want to cycle a total of 50km towards north and finish at the start. It's not totally ideal, but maybe also something to consider.

amoangelus

@sijomial Oh no, now I'm scared. I definitely have a road bike with a trailer on the back. It's a nice set up and we love it, but it doesn't even like the sand drifts and pot holes we run into, it can't really deal with much more than a nice smooth road.