Just cycle into the blue? You can do that - if you love surprises. But you'll regret this decision at the latest when the lorries start buzzing around your ears on the umpteenth main road. Driving pleasure looks different. Of course, this doesn't happen in your home territory, where you can find the most beautiful routes almost in your sleep. However, as soon as you leave the familiar terrain, route planning is recommended - especially on holiday if you want to be relaxed on the road and experience a lot. The key questions for cyclists:
Where do low-traffic side roads run? Is there, or better still, a signposted cycle route as an alternative? What is the condition of the carriageway or path? Where are the most beautiful views of the landscape, where can you stop for a rest or a bite to eat? And above all: how far and how steep is it? The latter is particularly important for e-bikers, as the battery will run out at some point. You should therefore assess your performance realistically: Which support levels do I use frequently? How far do I normally get with a charged battery? On a well-planned route, you can at least reach a stopover with charging facilities in an emergency.
Planning is fun
The simplest form of route planning benefits from the experiences of other cyclists: for example, there are many descriptions of popular cycle paths and cycle routes on the shelves of bookshops. Or you can browse online tour portals for publicly accessible data recordings, the GPS tracks. These tracks can also be modified on a PC and customised to your own requirements. However, such a search can take a lot of time and effort, which is better invested in personalised planning. Don't worry: you don't have to become a computer expert - but it helps enormously if you know how to utilise the achievements of modern technology. This applies in particular to the route planner programmes that are available on many websites. The next logical step is to buy a GPS device in order to conveniently follow the routes planned on the computer. Or you can use the GPS function on your smartphone. The good thing about this is that the operation of the devices is becoming more intuitive with each generation, so that not only specialists can use them.
However, the good old map is far from being discarded! It provides an optimum overview of a region; and the so-called shading - the colouring of the areas that gives the impression that an imaginary light source is illuminating the landscape - creates a vivid impression. In addition, with a map you are independent of any technology. This can be particularly important when travelling, for example in an emergency! A rough distinction is made between pure road maps and topographical maps, which use contour lines to realistically depict the profile of the landscape. In addition to roads, topo maps also show all other paths. Road maps are therefore only helpful for cyclists who only want to cycle on tarmac. We recommend the Michelin maps from the Zoom series at a scale of 1:150,000, for example. They depict large areas, the landscape is very vivid thanks to the beautiful shading and they make a clear colour distinction between main and secondary roads. Distances between important junctions and turn-offs can be found on almost all road sections. Scenic stretches of road are specially marked in green. The Michelin maps are visually standardised for all European countries.
The best choice, however, are finer-resolution topo maps, which also contain a wealth of additional information that is important for cyclists. The cycle maps published by Kompass-Verlag, the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrradclub (ADFC) and the topo maps of the state surveying offices offer a wide range of coverage and choice. In addition to roads and farm tracks, they also show cycle paths, places of interest, tips on places to stop for refreshments and accommodation. Roads are classified with different colours. This makes it easy to find side routes. Depending on the map, you can even find tour tips - from long-distance to circular tours. Specialised cycle maps are also good at distinguishing between different road conditions. Even if this information does not always correspond 100 per cent to reality, e-bikers are by no means as restricted in this respect as road cyclists, for example. Because with trekking bikes and all-round tyres, forest and gravel paths can also be overcome without any problems. Mountain bike trails are marked separately so that they can be included or avoided as desired.
An important point when planning a tour is the calculation of distances and metres in altitude. In some of the cycle maps mentioned, you will find kilometre indications along the recommended cycle routes. In conventional topo maps, only the scale is a point of reference. With the help of a ruler, at least a straight line between two points can be easily calculated. However, a winding route deviates considerably from the straight line. A so-called map meter promises help: a dial gauge with a small roller. You can use it to roll out any route on the map and then read off the distance travelled on a scale with different scales. Map gauges are available as mechanical or electronic versions. It is far more difficult and imprecise to forecast the expected altitude metres, especially in hilly terrain. The only option here is to look for altitude information on the map along the route or to use the contour lines as a guide. Where are the climbs? Where are the descents? You can calculate the differences for each section and add up the results at the end. This at least gives you a rough overview. Longer ascents, on the other hand, for example in the Alps, can be easily calculated using this method. Here you will find defined valley locations and marked pass heights.
Once the route has been determined, you can highlight the route on the map with a highlighter. When travelling, it is advisable to wrap the map in a plastic cover, even though many cycling maps are now printed on waterproof paper. If you don't want to colour in your maps, you can scan and print out the relevant section of the map. Tip: Professionals write a small road book with the most important towns and junctions. This can also be pulled out of your jersey pocket during the ride and may save you the odd orientation stop.
