JeanM wrote:I need HELP please ! I'm soon going to the Netherlands and hope to save some offline routes on my Fairphone which is an Android. I want to do this to save battery power. I have found the site Cycle.travel and it looks good. So far I've had a go at saving a route, downloading GPX Viewer on my phone and then looked at the saved route. I can see just a turquoise blue route with the darker blue GPS point that does seem to be moving when I move. Can I see the map behind this blue route? Please can you reply to me in simple language as I get easily confused when dealing with new things on my phone. TIA.
Hi Jean,
Welcome to the wonderful world of GPS technology! It takes a while to get used to the new world!!
Just to point out saving the route offline will only save the battery power used to make a route on the road - insignificant. The real drain is from following the route with gps active and screen on all the time.
First things first, there are 2 parts to using a gps device or a phone to navigate.
The first is to
create a route - that's what Cycle.travel is excellent at.
The second is to
follow the route. For that you need a dedicated gps/navigation app on your phone such as Osmand or Komoot or RidewithGPS (or many others). I am not familiar with your GPX viewer, but it's name suggest that it is for viewing GPX files, not necessarily following them.
To test it, make a short route around where you live and try to follow it.
Usually, the navigation part of the equation needs maps on your phone to make the gps file useful. Chances are if your GPXViewer doesn't have an option for downloading maps, then it will not be useful for you. It may be what is called a breadcrumb trail - that is no map detail, but a path that you follow. This is not turn by turn navigation, but it can work well in most places (maybe not big cities with lots of junctions). Again, a quick test on familiar roads will help you figure this out.
While Sweep's suggestion of Osmand is very good (I use it myself) it is not the most user friendly, especially at the begining.
A quick & simple solution is to look at the Komoot app. That will allow you to import the Cycle.Travel files that you make and will also allow you to create routes on the fly - with internet access. Currently there is an offer where you can download all the maps for a one off fee of Euro 20. (Just download the maps for the countries you will need)
You can test it out for free by downloading your local region and trying it out.
It is easy to use and has a short learning curve.
I wouldn't normally recommend it, but I think it will suit you for it's ease of use.
The only issue you may have is if you do not have enough memory to download the maps.
Just a couple of things - if you are planning on using your phone for navigation it's probably a good idea to bring a powerbank in case your phone runs out of juice.
Also, the cycling here in NL is very easy, very straightforward with lots of signs and maps regularly enough on cycle paths. There is no need to be stressed. Also, most people will speak excellent English and will be happy to help. Worst case scenario, very detailed books can be bought widely specifically for bicycle routes.
Whatever you choose to do, I strongly suggest you give it a good test on familiar roads at home. Try going off course? What happens? Try planning a new route from where you are. Does it work? It's so much easier to do this at home than in a foreign place.
Hope this helps!
Good luck!