Are you tired of juggling multiple apps and websites to plan your next cycling adventure? Meet Veloplanner, an app that aims to centralize all official cycle routes in one place.
If you’re anything like me, you probably have plenty of destinations and cycle routes on your bucket list. However, when it comes to planning a trip, information about them is scattered all over the Internet.
Kacper Goliński decided to create a unique cycle touring planning tool that shows all the official cycle routes on one map and allows users to add feedback, photos and additional information about them.
Do we really need another route-planning app for cycling?
When I first read about the Veloplanner project, I was sceptical. With popular tools like Komoot, Ride with GPS, and others already on the market, do we really need another app? Veloplanner, however, offers something new.
“I wanted a place to view all official cycle trails on one map.” Says Kacper Goliński, the software engineer behind the Veloplanner. “We started with Velomapa, a collection of cycle routes in Poland. Veloplanner is a much bigger project. The route data is imported from OpenStreetMap (OSM), an open database updated by volunteer contributors.”
Why Veloplanner might be a game-changer for bicycle touring
Most cycling apps and route planners, like komoot or cycle.travel, are based on the data from OSM. The key factor distinguishing the Veloplanner from its competitors is that the users have a clear overview of cycle routes without zooming in on the map. You can, for example, see the network of trails across Europe. The map features international, national, regional and local cycling networks.
Additionally, the Veloplanner map includes many POIs that are specifically interesting for cycle tourists, such as campsites, shelters, and water points.
Cycle route planner
The Veloplanner is still under development, but users can already access the route map and the beta version of the route planner in the browser.
“The planner favours existing bike trails, meaning it won’t direct you through the shortest route but will make it as touristic as possible. Later, we plan to add other modes, such as safe mode (favouring dedicated car-free bicycle lanes),” Goliński explains. “It will help inexperienced cyclists or families with kids plan the safest route. We also want to add a fast mode for people trying to get from point A to B as quickly as possible.”
The power of the community
In many years of cycle touring, the state of official bike routes often let me down. Especially in my home country, Poland, the authorities think it’s enough to draw a route on a map, put some trail markings and advertise a new cycling route. As a result, I often fought my way through overgrown, muddy dirt roads that had been unmaintained for years.
How would people know that the official cycle routes marked on Veloplanner are worth taking? I asked Kacper.
“On Velomapa, the first version of our app, people can post photos and reviews of the routes. This feature will also be available on Veloplanner so that people can see what kind of tyres will be most suitable for a specific route and what to expect.” Says the creator of Veloplanner.
The goal is to involve community to keep the road descriptions as useful and up-to-date as possible.
“We could create an option to add a comment to a particular section of the route, for example, a warning of a steep climb or poor surface. People will be able to add photos, and then the community can upvote or downvote it so that there is some verification if the posted information is true or false.” Says Kacper. “We want people to comment about whether a place is cyclist-friendly, for example, if you can wash your bike or store it safely.”
When will the full version of the app be available?
The launch of the full version of the Veloplanner app is planned for spring when the cycling season starts for good in most of Europe.
It will replace the Velomapa app, which covers the cycle routes in Poland. You can already download the Velomapa app to get a sneak peek at some of the Veloplanner’s functionalities.
The beta version of the browser route viewer and planner is already available. The map currently features official cycling routes in Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. However, the creators want to add POIs on other continents later and consider adding community-created routes.
How much will it cost?
The browser’s route viewer and planner are and will be free of charge. The essential functions of the mobile app will also be free. Some premium features, such as offline mode or additional layers, will be available to support the app’s maintenance and development financially.
“We don’t want to display ads in the app to ensure the best user experience, so we opted for the subscription model.” Explains Kacper. “I don’t know how much we will charge, but we will try to keep the prices lower than those of other route-planning apps for cycling.”
You can already support the Veloplanner project by donating on buycoffee.to
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