Love them or hate them, mobile apps and platforms of all kinds have had a huge impact on our cycling – and have muted the disconnected sense of adventure and exploration for many riders.

The vices of devices… it’s an app trap, and we’ve been caught. If it’s not on Strava or Instagram, it didn’t happen. First, a warning: this is an opinion-based article, and contains sensitive (to some) content. A sense of humour and some chill are both recommended before reading!

Although this kicked in with a twist on an ironic Boomtown Rats songline, which will be lost in vinyl history to many, ironically, these are often the most likely to be “app-trapped”, having grown up in a digital and device-led world. 

I guess some don’t realise (or for us older folk, remember) just how much those evil devices in our pockets have taken their toll in where and how many ride, not to mention sedating the very spirit of adventure and exploration. 

That good old analogue business of simply picking up a paper map or just following your sense of curiosity into the wilds of the great unknown – and, of course, getting lost, taking wrong turns, coming unstuck; that’s a comparative rarity these days. 

But hey, that was all part of the experience in the pre-digital device era. If there were any pictures taken along the way, they were usually on a point-and-shoot film camera, which you could get developed a few months later. There was no social media pressure for the selfie – and most definitely not for the TikTok selfie dance, let alone to post every last watt and mile of that (now) over-trodden, and funnelled and “over-grammed “ line – the one where others pass en masse chasing false social media dreams &  virtual trophies (though, each to their own).

I, too, have been unwittingly app trapped, and I hate it

This story is in no way, shape or form decrying anyone for using the many and varied apps out there, or for posting everything on social media platforms; that’s their choice. Out of semi-self-enforced and perceived necessity, I, too, get “app trapped” at times, unfortunately.

I also fully acknowledge the benefits and use case potential for many of the apps, but for me, they mostly impact and limit the whole ride experience negatively, which is why I try to limit any reliance on them.

There are several cycling-friendly map and stat apps out there, and some are very useful too. Unfortunately, many riders almost seem to wholeheartedly rely and trust on their mixed user-ai laid lines. And yet, with living in a relatively bike “un-apped” area, when I do see routes plotted locally, or in other areas I know well, I often get that Trip Advisor review sensation. You may know the kind: “That was the best Hawaiian pizza in all of Italy”, says Magic Mike, who passed Milan airport’s transit lounge and visited Pizza Hut on his first day in the country. 

Quite often, I do see some very bland and dangerous routes, and two-wheeled pilgrims do seem to unquestioningly follow that same questionable trail over and again, often chasing those virtual trophies along the way (mostly on road). All too often, these are ridden without a second glance around or a curious thought as to what may lie beyond if they just follow that twisted trail into the great (app) unknown. I do get it, some riders want that guaranteed fix, but that’s not me.

This is in no way anti-map apps, with the lack of paper options available, I do often find myself taking overviews from the likes of Komoot, and then side tracking the pre-laid lines; that’s what it’s mostly about for me.

Antisocial riding

As for the social media apps and platforms and their dastardly impact on cycling, that’s a much more ferocious one, and a thought or three for another day. Though in my opinion, in so many ways, these have become the ultimate reality and passion killers when it comes to simply disconnecting and enjoying the purity of the ride for sanity and soul’s sake.

In the often-over-nannied world we now live in, some see it as irresponsible to venture out without a fully connected mobile device; after all, bad things and evil demons await when you do.

Funny one that; I can remember the paper magazine backlash decades ago when I wrote a feature on potential safety benefits of those new-fangled mobile phones; “They’ll kill the whole sense of adventure, they will take away the freedoms and the art of self-reliance” came the responses – and I largely agreed. 

That said, I do feel somewhat naked when riding out alone without a phone these days, yet I do know some old times who refuse to even consider slipping one in their back pocket – kudos to them.

You know what? Those unconnected demons are largely made up, like the bogey man and free beer – unless they’re digital demons that simply didn’t exist years ago, that is.

There’s a lot to be said for “app-less” (not hapless) riding. I think I’ll have a crack at it again soon; those totally disconnected and disjointed trail rides of old were the stuff of true freedom and unshared memories.

You might also like: