Interested in contributing your local trail knowledge to OpenStreetMap? Read on to learn more about editing OpenStreetMap, as well as what info we use to display mountain bike trails on Ride with GPS!
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Ride with GPS uses map data from OpenStreetMap (OSM) to power the RWGPS, OSM, OSM Cycle, and ESRI map types in our route planner and navigation software. OSM is a free and collaborative project to create a detailed map of the entire world — and it is constantly evolving and improving because of a worldwide community of volunteer contributors who regularly update the map to reflect new roads, closed roads, private/public land access, surface type information and more.
MTB Trails and OpenStreetMap
OSM also has established standards for mountain bike trails, which can indicate trail difficulty, and alongside other common attributes like surface types, help us provide a clearer picture of what to expect from a given trail or route.
The MTB Trails Layer highlights trails that have been tagged with a difficulty rating in OSM.
There is no single global standard for how trail difficulty is defined and displayed, but there are common scales and styles. We are currently displaying trail difficulty ratings based on the OSM tags mtb:scale:imba and mtb:scale, which correspond to the IMBA scale and Single Track Scale (STS).
While the ratings are not mutually exclusive, mtb:scale:imba is more commonly applied in North America, while mtb:scale is used elsewhere in the world, especially in Europe.
Trail difficulty ratings can be subjective and vary widely by region - for example, trails in the Pacific Northwest of the USA and Canada are generally considered to be more difficult than trails in other regions, even if they share the same difficulty rating. If planning a trip to an unfamiliar area, it’s a good idea to research the region to get a sense of how trails might compare to those you are more used to riding.
If your local trails don't have a difficulty rating in OSM, the MTB Trails Layer won't show that trail network. Read on to learn more about interpreting trail ratings and creating edits to OSM!
IMBA Rating Scale
The IMBA scale is most familiar to riders in North America.
Easy (White Circle)
mtb:scale:imba = 0
Easy trails are approachable for all riders and do not require any special skills or equipment to ride.
Beginner (Green Circle)
mtb:scale:imba = 1
Generally, these trails can be ridden on a gravel bike, and do not require any advanced skills. The may include minor obstacles such as small tree roots or rocks.
Intermediate (Blue Square)
mtb:scale:imba = 2
Intermediate trails introduce more difficulty, may be narrower and steeper than Beginner trails, and may include more challenging features. Trails that include features such as jumps or drops usually have an option to ride around them, or roll over them without leaving the ground.
Advanced (Black Diamond)
mtb:scale:imba = 3
Advanced trails require more technical skills, and may include some mandatory features, such as jumps, drops, and rock gardens.
Expert (Double Black Diamond)
mtb:scale:imba = 4
Expert trails generally do not include ride-arounds for challenging features, and may include large gap jumps, drops, and steep corners that require a high level of skill to navigate safely. It may not be possible or safe to walk down the trail.
Single Track Scale
The Single Track Scale, or STS, is based on the German "Singletrailskala", which can be applied to MTB-specific trails, but also any trail where bikes are allowed, to indicate technical difficulty.
S0 (Green)
mtb:scale = 0
Trails rated S0 are generally beginner-friendly and do not require any advanced riding skills.
S1 (Blue)
mtb:scale = 1
Trails rated S1 may include some more challenging mixed surfaces, small roots and rocks, and require intermediate riding skills.
S2 (Red)
mtb:scale = 2
Trails rated S2 likely demand more advanced riding skills, and can include more challenging obstacles, such as roots, rocks, and drops.
S3+ (Black)
mtb:scale = 3, 4, 5, 6
S3 and above rated trails require expert riding skills, and may be very steep and technically demanding.
Interested in contributing trail difficulty data to OpenStreetMap? Read on to learn about a few different tools and tips to do so successfully.
Using Overpass Turbo to locate missing data
Overpass Turbo is a tool that allows you to look for OSM features that contain certain tags. This can be a useful tool for identifying which trail systems have been properly categorized, and which trail systems still need to be tagged.
To use Overpass Turbo, go to: https://overpass-turbo.eu/ and copy in this query:
/*
This has been generated by the overpass-turbo wizard.
*/ [out:json][timeout:25];
// gather results way["mtb:scale:imba"]
({{bbox}});
// print results
out geom;
Click Run - this will show you any features that have the mtb:scale:imba tag in the current map window pane shown on the Overpass Turbo site.
If you don't see any features outlined in blue, this means that no trails within the search area contain the mtb:scale:imba tag. You'll need to manually add in this tag to any trails missing this information.
Look Up OSM Data in the Route Planner
When using the web Route Planner, it’s easy to look up any trails, roads, or paths in OpenStreetMap. Simply right click on any way and select Look up in OpenStreetMap.
This will display all of the tag information for your selected way on the right hand side of the page. If multiple ways are present near where you clicked, you’ll be given the option to select between all of the ways in that area. If you’d like to view the way on OpenStreetMap, click View on OSM to be taken to that way on OpenStreetMap’s website. Clicking Edit on OSM will take you directly to the page on their site where you can make edits, including adding tags.
Making edits in OpenStreetMap
In order to add information about mountain bike trails in OSM, you can follow these steps:
- Open OSM's website and Click Sign up to create a free account.
- Go to the map and type the address or coordinates of the area that you want to edit into the search box.
- Hit the Edit button in the top left of the screen. This will open the iD editor, which allows you to make edits in your browser. The first time you open the iD editor, you'll be prompted to follow a quick walkthrough to learn the ropes. This is available at any time when logged in by clicking Edit in the upper left corner > clicking the Help icon in the lower right corner > clicking the link to start the Walkthrough.
OSM has a large number of tags, which provide information about map data. For now, we're going to be focusing on the map:scale:imba tag to add difficulty ratings to mountain bike trails. That said, if you notice that other tags are incorrect, feel free to make any changes to update their accuracy.
Once you're in the iD Editor and you've located a trail that you would like to add a difficulty rating to, you can click on it. Scroll down on the left hand side pane to the Tags section, and click the plus sign icon to add a new tag.
Enter mtb:scale:imba in the left hand side, and then select a rating from 0 to 4.
Identifying Trail Ratings
Open Street Map edits should be made based on your own knowledge. If you don't know the difficulty rating of a specific trail, this information can usually be found elsewhere online. Check out your local or regional mountain bike association's website, if they have one, as they will often compile maps and information about local trails. Otherwise, defer to the organization that maintains these trails for the most up to date information.