Geobiking

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With 213 GPS tracks & over 2,000 miles of trails available on this site, GeoBiking, like geocaching, takes you to unknown places easily. Hundreds of other trails are available on the internet (most for free).

It's Interesting!
You see a lot of places you can't see from the street!
Don't have to worry about being lost!
You can easily vary routes to keep things interesting
Low Impact Fun Exercise
You can plan routes that match your fitness level, both length & grade
Since you aren't part of a group ride, you don't have to worry about keeping up or falling behind
More time off city streets helps you to relax
So much easier & better than using paper maps
Commute to work and improve your health while saving resources

Conventional Map Disadvantages

Paper maps are out of date before they are printed
- Public maps are often years out of date
- Public maps are very often low quality/detail
- Many public maps are low resolution scans of paper maps that don't provide enough information to follow a trail.
- Most printed maps are not waterproof
A pain to use on the trail:
- You have to stop
- Get the map out & unfold
- Figure out where you are on the map
- Fold, put away
- Try to keep dry, clean and not torn
You must know where you are on the map!
- This is not always an easy task
- It doesn't take a big error to get you lost or miss a turn
- How do you know if you made the correct turn?
Maps are usually not at a scale of detail that you need
- Maps with enough street level detail to be useful are large
- Maps that cover an entire metro area can't guide you at street level
Maps always lie!
- Map features are offset from actual locations to increase readability
- A static map can't show actual trail locations
- Paper maps have a fixed level of detail, a GPS adds detail as you zoom in
None of the maps I've seen connect available trails into a network
- Knowing how to get from one trail to another allows longer, more interesting trips
- Trails are often poorly marked and often start and stop with no indication of where the trail continues or where other nearby trails start.

GPS Advantages

Maps are easily and quickly created
- GPS trails can be released on line within a few days of being mapped
- Trails can be easily modified to show extensions, new trail crossings etc
Easy to use enroute
- A GPS can easily be attached to a bicycle handlebar
- A quick glance at the screen can usually let you know if you are on the course or if a turn is approaching
Most GPS receivers are waterproof
You know where you are on the map!
You can easily change the scale of the display zooming in or out to show your position in relation to any map feature of interest
Easily see upcoming turns or that you missed oneGPS recievers can usually place you within 20-50 feet of your location
Depending on the GPS, you can view local street detail or elevation profiles
With a GPS, nothing is offset, you see where the trails really are
My trails include connections to other trails
Map Quality is up to you
GPS keeps statistics for you
- Great for exercising
- How far, how fast, how long did I peddle?
- Where exactly did I go?
- How high am I now, how much elevation have I gained or lost?
- Some units can also record heart rate & cycling cadence

Conventional Map Disadvantages

GPS Advantages

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