Smartphone as a bike sat nav - comparison test of apps and GPS devices
Matthias Schwindt
· 02.11.2022
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"There's an app for everything." If this advertising slogan is true, it shouldn't be a problem to go on an (e-)bike tour with your smartphone. After all, 80 per cent of Germans own a smartphone, and almost all of the relevant target group for biking. But it's not quite that simple. Simply equipping your mobile phone with a suitable outdoor app is not enough for a successful bike trip.
You will find these topics in the test:
Bike mount
In order to follow the route, the display must be easy to read in the biker's field of vision. It is also essential to prevent the expensive phone from coming loose and falling onto the trail. We have tested various models. Custom-fit cases with handlebar mounts and universal mounts.
Power supply
The power supply deserves special attention on extended tours. When the display with active backlight is switched on, power consumption increases rapidly. An empty battery after two to three hours is no exception if you use your mobile phone as a bike navigator. What could be more obvious than recharging it during the ride using a power bank or the large e-bike battery? But be careful: the constant jiggling is not good for the small USB connectors. These plugs are not designed for this, and damage can occur in the long term. Wireless Qi charging technology offers a practical alternative for modern phones. We show two power suppliers without a cable connection.
Additional power
The smartphone with running navigation needs a lot of power. With these two alternatives to an inexpensive power bank, you have enough energy for a whole day.
Tapping into the e-bike battery
Wouldn't it be practical to supply your mobile phone with power via the large e-bike battery? Some manufacturers offer this option.
Or would you prefer the GPS device?
In an age of waterproof smartphones and a wealth of sophisticated apps, is there still anything to be said for an expensive, stand-alone GPS navigation device?
Pro smartphone as bike sat nav
The biggest purchase item has already been taken care of - the smartphone itself. Operation is more intuitive, as the app developers are guided by the principles of mobile phone operation. The display is very large and easy to read in the shade. The biggest strength is the huge selection of apps. Everyone will find their favourite. Several special apps can also be used alternately. One to find tours, one for route guidance and one as a tour or training diary.
Pro GPS sat nav
The GPS bike computer with navigation is significantly more robust. All internal components are also designed for outdoor use. You don't have to worry about the battery life. In most cases, even two days of cycling are possible. The display is much easier to read in the blazing sun, even if it is smaller. The GPS sat nav always works - even without internet in a dead zone. Everything is included in the purchase price: Mount, software without ongoing subscription costs and maps including free updates.
The costs
I already have my mobile phone. Nevertheless, smartphone navigation on the bike is only favourable if you make do with minimal solutions. We present three variants:
Minimum equipment
- 12 Euro Handlebar mount
- 10 Euro App
Reasonable solution
- 60 Euro Bracket with custom-fit cover
- 30 Euro Komoot World Package
- 15 Euro No-name additional battery
Luxury navigation
- 60 Euro Bracket with custom-fit cover
- 30 Euro Better base holder
- 40 Euro Qi charging electronics or outdoor battery pack
- 60 Euro Annual subscription to a sat nav app
Ready-made tour or own planning?
Once the technical preparations are complete, the question remains: which bike tour should I go on? Apps and tour portals promise the right tour for every biker. We took a closer look at four apps. The selection and quality of the tour suggestions were tested in practice. During navigation, the convenience of route guidance played a major role, as did the range of functions on remote routes without mobile internet reception. One thing remains to be said: There is no one app for everything. But that is the advantage of the smartphone. Each app plays to its strengths, and several apps can be used side by side for navigation or tracking without any problems. In the end, everyone has to decide for themselves whether the expensive smartphone on the handlebars should be exposed to the dangers of a trail adventure.
Apps for the trail
You can rely on these apps for tour suggestions. Which one leads you comfortably and reliably to your destination? We tested various apps for tour suggestions, map quality and route navigation.
Komoot
Operating system: Android & iOS - more info about Komoot
CostsBasic with regional test map free of charge; the offline map world package costs a one-off fee of 30 euros, the Premium subscription from Komoot 60 euros per year.
The number 1 of the most popular outdoor navigation apps. Creating a user account is mandatory. This is also used to exchange data between Online portalapp and GPS devices.
Destination guidance: Destinations are entered by map, highlights or via a single search line. The address search is not really user-friendly. During the journey, the destination is guided by lines on the map, arrows and turn-by-turn directions. Voice output via loudspeaker or Bluetooth headset is also possible. If you leave the planned route, the route is rescheduled if an Internet connection is available.
