Ruedi Thomi
Whether you’re doing a long bikepacking tour or a short mountain bike trip, having your smartphone is a great help. Apps for navigation, packing lists or the weather are popular. We’ve got six apps to show you.
Bikepacking is about trying to pack only what you need – and no app can help you with that, unfortunately. But you can get digital support when it comes to the weather, planning routes and navigation. You can also use apps to easily find places to stay overnight. Here we present six helpful apps for bikepacking. Many of these apps are also useful on short tours. Perhaps you’re only taking your mountain bike into the mountains for a day or going on a day trip with your bike; even then, the apps will help you. And because you probably have your smartphone with you anyway, you’re not taking on extra weight.
Komoot – navigating all over the world
The Komoot app and platform helps with your touring plans in just a few clicks. You can connect your Komoot account to a Wahoo or Garmin navigation device, too. Don’t have a GPS device? You can also use your smartphone or smartwatch. The app shows you things like path and road conditions, plus you can save the maps for navigating offline.
SwitzerlandMobility – planning routes in Switzerland
We recommend the free SwitzerlandMobility app for planning your routes in Switzerland. Maps with all the key information like accommodation, bike service stations and public transport stops make it easy to plan your next bike adventure using your smartphone.
MeteoSwiss – weather at a glance
MeteoSwiss gives you a clear and personalised view of local weather forecasts and any severe weather warnings. It is especially worth taking a look at the rainfall visualisation in the app when the weather is uncertain.
Fatmap – three-dimensional terrain view
With a worldwide 3D outdoor map featuring live information and for downloading, you’ll have reliable details on the snow line for your outdoor sport plans. And the map gives you full insight into the terrain. You can also track your adventures in the app and share them with friends or the FATMAP community.
iOverlander – find places to sleep and bike service
With iOverlander you can find places to stay overnight, including campsites, hotels or restaurants, as well as bike services or fresh water. You can also add places to the app yourself. This allows the services available worldwide to the Overlander community to be constantly expanded.
Bikepackr – packing list at the push of a button
Got a puncture but no puncture repair kit in your gear? With Bikepackr, you can create a packing list for your next adventure quickly and easily so you don’t leave anything important at home. Whether you’re travelling by mountain bike, gravel bike or touring bike, ready-made lists depending on the weather and duration of your tour help you take the right equipment with you.
Give bikepacking a go
You can try out packing your own bike at the bikepacking points in our Markthalle Bern and Zurich Europaallee shops. Take your bike – mountain bike, touring bike or gravel bike, whatever – into the shop and check which bike bags fit best.
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