Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

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Paul Smith SRCC
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Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by Paul Smith SRCC »

I've been looking at sharing routes I've created in RideGPS with customers who have not got a traditional GPS device. For those of you who don't know I work in a cycle shop and I've made a few local routes that often appeal to visitors.

Ideally I'd like to download or email them the Gpx file of the route, which they can then import onto their phones, then use that phone to Navigate. Most the routes are 2-4 hours long so the limitations of using the phone are diminished. I've tried BikeHUB but that failed to import the route fully each time I tried. On the face of it that app seemed ideal, simple to download, email them the file then use that to navigate; shame it was not reliable. I also have the routes on Strava, but notice if you use a Smartphone it navigates the reverse way around the created route. 'GPX viewer' shows the route on a map as well as your current location, which is better than nothing but not quite what I need.

Often, as in nearly always, the customer is standing in front of me and needs to process everything there and then, so needs to be quite simple otherwise in a busy store environment they give up. That is a slight issue I have with 'GPX viewer', it needs a bit of patience to do in store as it's a bit of a faff, especially with Redhill's notoriously slow internet connection; so once again they nearly always give up. Something like the RideGPS app would also be ideal but the navigation feature is a paid for feature.

Any suggestions?
Paul Smith. 37 Years in the Cycle Trade
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Psamathe
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by Psamathe »

I would think it depends on what apps yous customers already have on their smartphone.

Most people would use an app with offline mapping which means you'd install the app and then download the mapping over a Wi-Fi connection. And I'd have thought most people would already have their "app of choice" (with mapping) already installed.

And different apps are available on different phones providing different functionality. Some apps might give you turn by turn voice instructions, some instructions, some on a display screen and others draw the route over the map (so "which way round" becomes irrelevant). And I'd expect different customers to be looking for different functionality when following a route.

Some apps are easier and more flexible than others. I use MapOut (iPhone only) which many seem to rate highly and getting gpx's into the app is really easy and which methods are available depends on how the user has set things up; in addition to any means to transfer the gpx (through different apps supporting Share extensions, mail, FTP, numerous file transfer apps, etc.) I can also e-mail the gx (as an attachment) to a specific e-mail and it will appear in the app.

So many variables and normally you'd expect people wanting to follow a route to have selected their app and to be slightly aware of how to use it. I'd say e-mail them the gpx and let them know their app (or chose, load, configure, download mapping) - based on how they want to use it.

Ian
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Gattonero
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by Gattonero »

you can use OsmAnd, it can import GPX files

Image
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
Psamathe
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by Psamathe »

Gattonero wrote:you can use OsmAnd, it can import GPX files
https://jeroenmols.com/img/blog/cyclinggps/osmand4.png

But it's not the poster who'll be using it but his customers and some will have Android phones and others iPhones and OsmAnd on the iPhone is one of the worst rated mapping apps.

Plus, customers will need to be downloading mapping (whatever app/platform they use - or discover the real costs of GSM data after they've been on their ride). Plus whilst the apps are easy'ish to use, generally you would not want to be learning to use the app whilst out on a ride trying to follow a route from the app! And if customers don't already have an app, is the OP going to spend time helping them to connect to his in-store Wi-Fi then to help them find and download the app, then to help them select and download the mapping given it's "in a busy store environment" and "needs to be quite simple otherwise... they give up".

Maybe write a "step by step guide" with recommended apps (list for Android and one for iPhone) and a brief guide on loading app, mapping & gpx and using. Either printed sheet (to give to customer) on on web site or e-mailed pdf (with selected gpx route). That way they can work through it when they have time at home, look at what they want, whats available, store gets the appreciation, etc.

When it's for your own use you don't need to think beyond what device and requirements you have but when it's for customers in the store you need to accommodate the full range.

Ian
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Gattonero
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by Gattonero »

Eveything has got a learning curve.

Even back in the day, you had to remember how to put in your head this and that turn of the journey, and when this wasn't enough you had to use the paper map.

I think it's unrealistic to begin a long journey with no navigation skills, unless you get a Garmin (or similar) with big display and use that.
Or just give a paper map and a cuesheet to put on the top-tube of the bike, if everything fails the good ol' paper map requires only the basics to be understood, the only problem could be to find a reference point in remote areas.
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
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Paul Smith SRCC
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by Paul Smith SRCC »

Psamathe wrote:I would think it depends on what apps yous customers already have on their smartphone.
Ian

It's focused more on our customers new to cycling, many catch the train from London to Redhill and don't know the area, it's what prompted me to compose routes that I've pedalled since a boy. I have referenced local routes that sell Surrey and Sussex to a potential bike rider in a hope it inspires a new rider to become a regular one. It's a case of, "this is a good tea room, I can show you the route on your phone if you like; will only take a mo'".

I did look at 'OsmAnd', but was really looking something less involved, something very basic and simple to learn in store, maybe with voice recognition so they could listen to the route via a single earpiece with phone in back pocket for example, which is why I dismissed 'GPX viewer'. BikeHUB looked ideal!
Last edited by Paul Smith SRCC on 13 Aug 2017, 3:20pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by al_yrpal »

Osmand+ will do it and its a wonderful navigation App, dead easy to import to and use. A fiver only once and you can download any map freeing you from data charges. Used it for Nav this year in France and British Columbia as well as Blighty. Shows all the bridleways and footpaths at home and abroad. Voice navigation too.

