New version of Bike Hub app released

You may already be familiar with the Bike Hub app: it's a cycle-specific satnav app that's paid for by the Bicycle Association of Great Britain, and it offers bike navigation with voice directions and turn-by-turn routing. The app has been going for six years now, and there's a brand new version out today that's been rebuilt from the ground up to work with the latest generation of smartphones.

What's changed? Well, the interface has been redesigned with a cleaner design and sharper mapping for the higher-resolution screens that are now common. The app can be used on tablet screens too. The app still uses the Cyclestreets routing engine, which allows users to find the quickest, shortest or quietest route, or a mix of the three. You can opt to stick as much as possible to traffic-free routes and quiet roads, and opt to miss out hills.

Users can toggle between three map styles: OpenCycleMap, Ordnance Survey Opendata and a stripped-back Bike-Hub-specific map. With the app being paid for by The Bicycle Association – the industry membership body that represents UK cycle and accessory suppliers – the focus is on the UK, but the app is also able to route in other countries.

Four different routing options are available

The new version of the app is available now: there's links below for the iOS and Android versions. Within a few weeks more features will be added to the app including syncronisation with Wahoo RFKLT and Apple Watch so you can keep your phone in your pocket and get turn-by-turn directions to your bars, or wrist. The Bicycle Association recommend that you use a specific bike mount for your phone if you're using it to navigate.

There's other stuff available in the app too

There's other useful stuff in the app as well as routing. If you find yourself in difficulty you can find the nearest bike shop through the app, and navigate to it of course. There's information about cycling and the law, and the cycle to work scheme, as well as a selection of cycling quotes to inspire you. If you want to do an out-and-back ride you can use the explore function to plot a route taking in local points of interest.

> Get the new version of Bike Hub for iOS

> Get the new version of Bike Hub for Android