Ride and Compare: Navigating Two Different Bike Maps

Full ride recommendation for Deep Eddy Trip (Ride the City)

I am a Google Maps junkie. I was already a maps geek generally, and the advent of Google Maps just made it worse. It's so damned functional. If I don't know where I'm going, it figures out my route for me. On my iPhone, I use it to find the next (and nearest) bus home, eliminating the need to carry Capital Metro schedules in my pocket.

And then it appeared to get even better: In Austin and other select cities, Google rolled out a beta version of directions for bicyclists, making use of the city of Austin bicycle map (www.cityofaustin.org/publicworks/bicycle-resources.htm). Sigh. Oh Google, is there anything you can't do?

But wait: Then along came another suitor for my hand – or at least, my hand when it's clad in a bicycling glove. Chronicle writer Katherine Gregor brought to my attention RidetheCity.com (see "SXSW Tips," March 12), a lesser-known service that also maps Chicago, the District of Columbia, Louisville, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, and Toronto. As a regular bicycle commuter, I decided to check it out, and I have to admit: My head has been turned. Ride the City's David is a bit more adept than Google's Goliath.

Ride the City recommendations for Deep Eddy Pool (Johnson Creek Trail area)

I came to this opinion by testing it out against some of my most common trips. I live in the Crestview neighborhood – perhaps you'll get different results starting from where you live, but here's what I came up with:

To Hancock Center/'Austin Chronicle' Office

RTC: I would have crossed North Lamar at Brentwood rather than the awkward Romeria/Denson intersection, but otherwise it was about the same as my usual route. But note: It didn't recognize "4000 N. I-35" (the Chron­icle's address) until I appended "Austin, TX."

Google: Not bad until the final stretch, when it directed me down Red River south of 45th Street. Red River from 45th to Dean Keeton has no bike lanes, and the traffic is both too high-speed (35 mph) and high-volume for my safety-conscious tastes. Some cyclists don't mind this challenge, but I think they're asking for an early funeral. Better to take Duval Street south and then cut over on Park or 41st.

To Capital Metro Headquarters (2910 E. Fifth)

RTC: As a transportation reporter, I spend a lot of time here. Neither RTC nor Google shows my preferred route, which is no surprise since it involves cutting through the Hancock Center parking lot, crossing under I-35, cutting through the former Academy Sports & Outdoors building parking lot, and then east to Cherrywood. However, the more legitimate route RTC came up with wasn't bad. There was a weird little jog at the end to avoid Pleasant Valley, probably a bit of safety overkill. However, switching from "safer route" to "safe" (more on this below) fixed this.

Google ride recommendation for Deep Eddy Trail (close-up)

Google: No, no, no. Again with the Red River – this time it would've had me on that dangerous stretch for nearly two miles. It also would've sent me through Boggy Creek Park – which I used to do, but now that North Pleasant Valley has bicycle lanes, it's unnecessary. Ride the City prefers Pleasant Valley.

To Deep Eddy Pool

RTC: Here's one where RTC really showed an edge – it knew that the Johnson Creek Trail goes underneath MoPac, delivering cyclists to Austin High School and the MoPac pedestrian bridge.

Google: Not only did Google not know what RTC knew – its map incorrectly shows the Johnson Creek Trail petering out about even with Seventh – but it also directed me down North Lamar, an even more dangerous suggestion than Red River.

Below, see the full ride recommendations for the Deep Eddy trip: Ride the City on the left, Google on the right.

Along Lady Bird Lake

Full ride recommendation for Deep Eddy Trip (Google)

Google: I also asked for directions from Deep Eddy to Longhorn Dam. Google sent me along the Lady Bird Lake Trail the entire length. Not a terrible suggestion, and a ride that thousands make every day. But ....

RTC: Apparently knows that the western end of the Lady Bird Lake hike and bike trail has gotten so congested with joggers that the Lance Armstrong Bikeway is a better choice. It sent me along the new, concrete, bikes-only pathway north of Cesar Chavez until Shoal Creek and then directed me back onto the trail.

And more advantages for Ride the City: By working with Austin contacts, Ride the City distinguishes between the safety levels of certain streets and offers map options of "safe," "safer," and "direct." Google, at least at this point, only distinguishes between streets with bike lanes, streets without, and trails. And RTC also points out local bike shops and bike rental businesses.

One advantage to Google: It's slightly more interactive, allowing you to alter the suggested route by hand (or rather, mouse), although RTC co-founder Jordan Anderson said his site may be coming out with new features for greater personalization for users. And Google bike routes are available in more cities – about 200 – while Ander­son says his company prefers to excel in only a handful.

To be fair to Google, it's really, really new at this. A spokeswoman for Google said that the Internet juggernaut only launched bike directions on March 10 and is processing suggested changes sent in via the "report a problem" tool. Ride the City had more lead time, launched by a couple of New York University urban planning students nearly two years ago. RTC apparently worked with cycling enthusiasts in each city, and it also accepts online feedback.

But give both a try, and decide for yourself. Preplanning your trip with these tools can be really helpful and may help you discover routes you weren't aware of.