Trouble brewing at Komoot

[Regular.Cyclist]

Like rivers I too am grandfathered in having paid a nominal one off fee (less that £20 IIRC) many years ago.

I don't create routes in it, that I still do in ridewithgps (free account) and then use Komoot to sync it to some of my GPS devices. That I still can do. Where it is good is giving inspiration for runs and rides in new areas and even proved useful in off riad navigating on the few times I have used it.

Will be interesting to see what more changes come about from new ownership.

 

[mjr]

If that's your opinion feel free to hold it. I wouldn't describe anyone who chooses to support RWGPS, Strava, cycletravel, Komoot, etc. as a mug. I'm a stronger supporter of RWGPS. I've had a paid subscription for perhaps 9/10 years as I believe in paying for and supporting the services I receive.

Being a paying customer is one thing. Being an unpaid cheerleader or recruiter is quite another. They are not your sites. They are not altruistic communes. Some day an investor will 'cash out' or occasionally it'll be liquidated and your work lost. There are better things you can donate your efforts to, including charities, some of which really need some help.

 

[matticus]

Are we not planning routes with AI yet? Very disappointing ...

 

[wiggydiggy]

Only owning a Garmin Edge somethingorother (2016), that has only been used for navigation a few times, I'm not real sure what Komoot does. The few times I used the Garmin to get me somewhere when no map was available, it did a stellar job of not only getting somewhere but finding bike friendly routes I might not have found otherwise. I take it Komoot can suggest a good route and then load it into a GPS unit like the Edge ? What would they be proposing to charge for such a "service" ?

When I explored it the other day there were several routes (within my 'South' Yorkshire map pack) that looked like they would download to my Garmin. I presume any charge would apply to a route falling outside of that map pack. I need to keep checking back on my CyclingUK membership as I've claimed more than 1 pack through it, maybe it repeats?

 

[PaulSB]

Being a paying customer is one thing. Being an unpaid cheerleader or recruiter is quite another. They are not your sites. They are not altruistic communes. Some day an investor will 'cash out' or occasionally it'll be liquidated and your work lost. There are better things you can donate your efforts to, including charities, some of which really need some help.

RWGPS and Strava are both businesses, I don't know about Komoot, cycletravel is, I believe, run by a cyclist and others and supported by advertising.

So with the first two one is buying a service, the fourth supporting a business that is selflessly helping our wide community. That should sound familiar to anyone who posts on CC.

Where have I suggested altruism of any sort is involved? I don't use cycle.travel and pay for RWGPS and Strava. Any donations I choose to make have no bearing on the cycling services I pay for.l

 

[mjr]

Where have I suggested altruism of any sort is involved?

You posted that it's "sad for tens of thousands of loyal supporters", not customers. Customers seem definitely to be getting stiffed, but that's covered by the usual advice of "buyer beware" where customers should have factored the likelihood of this change into their decision of whether it was worth purchasing. I didn't find Komoot worth purchasing and it sounds like you didn't much either.

Anyone supporting a private-benefit commercial service beyond a rational purchase-or-not decision should wise up before they get exploited again and again and again. It doesn't deserve "supporters". It's not a club. Like all the fools energetically promoting Bluesky when it's likely to go exactly the same way as Twitter the next time someone wants to hog the media before a major election.

 

[CXRAndy]

I stopped using Strava mapping, but have Ride with GPS

 

[Binky]

These two posts precisely sum up my feelings. I've tried to use Komoot in the past, even attended a couple of online teaching sessions. I found it clunky and difficult to use for planning.

It is though brilliant for offering routes in unfamiliar areas. I might use it once a year for this function but not worth paying for. I won't miss it.

It is though sad for tens of thousands of loyal supporters.

Sums up my experience of Komoot. Clunky and difficult to use.

I use RWGPS for ride route planning, works well for me in UK and abroad.