Route mapping software- is there now only one ....

[joy of essex]

Hello, when I come to route planning I have , until now, remained analogue. Chapnav is my preferred software for the Essex Lanes.

However, I now need to start collecting and posting routes for rides our club organises. The routes will be posted on FB, What's app etc.

 Is Strava the default software for this?

[Kim]

The default, in as much as there is such a thing, is a GPX file containing a Track.  Being any more specific than that risks re-igniting a recent flamewar.

If you want to use a web service, rather than shuffling files around, then https://ridewithgps.com/ seems popular in the audax world, though anything that allows people to view the route and download in common file formats should be okay.  (Note that you're likely to annoy people if the service requires them to create an account in order to do so: I think Strava comes in that category.)

[mattc]

My club are about 90% obsessed with Strava - but we still post routes on ridewithgps. (It just makes more sense!)

Links work from Facebook seamlessly too 

[Phil W]

Post a picture of a map with a highlighter pen showing the route? 

Chapnav meets What "the f***" is that App?

[pdm]

Several web based apps available....
 Each have foibles and have different routing engines for planning.

These (my preferred) two allow automagic linking with other apps, Wahoo and Garmin confusers:

Ride with GPS - Routing is sometimes a bit aggressive towards track and, sometimes, unpaved lanes. Mostly free.
Komoot - Choice of routing profiles; touring, MTB, road cycling - some routing very good, some quite not so good - Free for casual use except routing transfers. Otherwise one map "region" free; one off cost for world wide maps. Active database of "actively used routes" to enable smartish routing (allegedly)

Other for interest:

Route to You

[mzjo]

In France a lot of people (me included) use Openrunner  http://openrunner.com/  which produces gps, gpx and some other track for Garmins which I forget. It is noted for optimistic climbing figures and not having enough track points if you don't have a Premium account. Uses OSM. I think you can download public tracks without an account but the basic account is free.

[joy of essex]

Thanks,  I mostly want to map out our Club's, LVCC,1/2 dozen basic rides and then load them to  What's App/ FB as and when needed.  These are rides are aimed at our social/new riders. So the routes will be 30-40 flat Essex miles ensuring riders can be home by lunchtime. 

This will include a  route for the " Secret Nuclear Bunker " ride..

[telstarbox]

I find the Strava planner is easy to use but check with the people who are most likely to use your outputs. It allows export to the GPX or TCX formats.

Strava can also convert a previously recorded ride into a route instantly.

[PaulF]

<pedant mode> doesn’t Strava do tracks as opposed to routes </pedant mode>

[grams]

When you import a GPX or activity into a Strava route it tries to map it to roads it knows. It either fails outright (usually) or changes the route in subtle ways, leading to inevitable “it’s this way” “no it’s this way” hijinks on group rides. Komoot is the same IIRC. RWGPS seems to not mangle things until you start editing.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

In the UK, Bing Maps has an Ordnance Survey mode that can be useful when checking proposed routes from cycle mapping software such as RidewithGPS,  it shows up tracks (white) and bridle paths (red dashed lines) which the algorithms interpret as rideable.