![]() ![]() So, if you’re looking for something a little more private, niche or under-the-radar, these are a few good recommendations: Google Maps may offer great ease of use and arguably the most contemporary data, but some understandably feel uneasy about the amount of information it logs about you. If you decide you no longer want to be of the billion-or-so users of Google Maps, you’re at least spoilt for choice when it comes to picking another app. Google Maps Alternatives for Cycling Routes Its performance insights were also updated, as well as adding Street View contributions straight from your phone, and a Community Feed.Īnd as of March 2021, Google Maps have started defaulting to the route with the lowest carbon footprint, rather than the fastest, in a bid to make it more eco-friendly. Then, late in 2020, Google Maps launched a messaging function, so verified businesses can now communicate with customers directly from the Google Maps app. That said, credit where it’s due – it’s still pretty reliable, and is always adding new improvements, including a visual overhaul last summer courtesy of algorithmic analysis of satellite imagery, which tries to automatically decipher the nature of the environment. As we’ve established, there is a sense of uniformity about its ETAs which, while rarely if ever wildly inaccurate, aren’t exactly geared to individual cyclists or specific factors mentioned above, like weather or traffic. Of course – it offers you multiple routes from A to B, giving you a pretty good estimate of how long each will take.īut it’s not perfect, either. “They mix data from whichever sources they have, and come up with the best prediction they can make.” Is Google Maps Good for Cycling? Richard Russell, an ex-Google engineer, used Q&A site Quora in 2013 to expand on how Google Maps calculates speed.Īsked if ETAs are determined by speed limits or actual travel time by previous users, he said: “These things range from official speed limits and recommended speeds, likely speeds derived from road types, historical average speed data over certain time periods… actual travel times from previous users, and real-time traffic information. How Does Google Maps Calculate Bike Time?ĭon’t just take our word for it. off-road cycle paths, bumpier, less even terrain) Traffic lights – it assumes all cyclists wait until red lights turn green.Time of day (and so the amount of congestion).Google Maps bike speed alters for each part of the route based on factors such as gradient and the number of intersections, while GPS data previously logged by other Google Maps users can also affect it.Ĭycling speed is not adjusted because of: ![]() There are other factors at play, of course, as we’ll get onto next… Does Google Maps Adjust Cycling Speed? ![]() Yet people often say they complete their journeys before the clock hits Google Maps’ estimated time of arrival (ETA), so don’t take that speed as gospel. It also does not take into account time lost due to stopping for water, checking directions, and so on, while it uses the average stopping time for traffic lights, rail crossings and other stops. Google Maps assumes a standard moving speed of roughly 16kph (10mph) irrespective of the length of your journey. ![]() How Fast Does Google Maps Assume You Bike? See how much longer it will take you if you took a quieter or scenic route.Find the quickest or most accessible routes.Plan the duration of your journey ahead of time.Google Maps cycling speed is important so that you can: Why is Google Maps Cycling Speed Important? So, what speed does Google Maps use for biking? And are Google Maps cycling times accurate all the time? Obviously, this can be seriously different in reality if you go significantly faster or slower than the speed they use. For one thing, it actually shows you where the bike lanes in your area are, but it also gives you a rough estimate of how long it will take you to ride from your current location to your destination. Introduced in 2005, before adding bike-specific functions in 2010, Google Maps has plenty of cycling benefits. Not only because you might find your new favourite cycling route, but because as long as you’ve got signal on your smart phone, you’ve always got good old Google Maps to bail you out if need be. If you take your bicycle out for a spin and end up venturing into the unknown, embrace it. It doesn’t adjust for weather, time of day, actual personal cycling speed, or route surfaces. However, the speed can vary based on factors like gradient and intersections, influenced by past GPS data from other users. Google Maps assumes a standard cycling speed of roughly 16kph (10mph) for its estimates. ![]()
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