Dependent on Bike Tracker

[Colin]

I've now been using Bike Tracker for 6 months so I thought I'd review how it's going.

I used to use another app for audio navigation, but since my first use of Bike Tracker, I've used nothing else.

Needless to say,, I use it to guide me whilst riding the bike ... but I've also used it for walking.

A few months back I went to Gozo (an island next to Malta in the Mediterranean) and whilst there I walked around the island on the "coastal path".  Except it's not a path that is visible ...  it's more of a route across fields, rocks as well as roads etc ... and there is little in the way of markings of any sort.  Before I went, I used an official, rough, guide leaflet as the basis for creating the tracks to follow.  I did this on Plotaroute.com and anyone can download my Gozo tracks from there.  As there was no real path to follow, Bike Tracker was very handy as it helped me get back to the track whenever I drifted off course and to confirm that I was still on track.

So, Bike Tracker can be used for any activity which needs guiding along a plotted track.

I have Bike Tracker set to miles, not kilometers.  I've changed what info it tells me since I started testing it.  I no longer include "distance left in route" as that always seems to give me a kilometers figure.

Bike Tracker gives to two sets of info - directions and performance.  In the past, I often didn't always notice that I was being told anything and it just went over my head, or I would start listening after if had been running a few seconds.  

The solution for me was to change the wording of the first piece of performance info.  I prefixed it with "LISTEN UP - ".  So it now says "LISTEN UP - Total riding time is ... "

That really works.  Now I always listen from the start.

Conversely, I also listen to the directions properly, as that now stands out because it doesn't start with LISTEN UP ...  

If it offered the option to start directions and performance info with a special sound - beep, whistle or drum roll etc - I'd probably use that.

Tip - if you do find Bike Tracker is telling you you missed a turn, the easiest thing is to turn around.  When you get back to the relevant point, It will even tell you whether you need to turn left or right.  This is a big advantage as it saves getting the map out to check.  In fact, since I've been using Bike Tracker, I've never got the map out.  If you don't turn around, it will continue to try to get you back to your plotted route, which might or might not be what you want ...