Frequently Asked Questions
Local Rides Only is built on the Ride With GPS app.
It is an "Tour Experience" within Ride With GPS. "Tour Experiences" are a custom product for big bike tour operators like Trek Travel, Backroads, Cycle Europe, and REI Tours.
This feature enables bike tour operators to organize all the details of a tour or event, including routes, route descriptions, lodging, points of interest, schedules, and other details, within a mobile app. It functions as a stand alone app, without the need for a Ride With GPS account.
Tour Experiences provide users with access to all premium features for the destination:
-voice navigation
-turn-by-turn directions
-offline maps
-options to download .gpx to Garmin or Wahoo
It easy way to access and store all the details for bike trips.
Access a Tour Experiences by entering a unique shortcut or scanning a QR code.
All the routes and details are downloaded and available offline. No cellular data plan is required to navigate on-tour.
If you have a Ride With GPS account (free or premium) the Tour Experience will automatically be added to your account.
The Tour Experience never expires and will include any updates.
The routes are also available for download to Garmin or Wahoo as .GPX files.
Yep. After covering the basic costs to build and maintain your ride guide (like hosting, and tour guide account with RWGPS), every dollar of profit goes directly to the local trail crews who maintain the trails you’re riding. Think of it as riding it forward — your ride helps keep those trails available for everyone and gives back the the communities that sustain them.
You’re buying a locally designed self-guided experience: curated routes, voice navigation via RWGPS, insider food and lodging tips - all available in one app and offline. It’s everything you’d expect from a guided trip, minus the guide — and with the bonus that your purchase directly funds the dirt you ride on.
Yes, you can download all the routes onto your Garmin or Wahoo. All the .gpx routes are easily downloadable. The instructions on how to download them are included, with step by step picture directions. (It takes 6 clicks on your phone to download to your bike computer).
The app provides turn cues at each trail intersection (e.g. straight, left, right). The voice navigation works offline, so cell service is not required. All the navigation and turn cues are stored on your phone. I like to use a wireless bone conduction headphone like Shokz, that way I can still hear everything on the trail and get the turn cues from the app.
No. You can download the Ride With GPS app and go directly to the customized Experience using the provided QR code or shortcut. If you go this route, you will need the QR code or short cut code every time you want to open the app.
If you establish a Ride With GPS account (free or premium) th Local Rides Only Experience will automatically be added to your account and permanently available every time you open the Ride with GPS app.
Local Rides Only enables premium Ride with GPS features for the destination only for any type of account (no account, free account, premium) account.
No. You don't need a Ride With GPS subscription. You don't really need a Ride With GPS account, but it easier to access your Local Rides Only Experience on the app if you have a free or premium account. You can download the Ride With GPS app and go directly to the customized Experience using the provided QR code or shortcut. If you go this route, you will need the QR code or short cut code every time you want to open the app.
If you aleady have a Ride With GPS account (free or premium) the Local Rides Only Experience will automatically be added to your account. You can access your Experience from the Ride With GPS home screen anytime. Free account setup is included in the intial download.
Ride With GPS is an app. An "Experience" is a custom feature within app.
What do you mean "Experience?"
The Ride With GPS app offers bike tour operators (like Trek, Cycle Europe, and REI Tours) a custom feature called an "Experience." They use an "Experience" to organize routes, descriptions, lodging details, points of interest, provide navigation, and schedules all into one place within their app for their tour guides and guests.
Local Rides Only customizes an "Experience" like the other bike tour operators, but for the self-guided rider. Giving you the feeling of riding with a good friend:
leading you around on the best local routes
giving recommendations for coffee, food, drinks, and places to stay
Along with access to premium Ride With GPS features:
voice navigation
turn-by-turn directions
offline maps
Everything is on your phone and available offline. No cellular data plan is required to navigate or access the local details.