No nasty surprises: the best apps for cyclists

What is the best way to combine sport that is easy on the joints with leisure time? We are convinced: cycling, of course!

Our bike is, so to speak, a whole-body fitness trainer with a considerable fun and experience factor, and we can take our bike with us everywhere. Especially in spring, you can clearly see how many people get out their bikes that have been mothballed over the winter and are suddenly on the road again in droves. The season has long since begun, or have we understood since the 2020 boom that it never really ends?

After all, hardy people seek their adventures on their bikes even in the cold season and don’t fear icicles on their olfactory organ. Even quite a few employees enjoy – well wrapped up – their tour to the company in frosty weather, thus avoiding any flu.

The potential of our great favourite subject, cycling, has long been comprehensively discovered. Technical aids are always welcome. They expand our possibilities many times over and offer relief.

Between “ostentatious much” and “slimmed down little”, we find virtually everything. Conversely, this means that no matter how extreme or relaxed you are, you will find the right app for you.

As you might have guessed, we will come across many advertised helpers on a journey of discovery on the web, but only a few may really be suitable for you.

What is relevant is the scope and the application. We don’t want unnecessary bells and whistles, but we also don’t want 08/15 versions that let us down in an emergency. And most of all, we hate advertising … Since there are free apps that even acoustically load you with ads, a close look at your navigation app makes a lot of sense. But we also take a look at those apps that have little or nothing to do with navigation. So it’s a round-up, with only the best making it into our report. Sit back and enjoy the luxury of only having to decide ..

Our top app tips ..

… for outdoor lovers, nature lovers and adventurers

The app is therefore a real hit even in the free version and is not praised by many advisors without reason.

One eye-catcher of this app is its website. The website is sure to answer all your questions and, with its appealing layout and plenty of material for the eye, really makes you want to start cycling.

Komoot scores points and advertises with ease of use, reliability and the option to tailor the tours exactly to your needs. Thanks to so-called “hand-picked guides”, you will only be guided to great experiences. We were particularly attracted by the fact that with komoot you can start directly from your front door. On the other hand, there are no limits. Komoot also lets you plan and experience an adventure from the other side of the world.

The app advertises insider tips for the summer, impressive alpine routes and perfect racing bike trails, tours over long weekends, mountain bike paradises … In short: you’ll find what you’re looking for and, thanks to the reliability of this app, you’ll also be guaranteed a brilliant experience.

With this application, you can plan your tours easily and very flexibly, and you can also plan stopovers at any time. No problem at all. Determine your route, for example by choosing between single trail, cycle path or country lane … Super simple – the planning already awakens your anticipation!

It hardly seems possible to top Komoot. But we wanted to take a closer look!

And: we found what we were looking for, so we present similar apps that can definitely compete with the – in our opinion – best in class, after all, the demands and needs are motley.

Is there anything from GoogleMaps?

The advantage of Google Maps is that we know it very well; after all, this application is good for almost everything and is probably one of the most used. Thanks to GoogleMaps, we can always fall back on the easy-to-use all-rounder. If you want to go one step further, you can use Maps.me:

1.188,045 users have given the app a total of four and a half stars, so it’s worth highlighting its strengths in more detail – and if necessary also its weaknesses, if any ..

Individual reviews highlight the ease of use, but also technical problems, such as various glitches after updates – only minor ones, mind you. As long as the developers continue to keep an eye on things, we should not be surprised by any significant obstacles.

How does Maps.me work?

First, you download your map and select the region. In Germany, for example, there is a separate download for each federal state.

Maps.me then lets you select further details, similar to car sat navs, whereby you can also select parking spaces, cash machines or relevant buildings.

The app helps you find the best routes without letting you down in offline mode, which is where it sometimes scores.

The open-sourcers love Maps.me because they are allowed to tinker with it. The advantage here is that various improvements can be incorporated from outside – after review by the developers. After all, users often see a need in places that the actual creators would never notice.

