Looking for an iPhone app...

[sstorkel]

Are there any iPhone apps that allow you to:

- import a route (in GPX format?) created using an online service like RideWithGPS, MapMyRide, etc
- download map tiles for the route so you don't need a constant cell or WiFi connection
- get turn-by turn guidance as you follow the downloaded route; don't need voice prompting but a ping/beep on my Bluetooth headset (Sena SMH10) before each turn would be nice

None of the inexpensive Garmin GPS units will deliver prompts to a Bluetooth headset (and Zumo is too expensive for me), so I'm back to looking for something on the iPhone. I've tried Motion X GPS-Drive. It's great at getting you from Point A to Point B as long as you don't care which route you take. I usually have specific roads that I want to ride and Motion-X doesn't make that easy enough. It sounds like Motion-X GPS will show routes and download map tiles, but doesn't do prompting.

[Vicks]

Originally Posted by sstorkel

Are there any iPhone apps that allow you to:

- import a route (in GPX format?) created using an online service like RideWithGPS, MapMyRide, etc
- download map tiles for the route so you don't need a constant cell or WiFi connection
- get turn-by turn guidance as you follow the downloaded route; don't need voice prompting but a ping/beep on my Bluetooth headset (Sena SMH10) before each turn would be nice

None of the inexpensive Garmin GPS units will deliver prompts to a Bluetooth headset (and Zumo is too expensive for me), so I'm back to looking for something on the iPhone. I've tried Motion X GPS-Drive. It's great at getting you from Point A to Point B as long as you don't care which route you take. I usually have specific roads that I want to ride and Motion-X doesn't make that easy enough. It sounds like Motion-X GPS will show routes and download map tiles, but doesn't do prompting.

point by point route guidance is a subscribed service for which you have to pay a periodic fee IIRC. search for motion-x on this forum and you will find many threads discussing it.

[sstorkel]

Originally Posted by Vicks

point by point route guidance is a subscribed service for which you have to pay a periodic fee IIRC. search for motion-x on this forum and you will find many threads discussing it.

Motion-X Drive didn't do what I wanted during the everything-free trial period. It does guidance, but customizing a route is limited and cumbersome. As far as I can tell, there's no support for loading routes created using other software or devices.

My understanding of Motion-X GPS is that it doesn't offer guidance.

[abhibeckert]

Originally Posted by sstorkel

My understanding of Motion-X GPS is that it doesn't offer guidance.

Correct. Also, you will need to convert the "routes" in your GPX file to "tracks" before you can import them into Motion-X GPS. It's a great app, and you should probably buy it for for other features, but doesn't do what you're asking for here.

I use Sygic and the built in maps app. Neither can follow a downloaded route but both can give you directions to waypoints. Sygic has better map data (where I ride! may not be true for you) and is much more powerful/flexible but it is not free and the voice instructions are not as good as the free one you've already got. MotionX Drive is not available in my country (no map data) so I don't know how it compares to Sygic.

Unfortunately I'm not sure if what you're looking for really exists at all, on any platform.

Some things try to do it but it's a total pain in the ass and basically the only reliable way to follow a route someone else has made is to convert it into a track (routes and tracks are not the same thing... see many previous threads) and then load it up into an app like MotionX GPS or a GPS device that can follow tracks.

I normally use a hybrid approach. Plan the ride or download it on the computer, save it as a track into MotionX GPS and follow it there. Then I save important points (fuel stops, overnight accomodation, etc) as waypoints into a turn by turn navigation app (I mostly use Sygic, but have been testing the new maps app built into iOS 6). I have both apps open at once, and switch between them as needed. If your gloves aren't too thick, it is easy to switch from one app to another while riding.

For longer rides you absolutely need a way to keep the phone charged on the bike. The battery doesn't last long with the GPS running, and it dies even faster if you also have the screen brightness up to view the map in direct sunlight.

PS: MotionX GPS can give you guidance, but only to waypoints. If you navigate along a track it just draws it (very clearly) on the map. Navigating to a waypoint (such as the destination at the end of the track) gives you distance remaining, estimated time of arrival (very accurate even when not travelling in a straight line), and either compass navigation or a straight line on the map.

[mpatch]

Why not enter your destination then use the tap tap tool to add waypoints wherever you like? It will route you almost anyway you want as long as you put the waypoints in. Btw talking about motion x drive.

[sstorkel]

Originally Posted by mpatch

Why not enter your destination then use the tap tap tool to add waypoints wherever you like? It will route you almost anyway you want as long as you put the waypoints in. Btw talking about motion x drive.

Because:

1) Using the TapTap tool is cumbersome on a small screen, especially when you have a long route that requires numerous waypoints to be entered

2) The version I'm using only allows nine waypoints. On a 300-mile trip using backroads only, I've found that nine waypoints isn't enough to keep me on the roads I want to ride

3) Each waypoint is assumed to be a stop. Guidance won't continue until you tap a button. For me, that means I need to pull over, remove gloves, and tap the device to get guidance restarted

You now can import files to motionx drive it was part of the last update

My version of Motion X GPS Drive claims to be up-to-date and I don't see this capability. I'll poke around. If this were available, it might be exactly what I need...

[mpatch]

Originally Posted by sstorkel

snip

My version of Motion X GPS Drive claims to be up-to-date and I don't see this capability. I'll poke around. If this were available, it might be exactly what I need...

I was mistaken that feature isn't avail.....yet.

[bdolnik]

Here are some instructions I wrote up that I think will do everything you need...

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=874100