Map
PLUS Best overview, always available, detailed altitude information (topo maps), spontaneous route changes without any problems
MINUS Determination of exact distances cumbersome, usually several leaf sections necessary (depending on scale), frequent stops en route for orientation
###new-page###Tour planning for E-BIKEOffline tour planning
PLAN OFFLINE TOURS
With the appropriate software, route planning can also be done offline on the PC. The Tour Explorer DVDs from MagicMaps contain everything cyclists need for planning and navigation: Detailed topo maps at a scale of 1:25,000 for computers, GPS devices and smartphones. Plus the Scout app for navigation on the go. Additional features: 3D visualisation, precise elevation profiles, sophisticated auto-routing and the complete ADFC cycle route network as a layer. Available for each federal state (49.90 euros) or Germany as a whole (199.90 euros). A worthwhile investment. www.magicmaps.de
If you mainly want to edit GPS tracks, you can use the programme Basecamp free of charge from the website of GPS specialist Garmin download. The software offers extensive features, from map import (e.g. also the free OpenStreetMap) to tour planning and detailed editing of GPS tracks. www.garmin.com
###new-page###Tour planning for E-BIKEOnline route planner
ONLINE ROUTE PLANNER
There are now numerous tour portals on the internet. On these platforms, cyclists make their tours available to other cyclists, categorised by sport. However, you can also keep your tour archive private if you wish. In addition to the tour archives, some of these websites provide digital tools for route planning. In most cases, this involves automatic routing after entering the starting point and destination. In the options you can choose between different bike types, which then determine the selection of routes and roads. Of course, the maps are constantly improving and the information they contain for cyclists is becoming more and more detailed. Nevertheless, comparisons with routes planned entirely on your own show that the automatic functions sometimes deliver acceptable, but not always optimal results. So you should always expect surprises on tour.
Those who already have some experience will prefer to create their own routes. The GPSies portal, for example, offers a route planner with the option of drawing your own route with just a few clicks of the mouse. The "Follow paths" function automatically places the track on the path or road. This is particularly practical when there are lots of bends or hairpin bends. You simply set the points at larger intervals and the programme automatically creates the connection between them. Errors can be undone step by step. All of this works very quickly after a certain amount of familiarisation. There are also various digital maps and satellite images to choose from, which can be changed in the background as required during planning - this is a great strength of the online planner! Digital maps such as OpenStreetMap (OSM) or OSM-Rad are constantly updated and can now even compete with renowned printed cycle maps. They also show cycle paths, cycle routes and other useful details. You are not tied to one scale, all views can be enlarged continuously. Even better: With every click on the route, the distance travelled so far is displayed to the exact metre and an altitude profile is calculated, which at least gives a rough overview. Once the planned route has been completed, the programme creates a GPS track that can be downloaded to a bike navigation system or smartphone. Without these devices, the modern way of route planning is only half the story.
Online route planner
PLUS Many functions free of charge, distances recognisable to the metre, various Digi maps to choose from
MINUS Automatic routing with weaknesses, only useful in combination with a GPS device, altitude profiles inaccurate (depending on terrain model)
###new-page###Tour planning for the E-BIKEGPS device and smartphone
GPS DEVICE & SMARTPHONE
A GPS device is the logical addition to route planning on a PC. Its strengths lie in navigating along the previously created track. Or you can be guided by any other tracks, for example from a tour portal. This also works with a smartphone using the appropriate apps, provided that
it has a GPS receiver and is suitable for mounting on the handlebars.
An installed digital map is essential. Most modern GPS devices are already equipped with one, so you can set off straight away. Alternatively, OSM maps are available free of charge on the internet. Or you can invest in map material from providers such as Garmin, Kompass or MagicMaps. Following the track on the road is child's play: simply follow the coloured track on the display. If desired, the device can even generate turn-by-turn directions, which are displayed as a symbol just before the turn-off. In addition to providing orientation on tour, the GPS device can also calculate an automatic routing from A to B quickly. As with the online route planner, this is done on the basis of the installed map. In plain language: Bicycle-specific auto-routing is only as good as the information about cycle paths that can be called up digitally from the map. However, subsequent editing of the route is usually difficult due to the rather small displays and complex menus.
GPS device & smartphone
PLUS Convenient guidance with track, perfect orientation, recording of all movements
MINUS Automatic routing with weaknesses, lack of overview depending on display size, short battery life (smartphone)
###new-page###Tour planning for E-BIKETour portals for cyclists
TOUR PORTALS FOR CYCLISTS
ADFC
Huge, but partly chargeable tour database. With all cycle routes and lots of additional information for cyclists. Including route planner. www.adfc-tourenportal.de
GPS-Tour.info
Free, well-maintained tour exchange by the users. Own app for download. www.gps-tour.info
Komoot
Popular tour portal with an extensive range of offers, including from many tourist regions. Offline maps for downloading. Also route planner and app. Partly chargeable. You can find MYBIKE collections and tours at:
Naviki
Tour portal, route planner (also for circular routes) and app, for cyclists only. Partly subject to a charge. www.naviki.org
E-BIKE and TREKKINGBIKE
Our sister magazines E-BIKE and TREKKINGBIKE have a large stock of well-researched and described tours, including GPS data for download. Since 2018, both magazines have been bundled in the new MYBIKE. Just take a look: gps-touren.mybike-magazin.de
The full article was published in E-BIKE issue 3/2017. You can download the issue in the MYBIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or in the DK-Shop order.