Voice output is now also possible. One shortcoming, however, is that in very sparsely populated areas, route information is occasionally not available. However, this is nothing unusual and is similar even with komoot.

Conclusion: Topographically, we recognise a few weak points, but these are not serious and will by no means spoil your touring experience. All in all, with Maps.me you “attach” a solid helper to your handlebar mount, which reliably supports you with its ease of use and offline strengths.

7.4 million cycling routes are quite a number, and 4.9 million people already enjoy this mobile phone application.

In contrast to komoot, for example, the website has a rather pragmatic structure. Here, too, we find appealing pictures, but these leave less emotion behind. The inner values of Bikemap, however, are no less impressive than those of our top candidate. Very clearly and thoughtfully structured, you will find everything you need – for sure! You’ll probably have to compare more values yourself, as this app does less for you.

Pick your favourite from a colourful bouquet of apps

During our research, we came across other convincing supporters such as Strava, Ride with GPS, TrailForks and ViewRanger. Each of these apps demonstrates its own strengths.

TrailForks helps against getting lost, to put it casually, and ViewRanger makes it clear how much fun you can have on “wild trails”.

Depending on individual needs, we then list other apps and describe why they are useful for cyclists in addition to navigation. In addition, there are occasionally apps that are dedicated to specific areas. For example, mountain biking.

Let’s pick Trailforks as an example, an app that was quite popular for a long time but has lost many stars in the meantime. Such specialised apps sometimes focus on other route options, yet, as in our example, some overly specialised bike navigation apps still have serious weaknesses that are clearly reflected in reviews and ratings. We therefore recommend that you first reach for the tried-and-tested apps, even if you have special wishes, and first check whether they are not enough

Far too quickly, one runs the risk of experiencing unpleasant surprises with the “little specialists”. Experiences tell of all kinds of mistakes, such as gross blunders in route selection and the difficulties of downloading the map material in the first place. Many maps are simply not available or only available by subscription. Regular updates are also lacking, which is why you often have to wait too long for bugs to be fixed. When you consider that you even have to spend money on this, only to be disappointed afterwards, this makes it clear how crucial an extensive comparison of apps can be!

The INTERMEDIATE – fitness and a little navigation and much more..

If you see yourself as a cycling terminator or simply want to optimise your fitness, then use the statistics of this app for your training plan. You can also complete so-called “tasks” that you can set yourself via the app and set your own records. It’s just a pity that we can’t do without the small field at the bottom of the display that constantly presents us with advertisements. This is an acceptable shortcoming in view of the many advantages, and as we all know, you don’t look a gift horse in the mouth … After all, many users have already put this app through its paces. With over four and a half stars and 68,000 users, they rate the tracking options and motivating fitness components as very good to good.

Similar to this app – for primarily fitness-oriented users – we recommend the app “Bike Computer”, which scores with useful options without unintentionally sacrificing usability. We would also like to include the app Upbike in our top tip category, as we can also recommend it without hesitation. It all depends on the individual nerve. If you want to improve your performance in a fitness-oriented way, you can use the above-mentioned apps or the following ones: Cyclemeter, Zwift (especially recommended for indoor training) and, last but not least, we recommend the app Interval Timer for healthy cycling.

Are you a bike hobbyist?

Then the RoadBike workshop will help you out. All topics such as the care, maintenance and repair of brakes, but also everything to do with gears, wheels and tyres are clearly discussed.

In addition, sprocket calculators are also useful, where you can make good forecasts for your bike based on your individual settings and also better plan maintenance. RoadBike Werkstatt can even be a real lifesaver in an emergency, as it allows you to find the nearest workshop in the event of a breakdown.

Saddle Adjust: with this you can find out your best riding position. As the name suggests, it’s all about the saddle. Saddle Adjust is primarily about perfect calibration. Experimenting is allowed, and the good thing is: thanks to saved settings, you can always find your way back to the previous optimised seating position. Just give it a try!

