Google maps has just added cycling directions and cartography, just for the US now but hopefully for the UK later. For me, an avid cyclist, this would be a welcome addition. Let’s have a quick look at the routing and cartography offered:
It is nice that google have decided to take cycling seriously as a method of travel, the cartography of the maps is clear and seems to suggest good cycle routes away from the major roads, utilising known cycle provision. Bike paths are represented by dark green; Bike lanes are represented by light green; and roads that aren’t specifically meant for bicycles, but are suitable, receive a dashed green line. The routing also seems to weight in favour of flatter ways as opposed to arduous hill climbs.
A quick comparison to Open Cycle Map, I feel is favourable to Google:
The Open Street Map based cycle map feels cluttered, the cartography isn’t as clean, informative or effective as Google, and there is no routing. On the plus side Open Cycle Map does feature a number of useful points of interest.
I very much look forward to Google extending their cycling map into the UK, there are no plans as yet, so fingers crossed.
March 13th, 2010
by Thomas
OpenStreetMap plus UK cycle routing is http://www.cyclestreets.net/ …
March 15th, 2010
by Andy Allan
You might want to check out http://www.cyclestreets.net who do routing based on OSM data in the UK – probably a better comparison with Google Bike routing than OpenCycleMap itself.
March 16th, 2010
by Dan
The Author
Thanks for this Andy, I wasn’t aware of cycleStreets until wherecampEU. It’s a good project and hopefulyl it will be able to make good use of the opencycle/openstreetmap data. It’s nto up there with Google at the moment though. I look forward to seeing how the cartography and the routing stacks up when/if google bring a cycling layer and/or routing to the UK.
March 19th, 2010
by cas
I think this is very tricky. For my own area around Cornwall, there are designated routes, but they usually go up the steapest hills!!!!!!
Sometimes it is easier to go on the busier roads because the quality of road and incline is easier to manage.
Sustrans have paper maps, but they aren’t online yet, as I guess they make quite a lot of revenue from selling the maps.
Also, sometimes the sustrans ones are purely for holidaying rather than for commuting.
tricky, tricky.
March 25th, 2010
by Garret
HI Dan,
A few triathletes in the west of Ireland could do with something like this. But as of yet there is no cycling mapping facility for Ireland at all. I often just use http://www.mapmyrun.com to work out a route and distance before heading off on the bike. It’s good for both running and cycling.
April 16th, 2010
by Dan
The Author
I like to use bikeroutetoaster for my cycling – it’s Garmin compatible!