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I like the idea, and I hope you focus your efforts on a mobile application. Having a good ride database is definitely cool, but there are existing ride databas

I like the idea, and I hope you focus your efforts on a mobile application. Having a good ride database is definitely cool, but there are existing ride databases out there (EveryTrail, RideWithGPS). What there isn't though, is an adhoc notification system for going on rides. What would be really cool to have is a mobile app that notified me when someone was going to start a ride in my area. As a motorcycle rider myself, I don't often plan on going riding a couple days in advance, I just get the itch to get out and go and will usually take off within 30-60 minutes from getting that itch. If I could, using my phone or the site, declare I was leaving on a ride and have that published, and anyone in the area also subscribed to the area could consume it (be notified automatically), that would be really cool. I would focus more on connecting people than on mapping. From my experience with ridewithgps, motorcyclists are more social hungry than data/map hungry, so I think you'll find better traction with this approach. Obviously you want to keep up with the mapping portion so you can have your marketing ideas work out, but I wouldn't make it the foreground of the user experience.

bigsassy 16y ago
I was hoping you'd post here, considering you're also kind of in the same space and bootstrapping like me. This is some really great advice you've given me, and I think I will focus on the mobile app before improving the route generating portion of the project. Thanks!
cullenking 16y ago
Some more specific feedback to the actual site, not the concept. The routes need more content - maps are important, but without ideas of what I am going to encounter, descriptions, titles, categories, it's not too helpful. Categories are important as well, because there are so many different styles of riding. Out on my dualsport, I don't care if I hit bad pavement (I might actually WANT bad or no pavement). On my R6, I want the smoothest pavement possible with the best banked turns.
- bigsassy 16y ago
  I agree about the content. I even have the content available. Right now roads are rated on: 1) How much variation they have (i.e. twistyness) 2) Do they go past a body of water 3) Do they go through a state park All of this data is available to show to the user, I just haven't added any UI elements to display them. It'll be particularly nice once I add more scoring criteria for roads (like elevation changes, view sheds (i.e. seeing a mountain range out in the distance), land coverage surrounding road, historical landmarks, drive past old awesome buildings, etc). I don't know of any data source for pavement quality, outside of roads being marked as paved or unpaved :(
  - cullenking 16y ago
    We ask users for pavement quality when they create a route on ridewithgps, and allow people to search using it. ArcGIS allows searching for gravel/pavement, but nothing as fine grained as being properly banked, chipseal vs blacktop vs potholed etc etc

bigsassy 16y ago

I was hoping you'd post here, considering you're also kind of in the same space and bootstrapping like me. This is some really great advice you've given me, and I think I will focus on the mobile app before improving the route generating portion of the project. Thanks!

cullenking 16y ago

Some more specific feedback to the actual site, not the concept. The routes need more content - maps are important, but without ideas of what I am going to encounter, descriptions, titles, categories, it's not too helpful. Categories are important as well, because there are so many different styles of riding. Out on my dualsport, I don't care if I hit bad pavement (I might actually WANT bad or no pavement). On my R6, I want the smoothest pavement possible with the best banked turns.

bigsassy 16y ago
I agree about the content. I even have the content available. Right now roads are rated on: 1) How much variation they have (i.e. twistyness) 2) Do they go past a body of water 3) Do they go through a state park All of this data is available to show to the user, I just haven't added any UI elements to display them. It'll be particularly nice once I add more scoring criteria for roads (like elevation changes, view sheds (i.e. seeing a mountain range out in the distance), land coverage surrounding road, historical landmarks, drive past old awesome buildings, etc). I don't know of any data source for pavement quality, outside of roads being marked as paved or unpaved :(
- cullenking 16y ago
  We ask users for pavement quality when they create a route on ridewithgps, and allow people to search using it. ArcGIS allows searching for gravel/pavement, but nothing as fine grained as being properly banked, chipseal vs blacktop vs potholed etc etc