An app including a motivating personal trainer: Radbonus

The bonuses are donated by health insurance companies, employers, e-shops and, last but not least, the cities. A great thing, we think, and we definitely want to put Radbonus at the top of the popularity scale. But does the app live up to its promise? Let’s just get out our magnifying glass:

The entire Radbonus community has already covered almost 220000 km! So there seems to be a lot going on. In addition, we read several enthusiastic reviews. Partners of this app are Aldi, Barmer, Blackroll, the city of Aachen and so on. The makers also won third place at the German Cycling Awards. So much for our rough overview.

In addition to the bonus programme, we are happy about the capitalisation of your privacy, as you can largely do without revealing your data. In addition, you will be motivated to use your bike as often as possible, as the first gifts await you after 100 kilometres ridden. Just take a look at the page to see what’s in it for you.

The first 50 kilometres are rewarded with the first congratulations. You can view these under “Challenges”. And so it goes straight on. Radbonus comes across as very simple and slimmed down, very clear and, despite the reward system, easy-going and convincingly structured. Even with a magnifying glass, we didn’t notice any disadvantages or even a hitch – like the other many users. The only thing that could happen to us would be that we would no longer be motivated at some point. But we don’t cycle for goodies, we have much better reasons. That’s why we say: Off to the app!

What do you think is essential for a perfect tour? Of course – the weather!

Unfortunately, numerous weather apps are filled to the brim with advertising, but we want data that is fit for purpose and not advertising rubbish. With Windy.com, Wetter.com, RegenRadar, YoWindow, WetterOnline, Weather Kitty, you won’t be disappointed. These apps are among the most reputable and provide reliable information on pollen counts or, like Weather Underground, hyperlocal weather forecasts. Avoid using the next best app, because we have often enough installed, tested, been annoyed by advertising and other annoying features and deleted the application again … You can save yourself the time. Go straight for the good and yet free apps.

As the names partly indicate, you can also choose specifications here: with Windy.com you can keep an eye on the wind, while RegenRadar clearly shows where you should avoid cycling if you don’t want to get wet. The other apps mentioned are typical weather apps, some with a great design, but in any case including all relevant data for cyclists and tour planners.

Relaxation at last – accommodation

Apps like Momondo or Kayak help you find the best accommodation for you. You can use them to compare prices and get real-time information about flights, for example, if you have a really big tour planned. Depending on the size of your trip, planning in advance may be even more crucial for the smooth running of your trip. Apps like the ones mentioned above are therefore necessary to avoid cost traps and to find a solution according to your budget that still meets your needs. Reputable apps like Momondo and Kayak won’t let you down when travelling abroad. Loverlander, Booking.com, Shelter or WarmShowers (for couch surfers) are also recommended for domestic and international tours.

For longer tours, the rest has to be right. After many kilometres, we want to arrive at our hostel carefree and be able to look forward to relaxing. After all, it depends on how much energy we will have on the following tour day.

An app for everything..

Wow, when browsing, you come across all kinds of things. Regardless of whether it concerns topics such as photography during cycling tours, sharing photos and communicating with other cyclists or visualising routes … Or downright magical applications such as Sky Maps and other refinements of various navigation apps: as a cyclist, you could quickly get lost in picking out great apps. It may be that it can be enormously impressive to plan your tours according to the light conditions in order to capture every magical hour of sunrise and sunset, but let’s be honest: if we used all possible apps, we would no longer get to pedal.

Photos are good for the memories, but ultimately it’s the experience that counts. The sweating, the seeing, breathing and discovering. In this respect, we should focus our eyes less on the display and more on the surroundings, right?

Not enough yet?

We can promise you that you can still discover a lot while browsing for apps, should you want to experience even more. We can only guess at how many apps there are now, and a large number of them are definitely among the “good” ones. If you take a look at the experiences of users and try out one or two free apps, you will quickly understand what really matters and how your tailor-made little helper should look.

In any case, the beautiful trails and your personal wonderful memories will be there afterwards. Use your technical possibilities and enjoy!