Maps

Quoted message said:

We are going to Europe in the Spring. Where can we obtain inexpensive

cycle

Quoted message said:

route maps ??

Rob

Europe! Finland or France or? /ole

Rob:

You don't say where you are going, but for France (and probably Germany, Itally and Spain) the
Michelin maps at the 1:200,000 scale are very good. That is 2km/cm, they have indications of steep
grades, and most important the colour of the roads on the map indicates traffic volume.

... Greg Shannan

"Robberg" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

We are going to Europe in the Spring. Where can we obtain inexpensive cycle route maps ??

Rob

"Greg Shannan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Rob:

You don't say where you are going, but for France (and probably Germany,

Itally

Quoted message said:

and Spain) the Michelin maps at the 1:200,000 scale are very good. That

is

Quoted message said:

2km/cm, they have indications of steep grades, and most important the

colour of

Quoted message said:

the roads on the map indicates traffic volume.

These maps are only a reasonable start but if you rely on them you will be disappointed.

In France get the IGN maps which have twice the detail and show every road. These have green covers.
They are excellent. In Germany there are a host of special cycling maps which you MUST get to get
the max out of it. If you are doing tours like the Mosel, Rhine etc. you have little books which
have all the cycling route details on them. These are superb. Germany has terrific cycling
facilities which enable you to avoid most of the traffic, but you must seek them out.

Garry:

"Gearóid Ó Laoi, Garry Lee" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Greg Shannan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Rob:

You don't say where you are going, but for France (and probably Germany,

Itally

Quoted message said:

and Spain) the Michelin maps at the 1:200,000 scale are very good. That

is

Quoted message said:

2km/cm, they have indications of steep grades, and most important the

colour of

Quoted message said:

the roads on the map indicates traffic volume.

These maps are only a reasonable start but if you rely on them you will be disappointed.

In France get the IGN maps which have twice the detail and show every road. These have green
covers. They are excellent. In Germany there are a host of special cycling maps which you MUST get
to get the max out of it. If you are doing tours like the Mosel, Rhine etc. you have little books
which have all the cycling route details on them. These are superb. Germany has terrific cycling
facilities which enable you to avoid most of the traffic, but you must seek them out.

Interesting. My experience with the IGN maps, was less positive than yours. The fact that they are
at a larger scale is good, but they do not show the terrain as well, for instance they do not have
the "fleches" that Michelin uses to indicate any hill over 5%, they also do not have as good a
rendering of the topology and altitudes are completely missing. I found that the way they rendered
the main roads was by "official" traffic volumes, where the Michelin seemed to use the real traffic
volumes on the roads. This was very important to
me. And finally, in my case, where they disagreed with the Michelin maps, I always found the
Michelin maps to be correct. I also have never found any roads missing on the Michelin map.

This is not to say the the IGN maps are not good, they are, but they seem to be more aimed at the
car, curiously enough, considering the alternative is a tire maker. I definitely prefer the Michelin
maps though. They are both around the same price.

... Greg

Depending on which country, try Amazon.uk, amazon.de, amazon.fr.. whichever..

I bought "Bikeline" guides off of Amazon.de a few weeks ago. In German.. but hey.. when in
Germany....

Robberg said:

We are going to Europe in the Spring. Where can we obtain inexpensive cycle route maps ??

Rob

Depending on which country, try Amazon.uk, amazon.de, amazon.fr.. whichever..

I bought "Bikeline" guides off of Amazon.de a few weeks ago. In German.. but hey.. when in
Germany....

Robberg said:

We are going to Europe in the Spring. Where can we obtain inexpensive cycle route maps ??

Rob