Mountain biking can be an exhilarating and rewarding sport, but finding the perfect trail, tracking your progress, understanding pre-ride trail conditions, and staying safe on unfamiliar terrain can be challenging. Luckily, a variety of top-rated mountain biking apps ensure every rider’s needs are catered to, transforming your smartphone into a powerful biking companion.
Speaking from personal experience, I can’t stress enough how crucial these apps can be. I remember one winter in Colorado when I got hopelessly lost while mountain biking. The sun was setting, the temperature was dropping, and I had no idea which direction to go. In this desperate situation, it was a smartphone app that turned out to be my saviour. It guided me back to my starting point just in time and probably saved me from a freezing night in the wilderness. Trust me, having the right app on your phone can be a lifesaver!
So, without further adieu, let’s dive in and find out which is the best mountain biking trail app for you. An app that will help you navigate mountain biking trails with ease, while perhaps sprinkling in good measures of discovery, performance tracking, GPS tracking, skill improvement, and more.
Gone are the days when mountain bikers relied solely on paper maps and intuition to navigate mountain biking trails. Today, a multitude of apps for mountain biking offer everything from detailed trail maps to performance tracking and safety features. Whether you’re a casual rider or a seasoned pro, there’s an app to enhance your mountain biking experience.
Trail discovery – A good app will take a lot of the stress out of discovering new trails; helping you know where to go; plan time, distances and performance; and perhaps most important of all, how to get back without getting lost!
Performance tracking – Apps for mountain biking can help you keep track of your fitness and performance as well, giving you a clear overview of your progress and the path to your goals.
Route planning – It’s always good to have at least a simple plan, and many apps simplify that process immensely.
On-trail repairs – Receive key guidance on how to get your bike ride-worthy again when something fails.
Safety measures – Many apps have built-in safety features to help you handle emergencies.
Skill improvement – Develop skill sets you are lacking and get even stronger in areas you already have experience.
Health and fitness data – Stay up to date with your current health metrics and fitness journey.
Legal trail discovery – Make sure that your exploration stays outside private or government land.
Outdoor enthusiasts – Many apps are great for a broad range of outdoor activities, not just Mountain Biking.
User-created routes – Gain access to routes ridden and created by real people.
Ready to find the perfect app for your next ride?
Price: $4.49/month or $53.99/year | With Outside+ $7.49/month or $89.99/year
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For those seeking comprehensive trail information, Trailforks Pro is a top choice. This app boosts your mountain biking experience with features like:
These features offer a well-rounded platform for planning and executing your rides. Additionally, by tracking your rides on local trails, you can contribute valuable trail usage data back to the biking community using Trailforks.
Despite its extensive features, Trailforks Pro comes at a cost. Most features require a paid subscription and benefits, such as:
are worth the investment for serious riders. Overall, Trailforks Pro provides a great platform for accessing comprehensive trail information and enhancing your mountain biking adventures.
Price: Free version available | Subscription at $11.99/month or $79.99/year
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Renowned among mountain biking enthusiasts, Strava offers a range of features to keep you motivated and goal-focused:
These features make Strava a popular choice for mountain bikers looking to track their progress and compete with others.
The Strava app offers several features for mountain bikers:
Price: Free version available | Basic: $7.99/month or $59.99/year | Premium: $9.99/month or $79.99/year
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When it comes to route planning and navigation, Ride with GPS is an exceptional choice. Its user-friendly interface simplifies route discovery and customization, while features like turn-by-turn directions, route suggestions, and location sharing help you stay on course. The app is especially helpful in areas with limited cell service.
When using GPS tools for mountain biking, preparedness is key. Always carry a spare battery pack for your phone as GPS usage can deplete your battery quickly. Additionally, consider waterproofing your device in case of unexpected weather conditions during your long ride.
While some of Ride with GPS’s best features, like interactive trail maps, are only available in the paid version, the app’s core functionality makes it a valuable tool for planning and navigating mountain biking trails.
Price: $3.99
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For trailside repairs and bike maintenance, the Bicycle Maintenance Guide is invaluable, helping your bike perform smoothly on mountain biking trails. This comprehensive guide covers everything from basic maintenance tasks like cleaning and lubricating your bike to more advanced repairs like replacing a chain or adjusting gears.
With over 100 sections, including photos and videos, ‘get out of jail’ roadside tricks, fault diagnostics, and detailed repairs, the Bicycle Maintenance Guide offers invaluable advice for both beginners and experienced cyclists. However, the guide does not include video tutorials and may not cover all types of bicycles.
Paragraph 5: Overall, this guide is an essential tool for anyone looking to keep their bike in top condition on the trails.
Price: Free
Download: Android
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The St John Ambulance First Aid For Cyclists app offers the following features:
With a range of features that can help you stay safe and informed, such as a first aid guide, emergency contact information, safety tips, and reminders, the St John Ambulance First Aid For Cyclists app is an invaluable tool for treating accidents and ensuring safety on the trail systems. Plus, you can easily access emergency services even in areas with limited cell service.
