Digital navigation is becoming increasingly important. Of course, the signposted route is still essential. node system The most important basis for easy orientation. Unfortunately, important signposts and information boards disappear far too often, and are defaced or destroyed. Therefore, every cyclist should definitely have a good "Plan B" in their pocket. This could be a detailed cycling map, such as... Map set “radrevier.ruhr” at a scale of 1:35.000. Digital navigation is also becoming increasingly popular.
Since many people struggle with digital applications, I'll try to give you a brief overview before the start of the cycling season of how you can easily navigate digitally through the radrevier.ruhr region.
Komoot, Outdooractive or radtourenplaner.ruhr?
The selection of digital maps is probably just as vast as that of printed maps. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference which planner you feel most comfortable using. I myself have been using Komoot (the market leader in bicycle navigation in Germany) for years, as its user-friendliness sets the standard for me as a cyclist.
Outdooractive is particularly popular as a partner of regions and plays a key role, especially in the Alps. Here in North Rhine-Westphalia, the NRW cycling route planner primarily helps everyday cyclists find the most bike-friendly routes, although I don't find the visual presentation particularly appealing. In our Ruhr cycling region, the new regional [additional feature] is now available. bike tour planner.ruhr as a completely free alternative.
The new Ruhr cycling tour planner
Just in time for the Essen cycling fair, the new digital radtourenplaner.ruhr (Ruhr cycling tour planner) was launched. Many users have complained to us in recent years about our extensive collaboration with a private, paid provider (Komoot) and expressed a desire for a free alternative. Therefore, Ruhr Tourism GmbH, in close cooperation with the Regionalverband Ruhr (Ruhr Regional Association) and the company EFTAS, has developed its own tour planner for the radrevier.ruhr (Ruhr cycling region). We do not intend to compete with Komoot or Outdooractive, but rather to offer a free alternative that can be particularly interesting for those new to digital navigation.
The heart of radtourenplaner.ruhr: The desktop application for your home PC.
Planning a tour on your phone – that's only fun to a limited extent. I don't know of any application where you can easily plan a complex tour on your phone, individual tour can be developed in detail. Therefore, I always recommend planning your route on your PC and only using the mobile app for the actual tour. The mouse makes it easy to adjust the route, and the large monitor helps with orientation. Save or GPXThe download function allows any tour to be quickly transferred to a mobile device. Virtually every system offers this feature.
Route planning via the junction system
This is where the radtourenplaner.ruhr (Ruhr cycle tour planner) demonstrates its greatest advantage. The original cycle route network is integrated, and anyone can quickly plan a tour by clicking on the junctions. You can be sure that the route follows the exact signposted junction network. With just a few clicks, you can find out the length and elevation gain of the tour. If the tour options here aren't enough, you can easily display the red-and-white signposted cycle network on the right side of the screen. This makes the cycle network significantly denser and also allows for shorter circular tours.
While other providers often choose the correct cycle paths as well, it can occasionally happen that, for example, Komoot chooses a slightly different route than the signposted junction system. This can sometimes be confusing on site.
Predefined tour suggestions in the radtourenplaner.ruhr for inspiration
With “Tours” Detailed tour suggestions are available, such as the RevierRoutes available. "Places" Here you can quickly find an overview of worthwhile sights that can be explored by bike. This allows you to easily plan a tour, for example, from the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein to the Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park. When planning your tour, you can choose between the "Most Scenic Route" (largely following the junction system), the "Most Practical Route" (following the red and white signposted cycle network), and the "Shortest Route" (mostly on regular roads).
Taking the train home
As a small bonus, you'll also find public transport stops under "Locations" at a certain zoom level. The departure monitor informs you when the next train is leaving and whether it's delayed. A small but very helpful tool for getting home quickly after a bike ride.
Weaknesses and problems of the radtourenplaner.ruhr
Sometimes, the market launch of (digital) products encounters some initial difficulties, and unfortunately, we too have not been spared error messages and challenges. However, we are continuously working on solutions to these problems, not least with the help of constructive user feedback. I expect that we will have these errors under control in time for the start of the main cycling season after Easter and will then be able to offer a solid, free alternative.
Furthermore, we plan to integrate all known construction sites and detours directly into this route planner in the future. For 2020, this is certainly just a small test, but in the long term, we hope to be able to offer you a constantly updated application.
Should I stick with Komoot?
We want you to experience as many wonderful cycling moments as possible in the Ruhr region. If you've had good experiences with Komoot or another route planner, then you should stick with that software. If you ever plan a tour via the node system If you want to cycle, you can also plan your route using the radtourenplaner.ruhr on your PC and export it via GPXImporting the file into your mobile provider's app or a traditional navigation device might be quite interesting. Just give it a try. By the way, you can also find all our tour suggestions directly on Komoot at [link to Komoot website]. www.komoot.de/user/radrevierruhr.
On the road with a classic outdoor GPS device
Many cyclists swear by the classic outdoor navigation device mounted on the handlebars. In my opinion, the biggest advantage is that it doesn't drain your phone's battery as much, and your smartphone is readily available for taking photos, etc. Constantly taking it out of the waterproof bike mount really gets on my nerves. Planning your tours is also done on your home PC. GPXThe file will then transfer your tour to your GPS device. By the way, you can find good and impartial advice at Naviso. www.naviso.de.
As helpful as digital tour planning is, in the end, it's the analog experience of being out in nature that truly matters. I'm really looking forward to spring and many wonderful tours in the area. radrevier.ruhr. So, let's get in the saddle!
