Biking is an exciting experience and one of the best world exercises. Riders usually feel on top of the world when cycling. Most significantly, if they can maintain their average speed and get improved from one experience level to another.
However, for the past few years, as a result of an improvement in digital technology, several instruments have been introduced to aid riding performance, make riding more easier and allow riders to know if they’re improving or not. One of them is the introduction of biking apps.
Biking apps are instruments used by riders for trial finding, measuring performance, route planning, and others. If you can get a well-developed biking app, your biking experience will improve drastically. Now, the question is, what apps are the best?
You don’t have to worry; the essence of this article is to give you an explicit explanation of the best apps for mountain biking. Therefore, this article will focus on mountain biking apps.
Table of Contents
The Best Apps For Mountain Biking
There are many mountain biking apps you can download on your iPhone or Android. Here are some of them, with their strengths and weaknesses. Check them thoroughly and choose the one that satisfies your needs most.
Strava
Most riders prefer using Strava for several reasons. One of them is tracking. Strava is one of the best mountain biking apps that can help to keep track record of your ride, including average speed, distance coverage, and even details on climbing and so on.
If you’re desperate to know how well you’re improving, Strava is the best option for you. It also helps to track your fitness, including the heart rate and power output. You can easily know your heart rate by connecting Bluetooth Low Energy ( BLE) heart rate monitors to your smartphone before cycling.
Moreover, the use of GPS data distinguishes Strava from others. You can easily find the map of the location you’re riding and navigate the path without the help of an outsider. Assuming you’re new in a new environment, Strava can navigate your route.
Furthermore, you can also know your performance compared to other riders or friends on Strava, and if you perform well, you might get a top 10 trophy or even the crown.
Strength
- It’s best for tracking
- It helps to measure performance
- It can navigate cycling routes by using GPS
- It’s suitable for competition among riders
- It can keep tracking fitness, including heart rate and power output
Weaknesses
- Lack of privacy
- Fear of judgment from other riders
Subscription
You can download the Strava app for free, but you won’t be able to access some features if you don’t subscribe. The monthly subscription is $ 7.99, while a year is $60.00.
Trailforks
Trialforks is most common among mountain bikers because of its ability to keep trial and navigate the path, even in the wilderness. Many mountain bikers have being delivered from getting lost through the use of Trialforks. It’s outstanding in helping riders to discover new and exciting networks and makes riding fun.
It was also known as a user-generated community because riders developed the app. Every experienced rider in individual areas can share their activities and experiences in the app for other users to gain help in tight situations.
Another outstanding feature of Trialforks is that you can plan your route even when offline. You have to make sure you download the region map before going offline and get your way out with ease.
Strength
- It’s good for discovering routes
- You can get access to a region even offline
- There is the freedom to contribute your experience.
Weaknesses
- It loads most times very slowly
- It crashes sometimes
- It reduces battery consumption
Subscription
You can subscribe to Trailforks monthly or yearly; while the former is $2.99, the latter is 35.99. However, the desktop website is always free.
Komoot
Komoot is one of the best apps for route planning. Most riders recommend it as the best route planner. If you’re confused or looking for the best route to where you’re going or where you’re, Komoot is the best recommendation. It plans your path and chooses the most efficient route to the way.
Moreover, it offers offline maps. You can download the map of the location you’re navigating and use their planner tool to navigate. With the help of GPX files, Komoot can direct your waypoint, tracks, and routes.
Strength
- It’s best for bike adventures
- It helps to plan direction and route
- It offers offline maps
Weaknesses
- It might be hard to navigate
- A few trials might be missing
Subscription
The premium plan for Komoot is $4.99 a month. However, to purchase a map bundle, you must subscribe for $29.99 for a world bundle, $8.99 for a region bundle, and $3.99 for a single region.
MTB Project
Just like Trailforks, the MTB project helps to discover new trials with the help of experienced riders’ information. It’s majorly good for the United States, but you can still use it anywhere in the world. It’s also a free app like Trailforks, where riders can add trials, routes, photos, opinions and so on. Therefore, it’s referred to as user-generated.
But, if MTB doesn’t approve a trial, it won’t appear on the app. This is to maintain an availability of quality information, trials, and others to prevent illegal ones.
There are several similarities between the MTB project and Trailforks, but the significant difference is that MTB is designed for cross-country riders while Trailforks works for every rider.
Strengths
- It can show the entire route and direction for you.
- It’s a free app to use.
- You can download the map of an area or region.
Weaknesses
- Mobile recording is only available through iOS
- Riders can only export GPX files.
- It’s more of good use in the US than in other states.
Subscription
It’s free.
Alltrials
If you’re a lover of hiking definitely, you have to check out for AllTrials app. AllTrials app is a perfect app for finding trials for hiking, biking, running, and more. You can use this app to explore trials and navigate to the trailheads.
