Tarmacs Route Planner?
Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew
Tarmacs Route Planner?
Does anyone have any experience using Tarmacs? https://tarmacs.app/routes/edit/new
It seems to have some nice bikepacking-relevant features including showing potable water sources and shelters, as well as being able to tinker with the surface and terrain you're after. I've not checked their business model, so they could well be harvesting your kidneys or the like, nor does it have an undo button which is bloody annoying but it may be a good one to add to the mapping toolset.
It seems to have some nice bikepacking-relevant features including showing potable water sources and shelters, as well as being able to tinker with the surface and terrain you're after. I've not checked their business model, so they could well be harvesting your kidneys or the like, nor does it have an undo button which is bloody annoying but it may be a good one to add to the mapping toolset.
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Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
I use cycle.travel and think it's very decent.
Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
Just had a quick play and it routes you along footpaths and the wrong way down one-way streets, so might need a bit of refining yet 

Adventure without risk is Disneyland - Bikemonger
Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
I've been using free site gpx.studio for two or three years for tarmac-related routes. You can choose 'motorbike' for do-not-leave-tarmac options, or 'MTB' for bridleways and 'run/hike' to include footpaths. And it has an undo button. 

- Dave Barter
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Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
Looks like a one-man-band (polish guy) entering a very crowded market.
Elite keyboard warrior, DNF'er, Swearer
Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
I use cycle.travel sometimes too. That's also a one-man-band as I understand it. It also has the best loading gif around …Dave Barter wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 11:57 am Looks like a one-man-band (polish guy) entering a very crowded market.

To be honest, I find all of them as good as as they are useless as 'just click and follow' route planners and they rarely generate the route you'd plot manually, but they can all make for a good starting point to tweak, and do like the extra info that this new one seems to provide. I guess there's a lot of common/shared routing tech behind them, graphHopper for eg, then each add their own flavour. It's quite fun to add the same start and end points to various and see how they differ. eg, Kentmere to Coniston: OS vs Komoot vs RideWithGPS vs cycle.travel vs Tarmacs. I've just added a blog post to collate these: https://cycling.hypertelia.com/cycle-ro ... g-services
- Dave Barter
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Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
You are exactly right in my view Hyppy. I'm a massive cycnic about auto-route creation and we are building a product designed to make it easier for people to share routes and directions https://geovey.co.uk. Our work is targeted at walking trails at the moment and we don't plan to go near cycling as the route planner sites have them covered.
cycle.travel have invested a lot in their router but under the covers, it's Dijkstra with some custom costs/rules for cycling. Strava have so much data that their route planner should rule above all else, it's not bad but it still doesn't do it for me. I prefer plotting on top of OS maps. I built a prototype route planning package aimed at off-road riders but had to abandon it as the OS license fees are designed to tell small operators like me to do one.
cycle.travel have invested a lot in their router but under the covers, it's Dijkstra with some custom costs/rules for cycling. Strava have so much data that their route planner should rule above all else, it's not bad but it still doesn't do it for me. I prefer plotting on top of OS maps. I built a prototype route planning package aimed at off-road riders but had to abandon it as the OS license fees are designed to tell small operators like me to do one.
Elite keyboard warrior, DNF'er, Swearer
Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
looking at all the options that came up on there, the Cycle.travel option is the most cycle friendly. some of the other options are pretty crap.It's quite fun to add the same start and end points to various and see how they differ. eg, Kentmere to Coniston: OS vs Komoot vs RideWithGPS vs cycle.travel vs Tarmacs. I've just added a blog post to collate these: https://cycling.hypertelia.com/cycle-ro ... g-services
i have used the Cycle.travel app both home and abroad, and it is by far the best. it tends to keep you off busy roads. IMHO.............

Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
I liked Komoot suggesting Garburn Pass as 'bike touring' friendly and 'suitable for all skill levels'. That's gonna be a rude awakening for someone.
Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
i could have cried going over Garburn on the winter Jennride. it was just horrible.suggesting Garburn Pass as 'bike touring' friendly and 'suitable for all skill levels'

Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
Komoot loves to stick you on footpaths too - it doesn’t seem to distinguish that well between the different rights of way.
Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
Looks like one decided up and over garburn was the best way... Its not the way i would goI've just added a blog post to collate these:
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Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
I use Komoot, and generally find it pretty decent. Bonus points that it mates seamlessly to my Wahoo.
Some acquaintances raved about RideWithGPS, but I found it clunky and frustrating. 


Re: Tarmacs Route Planner?
Komoot can’t seem to tell the difference between a bridleway and a footpath. Easy to use though.