Whether you are looking to complete bike trails under certain speeds, you want information on user logs or you want to create a special bond with your mountain biking friends, there are many apps you can choose from.
The best apps for mountain biking must simplify the exploration of new biking routes on the mountain. It must also provide a large database of many mountain bike trails which can be helpful for newcomers on such biking trails.
Ideally, a suitable app for mountain biking must be available in multiple platforms, most especially on Windows, Android and IOS devices. It must provide easy access to vital information that will increase speed, and enhance the safety of mountain bikers. This app must work seamlessly with GPS tracking systems, and Maps to help bikers navigate through easy and difficult mountain terrains.
Though most mountain bikers will prefer an app that comes with social media sharing options, this is not one of the most essential features of a mountain biking app. The ideal app must update itself seamlessly without affecting its functionality, in a negative way.
According to ratings and reviews, the following are some of the most suitable apps for mountain biking;
Strava Mountain Biking App
Strava is the number one on many lists for a number of reasons. It helps you track your performance on familiar and unfamiliar mountain biking trails. This apps also give you the opportunity of joining mountain riding challenges and you can network with other riders in your area.
This app comes with a GPS map of where you are riding through, and it provides post0ride analysis, to help you learn more and improve on your future mountain biking. With the Real-Time feature, you can track how fast or slow you are riding, and you can add as many as three people to see where you are.
With the social network connectivity on this app, you can compare your mountain biking performances with those of your friends. Perhaps the greatest feature is that this app comes for free on Android and IOS devices, but the premium version cost a little fee to download.
The Trailforks App
The Trailforks app is one of the best because it offers the largest database of the most popular mountain bike rides in the world. The most amazing feature of this app is that you can use it online and offline. It comes with an automatic routing feature that helps you plan your route from your exact location to the end of the biking track.
This app consumes much less battery juice; hence it is a plus for those who enjoy lengthier and bigger mountain rides. There is information on over 150,000 mountain bike trails here, contributed by users and reviewed by the local trail associations.
This app provides the grades of all climbs and descents along your route, and you can scrub on these climbs and descents to know their location on the trail. You can also view the ride logs of your friends on this app.
The Single Tracks App
This app is on this list because it provides lots of photos, reviews, and contents on thousands of the most popular mountain ride destinations in the world. You can learn a lot from contents provided by this app, especially when you want to ride in unfamiliar terrain.
Use the “check-in” feature, and you will see the number of people planning to ride on the same trail – this will surely make the ride more fun. If your bike develops a mechanical issue, you can use the app to locate the nearest bike shop, and you can earn badges based on performances.
It is available on IOS and Android devices. In addition to reviews on biking routes, you can also read reviews and tips on choosing different mountain biking gears. You can follow a trail with the map provided here because the map comes with detailed topographical information. A detailed topographical map will help you navigate through difficult surfaces.
Go Pro Mountain Biking App
Go live on social media while you are biking on the mountain, with the live video streaming feature of this app. You can also record some captivating bike trailing moment on the mountain and play it over and over again. Many people enjoy using this app to share their epic fail while biking because it is quite entertaining and educative.
This professional app provides a visually clear map that simplifies most of the hard work on the mountain biking trail. The custom specs on this app will display the highest and the lowest points along your route and that is very important to avoid catastrophic falls when riding.
With the tracking feature, your friends can track you down, just in case you miss your route or you find yourself in a bigger mess. Go Pro also provides information on how to choose the most ideal riding gears for any mountain biking adventure.
MTB Project App for Mountain Biking
It works just like the Trailforks app, in that you can use it both online and offline. This app is your mountain riding mapping partner, it helps you plan your trip right from the starting point to the finishing line. The app relies on local riders to submit updated information and trials that can be of great help when you ride along these routes.
This app boasts of providing information on more than 86,000 miles of mountain bike trails in different countries of the world. It perfectly works online and offline with in-built maps, pictures, comments and ratings from thousands of mountain bikers.
You can use this app to check the latest reports on a mountain bike trail, and new rides and trails are constantly reviewed and added by local trail associations. This app will also notify you on recently closed mountain bike trails.
The Accuweather
In addition to being your mountain riding companion, this app provides extra information on mountain trail weather. The weather can ruin your mountain biking plans and that is the reason why this app is quite important because it predicts accurate weather along your mountain trails. With this app, you can avoid getting stuck in the thunderstorm and heavy rains.
The Accuweather app is not only for checking weather conditions on different trails, but you can also check the accurate topographical structure of the trails. The app comes in two versions, the free and the Platinum. The Platinum version has been upgraded and it comes with a token price. The free version of the app is ideal for beginners but the features are limited.
This app is beneficial if you are planning a mountain ride in an unfamiliar location. The up-to-date weather forecasts will ensure that you get dressed in the appropriate gear for the season.
Conclusion
The best apps for mountain bikes are not necessarily the ones that can be downloaded for free. Most mountain biking apps do come in free and premium versions, it pays to always download the premium versions because they come with more added features and have been upgraded. Many free mountain biking apps still appear to have bugs and numerous ads that can be very irritating most times. Premium versions of these apps do come with extra features that can enhance your safety, especially on difficult mountain terrains. It is equally important to consider the compatibility of an app with your smartphone before downloading and installing it.
