Ok, I need an alternative to Komoot for #CrossBorderRail 🚲🗺️ this summer

@spacehobo suggested cycle.travel that looks good, but on two shorter trips I’ll evaluate this and other options

NEEDS
- route planning and saving on a computer and easily on an iPhone
- ability to share routes with others with a link, and export routes as GEOjson or equiv file
- turn by turn navigation (I have an old iPhone on a handlebar mount)

IMPORTANT
- works anywhere in the EU, and Moldova and edge of Ukraine

IDEALLY
- community driven and/or open source

And sorry, solutions only in a web browser are unlikely good enough. An app based solution for saved routes strikes me as important.

And why am I leaving Komoot behind? As @osma documented, the founders sold out to big money enshittifiers 😭

Based on suggestions from a bunch of people, 3 apps are to be assessed more closely

cycle.travel
Ride with GPS
Organic Maps

First test: home to a friend’s place in a neighbouring village

There are two routes: a longer flat route along the canal, and a shorter hilly route on a road with cars

cycle.travel gives me the canal
The other two the hilly road

First win for cycle.travel

@jon One of my favourite features of Strava is the global heatmap. There you can see where people *actually* cycle (or do other sports) and how popular a certain road or path is. I use this info very often in my route planning.

Disclaimer: Strava has more of a sports focus and I can imagine that you don't like its ethics. But for me and my activities (cycling, hiking, skiing, swimming), it's the perfect app in terms of exploring, planning, recording and sharing with others.

@sebwilken @jon On this route it also suggests the North and slightly hilly route. I guess that's where most road cyclists go? Or the algorithm decides that the bump is small enough that the detour isn't worth it as a default?

IIRC there was an option to choose between flattier or hillier although I can't find it on mobile. Maybe that was on Komoot. 🤔

Also it looks like the mobile app is broken (on Android) as I can't edit the route after the fact (cannot add new points, only move them)...

@cycling_on_rails @sebwilken don’t get me wrong: it’s not a nasty hill. But that, plus traffic vs no traffic, tips the balance.