The Bike Friday Community’s 25 Favorite Planning Tools
A new year means fresh opportunities to explore new destinations and embrace the thrill of cycling. Whether you’re dreaming of a faraway bike tour or simply plotting your favorite local rides, the right travel planning tools can make the difference between a good adventure and a great one. Drawing from the collective wisdom of the Bike Friday community, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the very best websites, apps, and resources to help make your next journey a breeze. From route planning and gear tips to weather forecasting and online support groups, you’ll find everything you need to gear up and hit the road with confidence!
Travel Inspiration & Blogs
Crazy Guy on a Bike – A vast global map with geo-locating the positions of bike touring blog posts.
The Adventure Junkies – There are many, many adventure cycling blogs out there. The folks at Adventure Junkies have used hard data to narrow these down to the top 25.
Tom’s Bike Trip – Tom provides great insight for those starting Bike packing. His blogs are packed with advice and useful guides to get you started and then some.
Bikepacking.com – A go-to resource for bikepacking routes, gear reviews, and adventure stories from cyclists around the globe.
The Radavist – A website celebrating cycling culture with stunning photography, gear reviews, and inspiring bikepacking stories.
Route Planning Websites and Apps
Cycle.travel – A versatile website for planning bike routes with interactive mapping, accommodation search, photo integration, and easy sharing or mobile navigation options. (Built by one of our own members.)
Ride with GPS – Comprehensive tool for creating, analyzing, and sharing detailed cycling routes worldwide.
Osmand – Offline navigation and mapping app tailored for cycling and outdoor adventures.
Google Maps – Popular mapping tool offering cycling-specific directions and estimated travel times.
Garmin – GPS navigation devices and software designed for precision and reliability during rides.
Adventure Cycling Association – Extensive resources for route planning, maps, and bike touring events in the U.S. (We offer a 5% discount for members, too!)
Touring and Adventure Resources
EuroVelo Maps – Network of well-mapped cycling routes connecting countries across Europe.
Warm Showers – Hospitality exchange platform connecting cyclists with local hosts for lodging.
Shelter App – Handy app for finding shelters and accommodation options while traveling.
US National Park paper maps – In addition to digital maps the National Park Service stations often have printed maps available showing trails and areas where camping is permitted.
Adventure Syndicate – A collective of inspiring women promoting adventure cycling and offering tips, workshops, and stories.
Facebook Groups
Weather and Navigation Tools
Windy – A detailed weather app offering wind speed, direction, and interactive mapping, perfect for planning cycling routes in varying conditions.
MyRadar – A radar-focused app providing real-time precipitation tracking and weather alerts to help cyclists avoid storms.
Dark Sky (via Apple Weather) – Hyper-local, minute-by-minute weather forecasts, ideal for precise planning of cycling trips.
YR.no – Accurate and detailed weather forecasts with a focus on wind and precipitation, particularly well-suited for European cyclists.
Epic Ride Weather – Provides personalized weather forecasts tailored to your ride, factoring in your speed and location to deliver precise, ride-specific weather projections.
Our thanks to the community for the contributions to this list.
If you haven’t already, I highly recommend joining our Facebook Community group, where members can buy and sell used Bike Fridays and discuss all things Bike Friday and following our page for factory updates and offers.