Al
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by Psamathe »

al_yrpal wrote:Osmand+ will do it and its a wonderful navigation App, dead easy to import to and use. A fiver only once and you can download any map freeing you from data charges. Used it for Nav this year in France and British Columbia as well as Blighty. Shows all the bridleways and footpaths at home and abroad. Voice navigation too.

Al

But Osmand is worse than a disaster on iPhone and as we are talking about "customers" you'd need a solution that includes both Android AND iPhone. Selecting a solution for only one platform would just annoy customers on the other platform which overall would be counter productive for a retail shop. I could argue to go for MapOut which is highly rated by many ... but it's iPhone/iPad only so is not appropriate to the question being asked.

Ian
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Gattonero
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by Gattonero »

Get all the customers to use Android and Shimano :mrgreen:
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
Psamathe
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by Psamathe »

Paul Smith SRCC wrote:
Psamathe wrote:I would think it depends on what apps yous customers already have on their smartphone.
Ian

It's focused more on our customers new to cycling, many catch the train from London to Redhill and don't know the area, it's what prompted me to compose routes that I've pedalled since a boy. I have referenced local routes that sell Surrey and Sussex to a potential bike rider in a hope it inspires a new rider to become a regular one. It's a case of, "this is a good tea room, I can show you the route on your phone if you like; will only take a mo'".

I did look at 'OsmAnd', but was really looking something less involved, something very basic and simple to learn in store, maybe with voice recognition so they could listen to the route via a single earpiece with phone in back pocket for example, which is why I dismissed 'GPX viewer'. BikeHUB looked ideal!

Another consideration maybe before even apps is how are they going to use the app when on their ride? If they have something like a bike mount then they almost certainly have an app already and know how to use it so e-mailing them a gpx would be enough.

Challenges in finding/recommending a "solution":
1. You need something for both iOS/iPhone/iPad as well as Android.
2. App developers tend to make their apps feature rich to attract users and this creates complexity which you (sensibly) don't want.
3. If they don't have a bike mount, how are they going to get directions for the routes (phone in pocket means they can't see the screen, headphones many argue are "unsafe", one earphone is a rarer thing not everybody has).
4. They would need to download mapping over your Wi-Fi before

Bikehub is rated badly for iPhone and Android (more 1* ratings than 5* ratings!); and it seems vague about pre-downloading mapping (over free Wi-Fi rather than GSM Data).

I would have thought all customers are different, iPhone or Android, some do have earphones, some don't (I don't even own any that would work whilst riding with only one in an ear). Some will have apps, some wont, etc. I would have thought best way to accommodate a wide range is not to try and shoehorn them all into a single simplified solution - as a bike shop do you sell a single type of bike or do you recognise that different people are after different things and need different solutions. Embrace the range and recognise that those who have a solution can just be e-mailed (or download) the gpx and that for those that don't you will often face spending a fair amount of time with that customer showing them how to connect to your Wi-Fi, where to find and how to load your selected app, how to load the mapping, how to load the gpx, and then showing how to use the app - and you might have queues of other customers building whilst all that is going on (you mentioned a "busy store environment"). Hence maybe some info sheets for different set-ups e.g. "iPhone with voice directions", "Android with voice directions", "iPhone with screen display", "Android with screen display", etc., etc.

Everybody if different but I've blocked my phone from using the AppStore over GSM data because I don't want it wasting bandwidth checking for updated apps, etc. so I'd need your in-store Wi-Fi, etc.

Ian
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by freeflow »

Locus maps. Double tap on the file or email attachment and it loads locus maps with the gpx installed ready to run.
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by Psamathe »

freeflow wrote:Locus maps. Double tap on the file or email attachment and it loads locus maps with the gpx installed ready to run.

And exclude a significant portion of the customers who use iPhones/iPads ? I take the question not as "What's your favourite mapping app" but as for being a solution for a broad customer base.

Ian
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by robgul »

At the bike shop where I work part-time we have a fantastic solution that works for everyone - it's a free printed map of the area with about 8 routes marked on it, from easy tootles to a couple with challenging hills.

The map was produced by a group of volunteers that obtained a small amount of funding from the LA and some advertising panels.

Rob
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by RickH »

Psamathe wrote:Challenges in finding/recommending a "solution":
1. You need something for both iOS/iPhone/iPad as well as Android.

The last figures I saw were over 80% of smart devices were Android so catering for Apple products is a bit of a niche market really! :twisted:
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Psamathe
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Re: Import GPX File to 'Smartphone' then use to navigate

Post by Psamathe »

RickH wrote:
Psamathe wrote:Challenges in finding/recommending a "solution":
1. You need something for both iOS/iPhone/iPad as well as Android.

The last figures I saw were over 80% of smart devices were Android so catering for Apple products is a bit of a niche market really! :twisted:

What about iPads. 20% is a significant sector of the market, particularly when there are methods to accommodate both!

Ian
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