Route planning: Individual routes can be planned neatly even on the small mobile phone display. Routes from the portal planning on the large screen at home are seamlessly transferred to the app. Numerous ready-made route suggestions are offered. These can also be easily customised to meet individual requirements.
Offline functions: Pure map data can be saved on the mobile phone. This reduces data consumption while travelling. Komoot only works completely without the Internet as long as you do not leave the planned route. An internet connection is required for recalculation or recalculation.
Strength: Simple operation; good route suggestions; many interfaces (GPS, e-bike)
Weakness: Not completely offline; Premium subscription with limited added value
Outdooractive
Operating system: Android & iOS - Further information at Outdooractive
CostsBasic account with advertising; PRO subscription (30 euros per year) with a larger selection of cards and offline data; PRO+ (60 euros per year) with an even larger selection of cards.
The excellent tour portal makes it easy to select a suitable route. The selection includes many quality routes in the bike destinations.
Destination guidance: Individually planned routes or tour suggestions are automatically synchronised in the background between the web and app. Direct destination entry is also possible. During navigation, directions are given by lines on the map, arrows and turn-by-turn directions. Voice output is also possible. When leaving the planned route, there is only a message, no rescheduling.
Route planning: It is possible to quickly plan your own tour on the go. But only with an internet connection. The strength of Outdoor-active lies in the large number of high-quality tour suggestions.
Offline functions: You can download your own map sections and planned routes in both Pro subscriptions.
Strength: Detailed search and filter options for tour suggestions; many smartwatch integrations
Weakness: Not completely offline; no re-routing
Locus Map
Operating system: Android only - further information at Locus Map
CostsBasic with advertising and reduced functions; Silver subscription (10 euros per year): extended functions, but without offline functions; Gold subscription (24 euros per year: full offline range of functions
The top app for remote areas. With Locus Map, all essential functions are available even without an internet connection in the Gold subscription.
Destination guidance: Individual destination input on the smartphone, GPX track import and transfer of planned routes from the web route planner possible. Destination guidance with line on map, arrows and turn-by-turn directions. The route is recalculated when leaving the tour.
Route planning: Planning routes on the move is possible. It is better to import as a GPX track or transfer from the Locus web route planner. Locus Map does not offer ready-made route suggestions.
Offline functions: The Gold subscription includes complete offline functionality. Maps and routing data are stored in the smartphone's memory.
Strength: Full offline function; inexpensive subscription models; large selection of maps
Weakness: No ready-made tour suggestions; interfaces to GPS and e-bike missing
Mountain Fex
Operating system: Android & iOS - further information at Bergfex
CostsFree basic version with adverts and reduced map zoom; Pro subscription (18 euros per year) with deeper zoom levels and offline maps
The Bergfex app focusses on activities in the mountains. Clear maps with a great map image are already available in the free version for orientation.
Destination guidance: The route is shown as a clearly visible line on the clear and beautifully designed map. There is neither active route guidance nor recalculation when leaving the planned route. There is only an acoustic signal to remind you when you leave the route. This makes it ideal for tours off the beaten track.
Route planning: The focus is on following prepared tours. GPX tracks can be imported into the app and portal for this purpose. Simple tour planning, including a circular tour, is possible in the app.
Offline functions: Paying subscription customers can take planned routes and maps in their smartphone memory with them on tour. This means that all the functions offered are also available offline in the mountains.
Strength: Very nice map image; good surface information and trail types; detailed elevation profile with slope gradient
Weakness: No route guidance; tour suggestions hidden between tourism offers
Interview with Hartmut Wimmer, Chairman of Digitise the Planet e.V. and Managing Director of Outdooractive AG
BIKE: What exactly does your club do?
Hartmut Wimmer: There are around 26,000 protected areas in Germany. And there is no clear overview of where you are allowed to do what and what you are really not allowed to do - including mountain biking. As Outdooractive, we would like to have the information in machine-readable form so that we can prevent unauthorised content and make users aware of the rules.
Who can enter these rules in your database? Will the entries be checked?
Data sovereignty should lie with the institutions responsible for the respective protected areas. There are no plans for our organisation to check the content. The data will be played out with the respective source so that the credibility is emphasised by the source.
How does up-to-date information - such as short-term closures - get into the sat nav manufacturers' systems? They mainly use data from open street maps and sometimes work with very long update cycles.
In this first round, we are looking at the general rules and permanent or seasonal closures. The current road closures are a topic in their own right and require further development and additional funding.
Do you have an example of where we can already view up-to-date information on a tour portal or in a sat nav app?
Currently only on Outdooractive. We hope that other platforms will also use the data soon.