It’s common among hikers, but you can also use it for mountain bike trails. You can download trials or maps on the app and use it offline, as it contains over 200,000 hiking and mountain bike routes.
Another thing is the hiking trail beta, as the app is open for information from experienced hikers who just completed a trial. It can be trial reviews, mileage, photos, elevation gain/loss, etc.
Strengths
- It’s suitable for hiking
- It helps to navigate through trails
- You can download trials or maps for offline use
- You can explore new trials
- It includes mileage, trail reviews, and so on.
Weaknesses
- You might not be able to access all trials around you on the map.
- The map might be frustrating sometimes
- Most information might not be accurate.
Subscription
You can use the Pro version, and the subscription is $29.99 per year and $2.50 per month.
Google maps
I believe you’re familiar with the app. It’s an automatic app on Android and iPhone. It’s a perfect app for navigating off-road routes and trials. It can easily be connected to GPS. Likewise, you can use the map offline.
Another thing is that it saves battery ideally compared to most mountain biking apps, and you can still be using it even if your phone is on airplane mode.
Strengths
- It helps to find nearby trials.
- It’s suitable for navigating through trials.
- It can download maps and be used offline.
- It saves battery compared to some mountain biking apps.
Weaknesses
- The offline functions are minimal
- The app might be slow when downloading most times.
Subscription
It offers a $200 monthly credit for Maps, Routes, and Places.
What3words
Another app you can use for mountain biking is What3words. It’s good for finding locations and navigating. You can input a location’s address on the app, and it will guide your path to the address. It uses geo-location technology to identify or locate another person’s address worldwide.
For example, if you’re lost or don’t know how to navigate your way in a particular location. You can easily share your address with a friend or emergency for help. Several mountain bikers have being saved from being lost through the What3words app.
Strengths
- It’s suitable for trials navigation
- It’s quicker and easier to type than a regular street address.
- You can easily share your address if there is any emergency
- It can work offline.
Weaknesses
- You might get the wrong location if you make any mistakes.
Subscription
It’s free. You can download the app on your Android or iPhone devices.
Garmin Connect
Garmin Connect is another app you can use for mountain biking. It can keep tracking stats, just like Strava. You can easily see your daily activities in the stats section and know how well you have improved.
Moreover, you can check your heart rate and power output when cycling on Garmin Connect. It’s an easy app to use. If you desire to improve your cycling speed and monitor your improvement, Garmin Connect is the best plug for you.
In addition, you can create a challenge with a friend or other riders, and if you perform well, you will be rewarded with a badge and move to the next step. It’s just a good app that can motivate you to improve.
Strengths
- It helps to track heart rate and power output.
- It can teach your daily activities.
- You can create a challenge with a friend.
- You can monitor your growth and improvement with the app.
Weaknesses
- The most outstanding weakness of the Garmin Connect app is the dashboard issue.
- The app can keep closing sometimes.
Subscription
Its subscription is in the section. Smartwatch subscription is $5.99, OnDeck subscription is $12.99, Vault subscription is $4.99, and so on.
Map My Ride
Map My Ride is an app that is designed specifically for riders that love to keep track records of their ride. You can track and map your daily ride with Map My Ride. You can also check the stats to see how well you’re improving and to perform better if you’re not.
Map My Ride also has trails and workout routes, which you can use to improve yourself. The track you can record through Map My Ride is distance, duration, calories burned, speed, and more.
Strengths
- It helps you to keep track record of your ride.
- You can find and follow routes created by other riders.
- You can post your ride on Facebook and other social media.
- You can connect GPS for navigation.
Weaknesses
- No summaries with daily, weekly, or monthly total.
- Some data are not available on iPhone or Android.
Subscription
You can either do a monthly subscription or yearly. The monthly subscription is $5.99, while the yearly is $29.99.
Met Office
The last app you need to know is Met office. Not all mountain biking apps can be used for route finding, track keeping, heart rate checking, etc. There are some other mountain biking apps you need for different reasons. One of them is the Net office.
Met Office is an app used to forecast weather and other climatic conditions. You can know if rain, wind, snow, or shine will happen in a particular area. It will help you to plan your time before riding so you won’t face the consequences of bad weather.
Strengths
- It helps to plan rides.
- It protects riders from weather accidents.
- You can have it on your mobile devices.
Weaknesses
- The forecast might not be accurate sometimes
- The forecast can change anytime.
Subscription
Met Office is free. You must download the app on your mobile phone from either the App store or Google play store.
Conclusion
Conclusively, you should notice that there are similarities as well as differences between those mountain biking apps.
However, no app is perfect; each has its strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, you should be able to pick the most suitable app for your needs.
