After years of repeated requests, Google has added cycling routes to Google Maps. After experimenting for a bit, I found that it doesn’t always give the best routes, but it’s pretty good for an automated system. I think they probably optimized it for shorter rides, if you try to get directions for longer rides it gives you an unreasonable number of turns, probably to keep the overall distance shorter. At least it supports alternative routes and waypoints, like the driving directions, so it’s pretty easy to fine tune the directions to keep you on decent roads. It also assumes a pretty low average speed from a long distance cyclists’ viewpoint, but it’s probably in line with recreational riders.
Here’s what it came up with for a short coffee-after-lunch ride in Worcester. There’s an embeddable widget that gives just bike directions as well:
There’s a pretty good blog post from one of the developers with the details about how routes are calculated, and they’re soliciting feedback to improve directions. I’d like to see bicycling directions integrated into the public transit directions.
All of us here at Harris Cyclery wish you the best, Jay and Ryan.
New Arrivals: SKS Rennkompressor pump, Bike Ribbon padded handlebar tape.
The SKS Rennkompressor is my favorite floor pump, and it’s the one we use here in the store most often. Have you tried other European pumps and had the pump head fly off your presta valve before you can get it up to pressure? I certainly have. Wood handle, long hose, rebuildable, extremely heavy, German. Comes with a universal head with replaceable gasket, and a free pair of socks, at least for now. No other floor pump comes with socks. $54.95 here.
The other new (old) product we’re carrying here at Harris Cyclery is Bike Ribbon Professional padded handlebar tape. The easiest to clean white handlebar tape by a long shot. Soft but not too soft, textured but not too textured, no logos all over your bars. It’s easy to wrap, doesn’t tear, and includes adhesive that’s strong enough, but not too strong for reuse. I’m a big fan of this style of tape, and have a sizable collection of discontinued colors. For now we’re carrying it in black or white. $9.95 here.