BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
The Bike Hub cycle-specific satnav app has been redesigned from scratch. Now six years old the all-new app can still navigate on quiet roads, cycleways and away from hills. However, it now sports many of the core upgrades that smartphone operating systems have benefitted from in the past twelve months.
The user interface is now clearer, cleaner and simpler. While it has a UK focus – it’s paid for by the Bicycle Association of Great Britain – the free app is able to route in various other countries too. With upgraded graphics the maps are sharper, including up to tablet size for ride pre-planning. Users can toggle between three map styles: OpenCycleMap, Ordnance Survey Opendata and a clinically-clean Bike-Hub-specific map. Users navigate by choosing the quickest, shortest or quietest route, or a mix of all three.
The Bike Hub app can also find and navigate to nearest bike shops and other points-of-interest. The satnav voices for the app have also been updated.
The app is now more intuitive to use and, because it’s a new-build, it works better with the latest smartphones. Bike Hub has been designed for iOS and Androids, and tablets.
Version 4.0 of the app is available right now – existing users should go to the relevant store and press “update”. Within a few weeks more features will be added to the app including syncronisation with Wahoo RFKLT and Apple Watch.
The Bicycle Association is the industry membership body that represents UK cycle and accessory suppliers. Industry companies and bike shops donate funds to the Bike Hub levy, which pays for the app, sponsorship of British Cycling’s Go Ride scheme and other projects. The Bike Hub app was first released in 2010.
The Bike Hub app uses the CycleStreets routing engine, makes use of map data from OpenStreetMap, pulls down map tiles from Thunderforest, and has a rendering engine from Map Box. The app was produced for the Bicycle Association by Tinderhouse of Canterbury. The Bicycle Association recommends that app users attach their smartphones to handlebars with bike-specific holders.