Don’t hit the trails without this essential safety app!
Price: Free
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MTB Hangtime, with its innovative features like jump analysis and cornering techniques, assists riders in honing their skills. By using your phone’s accelerometer, MTB Hangtime provides valuable data about your airtime and cornering, helping you fine-tune your skills on the mountain biking trails. The app is an excellent tool for riders looking to reach new heights and gain insights into their total jump time and other metrics.
While MTB Hangtime is limited to airtime and cornering metrics, its focus on these specific skills makes it a valuable resource for riders looking to improve their performance in these areas. As a free app, MTB Hangtime is an accessible and useful tool for any mountain biker looking to enhance their skills on the trails.
Price: Free
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For riders using Garmin devices, Garmin Connect is a robust app that tracks and analyzes health and fitness data. With features like:
Garmin Connect helps you reach your fitness goals using apps for mountain biking. The app also offers personalized insights and recommendations, as well as the ability to compete with friends and other users in challenges and virtual races.
However, some users find the Garmin Connect app’s design to be amateurish and prefer a more sophisticated and visually appealing interface. Additionally, the app has limited customization options, which may be a drawback for some users.
Despite these minor drawbacks, Garmin Connect remains an excellent choice for health and fitness tracking for mountain bikers using Garmin devices.
Price: Free
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Focusing on legal trail discovery, MTB Project stands out with its user-generated content that provides reliable trail information. By offering GPS tracking, elevation gain and loss measurement, and trail reviews, MTB Project helps riders find the best trails, plan routes, and track their performance. The app’s user-generated approach ensures accurate and up-to-date information about individual trails, making it an invaluable resource for discovering new mountain biking trails.
While MTB Project is limited to mountain biking trails and may not have as extensive a trail database as other apps, its focus on legal trail discovery and user-generated content makes it a valuable tool for riders looking to explore various trail systems. As a free app, MTB Project is a fantastic resource for trail discovery and planning your next mountain biking adventure.
Price: Free version available | AllTrails+: $21/year
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Ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, AllTrails offers trail discovery for a range of activities including hiking, walking, and biking around the world. With over 200,000 routes available, AllTrails makes it easy for finding trails and uncovering amazing areas for your next outdoor adventure. The app also includes helpful trail reviews, photos, mileage, elevation gain/loss, and more features that cater to mountain biking enthusiasts.
Although some features, like offline maps, require an AllTrails+ subscription, the free version of AllTrails provides a solid foundation for discovering new trails and planning your outdoor excursions. Whether you’re a mountain biker, hiker, or simply love exploring the great outdoors, AllTrails is a must-have app for your next adventure.
Price: Signup for free + free first Single Region | Single Region for $3.99 | Region Bundles for $8.99 | The World for $29.99
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Specializing in user-created routes and turn-by-turn directions, Komoot offers a personalized mountain biking experience and is gaining popularity. The app’s features include:
By providing user-created routes and turn-by-turn directions, Komoot allows you to create a truly personalized mountain biking experience, helping you navigate mountain biking trails with ease. Some features of Komoot include:
While some features require in-app purchases, Komoot’s core functionality makes it a valuable tool for mountain bikers.
The selection of the ideal mountain biking app is subjective, influenced by your preferences, objectives, and riding style. With a plethora of apps focusing on aspects like:
Enhancing your mountain biking experience has never been easier, especially with the variety of mountain bike trails available.
Whether you’re a casual rider or a seasoned pro, the apps featured in this guide offer a variety of features and benefits to cater to your needs. By considering your personal preferences and goals, you can choose the right app to elevate your mountain biking adventures and make the most of your time on the trails.
In conclusion, the best mountain biking app for you will depend on your specific needs, preferences, and riding style. From trail discovery to performance tracking, skill improvement, and safety measures, there’s an app to cater to every rider’s needs. Explore the options featured in this guide and find the perfect app to transform your smartphone into a powerful biking companion, enhancing your mountain biking experience and helping you conquer the trails.
Trailforks may be a little less polished than AllTrails, but it has a much better database of mountain bike trails, making it the superior choice.
Both MTB Project and Trailforks are great tools for planning and executing your ride; however, MTB Project is better suited for route planning while Trailforks is a better option for use during your ride. So make sure to get both for the best experience!
For the best mountain biking trail discovery, Trailforks Pro and MTB Project are top choices, offering extensive trail maps and user-generated content for accuracy.
Strava is the top choice for performance tracking and competition, with its auto-timed ride segments and ability to compare your progress with other riders making it the go-to app for athletes.
Take advantage of Ride with GPS for your route planning and navigation needs – get turn-by-turn directions and route suggestions for an enjoyable cycling experience! Apple
We’re proud affiliates, meaning we may earn a commission on some links you purchase from at no extra cost to you. Our recommendations are based on our deep experience being in the Mountain Bike industry for over ten years. As true riders ourselves, we will always provide fair and honest opinions on products, so you can make the best choices possible.
